20 THE HUMAN SPECIES 



the credulous reader, in spite of the voyages of discovery 

 made in the fifteenth century. Natural science had but just 

 shaken off the fetters of scholasticism, and the men had not yet 

 arisen who should bring a clear, unbiassed judgment to bear 

 on the reports of the explorers. The first attempt at a strictly 

 scientific classification of the human race was made by Lin- 

 naeus ; he divides mankind into four races : 



(1) The American, physically characterised by reddish 

 colour of the skin, slender stature, straight, thick hair, and 

 almost beardless chin. His temper is choleric. Linnaeus 

 sums him up thus laconically : " He is stubborn, contented, 

 fond of liberty, paints his body in Daedalian style and is ruled 

 by habit ". 



(2) The European, with white skin, fleshy body, fair, curly 

 hair, blue or grey eyes ; of sanguine temper. " He is active, 

 shrewd, inventive, likes closely-fitting garments and respects 

 the authority of law." 



(3) The Asiatic, with yellow skin, of compact build, has 

 dark hair and brown eyes and is melancholy in temper. " In 

 character he is cruel, avaricious, fond of show ; he likes to 

 dress in flowing garments and is ruled by prevailing opinion." 



(4) The African, with black skin, loose build, very black 

 curly hair, velvet-smooth skin, broad, flattened nose, protruding 

 lips ; of phlegmatic temper. " He is cunning, indolent, indiffer- 

 ent, anoints his body with grease and is governed through 

 despotism." 



In the Linnaean system together with much able, pertinent 

 criticism, there are many erroneous statements ; e.g., the 

 classification of all the diverse tribes of Asia in one group, and 

 the fact of furnishing all Europeans with fair, curly hair and 

 blue or grey eyes. Moreover, it is obvious that Linnaeus is 

 not entirely free from the fantastic notions prevalent among 

 the mediaeval writers of Natural History. Besides the Homo 

 diurnus as highest representative of the Homo sapiens he 

 gives further a four-footed, hairy, speechless Homo ferus on 

 the strength of alleged cases where children grew up among 

 animals without human care. Linnaeus enumerates as Homini 

 monstrosi : 



(i) The inhabitants of the Alps, small, active and timid. 



