The Express.
London, England, 1867-09-09 00:00:00

GEOGRAPHY AND ETHNOLOGY.

The principal theme was Mr. Craw! urd's paper on the
" Antiquity of Man." Mr. Crawford attributes a high
antiquity to the human race—or races, for he be-
lieves in a multiplicity of origins, and con-
siders Champollion's Egyptian chronology, going back
10,833 years, as the dawn of reliable history. At that
remote period the Egyptians must have made great pro-
grer—as Mr. Crawford argues—for human speech is as much
an invention as the fabrication of a tool or a weapon. Ages,
therefore, must have transpired before the languages even of
savages could have assumed their present complete forms.
In the same way Mr. Crawford regarded the perfection of
the industrial arts, the cultivation of the cereals, and
the domestication of animals as the work of many centu-
ries. Men marl have bees greatly advanced before they
could have come upon the art of writing, and yet the
origin of that advanced art is beyond record in favoured
situation,. Ileac, he concluded that meat although the
latest creation of the clans to which he is most nearly
allied, is nevertheless of vast antiquity. That portion of
his history which has transpired since he acquired the art
of writing is considerable. But we have to trace him over
many stages through which he must have passed up to
the discovery of his remains in caves and those of
his handiwork in the most recent geological formation—
the drift. We must, Mr. Crawford imagines, go back to
the time when man was without speech,iptcodrant of every
art, and, like the lower animals, chiefly by instinct.
Sir J. LUBBOCK speed in the main with Mr. Crawford.
He thought the remains of man were quite as numerous in
his cave-dwellings as could be expected, remembering that
from the absence of burials they would be the prey of
wild beasts. He thought Mr. Crawford had underrated
the position of several savage races, such as the Fiji—no
doubt the most criminal portion of mankind—and the
Esquimau:. In one respect lie differed from Mr. Crswfunl,
in being a believer in the unity of the human family.
(Applause.) Sir John denied that there was any disposi.
tion to modify their discursions to suit local opinions. It
would be small compliment to Dundee to shirk free
inquire.
Dr. iluirr endorsed these sentiments. He had six years
ago brought forward this subject. He was glad to see Mr.
Crawford agreeing more thoroughly with him than he did
then. They must observe that evidence of man's antiquity
was coming from various sources.
Mr. Cm: GRAHAM reminded Mr. Crawford that there
were other Egyptian ch ronologists, equally learned as Chem -
pollioa, who gave to the Pyramids a more recent origin than
10,000 years.
Two other papers by Mr. Cnawrrito were read. In one
the skin, hair, and eyes were considered as tests of races,
and to show that, in animals as in man, colour was a dis-
tinction of species. In the other, the mete of the
civilised and original races of India was contrasted, to
show that highland races progressed more slowly than
those in the plains.
Mr. P. N. Cot PTON read a paper on the shores of Van-
couver Island and British Columbia, and Mr. Past: one
on New Zealand.
This finished the business of the week.