Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1856-08-16
Typcs Of Mankind.

known families of man, under the five Bumenba-
lchlan races. distributed into twenty-five families
The conclusions deduced from Alorton's eXamina-
iton Of the American races are the fnowing:-'' |.
That the American race differs essentially from al
others, not excepting the Mongoian: the feeble
analoges Of language, and the more obvious ones
IN civil and religious institutions and the arts de-
note nothing beyond casual or colonial communi-
cation OF the Asiatic nations and even these an
lalogles may perhaps be accounted for. as Hum
boldt has suggested in the mere coincidence ars-
ing iron similar wants and impulses in nations in
habIhng similar latitudes. 2. That the American
nations, excepting the Polar tribes arc of one race
and OF one species, but of two great families,
which resemble each other in physical, but differ
IN intellectual character. 3. That the canial re-
mains discovered in the Mounds from Peru to Wis
lconsln belong to the same race, and probably TO
the Toltecan family"
The publication of this work secured to Morton
an eminent position among physiological ethnoo
gsts. 1t was the first application upon anything
ike commensurate scale If the study of cranal
pecularities TO the illustration of great division
of the human family.
His (MOrton's) next principal effort was to bring
IcranioscOpic ethnoOgy to the elucidation of the
most famous people of antiquity, the Egyptians
BY singular combination of favorable circumstaE-
ces under the energetic direction of great mnd,
we behold not merely the citizen of a new State
but the lnhabitant of new world, discovered only
$50 years ago, successfully investigating the oldest
domain of archaeology, and by the cranial relics of
the ancient Egyptians themselves, throwing light
lupon their origin and history. Indeed, this most
curious branch of chronological science is mainly
indebted to Morton for It's formation and develop
mcnt. BY It he had already proved that the an
Iclent Mound builders of America belonged to the
same family of man that Of the modern Indian,
and had shown the general identity Of the man of
all times Of the American Continent. BY this
mode of investigation, he undertook the ex
animation of the chronological problem of the ancient
Egyptians in an elaborate and learned essay, cnti-
tied" "Crania Egyptiaca." Much previous discussion
had taken place as to the ethnic character Of this
people. From a well known passage in HcroduLus
at was concluded they were negroes NJ. Eoney
seems to have assumed tins a settled point.
! DR.. Morton proved, shall presently show,
that there were other and much more reliable ma
terals than either history languages afford for
the study of the ancient Egyptian people Baron
Cuvier, from the examination of the embalmcd
/ heads preserved IN European Cabinets, had already
declared in the most distinct terms, that these
wonderful people were neither the Gaas of Abvs-
slnia, nor the Bosjesmans, nor any race of Ne
groes, but, whatever may have been the hue of
their skins, they belonged to the same race with
ourselves.
! The following are some of DR.. Moron's conclu-
sionS on this interesting subject:-
The valley of the Nile, both in Egypt and Nubia,
was originally pcopled by branch Of the Caucasian
race Negroes were numerous in Egypt, but their So
cial position in ancient times the that it
now is--that of servants and slaves. The national
characters of all these families of man. the Egyptians
Caucasian nations Of Asia and Europe, Pelasg Hell
enes, Scythans and Phenicians, Negroes, &c dis
tnctly figured on the monuments and all of them,
ceptng the Scythians and Phenciaus have been dent
fed in the caacombs The physical organic charac-
ters which distinguish the several of men
old as the oldest records of our Species
The term Caucasian employed in these conclu-
sinns was doubtless used merely to designate GER
tain combination Of physical characters, without
assuming the truth of any theory which may have
been connected with it. The subsequent invcsti-
cations OF DR.. Morton led him tn regard the an
cient Egyptians distinct primitive race as we
learn from the Types Of Mankind," work enthu-
sIastlcaly designed literary memorial, and
dedicated to the memory of DR.. Morton, by his two
warmly attached friends and is perhaps the most
appropriate and permanent monument that could
have been devised to his name. We find here an
unfinished Ms. which may be considered TO contain
Morton's latest views. Here he expresses himself
upon the ancient Egyptians in this unhesitating
language.
s'Seven wears of additional investigation" bringing
to the time Immediately preceding his deccase, ''tO
geher with greatly increased materials have convinced
that they neither AsiastcS Europeans but
aboriginal and indigenous inhabitants of the Valley of
the Nile, some contiguous region peculiar in their
of ;he primordia centres of the human family
The truthfulIne5s Of the delencationc of the mnst
ancient lmners and scu ptors is a curious crcum-
stance in the identification of human races. How
Extraordinary does 1t appear al first view. that the
proiles and pOrtratures OF such remote ges should
be found upon investigation, TO be faithful repre-
senations of natural features; that in them can
still distinctly recognise and tribes by their
incest pecuarties. Reflection at once, however, /
treasures us that the artist then would adept ra
Itonal principles for the attainment of his object,
would copy nature with fidelity as the surest means |
of realizing the illusions of art; that it was easier
to work from models constantly before his eyes, /
than call upon his imagination to invent figures of
men and women, such as never existed, who would
have been unlike those ever seen by his patrons, /
and therefore despised by them. The cultivation
of skill and fidelity must at all times have been
alike the great object of human ingenuity, since |
man has ever been the same.
Morton gave deinitiontion to the term species, /
which, besides the merit of simplicity, has this |
in addition, of being as nearly as possible /
the same in its purport as that of Prtchard I
The latter defines species to include "only |
the following conditions, namely, separate OIL
gin and distinctnesS of race, eyinced by the .
constant TRANSMISSION of some characteristic pecu-
liarity of organization" Morton terSeiy express
es the same idea thus: 60 A species - prlnor-
dial organic FORM IT, therefore. the diYersl.ies
IN the FaIlJeS lahiilles =! ihdhHnci HhIcn We hHo
are transmitted and permanent, are to be viewed
as primitive and original, not accidentally acquIr-
ed and more than accidentally propagated, as
Prichard aTgued--they become entitled to be re-
garded rs specific differences. And the progress
of Morton's researches led him TO avOw this more
and more confidently he proceeded.
One result of Mortons inquiry irto Ancient
Egyptian ethnoogy, result much insisted upon |
by our authors who treat it with accumulated and
extended EVIDENCE. is the neFfua peuce cf organic
type. IL the human famiies FROM all periods of