Types of mankind or, Ethnological researches : based upon the ancient monuments, paintings, sculptures, and crania of races, and upon their natural, geographical, philological and Biblical history, illustrated by selections from the inedited papers of Samuel George Morton and by additional contributions from L. Agassiz; W. Usher; and H. S. Patterson / by J. C. Nott, and Geo. R. Gliddon.
- Josiah C. Nott
- Date:
- 1854
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Types of mankind or, Ethnological researches : based upon the ancient monuments, paintings, sculptures, and crania of races, and upon their natural, geographical, philological and Biblical history, illustrated by selections from the inedited papers of Samuel George Morton and by additional contributions from L. Agassiz; W. Usher; and H. S. Patterson / by J. C. Nott, and Geo. R. Gliddon. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.
229/796 (page 189)
![Negro nations on the West coast, are represented to be the comeliest of all Negro tribes. They are always well made [says Goldberry]; their features are regular, and like those of Europeans, except that their nose is rather round, and their lips thick. They are said to be remarkably handsome — their women beautiful. The complexion of the race is a fine transparent deep black ; their hair crisp and woolly. Here, again, is a combination of physical characters which contra- dicts the alleged influence of climate; because the Iolofs, and some other races north, are jet-black, while the Fulahs, and others, under and south of the Equator, are comparatively fair. We shall show, in another place, that history affords no evidence that education, or any influence of civilization that may be brought to bear on races of inferior organization, can radically change their physical, nor, consequently, their moral, characters. That the brain, for example, which is the organ of intellect, cannot be expanded or altered in form, is now admitted by every anatomist; and Prichard, in recapitulating his results as to the races of Central Africa, makes the following important admission: — On reviewing the descriptions of all the races enumerated, we may observe a relation between their physical character and moral condition. Tribes having what is called the Negro character in the most striking degree are the least civilized. The Papels, Bisagos, Ibos, who are in the greatest degree remarkable for deformed countenances, projecting jaws, fiat fore- heads, and for other Negro peculiarities, are the most savage and morallg degraded of the nations hitherto described. The converse of this remark is applicable to all the most civilized races. The Fulahs, Mandingos, and some of the Dahomeh and Inta nations have, as far as form is concerned, nearly European countenances, and a corresponding configuration of the head. ... In general, the tribes inhabiting elevated countries, in the interior, are very superior to those who dwell on low tracts on the the seacoast, and this superiority is mani- fest both in mental and bodily qualities. 224 The truth of these observations is sustained by all past history, backed by every monument. Much as the success of the infant colony at Liberia is to be desired by every true philanthropist, it is with regret that, whilst wishing well to the Negroes, we cannot divest our minds of melancholy forebodings. Dr. Morton, quoted in another chapter, has proven, that the Negro races possess about nine cubic inches less of brain than the Teuton; and, unless there were really some facts in history, something beyond bare hypotheses, to teach us how these deficient inches could be artificially added, it would seem that the Negroes in Africa must remain substantially in that same benighted state wherein Nature has placed them, and in which they have stood, according to Egyptian monuments, for at least 5000 years. Pilchard's herculean work is so replete with interesting facts and valuable deductions, that we are tempted, almost at every page, to](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21510404_0231.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
