40 MAMMALIA. 



VARIETIES OF THE HUMAN SPECIES. 



Three races appear very distinct the Caucasian or white, the Mongolian 

 or yellow, and the Ethiopian or negro. 



The Caucasian, to which we belong, is distinguished by the beauty of the 

 oval formed by his head, varying in complexion and the colour of the hair. 

 To this variety the most highly civilised nations, and those which have 

 generally held all others in subjection, are indebted for their origin. 



The Mongolian is known by his high cheek bones, flat visage, narrow and 

 oblique eyes, straight black hair, scanty beard, and olive complexion. Great 

 empires have been established by this race in China and Japan, and their 

 conquests have been extended to this side of the Great Desert. In civilisation, 

 however, it has always remained stationary. 



The Negro race is confined to the south of Mount Atlas; it is marked by a 

 black complexion, crisped or woolly hair, compressed cranium, and a flat 

 nose. The projection of the lower parts of the face, and the thick lips, 

 evidently approximate it to the monkey tribe ; the hordes of which it consists 

 have always remained in the most complete state of utter barbarism. 



The race from which we are descended has been called Caucasian, because 

 tradition and the filiation of nations seem to refer its origin to that group of 

 mountains situated between the Caspian and Black seas, whence, as from a 

 centre, it has been extended like the radii of a circle. Various nations in the 

 vicinity of Caucasus, the Georgians and Circassians, are still considered the 

 handsomest on the earth. The principal ramifications of this race may be 

 distinguished by the analogies of language. The Armenian or Syrian branch, 

 stretching to the south, produced the Assyrians, the Chaldeans, the hitherto 

 untameable Arabs, who, after the time of Mahomet, were near becoming 

 masters of the world ; the Phenicians, Jews, and Abyssinians, which were 

 Arabian colonies; and most probably the Egyptians. From this branch, 

 always inclined to mysticism, have sprung the most widely extended forms of 

 religion "the arts and literature have sometimes flourished among its nations, 

 but always enveloped in a strange disguise and figurative style. 



The Indian, German, and Pelasgic branch is much more extended, and was 

 much earlier divided, notwithstanding which, the most numerous affinities may 

 be observed between its four principal languages the Sanscrit, the present 

 sacred language of the Hindoos, and the parent of the greater number of the 

 dialects of Hindostan ; the ancient language of the Pelasgi, the common 

 mother of the Greek, the Latin, many tongues that are now extinct, and of all 

 those of the south of Europe ; the Gothic or Teutonic, from which are derived 

 the languages of the north and north-west of Europe, such as the German, 

 the Dutch, English, Danish, Swedish, and other dialects ; and finally, the 

 Sclavonian, from which spring those of the north-east, the Russian, Polish, 

 and Bohemian, &c. 



It is by this great and venerable branch of the Caucasian stock, that philoso- 

 phy, the arts, and the sciences have been carried to the greatest perfection, and 



