Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1856-08-16
HONOLULU, lei. l., AUGUST is, 1856

Bunsen, extend the period of the commencement
OF the monarchy under Menes, to the greater part
of 1000 years from the beginning of the Christian
era; at least $500 years from the present time.
Baron Cuvicr argJed with great eloquencc that
the last great revolution on the surface of our
planet could not have been at any excessively re-
mote period. Indeed, he agrees with Deluc and
DolonIeu that 1t could not have occurred at pc
Rod much exceeding 5000 or 6000 years ago.
But with this opinion he couples the remark that
tins last catastrophe may have destroyed the then
existing man OF older continents and islands
Modern geologists are disposed greatly to extend
this recent period of earthS history; and in this
volume, as we shall mention bv-and-bv, period Is
claimed (whether legitimaey or n we will rol
say), Tor mans existence on the globe, ten lines
as ancient as this. In the British Museum is
skull, brought from Egypt by the present Sir John
Bowring; It was derived from stone coffin at the
quarncs at MOkaltam, where the stones were hew-
ed for building the Pyramids of Ghzch: and is be-
lIeved 10 have belonged to a master builder en-
gagged IN their construction. The great pyramid
here was the work of Shoopho or CheopS, ard
dates from period of more than 5000 years go
Also, it is considered to be probably of his son or
relatives, the Prince and Priest MPrhet, whose
tomb was removed en- masse by Lepsius, and put
together again in the Royal Museum at Belrn: that
we still have the portrait. This is an object of the
deepest interest, and displays the delicate almost
temlniney elegant, Egyptian lineaments in their
truest expression. This cast of countenance pre-
walls in the delineations of all ages of the Egyp-
tan monuments, and perfectly agrees with the
mummhed heads, SO as to produce the settled con-
vlctIon that 1t was the representation of the gcnu-
Inc Egyptian race, to be traced unchanged IN the
main, from the earliest 10 the latest times. Coe-
taneouSly with such portraiture of the Egyptian
race, we observe other families rs distinctly mark
ed, as faithfully possessing their ethnic pecuIilri
ties, and thus proving that they were as obviously
recognised at these remote periods for well mark
ed diverse races. These, although quite obvious
to every eye, there may be some difficulty in many
cases in referring to their modern representatives
Yet some OF them may lie so referred most un-
quCstonaby, as the Negro races, which are repre-
sented with as perfect fidelity as an artist Of the
present day could depict thetu. They possessed
their native hue, broad fiat nrses, thick tuned-out
lips, and woO!ly hair, at Tins remote period. strict
ly as at the present day. In them, the lapse Of so
many centuries. which we are bound to admit, as
1t appears TO us, make up a very large portion of
the time OF mans existence on the globe, have
not produced the slightest shadow of q change
They arc the same, absolutely and in every res
pect, at That vastly remote yesterday, as to-day
The Ethiopian has not changed his skin, any more
than the leopard lis spols
In this volume there Is a valuable paper BY that
distinguished pll;Eontoiogist Professor l.. A. gassz
now of the University OF Cambridge. MaSsachu-
sets, who adds the weight of hls important au-
thorlty to the doctrine of the specific difference of
the races of man. The immediate object of the
communication of this accomplished naturalist Is
one of great moment for from the extensive range
of his previous studies he Is able to look at the
problems of anlhIOpoogy from an evatrd point of
view. and regard man III c0RneXIon with all other
created beings, subjected from The first dawn of or
ganic life to all the vcissItudes brought TO light by
in this paper, that there may be observed ranv cen
tres of creation, prmordial realms of the animal
kingdom, in which all the living creatures harmon
IZe under one prevailing type, and thus continue
distinct ldun. His endeayor Is to prove That each
distinct realm or province Is proplcd BY a race of
men equally distinct and peculiarly appropriated.
lie has distributed the whole habtlble globe into
eight realms, the Arctic, the MongoI. the European,
the American, the African, the flo,tentot, the Ma
layan and the Australian, and proved that the ami
nal series in each Is proper to 1t. In some cases
these realms have genera appropriate to them, as
the wairus, the giraffe, the OrnIthoThynchus and
ma arsupial animals of Australia. If the genus has
in other realms, the particular
species of the rellm does not travel out of it, as
the polar bear, the bear of Thlbct, the brown
bear, the American black bear: the African AMI
A-iatic elephants, &c. In this attempt, Prof.
Anassiz has fully succeeded the men in his animal
realms distinct perhaps in many eases as dis
tinct some species vt the other animals apprOpr-
ated 10 these great divisions of the C!Ubc In con-
cluSion, whilst reverting to the definition of thr
term species and the of fertility Of offspring
or hvbrd,y. which has been frequently included
in defining tins term, and also taken for granted,
and has giyen rise to controversy in America thai
Morton was engaged in at the period of his lament
ed deccase, Aggassiz, says
Amy definition Of species in which the 9ueEtiUn Of
generation is introduced is Objectionable. The assump
ton that the fertility of breeds is necessarily lin
ited to one generations does not alter the case
since in many instances is not proved yond dispute
Il is however, beyoHd al question, that individuals of
one another well with their kind eqCa-
ly certain that their offspring is half breed that to
say being partakng Of the peculiarities of the two
parents and not identical with either The only defni-
ton Of species meeting all these difficulties is that of DR..
Morton, wh9 oliarseterses them pri0rial organic
forms, Speces thus distinct forms Of organic life,
the origin of which is lost in the primitive establishment
of the state of things existing and varieties
such notifications of the species may return TO the
typical form under temporary influences. Accepting
this definition with the qualifications just mentioned
pectng hybridity, pre- AIRED TO show that the diff
fercnces existing between the OF Of the
same kind as the differences observed between the diff
erent families genera. and species Of monkeys other
lnimals and that these different species of animals diff
fer in the same degree from the other the
Of men-nay the differences between distinct races are
often greater than those Distinguishing pecs Of animals
one from the other The emplnzee and gorilla do not
differ more one from the other than the AandingO and
the Guinea Negro: they d. E9t differ from the
oraYs than the Malay or white differs from the
Negro In proof of this assertion need only refer the
reader hs description Of the anthrUpOid monke
published by Professor Owen, and DIR. j. Wyman, and
10 such descriptions Of the of notice
important pecuIari:ies tan the differences IN the
,oar Of tho skin 1t is however, but r to exonerate
hese authors from the responsibility Of any deduction
would draw from a renewed examination of the same 1
acts, differing from theirs; for maintain distinctly
hat the differences observed among the Of
ire of the same kind and greater than those upon
which the anthropoid monkeys are considered as