haps say, that-races so nearly allied and even identified in all
the principal traits of their psychical character, as are the several
races of mankind, must be considered as belonging to
one species. '
Nor can it be pretended, that any intellectual superiority
of one huinan race óver another, which can be imagined to
exist, furnishes any argument against this conclusion. • If, for
example, it were allowed that the Negroes are as deficient
in mental capacity -as some persons have asserted them to
be, this could not prove them to be a different species, since
it must be allowed, that there are differences equally great,
and even greater, between individuals and families of the
same nation. It would certainly be no difficult matter to
discover particular men, and even entire families in this
country, who are intellectually weaker than any treasonable
person could pretend the generality of Africans to bë. On
this ground it would therefore be impossible tcL argue with
effect in favour of diversity of species, which confessedly requires
the constant transmission~of distinguishing- characters.
On the other hand there is nothing, more probable tlian 'the
supposition, that the average ‘degree of perfection in the de-
velopement of the brain as of other parts of the'system, differs
in different nations with the diversities of climate and ether
elements of the external rendition, and with the degrees of
social culture.: It is probable that the condition n f men in
eivilized society produces some, modification in ; the. intellectual
capabilities of the race. But without; going into any
of these conjectural discussions, it will be quite sufficiënt
for my present argument, if it is allowed, that there are
some Negroes whose mental faculties fully attain thVstandard
of European intellect. As this is a position which can
scarcely be disputed, I think it superfluous to'enter at present
on a discussion, which ih< fact is not' strictly within
the scope of my present argument. The reader will find
however in thé sequel, some testimonies on the subject, which
may be thought sufficient.
fij p H A F T E R III.
ANALOGICAL INVESTIGATION-5 CONTINUED— EXTERNAL DIV^U- H
■n. ‘SITlES*— VARIETY OF^CoMPLE'XION IN HUMAN RACES-—INQUIRY
WHETHER TUE DIFFERENCES OF COLOUR CONSTITUTE
1 SPECIFIC DISTINCTIONS.
S e c t i o n I —General Remarks—Of the principal varieties
of Compiéwion observed in Human Races—Phenomena of
Correspondence.
The course5 w h ich 'I have proposed to follow, brings me
now- -to "C^dsMer’ thopereeptible varieties of doldur and* organizations'
i It hM,s often béfeïl observed that the external parts of
an;imal§i such as‘ their integuments^ hair,'feathers; horns, 1 or
other similar appendages^’aFeNmore sübjèct to Varieties Of
form and colour than the structure of‘internal parts. Whether
this remark is^wéll -ffounded' or not, it * is -certain that very
considerable variations5 actually take place in- many spheres
of animals,-;ds well asvÖ‘f! plants, in the''dolour, conformation,
and texture of the outward parts. I Have to determine if
possible whether those differences ‘of’ èxtèmaï’' character
which display themselves, when human races are compared
with each other, are instances of this description, or depend,
upon original' diversity. I shall begin with Colour;-and! in the
first place dCscribe the varieties- which sübsist in this particular
among the human inhabitants of distaht regions.
The term complexion is generally applied- to the ^colour of
the skin, but this is well known to be related5 to various hues
in the hair, as well as in the pigment of the eyéi It has
been thought also, there is some variety in the colour of other
parts. The-- different colours of. the hair, the skin, and the
eyeSj generally correspond in a perceptible ttianner. In par