The Moral and Intellectual Diversity of Races: With Particular Reference to Their Respective Influence in the Civil and Political History of MankindGobineau, Arthur, comte de
Philosophy
The Moral and Intellectual Diversity of Races: With Particular Reference to Their Respective Influence in the Civil and Political History of Mankind
If the negro's narrow and receding forehead seems to mark him as
inferior in reasoning capacity, other portions of his cranium as
decidedly point to faculties of an humbler, but not the less powerful
character. He has energies of a not despicable order, and which
sometimes display themselves with an intensity truly formidable. He is
capable of violent passions, and passionate attachments. Some of his
senses have an acuteness unknown to the other races: the sense of taste,
and that of smell, for instance.
But it is precisely this development of the animal faculties that stamps
the negro with the mark of inferiority to other races. I said that his
sense of taste was acute; it is by no means fastidious. Every sort of
food is welcome to his palate; none disgusts[192] him; there is no flesh
nor fowl too vile to find a place in his stomach. So it is with regard
to odor. His sense of smell might rather be called greedy than acute. He
easily accommodates himself to the most repulsive.
To these traits he joins a childish instability of humor. His feelings
are intense, but not enduring. His grief is as transitory as it is
poignant, and he rapidly passes from it to extreme gayety. He is seldom
vindictive--his anger is violent, but soon appeased. It might almost be
said that this variability of sentiments annihilates for him the
existence of both virtue and vice. The very ardency to which his
sensibilities are aroused, implies a speedy subsidence; the intensity of
his desire, a prompt gratification, easily forgotten. He does not cling
to life with the tenacity of the whites. But moderately careful of his
own, he easily sacrifices that of others, and kills, though not
absolutely bloodthirsty, without much provocation or subsequent
remorse.[193] Under intense suffering, he exhibits a moral cowardice
which readily seeks refuge in death, or in a sort of monstrous
impassivity.[194]
With regard to his moral capacities, it may be stated that he is
susceptible, in an eminent degree, of religious emotions; but unless
assisted by the light of the Gospel, his religious sentiments are of a
decidedly sensual character.
Having demonstrated the little intellectual and strongly sensual[195]
character of the black variety, as the type of which I have taken the
negro of Western Africa, I shall now proceed to examine the moral and
intellectual characteristics of the second in the scale--the yellow.
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