MAN. 
and luxurious food. The use of ardent spi- 
rits is said to have diminished the size of 
the native Americans in some instances. 
That the state of society and manner of 
life Jiave great influence on the stature, may 
be proved by comparing the present Ger- 
mans with their ancestors, as described by 
the Roman authors. The ancient GeiUmns 
lived chiefly on animal food, as milk and 
flesh : they were strangers to the use of 
wine and spirituous li(iuors ; in time of 
peace they were employed in the chase, 
free from those cares which so often agitate 
and oppress more civilized people. They 
refrained from the enjoyment of women 
till a late period ; “ Sera juvenum Venus 
eoque in exhausta pubertas.” Hence they 
appear to have been of immense size and 
strength, and undaunted courage; “ im- 
manes animis et corporibus” is the forcible 
language of Pomponius Mela. Coming, 
after comparing all the accounts of the 
writers of those times, states their stature 
at six feet three inches ; which equals that 
of the Patagonians, and certainly exceeds 
that of the modern Germans. 
As the ancient Germans seem to have 
exceeded the stature of the moderns, so, 
if we may credit their philosophic describer, 
the cattle were distinguished in the con- 
trary way, which is not we believe the case 
at present. “ Pecornm fecunda, sed plerum- 
que improcera. Ne armentis qnidem snus 
honor, aut gloria frontis.” Tacitus. 
The observations of Barrow concerning 
the Caff'res, whose superior stature w'e have 
just noticed, confirm onr reasonings as to 
the etfect of climate and manner of life. 
“ The natives of Caflraria,” says he, “ if taken 
collectively, are perhaps superior in point 
of figure to the inhabitants of any other 
country on earth : they are indeed exempt 
from many of those causes, which in civiliz- 
ed society tend to debilitate and impede 
the growth of the human body. Tlieir 
diet is perfectly simple, their exercise con- 
ducive to health, and the air which they 
breathe is saluhrions. Strangers to the 
licentious appetites which frequently pro- 
ceed from a depraved imagination, they 
cheerfully receive the bomiteons gifts of 
nature, and when midnight sways her ebon 
sceptre over the country, 
“ Sweetly composed the weary peasant 
lies, 
Tho’ through the woods terrific winds 
resound ; 
Tho’ rattling thunder shakes the vaulted 
skies, 
Or vivid lightning runs along the ground.” 
We must remember tliat the stature of 
any tribe or nation will be gradually chang- 
ed by inter marriages with others, and that 
it can be preserved pure only by avoiding 
such intercourse. That hereditary disposi- 
tion has great influence on the size of the 
bo'ly, is undeniably proved by numerous 
examples of families remarkable for their 
tallness or lowness of stature. 
Faculties of the Mind. The different pro- 
gress of various nations in general civiliza- 
tion, and in the culture of the arts and 
sciences, the different characters and de- 
grees of excellence in their literary produc- 
tions, their varied forms of government, 
and many other considerations, must, con- 
vince us, beyond the possibility of doubt, 
that the races of mankind are no less 
characterized by diversity of mental en- 
dowments, than by those differences of or- 
ganization, which we have already enume- 
rated and considered. .Such however has 
been the effect of education, of laws, of 
peculiar habits and customs, and of the 
different forms of government, in modifying 
the mind and character of men, that we 
cannot now discern what should be as- 
cribed to original difference, and what 
should be referred to the operation of these 
external causes. That climate will exert 
a powerful influence on the mind may be 
very reasonably expected ; and it has an 
analogous influence on the animal crea- 
tion. We are informed that the dog in 
Kamtschatka, instead of being faithful and 
attached to his master, is malignant, trea- 
cherous, and lull of deceit. He does not 
bark in the hot parts of Africa nor in 
Greenland ; and in the latter country loses 
his docility, so as not to be fit for hnnting. 
Yet we are decidedly of opinion tliat the 
differences of intellect are not sufficient in 
any instance to warrant ns in referring a 
particular race to an originally different 
species; and we particularly protest against 
the sentiments of those, who would either 
entirely deny to the Africans the enjoy- 
ment of reason; or who ascribe to them 
such vicious, malignant, and treacherous 
propensities as would degrade them, even 
below the level of the brute. It can be prov- 
ed most clearly, and the preceding observa- 
tions will suffice for this purpose, that there 
is no circumstance of bodily structure so 
peculiar to the Negro, as not to be found 
also in other far distant nations; no cha- 
racter, which does not run into those of 
other races, by the same insensible grada- 
tions, as those which connect together all 
the varieties of mankind. M e cannot but 
