D!Fb"ERKN( ES OF STATURE. 3/3 



any means corresponded to their size. The head, in these 

 cases^ is below the ratio wliich it should bear to the body, 

 according to vvliat we deduce from men of ordinary stature : 

 hence the brain must be comparatively smaller. It is a 

 general observation, that very large men are seldom dis- 

 tinguished by extent or force of mental power. The dwarfs, 

 again, are mostly ill-made ; the head, in particular, is too 

 large. There are very few instances of what we can deem 

 healthy well-made men, with all the proper attributes of the 

 race, much below the general standard. 



Some varieties of the human race exceed, and others fall 

 short of, the ordinary stature in a small degree. The source 

 of these deviations is in the breed ; they are quite inde- 

 pendent of external inBuences. In all the five human 

 varieties, some tribes and nations are conspicuous for height 

 and strength ; others, for lower stature, and Inferior mus- 

 cular power. But in no case is the peculiarity, whether of 

 tallness or shortness, confined to any particular temperature, 

 climate, situation, or mode of life. 



In the Caucasian variety, there are no strongly-marked 

 deviations from the ordinary standard, in either direction. 

 Some parts of Sweden and Switzerland, the mountains of 

 tlie Tyrol and Salzburg, are rather distinguished for the tall- 

 ness of their inhabitants ; while the Finnish race in the 

 north of Europe may be short in the same proportion. 



The ancient Germans were remarked for their great 

 stature : " magna corpora" is the expression of Tacitus, 

 which is also corroborated by the testimony of Caesar. 

 Large bodies and limbs, as well as undaunted courage, are 

 the attributes assigned to them by Pomponius Mela; 

 " immanes animis et corporibus." We have no data for 

 determining their precise stature : there is, how^ever, no 

 proof that it exceeded the tallest of the present German 

 races, so that some of their finest and most robust men 

 may have somewhat exceeded six feet. Modern Saxony 

 and the Tyrol could probably furnish an equal proportion 

 of such individuals. 



The Inhabitants of America exhibit more conspicuous 



