theory that cultivation of the mind, or of one set of faculties, can give expansionpr increased
size of brain. There is no proof of the truth of such a hypothesis. The Teutonic races, in
their barbarous state, 2000 years ago, possessed brains as large as now; and so with other
races. — J. C. N.] I is
Taken collectively, the American races yield an average mean, for
'th e whole 338 crania, of only seventy-nine cubic inches, or thirteen
below that of the Teutonic race.
The general law laid down by craniologists, that size of brain is a
measure of intellect,, would seem to meet with an exception here ;
rt>u£ it is only apparent. A very satisfactory solution ofThe fact will
¡.be^ found in Mr. J . S. Phillips’s Appendix to Morton’s memoir on the
^physical Type of the American I n d i a n s also, in Mr. George'Gorfibe’s
Phrenological Remarks, va. the Appendix to Morton’s Crania Americana.
The appendix of Mr. Phillips, published after Morton’s death, adds
some new materials, which the Doctor had not time tcf "work up
before his demise. The additional crania make a little variation
froin the means or averages obtained by Morton, but too slight ‘to
influence the general conclusions. Mr. Phillips’s closing observations
are so well expressed that we are sure the reader will prefer them1
entire, to w it: —
V “ The average volume of the brain in the Barbarous tribes is shown to be from to 84
cubie inches, while that of the Mexicans is but 79, and in the Peruvians,only 75; thus exhibiting
the apparent anomaly of barbarous and uncivilized tribes possessing larger brains
than races capable of considerable progress in civilization. This discrepancy deserves
more investigation than time permits at piesent; but the. following views of the subject
may make it appear less anomalous: —
“ The prevailing features in the character of the North American savage are, stoicism, a
severe cruelty, excessive watchfulness, and that coarse brutality which results from the
entire preponderance of the animal propensities. These-so outweigh the intellectual portion
of the character, that it is completely subordinate, making the Indian what we see
him — a most unintellectual and uncivilizable man.
“ The intellectual lobe of the brain of these people, if not borne down by such overpowering
animal propensities and passions, would doubtless have been capable of' much
greater efforts than any we are acquainted with, and have enabled these barbarous tribes
to make some progress m civilization. , This appears to be the cerebral difference between
the Mexicans and Peruvians on the one hand, and the Barbarous tribes of North America
on the other. The intellectual lobe of the brain in the two former is at least as large as in
the latter — the difference of volume being chiefly confined to the occipital and basal portions
of the encephalon; so that the intellectual and moral qualities of the Mexicans and
Peruvians (at least as large, if not larger than those of the other group) are left more free
to act, being not so subordinate to the propensities and violent passions. This view of the
subject is in ^ccordance with the history of these two divisions: barbarous and civilizable.
When the former were assailed by the European settlers, they fought desperately, but
rather with the cunning and ferocity of the lower animals, than with the system and courage
of men. They could not be subjugated, and were either exterminated, or continued to
retire into the forests, when they could no longer maintain their ground. Had their intellect
been in proportion to their other qualities, they would have been most formidable enemies.
With the Mexicans and Peruvians the case has been the reverse. The original
inhabitants of Mexico were entirely subjugated by the Aztecs, who appear to have been a
small tribe in comparison with the Mexicans; and then they were all conquered and enslaved
by a mere handful of Spaniards — although the Mexicans had the advantage over the barbarous
tribes, of concerted action, some discipline, and preparation, in which the latter were
greatly'deficient. The Idexicansj'with small brains, were evidently inferior in resolution,
in attack and defence, and the more manly traits of character, to the Barbarous races, who
contested every inch of ground until they were entirely outnumbered. And at the present
time, the Camanches and Apaches, though a part of the great Shoshonee^division (one of
the lowest of the races of North America), are continually plundering and destroying -the
Indians of Northern Mexico, who scarcely attempt resistance.
“ Viewed in this light, the apparent contradiction of a race with a smaller brain being^
superior to tribes with larger brains, is so far explained, that the volume and distribution
of their respective brains appear'to be in accordance with such facts in their history j.s
have come to our knowledge.”
Again, Mr. Phillips remarks, of the Indians of the United States,*
that hh haf’“ grouped them, on a largfe scale, into families, according
to language; and the result of measuremait of the volume of brain
is strikingly in „accordance with the ascertained character of the different
groups thus constituted. His arrangement is — 1st, Iroquois;
2d, Algonquin and Apalachian; 3d, Dacota; 4th, ShoshoneeS; 5th,
Oregonians. Of the first division (the Iroquois), he observes: —
“ The average internal capacity of the cranium in this group is about 8J inches higher
than the lowest types, and 4J inches higher than the average — being 88J cubic Jpches.
This resiflt is strikingly in keeping with the fact that they were so completely the master,
spirits of the land; that, at the time of the first settlement of this country by the white
race,/ they were so rapidly subduing the other tribes and nations around them; and that, if
their career of conquest had not been cut short by the Anglo-Saxon predominance, they
bade fair to have conquered all within their reach.”
He then states the measurements and characters of other families,
in all of which the morale and physique most strikingly correspond.
ffhese facts afford very instructive material for reflection. We
here behold one race, with the larger, though less intellectual .brain,
subjugating the unwarlike and half-civilized races; and it seems
clear, that the latter were destined to be either swallowed up or exterminated
hy the former. "Who can doubt that similar occurrences
had been going on over this continent for man^ centuries or even
thousands of years ? There are scattered oyer Horth America count-
lesariumuli, which it is believed wore, built hy races different from the
savage tribes found around them on the advent of the whites, and
an impenetrable oblivion rests upofi these earth-works. There are
many reasons for supposing that these mound-builders were either
identical with, or closely allied to, the Toltecs; and, that they were
driven south or exterminated by more savage and bellicose races,
such as the Iroquois: for the traditions of the Mexicans point to the
Horth as their original country. ¿jp*'
At the present day, we see in America large settlements of Spaniards,
French, Germans, &c., as well as Indians — all speaking their