Address delivered at the fourth annual meeting of the Anthropological Society of London / by James Hunt.

  • James Hunt
Date:
[1867]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Address delivered at the fourth annual meeting of the Anthropological Society of London / by James Hunt. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    Society -will chiefl}' consist in giving each branch of our science only its legitimate attention. Each student now thinks his own especial branch the most important. The Society, however, as a body, is hound to be equally fair to all parties; and it will be for the benefit of all the Fellows of the Society that they should occasionally have their prejudices shaken by the discussion of subjects which they very strongly condemn and denounce, Avithout a particle of investigation or research, as utterly umvorthy of consideration. If Ave look abroad in Europe, and, indeed, throughout the chnlised Avorld generally, avo sec much to give us hope for the futx;re of anthropological science. In Germany it is again reAuved, and bids fair to flourish. The Avorks in the different branches of anthropo- logA', Avhich issAic from the press, are A^ery numerous, and scA'eral attempts have recently been made to Avrite text-hooks on our science. The time, hoAvever, has not }et come for an anthropological text-book. Materials do not exist for a history of mankind, either by the archaic or the historical anthropologist. Materials are not collected for a correct description of the existing races or species of man. Our prin- ciples of comparative anthrojDology can only be based on the facts aa'c knoAA'. These I hold to be decisive as far as they go, but a load of prejudice must be remoA^ed before these principles can be discussed Avith niAich advantage to the cause of science. With regax’d to the general publications on anthrojAology I need not here enlarge or giAm any opinion on them. The connection of the Society Avith a jxublica- tion specially intended to giA^e the public the latest researches and dis- cussions on our science renders such a task unnecessary. I am glad to be able to annoAince the continued success of the An- thropological Society of Paris. They have altogether three hundred and thirty-five members.* Many facts have recently occurred to ad- A-ance the Socict}^ of Anthropology of Paris as Avell as general anthro- pological science. MM. Choiecki and Mariette have been occupied in. reuniting the materials for an Egyptian exhibition of living types, and of more than four hundred ancient and modern crania, Avhich will form part of the great exhibition of 1867, and to Avhich the members of this Society Avill bo admitted on the presentation of their card. A congress of archaic anthropologists Avill be held at the same time at Paris. The o)-ganisation has been confided to a committee of savants, amongst Avhom the Anthropological Society of Paris counts many members (MM. Bertrand, Broca, Pruner-Bey, De Quatrefages, Do Mortillot). Anthropology, Dr. Broca informs me, penetrates more and more amongst medical, historical, and archaeological studies. It has receiA’’ed a great hospitality in the Dictionnaire Encyclopediqm des Sciences mcdicales (published by Masson). It plays an important part in the * On the 31st December, 1866, the Anthropological Society of Paris coni- prchencled 335 members, as follows :— 9 157 65 49 29 26 '-'f Honoraiy members Subscribing members at Paris „ out of Pai'is Foreign associates National correspondents ... Foreign correspondents
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