Fig. 335. Fig, 335 — “ The men of Kmng-thoung (at the north) are warlike,
valiant ” — Tartar nations.
9 I have merely to remark, on these foreigners, that they
Represent varieties of the Mongol type, snoh as naturally
belong to that centre of human creations; referring the
reader to Pauthier’s sketch of the “ Relations of Foreign Nations
with China,” 544 and to Jardot’s “ Tableau synoptique,
chronologique, et par Race,” 545 for the best specification of
ancient Mongol-Tartar subdivisions.
T a b l e ,
I conclude these few words on crania with
some comments upon the following Table, taken
from Morton’s printed Catalogue (Philadelphia,
3d edition, 1849): —
Size of the Brain in cubic inches, as obtained from the measurement of 623
Crania of various Races and Families of Man.
RACES AND FAMILIES. No. of
Skulls.
Largest
LO.
Smallest
i.e . Mean. Mean.
Modern Caucasian Group.
18 114 70 90
5 105 91 96 - 92
7 97 82 90
} 10 94 75 84
6 97 78 87
32 91 67 80
3 98 84 89
17 96 66 80
Ancient Caucasian Group.
Pelasgic Family — Graeco-Egyptians (catacombs).
Nilotic “ Egyptians (from catacombs)..
18
65
97
96
74
68
88
80
Mongolian Group.
6 91 70 82
Malay Group.
20 97 68 86 1 3 84 82 83 - 85
American Group.
155 101 58 75
22
92 67 79
I
■ 79
1 161 104 70 84
I
Negro Group.
62 99 65 83
12 89 73 82 83
Hottentot Family ......................................................... 8
8
83
83
68
63
75
75
1
Some classification of races, however arbitrary, seems to be almost
indispensable, for the sake of conveying clear ideas to the general
reader; yet the one here adopted by Dr. Morton, if accepted without
proper allowance, is calculated to lead to grave error. Like Tiede-
mann, he has grouped together races which between themselves possess
no affinity whatever —that present the most opposite cranial
characters, and which are doubtless specifically different. In tbe
“ Caucasian” group, for example, are placed, among so-called white
races, the Hindoos, the ancient and modem Egyptians, &c., who are
dark. Our preceding chapters have shown that this group contains
many diverse types, over which physical causes have exercised very
little, if any influence.
Two important facts strike me, in glancing over this Table:— 1st, That the Ancient
Pelasgic heads and the Modern White races give the same size of brain, viz., 88 cubic
inches. 2d, The Ancient Egyptians, and also their representatives* the modem Fellahs,
yield the same mean, viz., 80 cubic inches. «The difference between the two groups being
eight cubic inches.
Hence we obtain strong evidence, that time, or climate, does not influence the size of
crania; thus adding another confirmation to our views respecting the permanence of primitive
types. The Hindoos, likewise, it will be observed, present the same internal capacity
as the Egyptians. Now, I repeat, that no historical or scientific reason can be alleged,
why these races should be grouped together, under one common appellative; if, by such
name, it is understood to convey the idea that these human types can have any sanguinous.|
affiliation.
Again, in the Negro group — while it is absolutely shown that certain African races,
whether bom in Africa or in America, give an internal capacity, almost identical, of 83
cubic inches, one sees, on the contrary, the Hottentot and Australian yielding a mean of but
75 cubic inches, thereby showing a like difference of eight cubic inches. Indeed, in a
Hottentot cranium, (now at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia,) “ pertaining
to a woman of about twenty years of age, the facial angle gives 75 degrees; but the
internal capacity, or size of brain, measures but 63 cubic inches, which, Dr. Morton
remarked, was as small an adult brain, (with one exception, and this also a native African)
as he had ever met with;” so that, in reality, the average among Hottentots may be still
lower.
In the American group, also, the same parallel holds good. The Toltecan family, our
most civilized race, exhibit a mean of but 77 cubic inches, while the Barbarous tribes give
84; that is, a difference of seven cubic inches in favor of the savage.
The contrast becomes still more pronounced, when we compare the highest with the lowest
races of mankind; v iz .: the Teutonic with the Hottentot and Australian. The former
family show a mean internal capacity of ninety-two, whilst the two latter have yielded but
seventy-five cubic inches; or a difference of seventeen cubic inches between the skull of
one type and those of two others! Now, it is herein demonstrated, through monumental, cranial,
and other testimonies, that the various types of mankind have been ever permanent;
have been independent of all physical influences for thousands of years; and, I would ask,
what more conclusive evidence could the naturalist demand, to establish a specific difference
between any species of a genus?
These facts, too, determine clearly the arbitrary nature of all classifications heretofore
invented. What reason is there to suppose that the Hottentot has descended from the same
stem as the African Mandingo, or Iolof, any more than from the Samoi’des of Northern Asia ?
or the Hindoo from the same stock as the Teuton ? The Hindoo is almost as far removed in