43G LECTURE XV. 



clianged media_, emigration into foreign countries, etc. are 

 insignificant, and do not afiect the essential race-cliaracters. 

 These modifications, therefore, which we by no means entirely 

 deny, do not in any way explain the differences in the human 

 species. As we, always in accordance with the facts, must 

 assume a fundamental difference of races as our starting point, 

 the crossing question now presents itself. Here, as with do- 

 mestic animals, the question was simply answered by the state- 

 ment, that all races of mankind can interbreed, and that their 

 mongrels are indefinitely prolific. But on closer examination it is 

 found that the same conditions present themselves as in other 

 animals, specially domestic animals ; namely, that there are 

 crossings which are sterile ; others in which the bastards are 

 but little fertile inter se, but more so with the parent stock ; 

 and again, there are others which are between themselves 

 indefinitely prolific. 



There can be no doubt that the various white races which 

 have intermixed in Europe and Asia are infinitely prolific. 

 Though by close examination we may, from this commixture, 

 pick out the original stocks of which the civilised peoples are 

 composed ; still all European peoples are more or less inter- 

 mixed, the proofs of which glimmer forth from beneath their 

 respective characters. Now these populations of Europe in- 

 crease everywhere ; but nowhere do we find a pure unmixed 

 stock or race ; it thus admits of no doubt, that the mongrels 

 of the white race are indefinitely fertile. 



It is not quite so in the commixture of races more removed 

 from each other. The connections of Whites with negresses 

 are fruitful, and their issue — the mulattoes — are prolific both 

 between each other and with the parent stock. It is true that 

 race prejudices interfere with the connection of mulattoes be- 

 tween themselves, as the mulatto woman prefers rather to be 

 the concubine of a white man than the wife of a black, and 

 considers it an honour to have a child by a white man ; whilst, 

 on the other hand, the mulatto spares no effort to obtain a 

 white wife, and only returns to the black parent stock by com- 

 pulsion. Thus it comes to pass that, in speaking of mulattoes, 

 we find only the mongrels of the first blood, for by recrossing 



