The International Monthly, Volume 5, No. 3, March, 1852Various
History
The International Monthly, Volume 5, No. 3, March, 1852
Various
Art, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Science -- History -- Periodicals
"I hate monstrosities, however remarkable, and am rather
repelled than attracted by the idea of their truthfulness.
Assuming that there is a propensity in human nature--an
'organ,' as the phrenologists would phrase it--that finds
gratification in the inspection and scrutiny of Joice Heths,
Woolly Horses, and six-legged Swine, I would rather have it
gratified by fabricated and factitious than by natural and
veritable productions, and would rather not share in the
process from which that gratification is extracted. There is a
superabundance of ugliness and deformity which one is obliged
to see, without running after and nosing any out. It was,
therefore, with some reluctance that I obeyed a polite
invitation to visit the Aztec children, and ratify or dispute
the commendations hitherto bestowed on them, in these columns
and elsewhere. I did not expect to find ogres nor any thing
hideous, but, among all similar exhibitions, remembering with
pleasure only Tom Thumb, I could not hope to find gratification
in the sight of two dwarf Indians. But I was disappointed.
These children are simply abridgements or pocket editions of
Humanity--bright-eyed, delicate-featured, olive-complexioned
little elves, with dark, straight, glossy hair,
well-proportioned heads, and animated, pleasing countenances.
That their ages are honestly given, and that the boy weighs
just about as many pounds as he is years old (twenty), while
the girl is about half his age and three pounds lighter, I see
no reason at all for doubting. That they are human beings,
though of a low grade morally and intellectually, as well as
diminutive physically, there can be no doubt; and they are not
freaks of Nature, but specimens of a dwindled, minnikin race,
who almost realize in bodily form our ideas of the 'brownies,'
'bogles,' and other fanciful creations of a more superstitious
age. Their heads, unlike those of dwarfs, are small and not
ill-looking, but with very low foreheads and a general
conformation strongly confirmatory of certain fundamental
assertions of Phrenology. Idiotic they are not; but their
intellect and language are those of children of three or four
years, to whom their gait also assimilates them; but they have
none of childhood's reserve or shyness, are inquisitive and
restless, and articulate with manifest efforts and difficulty.
To children of three to six or eight years, their incessant
pranks and gambols must be a source of intense and unfailing
delight. The story that they were procured from an unknown,
scarcely approachable Aboriginal City of Central America called
_Iximaya_, situated high among the mountains and rarely visited
by civilized man, may be true or false; but that they are
natives of that part of the world, I cannot doubt. To the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account