MAN. 
Jnon and v(jry just observation, that two 
individuals are hardly to be met with pos- 
sessing exactly tlie same features, yet there 
is generally a certain cast of countenance 
common to the particular races of men, and 
often to the inhabitants of pai ticular coun- 
tries. 'fhe national varieties of countenance 
may be reduced to the five following : 
1. An oval and straight face, with the 
different parts moderately distinguished 
from each other ; forehead rather flattened ; 
nose narrow, and slightly aquiline ; no pro- 
minence of the cheek-bones ; small mouth, 
with lips slightly turned out, particularly 
the lower one ; a full and rounded chin. 
This is the kind of counteuance which 
accords most with our ideas of beauty. It 
may be considered as a middle, departing 
into two extremes, exactly opposed to each 
other ; of which one consists in a lateial 
expansion of the face ; and the otlrer in its 
being extended downwards. Each of these, 
includes two varieties, which are most 
readily distinguished by a profile view : 
one, in which the nose and other parts run 
together, and the other, in which they are 
more prominent and separate. 
2. Broad and flattened face, with little 
distinction of parts ; broad space between 
the eyes ; flat nose ; rounded cheeks, pro- 
jecting externally ; narrow and linear aper- 
ture of the eye-lids j slight projection of the 
chin. This is the face of the Mongolian 
tribes, commonly, but erroneously, called 
the Tartar face. 
3. Broad face and prominent cheek- 
bones, with the parts projecting more in a 
profile view; short forehead; the eyes 
more deeply seated ; the nose rather flat- 
tened, but prominent. Such is the coun- 
tenance of most of the Americans. 
4. Narrow face, projecting towards its 
lower part; arched forehead; projecting 
eyes ; a thick nose, confused on either side 
with the cheeks ; the lips, particularly the 
upper one, very thick; the jaws prominent; 
and the chin retracted. This is the Negro 
countenance. 
5. The face not .so narrow as in the pre- 
ceding ; rather projecting downwards, with 
the different parts more distinct; the nose 
rather full and broad, particularly towards 
its end ; the mouth large. This belongs to 
the Malay race, and particularly to the in- 
habitants of the South Sea islands. 
Here, a.s on the subject of colour, the 
different characters run into each other by 
the most gentle gradations ; so that although 
any two extremes, when contrasted, appear 
strikingly different, they are connected by 
numerous intermediate, and very slightly 
differing shades. And no formation is ex- 
hibited so constantly in all the individuals of 
one race, as not to admit of numerous ex- 
ceptions. Blumenbach states, that of the 
numerous Afi ican individuals whom he has 
attentively observed, of the portraits ai:‘l 
profiles of others, and of the various Negro 
crania which have come under bis inspec- 
tion, no two were exactly alike ; but seve- 
ral differences appeared, constituting an in- 
sensible gradation towards the other varie- 
tie.9, even in their most agreeable modifica- 
tions. Vaillaut says of the Cafffe women, 
that setting aside, the prejudice which ope- 
rates against their colour, many might be 
accounted handsome even in an European 
country ; Le Maire makes the same obser- 
vation concerning the Negresses of Senegal 
and Gambia ; and the accurate Adanson 
confirms it of the Senegambians, which pos- 
sess, according to him, beautiful eyes, small 
mouth and lips, and well proportioned fea- 
tures; manjq he says, are perfect beauties. 
Tlie testimony of Mungo Park is to the 
same effect concerning the Jaloffs, ‘which 
have not the protuberant lip, nor flat nose, 
of the African countenance. The features 
of the Friendly Islanders vary much accord- 
ing to Cook ; lie saw many genuine. Koraan 
noses, and hundreds of European faces 
among them. 
It is obvious that the causes of national 
variety in the features must be much the 
same with tliose that influence the form of 
the head, as much must depend on the 
bones both of the cranium and face. It is 
difficult, and perhaps impossible, to assign 
any very satisfactory ones. Climate has 
been considered a leading circumstance ; 
but we cannot readily understand how tliat 
can operate ; and some facts militate par- 
ticularly again.st its efficacy, as the peculiar 
characters of the Jew and Gipsy counte- 
nance preserved, after such long residence 
in very different climates from that of their 
original abode ; on the contrary, the com- 
mon origin of the Laplander and Hungarian, 
who differ widely in features, seems to 
countenance the opinion. 
Form of the cranium. It is sufficiently 
obvious that there must be a close connexion 
between the external parts of the face, or 
the features, and the bony conipages which 
lies under and supports these ; so that we 
might venture to affirm that a blind man, if 
he knew the vast difference which exists 
between the face of a Calmuck and that of 
