NOT EUGENE8IC. 45 



At the extremity of the world, and nearly at the antipodes 

 of Great Britain, the English have been for more than half a 

 century in contact with the Melanesian races, and specially 

 with the Australians and Tasmanians. The relative degree of 

 inferiority between these latter races, which differ sensibly in 

 their physical character, may be open to discussion. 1 It is, 

 however, generally admitted that they are inferior at least 

 to all other races who have come in permanent contact with 

 Europeans. The Hottentot race, which has long been con- 

 sidered to occupy the lowest degree, is evidently superior to 

 them. The Hottentots, though refractory to education, have, 

 at least, shown some degree of improvability, while the 

 Australians seem absolutely incorrigible savages. The English 

 have made the most persevering attempts to instruct them, 

 but without any success. As they could not succeed with the 

 adult population, they tried it with children of a tender age, 

 and educated them with European children in orphan asylums ; 

 they have there learned to mumble some prayers, even to read 

 and write ; but, with approaching puberty, the young pupils 

 succumbed to their savage instincts, and escaped into the 

 woods to live again with their parents whom they had never 

 known. At one time young Australians were transported to 

 England, and confided to the Moravian brothers, who neglected 

 no cares to improve them. " They have returned as brutish 

 as they were before," says M. Garnat ; "a proprietor of a farm 

 in the interior assured me, that he could never succeed to 

 employ them in the most simple agricultural labour." 2 



What is known of the Tasmanians scarcely permits us to 

 consider them superior to the Australians. It must, however, 

 be admitted that these unfortunate islanders of Van Diemen's 

 Land have not been so much attended to as the Australians. 

 The English, so humane and patient as regards the latter, 

 have committed upon the Tasmanian race, and that in the 



1 We must remember that the Australians have stiff and glossy hair, while 

 the hair of the Tasmanians is woolly. 



2 Diet. Pittor. d'Hist. Natur., art. Homme, t. iv, p. 11, Paris, 1836. See also 

 vol. iii, Oceanic, by Bienzi ; the history of two Australians, Benilong and 

 Daniel, who after living for some years free, and pampered among Europeans, 

 threw away their clothing, and went to live in the woods. 



