The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-12-13


Nav Vim. Stodert delivered bis lee
surr ON Darwin, ARIEL and Ethnology in
the Athenas1m Hall on Friday night.
Considering tbat the price of admission
WAS 40 little. the attendance was very
small. There were perhaps two hum
bred present. The lecture was, as whole,
one of the finest pieces OF droll humor
I'VE ever heard. Instead of treating OAR
winianism seriously, and attempting TO
meet the theory by argument, he spoke
of il In strain of inimitabie humor and
wit. His attack on Ariel was lively and
pleasing, though we considered bis main
argument-thst climate and manner OF
life had made the negro what he is-de-
tectiye, In support of this idea he stated,
as q fact, that Portuguese, q people natural
Nv dark-had removed to South Africa,
and in course of time became rery dark,
and that their hair became somewhat
curly. We say the argument is detect
i've. because the converse is not true.
If one climate will make a white man
black, the opposite climate ought to
make q black man white. But we
3xnow that negroes whose ancestors. have
been on this continent two centuries are
Just rs black as those who were brought
here fifteen years Ago. II thi. theory
were true, the aboriginees of this conti-
ueut ought to have been much winter
than the Germans, and especially the
En0lish, because on the same parallel of
latitude it is much colder here, than in
either OF the above named countries
attributable to the influence OF the Gulf
streams termiuation on the coast OF
Western Europe. The tribes along the
81. Lawrence and the Black Feet, along
the Columbus River, countries almost in
the Frigid zone, are very dark RED or
copper color, and the Esquimaux, In q
country of eternal SHOWS and frosts. are
a dark olive color while in England
and IrelsRd. where grass grows the
people in the world. While we by no
means endorse Ariel's views, we consid-
or that the above stated facts are 1t least
sufficient to make it doubtful whether
the difference between the son Of Ham
and those Of SbeM aud especially those
of Japheth, eau be attributed to the in
fiuence OF climate. We can, however,
more easily understand how climate
could affect the color Of the skin, than we
csn how 1t could produce other, and mona
RADICAL differences, in the anatomical for,
lnatioa of the races. But we do not in
fond to argue the question with
the learned lecturer, and our mind
mas been lead into these remarks almost
involuntarily. Ethnology, the third
and last division of his lecture, was de-
.adedly the scientific part. He treate!
the subject with great originality and
rare beauty, stfording not only enter
txinment. but importing information t.
his hesrers. We will venture the asser'
sion that Mr.. Stodert's lecture MADE
greater havoc on the theories OF the lat
Ger day pseudo-philosophers whom
he attacked, than all the other men pu'
together, who have attempted 20 answer
them In a serious style. he did Toe
thing uphandsomely. and In style tna'
Gew living men could initiate. every
nearer came away delighted, and ex'
pressing che desire that he would agar
delight us WIN ,, one o. MS sp,enolSS e III !,
known, but more::especially In this com
munity.