PROPORTIONS, &c. 339 



to confer a power of representing living fornris and atti- 

 tudes. A little attention to nature, which is indeed too 

 often neglected in learned investigations of proportions, and 

 in academy studies, will convince us, that even in the 

 same race, individual varieties are endless in number and 

 great in degree, without any diminution of strength and 

 activity ; and that forms and relations, very different from 

 each other, may yet be thought equally beautiful by those 

 who venture to judge without knowing the proportions of 

 the ancient statues. Still greater differences exist between 

 the several races of mankind ; insomuch, that if we adopt 

 for the model of beauty, the standard of proportions disco- 

 vered in the Greek statues, a great part of the human race 

 will be cut off, by its very organization, from all chance of 

 participating in this endowment. When, however, we find 

 that Hottentots and American savages will outrun wild ani- 

 mals in the chase, will pursue and hunt down even deer; 

 that they will accomplish long journeys on foot over the 

 most difhcult countries, where there is no path to direct, and 

 every obstacle to obstruct their progress ; that the effemi- 

 nate Hindoos, as we frequently call them, will keep up with 

 horses, and perform astonishing journeys in a short time ; 

 that the South-Sea Islanders amuse themselves for hours 

 together by swimming about in the strongest surf, which 

 would instantly destroy a boat or vessel ; we shall be obliged 

 to allow that the form and proportions to which we are most 

 accustomed are not essential to bodily vigour and flexibi- 

 lity of movement. Our own inferiority in these respects 

 arises, 1 am aware, from want of exercise, not from organic 

 deficiency. Civilized man is ignorant of his own powers ; he 

 is not sensible how much he is weakened by effeminacy, nor 

 to what extent he might recover his native force by habi- 

 tual and vigorous exercise of his frame. 



The body is described as broad, square, and robust ; the 

 extremities short and nervous; and the shoulders high in 

 the Mongolian tribes, which entered Europe in the thir- 

 teenth century. See p. 303. 



" The Calmucks/' says Pallas, " are often very strong 



z2 



