THE NEANDERTHAL SKULL. 207 



those of the inhabitants of the earth, walk- 

 ing like quadrupeds, by a modest desire to 

 be seen only in an inclined posture, which 

 has thus become an established position 

 amongst them." The people of Mars are 

 in a "much more exalted state than the 

 inhabitants of the earth, and their hair, 

 instead of growing on their heads, en- 

 velopes their necks " like a lady's boa. 

 Those who inhabit Venus are "a bar- 

 barous, savage and giant-like community, 

 much given to cannibalism." Whilst 

 those of Mercury "much more nearly 

 resemble orang-outangs than human be- 

 ings." 



Such are the results of a personal 

 exploration of the planets by a tran- 

 scendental philosopher from the Far West. 

 But I must not omit to remind you that 

 there is an important distinction between 

 the conclusions of the two learned savans, 

 Darwin and Davis, respecting the primeval 

 ancestor of MAN ; for whereas the former 

 is content to trace your pedigree only to 

 the larvae of an ascidian tadpole, the latter 



