AM!MA>.S. 



4,13 



toins of the country. They are actual marks of the degeneracy 

 in the human form ; and we may consider the European figure 

 and colour as standards to which to refer all other varieties, and 

 with which to compare them. In proportion as the Tartar or 

 American approaches nearer to European beauty, we consider 

 the race as less degenerated ; in proportion as he differs more 

 widely, he has made greater deviations from his original form. 



That we have all sprung from one common parent, we are 

 taught both by reason and religion, to believe; and we have 

 good reason also to think that the Europeans resemble him 

 more then any of the rest of his children. However, it must 

 not be concealed that the olive-coloured Asiatic, and even the 

 jet-black negio, claim this honoyir of hereditary resemblance ; 



and farther back, and the apertures for the nerves are larger ; the hiiny f iili. 

 stHnco is hard, and the whole weight of the skull more ••onsider;ible ; the 

 organs of sense are more developed, and the narrow forehead, and protrud- 

 ed muzzle give to the negro head the appearance of a decidedly anima 

 character. 



Some of the South African tribes vary a little from the negro conformation 

 of skulL In the head of a Bushman, given by Blumenbach, the cranium is 

 less compressed, the orbits and cheek-bones are wide, and the jaws not pro- 

 minent. There are other differences, but we scarcely know sufficient of 

 these tribes to class them under any given variety. The origin of the Hot- 

 tentots, Caffres, Bushmen, and their subdivisions, found at the extremity of 

 South Africa is quite unknown. They exhibit characters strongly approxi- 

 mating to, and discrepancies equally deviating from, their negro neighbours. 

 The American head is thus characterized : broad cheek-bones, depressed 

 forehead, deep orbits, and the nasal cavity generally large. 



The Esquimaux and Greenlanders, who seem to form a link between the 

 Americans and Mongolians, have broad cheek-bones, large jaws and face, 

 flattened nose, the cranium sufficiently ample, but distinguished by a poste- 

 rior elongation. 



The Carib tribes are conspicuous for a most remarkable depression of the 

 fi)rehead, which defect, like others of the Americans, they increase by arti- 

 fii-ial means. The hinder parts of the skull greatly preponderate ; the face is 

 large and muscular ; the nasal bone neither small nor flat ; the cavity is large, 

 anil the jaws and teeth exhibit manifestations of great strength. 



The general characters in this respect attributed to the Malay variety are, 

 a moderately.narrovved cranium slanting at the interior .ind upper part ; 

 face large, and jaws prominent. But, indeed, the numerous nations com- 

 prehended, with not much philosophical precision, under this variety, exhibit 

 very various and opposing characters ; some are not distinguishable in the 

 formation of this part from Europeans, some partake of the Mongole, and 

 many of the Negro type. In trutii, the above division of skulls is somewhat 

 Brbitrary, and though sufficient for general purposes, is, by no meau«, uni. 

 versally applicable. 



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