■M)0 lilSTORY OF 



mankind is found to blacken all the southern parts of Africa, 

 from eighteen degrees north of the line, to its extreme termina- 

 tion at the Cape of Good Hope. I know it is said, that the 

 Caffres, who inhabit the southern extremity of that large conti- 

 nent, are not to be ranked among the negro race : however, the 

 difference between them, in point of colour and features, is so 

 small, that they may very easily be grouped in this general pic- 

 ture; and in the one or two that I have seen, I could not per- 

 ceive the smallest difference. Each of the negro nations, it 

 must be owned, differ from each other ; they have their peculiar 

 countries for beauty, like us ; and different nations, as in 

 Europe, pride themselves upon the regularity of their features. 

 Those of Guinea, for instance, are extremely ugly, and have an 

 insujjportable scent ; those of Mosambique are reckoned beauti- 

 ful, and have no ill smell whatsoever. The negroes, in general, 

 are of a black colour, with a smooth soft skin. This smoothness 

 proceeds from the downy softness of the hair which grows upon 

 it; the strength of which gives a roughness to the feel, in those 

 of a white complexion. Their skins, therefore, have a velvet 

 smoothness, and seem less braced upon the muscles than ours. 

 The hair of their heads differs entirely from what we are accus- 

 tomed to, being soft, woolly, and short. The beard also partakes of 

 the same qualities ; but in this it differs, that it soon turns gray, 

 which the hair is seldom foimd to do ; so that several are seen 

 with white beards, and black hair, at the same time. Their eyes 

 are generally of a deep hazel ; their noses Hat and short ; their 



liglitcned Egyptians were themselves Negroes, or from a Negro race. Phy- 

 sioliigy has, however, detected this error, for it is clear, from the examina- 

 tion and comparison of a great many skulls of Egyptian mummies, that these 

 people belonged to the Caucasian division, and that tlieir cranium and brain 

 were very voluminous when compared with the existing African races. 

 The fact is curious, as a collateral evidence of the position that a contrary 

 form of head is incompatible, nationally speaking, with an enlarged mind. 

 'i"he Abyssinians appear to be a colony of tlie Arabians. So much of Africa 

 R3 is within the torrid zone, is presumed to be in possession partially of tlve 

 Moors, but very generally of tlie Negroes. Whatever individual instances 

 may offer against the position, there seems great reason to conclude that it 

 has pleased the Father of all to assign to these people a lower place in the 

 intellectual scale, compared with otliers of tlieir fellow men, especially when 

 we advert to the stationary condition of their minds through so many iiges. 

 A physical obstacle to their progress seems to be a mure natural solution of 

 this problem, than any political or local circunistauces we OiUi imagine. 



