2 VARIETIES OF THE HUMAN SPECIES. 



altered in nothing since they were described by the earliest writers ; nor have 

 three thousand years made any diiFerence in the skin and hair of the Negro. In 

 like manner the characteristic features of the Jews may be recognised in the 

 sculpture of the temples of Luxor and Karnak, in Egypt, where they have been 

 depicted for nearly thirty centuries.* 



This identity of physical characteristics, preserved through numberless 

 generations, and often under very dissimilar circumstances, has occasioned various 

 speculations in respect to the origin of the human family. The prevalent belief is 

 derived from the sacred writings, which, in their literal and obvious interpretation, 

 teach us that all men have originated from a single pair ;t whence it has been 

 hastily and unnecessarily inferred, that the differences now observable in mankind 

 are owing solely to vicissitudes of climate, locality, habits of life, and various 

 collateral circumstances. 



Without attempting to pursue this intricate question in detail, we may 

 inquire, whether it is not more consistent with the known government of the 

 universe to suppose, that the same Omnipotence that created man, would adapt 



* See Description de PEgypte, Tome II, pi. 6, and Tome III, pi. 40. 



t "That the three sons of Noah overspread and peopled the whole earth, is so expressly stated 

 in Scripture that, had we not to argue against those who unfortunately disbelieve such evidence, we 

 might here stop: let us, however, inquire how far the truth of this declaration is substantiated by 

 other considerations. Enough has been said to show that there is a curious, if not a remarkable 

 analogy between the predictions of Noah on the future descendants of his three sons, and the actual 

 state of those races which are generally supposed to have sprung from them. It may here be again 

 remarked, that, to render the subject more clear, we have adopted the quinary arrangement of 

 Professor Blumenbach ; yet that Cuvier and other learned physiologists are of opinion that the 

 jmmary varieties of the human form are more properly but three, viz: the Caucasian, Mongolian, 

 and Ethiopian. This number corresponds with that of Noah's sons: assigning, therefore the 

 Mongolian race to Japheth, and the Ethiopian to Ham, the Caucasian, the noblest race, will belong 

 to Shem, the third son of Noah, himself descended from Seth, the third son of Adam. That the 

 primary distinctions of the human varieties are but three, has been further maintained by the erudite 

 Prichard, who, while he rejects the nomenclature both of Blumenbach and Cuvier, as implying 

 absolute divisions, arranges the leading varieties of the human skull under three sections, differinp- 

 from those of Cuvier only by name. That the three sons of Noah who were to 'replenish the 

 earth,' and on whose progeny very opposite destinies were pronounced, should give birth to diiferent 

 races, is what might reasonably be conjectured. But that the observations of those who do, and of 

 those who do not believe the Mosaic history, should tend to confirm its truth, by pointing out in 

 what these three races do actually differ, both physically and morally, is, to say the least, a singular 

 coincidence. It amounts, in short, to presumptive evidence, that a mysterious and very beautiful 

 analogy pervades throughout, and teaches us to look beyond natural causes, in attempting to account 

 for effects apparently interwoven in the plans of Omnipotence.''-MuRRAY, Encyc. of Geog. p. 255, 



