The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-07-03
Frum the Boston Traveller, June H.
Prof. AsassiX ohR the Origin of
tho HElalN;lla ESncc

Frun the Boston Traveller, June II.
Prof. Asassix ohl the Origin of
the HE llInalR Race.
Prof Ngassiz dclycrcl lecture on this
subject, on Thursday evening, before the
Young Mems Association Of the Lawrence
Scientific School in Cambridge, which was
attended by large audience Of ladies aud
gentlemen As we understood he did not
wish his lecture reported, we shall attempt
no more than a brief analysis lie com
| mcncrd by observing that an incidental re-
mark which lie had made on particular
occasion had bcGu commented upon extern
siyclv, and brought out HE discussion Ut IA
! question which it was not his object to en-
ter into. Ills object was, OH that occasion,
TO speak of the unity oi the human race
simply az a question of Natural History.
Bat his remark had called forth discussions
OF the question Mil reference q! religion
and political condition. The question, how
uar was created, was entirely distinct
from rcii.lom--a mere question oI Natural
! History, and rs such, ialoSophcr, he
claiocd Tie right to d.: 5 it. But he
wished il distinctly undo. Aood that he took
no ground n opposition 10 the Mosaic re-
| cord, in the Book of GCnCSis. We have
no reference, he said, III that account, 10
any partol the world that was unknown 10
tie ancjcnts. IL also disclaiucd all idea
of connecting this question with slavery,
or.tlrpclitcaI coalition o. tic African
race.
The unity Of ,hc human race and the d.
vcrsi,v OF their origin, he said, were two
| distinct questions IEc acknowledged the
Of, h,,,l I,,tif
! isl III pcricv, consistency with the diversity
OF their origin.
There was another question:, also, IN
volvcd in this inquiry: DO all men be-
lunr to one species, or arc there different
| hc said, did not involve either the unity or
plurality OF species. lie Kent at considcra-
bic length into All explanation OF the sub
ect of species, rs understood III natural
history, to prove this assertion.
The question also involved the limits
within which organized beings are modi-
fled BY circumstances and conditioni and
there worc some ascertaincd facts, he said,
|S,vhiGiicoula be used us data in cefsitlefingt
/ the subject. Skeletons had been found in
Egypt, which had been buried for thousands
of years and With LcH! aye re- CtFiai
sGG2as'I0i sGiG2ass I0i plants. which had been planted
aud had grown But these mumInics and
.hcsc plants corrcspUnGcd exactly 10 GER
tan other plants and other human beings
now TO be found in very different circum-
stances. There appeared 10 he a regular
plan, by which organized beings, both
plants and animals, were distributed over
the Garth, whereby tho same plants, and
the same animals, were constantly found IN
certain geographical positions. THIS was
true of man. il we referred 10 the primitive,
unhsorlcal races. And thcsc geographic
al positions were almost entirely without
reference TO climate
He rail- over Il specification OF tile differ
cnt varieties OF certain animals and oi The
human race, which were found constantly
III certain localities and positlonsi from
which he drew the CunclusOii that these
varieties could not have been produced by
the modifying influence nt climate and c;r-
cu,nstanccS; hence that the distribution -!
the different varieties Di the human race
must have taken place, not N random, but
with Il regular t'un-in short. that they
were created in masses. III the pus!tionS
which, they originally occupied. Amrng
other facts bearing on the pom', he stated
that the trout WIS always tnuLd ii brooks,
even hiuh ~ ii The mountains, whore tlcy
could not have zone hv cn,!gratlnn, and SO
rIso, there were rcr,nu, varieties of fish
lha, were only found IN the lakes with no
outlet. aud these lakes contained the snuc
Kind Of fish, IN Il l,rrcnl aud diatan, ocaIl
tics. And il was n remarkable tact. that
the abnrrincs OF America, with all It's va.
ric,y of climate, belonged to one and the
same pcopc.
II mon or;,,,,ol from, common ccu.
,o nj ,,,,r" I,T;s.I ,,r,r ,l,o c,r,I, ,hc;r
,rnsor, ,.n,l,,;,,r ,,,,y, h,,o hccn ur,,uccd
had il been so, there would have been more
similarity between those which iniab't ST.
m'lar portions OF the earth. ne saw on'y
on" 'ohr'aS'o'' 'rI'' '''!St '"''S Ii az" '',i,
"i,r' W. ,"Is' "' U"t' n '',',
rirr,,n.'ionccS Alto, m;nra,,nH, lrn,n = ru,Y.
mon ccn,cr; bu, tia, the n0n-his,or.c or