98 PRIMEVAL MAN. 



they can, then must not a vast and indefi- 

 nite lapse of time have been occupied in 

 the gradual development of divergent types ? 

 On this question we have no datum on 

 which to reason, unless we can ascertain 

 how far back in Time-absolute these diver- 

 gences had already become established. 

 Now, this is the datum which Egypt gives 

 us. In one of the most perfect of the 

 paintings which have been preserved to us, 

 a great Egyptian monarch is symbolically 

 represented as ruling with the power of 

 life and death over subject races : and these 

 are depicted with accurate and characteristic 

 likeness. Conspicuous in this group is one 

 figure, painted to the life both in form and 

 colour, which proves that the race which 



