EDITOK'S PEEFACE. 



A FEW words by way of preface to a book on the Plurality of 

 the Human Race are necessary as well as advisable. They are 

 especially so when the Author and Editor differ considerably in 

 their opinions, as in this case; and although it is by no means 

 a sine qua non that they should always agree, there are certain 

 points on which a few lines may be required. 



The Publishing Committee of the Anthropological Society 

 of London honoured me by committing the translation and 

 editing of this book to my care, and I set about the task with 

 some diffidence, as this is probably the first work of the kind 

 which has ever been given to the English literary world in a 

 convenient and popular form. Such being the case, there will 

 sometimes be found expressions which may be thought foreign; 

 but I have preferred on these occasions giving the more literal 

 translation, instead of one which possibly might fail to convey 

 the Author's real meaning. In books containing such very 

 peculiar ideas as those of M. Pouchet, it is requisite to be 

 especially careful on this head. 



Of the clever nature and terse expression of ,the work there 

 can be little doubt, but I am sorry to find in it opinions with 

 which I cannot at all agree, and in order to prove which, or 

 rather endeavour to do so, science is strained in an unnatural 

 manner. The theory of spontaneous generation is by no means 

 a new one ; but M. Pouchet can throw very little light on the 

 subject, and leaves it as before entirely unproved. The extreme 

 sceptical nature of his views is much to be regretted, and in 



