characters of the people* of FinnlètóÉsJN The learned ex-j ©suit
Döbrowsky, in his 1 Litter'ârische Naohrichten von einer Reise
nach Sweden und Russland/ has; v.given a highly.fhvonrable
picture of the moral character of the Finns: • He represents.
- ihein as remarkable-foit probity, kindness of disposition, and
hbspitalityö He remarks that4he diffèrenc'efeetween the coun~
. tenances of the Finos an d th e ;;Swedes is more easily "observed
than described. The eyes of the Filons are, a sh é thinks^ somewhat
more deeplyiset ; their hair is mostly red : thèyrsgemî too!
to be fond of the Colour of red, at least when theyigo tomhurch
they adorn themselves with high pointed red caps;
The* Fittrts in :Finnland are nearly eqnahin; stature <ta the'
Swèdes. Other tribes, who probably are* mere destitute;, and
in their external condition inferior, bear ;a nearer.-resemblance
. to the Lappes. They are of smaller ^Stature arid rnóf44ike the
Lappes. These remarks apply to the* Esthonians near Dorpat
whose skulls have been described by a celebrated anatomist;
I shall :?mte this d^ctiptidn from thfe^orkrof HueekoOn::the
skulls of the ïEsthonians at Dorpat,ashhiswilh supply« impart
the want of more detailed information concerning the-physical
characters of the Finnish tribes.*
“ The figure of the Esthonian,” saysHueek, “ like that, of
the other Finnish nations, is neither beautiful nor robust.
Although h è re and there, where under indutge®tfcdó«ds,i:they
obtain a more plentiful sustenance, they are seen of : tall stature;
yet in other places, ground down by slavery, and miserably,
and scantily fed j they fall short of the middle, height^ Baer
and Seidlitz, in their inaugural essays, agree in-the observation
that the northern Esthonians are of-greater stature* than the
natives of thé country near Dorpat.*f The trunk of* the body
is larger in proportion to the lower extremities ; the. chest; is
narrow and flat, whence the pelvis appears Wf broader 4shape
than Usual, and this is most remarkable in females of small
stature. Thé neck is thin, thé head somewhat bowed forward.
* De craniis Estonum comméntatîô anthropologica quâ tiro lÏÏustrissimo J . T.
Busgh doctoris dignitatem impetratam gratulatur Ordô Med. Univers. Dorpatefis,
interprèteDre. Hueck, 4to. Dorpati Livonorum, 1838.
m à f f i Baer. diss. inang. de morbis Jnjter Esthonos endemicis. Dorpati, 1814.
“ Esthoni qui borealem Esthoniæ partem magnitudine vincunteos qui ad Dorpatem
habitant.” (G. Seidlitz (diss. inaug.) consentit.)
The. hair long^dank, yellowthe!,fbrehead4pw> flat, but moderately,
broad., .Thick eyebrows overshadow an eye-deeply
set,- either/ ofi, a greenish grey,or for, the most .part blue. The
nose * generally, straight, rarely flattened, and with small* nos*-
trils;^iSeepi||^ill-pro^;^'ti©niOd „ten sthetj tphesek&, which ' by reason
of their? Ie0^ness,?are more conspidupusly (projecting: the temples,,
covered,with=iS'|a.qtyLh.air, separate the*cheekS* from* higk,
large/and flatears.-Ashorttint'erval between? (the hosdahdmouth
allow®tessospace,. fj%1 the- .development, thempp^r than the
lower-lip. i/rhe dlpfeare narrow, fbedaeth .small and soonhe-
comiogk'Woni, down,- A «round Isomewhat' • p'rdminent* shiny
co®eref lb y a late .and not-very thick heard., “ The-hair*,”as Baer
dhsenesyi“ is most. freq.uphtly yellow,.in dnfents^dftejar whiter
Sometimes black hair, is^seenwwith a rather browmlfkin— atri
capiUicumsubfusoaifjacie—tbehmT of gi rl s. islrh ore~y ello w than
th a f of , men, arid, they; are never >foun^ with black hair.- The
openings o f theneyelids are-very narrow. The «features have
.an aapeejdbf languor. • The^gpmpoundexpressiou-ofcthe doun-
.teKih^iee^'Sometimes'.indkate^ernnit^'atiothers craftiness,mhb
.rareness, and stu p id ity /^ ,
, > .This -is the aspect o f the features, in . advancedfM^e|'when the.
j Countenance appears! obscured,-,^ a burnto.and, dusky eon>-
plexibn tribe youhgefi Esthonians', especially girls, whens 'noti
„.ygt;exposed -to the ,severities: of the climate; and an abode in
.smoky? cabins,, and - to.ihe haird labours,of ajlsfevdsh. life, have
often ,.ai ehpeuful, healthy,- -and open countenance, and their
feature^ are much more handsome^: -;
The propoxtionjof thesiimbB'iahbyvno means regidar: The
shouldersv are narrow, arms hpig'-and bands hroad, th e dggii
short and thin,ifeet flat,.pelvis broad. The muscultit.system/?
-as well as the\ehest,‘ is less developed? than either in the Rus^
sians. orrrGermans. , The Esthonians are nbt very strotag,-.nor
7 aie they quick and active s-them gait is slow/ atod/their gesture
crooked and weak. . Though mostly .thin, yet-thby are prone-
to get fat if they haveafat, arid wholesome and plentiful diet.
Their temperament is,-.,as * Baer de#*lp.res, generally phleg-
‘bnatio/ inclined to .thn gielancholic. A few surer strictly melancholic,;
namely, those who have-black hair and beards. ' With
this bodily constitution’ is , closely''connected a melancholic©-