494 NATURAL HISTORY OF MAN. 



by mere words, however sanctioned by common use. The 

 term civilisation is one of those vague generalities often 

 applied for convenience or fashion, with very slender warranty 

 of facts. How frequently is it denned and tested by con- 

 ditions belonging to our own usages, while totally inapplicable 

 to other climates or different circumstances of life ! We talk 

 much of civilised Europe, and, as matter of general com- 

 parison, the expression may be justified. But we must not 

 neglect the fact, that there are districts in England, Ireland, 

 and France, which hardly rank in real civilisation above some 

 of the Negro communities of Soudan. If we go into the 

 great cities of the United States, New York and Philadelphia, 

 a comparison between the free negro population and the 

 quarters peopled by Celtic emigrants would, we venture to 

 say, be decidedly to the advantage of the former. We -are 

 asked for examples of some eminent advancement in literature 

 and science. Even were the demand reasonable on other 

 grounds, seeing the condition under which the Negro has 

 hitherto been placed, we should meet it by asking for similar 

 examples, of native growth, among the forty millions of Scla- 

 vonian races who people the vast plains of European Russia ? 

 We might variously multiply instances to the same effect, 

 but we prefer resting the case upon what we believe to be an 

 assured fact, viz. that where Negro communities have been 

 associated with European races through a series of generations, 

 their capacities and habits become altered and enlarged, 

 and their attainments approach closely to those of the same 

 class in the most civilised countries. This corresponds with 

 what we before noticed as to certain changes taking place in 

 bodily configuration under similar circumstances. It is an 

 example, moreover, of the variations incident to every race 

 of mankind as well as the Negro, whenever the more 

 essential conditions of life are altered for long successive 

 periods of time. And as such it is very instructive in relation 

 to our subject. 



