in Time’s hour-glass. Of 400,000 inhabitants of the Sandwich Islands,
far less than 100,000 survive, and these are daily sinking beneath
civilization, missionaries, and rum. In Hew Holland, Hew Guinea,
many of the Pacific islands, and other parts of the world, the same
work of destruction is going on ; and the labors of proselytism are
vain, save to hasten its accomplishment.
“ Pourquoi cela?” asks Bodichon.465 11It is because their social state is a perpetual strife
against humanity. Thus, murder, depredations, incessant useless strifes of one against another,
are their natural state. They practise human sacrifices and mutilations of men;
they are imbued with hostility and antipathy towards all not of their race. They maintain
polygamy, slavery, and submit women to labor incompatible with female organization.
“ In the eyes of theology they are lost men; in the eyes of morality vicious men; in the
eyes of humanitary economy they are non-producers. Prom their origin they have not
recognized, and they still refuse to recognize, a supreme law imposed by the Almighty;
v iz .: the obligation of labor.
“ On the other hand, all nations of the earth have made war upon the Jews for 4000
years: the Egyptians, the Assyrians, the Greeks, the Romans, &c.; — Christians and Ma-
hommedans by turns; with innumerable cruelties, physical and moral: nevertheless, that
race lives and prospers. Why ? Because they have everywhere played their part in the
progress of civilization.
“ True philanthropy (insists Bodichon) should not tolerate the existence of a race whose
nationality is opposed to progress, and who constantly struggle against the general rights
and interests of humanity.”
Omnipotence has provided for the renovation of manhood in
countries where effeminacy has prostrated human energies., Earth
has its tempests as well as the ocean. There are reserved, without
doubt, in the destinies of nations, fearful epochs for the ravage of
human races; and there are times marked on the divine calendar for
the ruin of empires, and for the periodical renewal of the mundane
features.
“ In the midst of this crash of empires (says the philosophical V i r e y ) , -which rise and fall
on every side, immutable Nature holds the balance, and presides, ever dispassionately, over
such events; which are but the re-establishment of equilibrium in the systems of organized
beings.”
J. C.-H.
C H A P T E R X I I I .
COMPARATIVE ANATOMY OF RACES.
[B y J . C. N .]
“ Craniorum inquam quibus ad gentilitias varietates distinguendas et defi-
niendas nulla alia humani corporis pars aptior videtur, cum caput osseum
(prasterquam quod animae domicilium et officina, imo vero interpres quasi et
explanator ejus sit, utpote universes physiognomist basin et firmamentum
constituens) stabilitati suae maximam conformationis et partium relativae
proportionis varietatem junctam habeat, unde characleres n a tio n um certissimas
desumere lic e t." B l u m e n b a c h .
In examining the physical organization of races, the anatomist of
the present day possesses many advantages over his predecessors:
his materials for comparison are far more complete than theirs; and
the admission now generally made by anthropologists, that the leading
types of mankind now seen over the earth have existed, independently
of all known physical causes, for some 5000 years at least,
gives quite a new face to this part of the investigation.
It has been shown in preceding chapters that permanence of type
must he considered the most satisfactory criterion of specific character,
both in animals and plants. The races of mankind, when viewed
zoologically, must have been governed by the same universal law;
and the Jew, the Celt, the Iberian, the Mongol, the Hegro, the Polynesian,
the Australian, the American Indian, can be regarded in no
other light than as distinct, or as amalgamations of very proximate,
species. When, therefore, two of these species are placed beside each
other for comparison, the anatomist is at once struck by their strong
contrast-; and his task is narrowed down to a description of those
well-marked types which are known to be permanent. The form and
capacity of the skull, the contour of the face, many parts of the skeleton,
the peculiar development of muscles, the hair and skin, all
present strong points of contrast.
It matters not to the naturalist how or when the type was stamped
upon each race; its permanence makes it specific. If all the races
sprang from a single pair, nothing short of a miracle could have produced
such changes as contenders for “ unity ” demand; because (it
is now generally conceded) no causes are in operation which can