New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-27
DANIEL q. BRINTON.
HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO AMERICAN AN
THROPOLOGY.

From Science.
In the death OF Or. Brlnton American science
has suffered grievous loss Notably brilliant and
interchangeable worker he Investigated much OF the
broad field IF anthropology with signal success;
q fluent ana forceful speaker and a clear and
G0sent TTteT he was TGmarkaRy successful IN
auditors and readtrs, as well as students: excep-
tionally public spirited and appreGiative Of ne
strove constantly extend and improve instru-
mentalties for the diffusion OF science. Thus
and persistent effort, he materially advanced the
science of man and placed himself In the front
activity Continued u1dimnshed (des sp the
weight OF well guarded suffering consequent on
military service vi, until checked by Illness which
DR.. Brlnton's literary contributions to Amerl-
began in early manhood; spending the winter OF
tunity for archeologic and eihnologic work Some
Of The rsHis OF his operations were incorporated
Indian Tribes and An,iqltes' 1859 with the
E to civil ne s Rd we're for PeTTs
and JED tS researches concerning The symbolism
among the aboriginal tribes. and The fruits Of
these researches saw light in The Myths OF the
Mythology. Of the Red Race Of America" pub
lished in 1885, and In a revised edition in 1870 Vari-
Gus minor publications followed. marking the prog
ress Of studies constantly increasing In breadth
the Native Religions OF the Western Continent
1892. and In 1876 the impulse awakened by the
Foridian symbolism found further expression I'M
The Religious Sentiment: a Contribution TO the
Science and Philosophy OF Religions" Meantime
the confinement and restriction OF field work i'm
posed by editorial duty combined with growing
mental activity led him 10 seek original sources
Of information IN the languages and recorded ira
ditions OF the native tribes Various contributions
TO aboriginal philoogy resulted and the impulse
In this direction found fun expression In the six
volumes OF "l3rinton,s Library Of Aboriginal Amer
lean Literature" lS2-'s5 As his field extended MS
grasp strengthened. and comparisons Of the Ameri-
can Indian ana other peoples were made with great
Gcumen ana compiehensiveness. shown by hs
succeeding works, Races and Peoples" 1890 and
The American Race 1892. these belHg among
Amorfcds most important contributions to an
adopt diverse methods OF exposition In order TO
reach wide, circles some OF his results were
THE Pursuit Of Happiness" 1894 and Maria Can
delaria, An Historical Drama from American Abo-
phetc OF the final rounding Of his life work tho
a recent publication should be review Of the re,
searches Of twoscore years into the motives Of
entihc studies. under the title "RellCons ~ prim
tive Peoples" lS9-his latest and IN many re-
specs his greatest contribution to the literature OF
Largely by reason Of his versatility. IT f. not
easy 70 define DIT brnton's original additions to
pretended under the term anthropology; his range
was broad and his touch vivhed many lines OF
method that embodied In HIS uniaue lbrarv
designed TO put within reach ~ scholars authentic
ure of the native races 81 America; perhans his
richest contribution tO the body Of gcience H. tbo
second chaoter OF his "RelIgiors" entitled ..origin
and Contents OF Primitive Religions" which bas
well been characterized as work OF genius. Will.
certainly the influence OF his eloquent adyoc,cv ~
the doctrine Of mental unity will long remain ir
tho minds OF the anthropologists OF IN. in, ~
Yet despite the difficulty OF sig1aiZInT snnc, t.
ures Of well rounded work the great fact remains
served to set forward the outposts Of the scienca
Man along the entire front. ~ ~