xii editor's preface. 



One of the great objects contemplated by the An- 

 thropological Society is the publication in the English lan- 

 guage of all important foreign works bearing on the present 

 state of the science of man. It was considered by the 

 Council of the Society that this work afforded a good illus- 

 tration of the popular treatment of Anthropology in Ger- 

 many, and that it contained facts so useful to the student 

 as to warrant its publication. And here it may be stated, 

 that whilst the presence of so-called sceptical opinions will 

 perse never induce the Anthropological Society to publish a 

 work under its auspices, neither will such views, according 

 to the catholic principles upon which the society is founded, 

 prove a bar to the introduction to the public of a work 

 otherwise valuable. It is especially necessary to men- 

 tion this, on account of the polemical character of parts 

 of the present work. The author is not simply a fearless 

 writer, but his tone will, I imagine, occasionally be offensive 

 both to the general and scientific reader. I had some 

 conversation with Professor Vogt on this subject, and he 

 gave his sanction to such alteration being made as I 

 thought most desirable. I accordingly omitted a few pas- 

 sages which I did not think in good taste. On pro- 

 ceeding with my labour I found that to cancel all the 

 passages which might offend, would be entirely to 

 alter the character of the work ; these few passages have 

 therefore been printed as an appendix. I, moreover, 

 felt that the author had entrusted me with a most 

 dangerous power, which, if abused, would, render the 

 translations published by the society comparatively 

 useless. The Fellows of the Anthropological Society 

 of London are happily neither women nor children ; 

 and I have not, therefore, felt it my duty to encumber 

 the work with notes expressive of my views on matters of 



