110 Remarks on the Theories of PT. u. 



volcanic, and the general character of the Peninsula 

 is more beautiful than savage ; the lower valleys of 

 the Himalayas are among the loveliest spots on the 

 globe ; and there is no conceivable ground to a man 

 with ordinary observation for supposing that Vishnu 

 and Siva should have been conceived by the ima- 

 gination of Man, contemplating these beautiful and 

 picturesque localities, while Parnassus should have 

 given birth to the ' Iliad.' 



Mr. Buckle appears to have had a great facility of 

 adapting his theories to circumstances. In the Old 

 World a fertile soil leads to redundant population, 

 cruelty and oppression in the upper orders, and 

 slavery among the mass of the people ; but in the 

 Eastern portion of the South American Continent 

 vegetation becomes too luxuriant, it overpowers 

 Man, and stifles him beneath the very redundance 

 of its productions. He is engaged in a war with 

 Nature, in which he is crushed and subdued by the 

 very vigour of her productive powers. All this, 

 however, is a mere dream ; Brazil is one of the most 

 flourishing States of the New World, and its popu- 

 lation is rapidly increasing. 



There is one feature common to the writings both 

 of Mr. Darwin and Mr. Buckle which is to be 



