Graham's Magazine, Vol. XLI, No. 4, October 1852Various
General
Graham's Magazine, Vol. XLI, No. 4, October 1852
Various
Literature -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals
Though the philosophy of Agassiz and the rest has not, however, been
dissipated in thin air, we have an idea, nevertheless, that it has
failed, like the Trojan’s arrow. We “cannot away with” that notion of
making a species of man for every extreme climate of the globe, and do
not think they have at all made the matter clear. They argue
analogically. Their opponents argue analogically too. Pritchard and
others support their views of the unity of the human species by the
analogy of animals. They bring forward a very strong argument in the
fact, that hybrids of plants or animals—the offspring of different
species—are sterile, as a general law of nature. The offspring of the
most dissimilar races of men are never hybrid—but capable of continuing
the kind. Pritchard says the difference between the skull of the
domestic hog and that of the wild boar is as great as that between the
European and Negro skulls; and Blumenbach says there is more difference
between the skulls of the Neapolitan and Hungarian breed of horses,
respectively, than between the most dissimilar human heads.
But those who agree with Agassiz rely a good deal upon the assertions of
Dr. Morton, of Philadelphia, and adduce several instances in which
hybrids were found to be fruitful—mostly, however, in conjunction with
an animal of pure stock. Still, these cases are so exceptional, or so
uncertain, that no general conclusion can be drawn from them, sufficient
to make head against Pritchard, Buffon, Cuvier, Hunter, and those who
argue with them, on the matter. The general law is the true one. A man
has suckled an infant, and a heifer, that never calved, has given milk;
but such things cannot tell against the order of Nature.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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