4/6 DIVISION OF THE HUMaN STECIES 



eiice of more ancient and complete civilization. In sur- 

 veying the distinctions of moral and intellectual endowments, 

 we feel uncertain how much ought to be ascribed to original 

 difference, and how much to the powerful influence of go- 

 vernment, education, religion, and other analagous causes. 

 I think, however, it will appear, that most of the virtues and 

 talents which adorn and ennoble man, have existed from 

 early times, in a higher degree among the Celtic and Ger- 

 man, than among the Slavonic and Oriental people ; while 

 the latter have usually displayed a more sensual character 

 than the former. 



Blumenbach Is inclined to believe that the primitive form 

 of the human race was that which belongs to the Caucasian 

 variety, of which the most beautiful specimens are now exhi- 

 bited by the Georgians, Turks, Greeks, and some Europeans. 

 From the tinely-formed skull of this race, as from a primi- 

 tive configuration, the other forms descend, by an easy and 

 simple gradation on the one hand to the Mongolian, and on 

 the other to the Ethiopian variety. The greatest mental 

 powers have been bestowed on this variety ; so tliat they 

 have discovered nearly all the arts aud sciences : indeed, 

 almost our whole treasure of literature and knowledge has 

 been derived from the same quarter. These nations have 

 the most intelligent and expressive countenance, and the 

 most beautiful bodily proportions : they occupy the middle 

 regions of the globe, while the extremities are filled by others. 

 The most ancient and most early civilized nations have be- 

 longed to this division ; to which also, according to the ob- 

 servation of Blumenbach, there is a disposition to return in 

 the other races, as may be observed in the South-Sea Islands, 

 and in some parts of Africa ; while this does not easily de- 

 viate into the dark-coloured varieties. 



If we admit the Causasian to have been the primitive 

 form of man, are we to suppose that the skin was rosy, the 

 hair yellow or red, and the eyes blue, or that the former had 

 a tendency to brown, and that both the latter were dark ? 

 We can have little hesitation in adopting the latter opinion ! 

 for those characters belong to nil of this race, except the 



