Dr. Charles White. 149 



study, must have been led occasionally to contemplate the 

 beautiful gradation that subsists amongst created beings, 

 from the highest to the lowest. From man down to the 

 smallest reptile, whose existence can be discovered only 

 by the microscope, nature exhibits to our view an immense 

 chain of beings, endued with various degrees of intelligence 

 and active powers, suited to their stations in the general 

 system. 



* Enough, however, it is hoped, is ascertained to disprove 

 the theories by which naturalists have attempted to 

 account for what they denominate varieties of the human 

 species ; and to establish that of a gradation as well of 

 the human race as of the animal and vegetable kingdoms 

 in general. 



' A gradation in the human race, supposing all to have 

 descended from one pair, could only be the temporary 

 result of accidental causes, and would scarcely merit a 

 minute investigation. But as a contemplation of the facts 

 produced leads to the conclusion that various species of 

 men were originally created and separated by marks suffi- 

 ciently discriminative, it becomes an important object in 

 general physiology to trace the lines of distinction. Pre- 

 viously to discussing the question of species it seems 

 necessary to consider the signification of the term as used 

 by naturalists. 



* This leaves us to infer, as most naturalists have done, 

 that species were originally so created and constituted as 

 to be kept apart from each other, with certain charac- 

 teristic distinctions which form a proper subject for investi- 

 gation. 



* The opinion here maintained, so far from degrading, 

 tends much more to dignify the human race than the 



