BIMANA, OR MAN. 49 



ouly been carried to a high degree since the invention of agriculture and the division of the 

 soil into hereditary ])ossessions. By means of agricultvu'e, the manual labour of a portion 

 of society is adequate to the maintenance of the whole, and allows the remamdcr tune 

 for less necessary occupations, at the same time that the hope of acquiring, by industry, a 

 comfortable subsistence for self and posterity, has given a new spring to emulation. The 

 discovery of a re])resentative of pro])erty, or a circulating medium, has carried this emulation 

 to the highest degree, by facilitating exchanges, and rendering fortunes more indej)endeut and 

 susceptible of being increased ; but by a necessai-y consequence, it has also equally increased 

 the vices of effeminacy and the furies of ambition. 



In every stage of the developement of society, the natural propensity to reduce all knowledge 

 to general principles, and to search for the causes of each phenomenon, has produced reflecting 

 men, who have added new ideas to those already accumulated ; nearly all of whom, while know- 

 ledge was confined to the few, endeavoured to convert their intellectual superiority into the 

 means of domination, exaggerating their merit in the eyes of others, and disguising the 

 poverty of their knowledge by the propagation of super.stitious ideas. 



An evil more irremediable, is the abuse of physical pow er ; now that Man ouly can injure 

 Man, he aftords the only instance of a species continually at war Mith itself. Savages dispute 

 their forests, and herdsmen their jiastures ; and make irruptions, as often as they can, upon 

 the cultivators of the soil, to deprive them of the fruits of their long and painful labours. 

 Even civilized nations, far from being satisfied with their enjoyments, carry on war for the 

 prerogative of pride, or the monopoly of comineree. Ilenee the necessity of governments 

 to direct the national wars, and to re]>ress or reduce to regular forms the quarrels of 

 individuals. 



Circumstances, more or less favourable, have restrained the social condition ivithiu limited 

 degrees, or have promoted its developement. 



The glacial climates of the north of both continents, and the impcnetralde forests of 

 America, are still inhabited by the savage hunter or fisherman. The immense sandy or salt 

 plains of Central Asia and Africa are covered with a pastoral peojile, and innumerable herds ; 

 tliese hall'-civilized hordes assemble at the call of every enthusiastic chief, and overrun the 

 cultivated countries that surround them, in which they estabhsh themselves but to become 

 enervated, and to be subjected in their turn to the next invaders. This is the true cause of 

 tliat despotism, which, in every age, has crushed the industry called forth under the fine 

 climates of Persia, India, and China. 



Blild climates, soils naturally irrigated and rich in vegetables, are the natural cradle of 

 agriculture and civihzation ; and when their position is such as to afford shelter from the 

 incursions of barbarians, talents of every kind are mutually excited ; such were formerly (the 

 first in Europe,) Italy and Greece; and such is, at present, nearly all that happy portion of 

 the earth's surface. 



There are, however, certain intrinsic causes which appear to arrest the progress of particular 

 races, even though situated amidst the most favourable circumstances. 



VABIETIES OF THE HUMAN SPECIES. 



Altliougb the human species would appear to he single, since the union of any.of its members pro- 

 duces individuals capaljle of propagation*, tliere are, nevertheless, certain hereditary pecuhaiities of 

 conformation observable, which coustitute what are termed races. 



Three of these in particular appear eminently distinct : the Caucasian, or vliite, the Mongolian, or 

 yellow, and the Ethiopian, or negro. 



The Caucasian, to which we belong, is distinguished by the beauty of the oval wliicb forms the 



* It is DOW ccrt.iin tlmt this circumstance aflonls no proof of spc- i wliicli I liave just witnessctl, in the class of hirds. of n brood of clucks, 

 tifjcal identity, itnismuch as many nearly allied but obviously dis. j both parents of which were half mallard and half pintail [./rt^is i.r,sc/iflJ 

 Unci species produce hybrids that are prolific infer se; an instance of | aud .J. ocalo)- Sec note to p. 19.— Ed. 



