our sentiments, than to wage war on religion, or throw ridicule on the labors of the missionary and philanthropist, we thought it not a useless undertaking to lay before our countrymen the opinions of a European thinker, who, without straining or superseding texts to answer his purposes, or departing in any way from the pure spirit of Christianity, has reflected upon questions which with us are of immense moment and constant recurrence. H. H. PHILADELPHIA, _Nov. 1, 1855_. CONTENTS. ANALYTICAL INTRODUCTION. The discussion of the moral and intellectual diversity of races totally independent of the question of unity or plurality of origin--Leading propositions of this volume, with illustrations and comments. CHAPTER I. POLITICAL CATASTROPHES. Perishable condition of all human societies--Ancient ideas concerning this phenomenon--Modern theories 105 CHAPTER II. ALLEGED CAUSES OF POLITICAL CATASTROPHES EXAMINED. FANATICISM--Aztec Empire of Mexico.--LUXURY--Modern European States as luxurious as the ancient.--Corruption of morals--The standard of morality fluctuates in the various periods of a nation's history: example, France--Is no higher in youthful communities than in old ones--Morality of Paris.--IRRELIGION--Never spreads through all ranks of a nation--Greece and Rome--Tenacity of Paganism 114 CHAPTER III. INFLUENCE OF GOVERNMENT UPON THE LONGEVITY OF NATIONS. Misgovernment defined--Athens, China, Spain, Germany, Italy, etc.--Is not in itself a sufficient cause for the ruin of nations. 138 CHAPTER IV. DEFINITION OF THE WORD DEGENERACY--ITS CAUSE. Skeleton history of a nation--Origin of castes, nobility, etc.--Vitality of nations not necessarily extinguished by conquest--China, Hindostan--Permanency of their peculiar civilizations. 146 CHAPTER V. THE MORAL AND INTELLECTUAL DIVERSITY OF RACES IS NOT THE RESULT OF POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS. Antipathy of races--Results of their mixture--The scientific axiom of the absolute equality of men, but an extension of the political--Its fallacy--Universal belief in unequal endowment of races--The moral and intellectual diversity of races not attributable to institutions--Indigenous institutions are the expression of popular sentiments; when foreign and imported, they never prosper--Illustrations: England and France--Roman Empire--European Colonies--Sandwich Islands--St. Domingo--Jesuit missions in Paraguay 172 CHAPTER VI. THIS DIVERSITY IS NOT THE RESULT OF GEOGRAPHICAL SITUATION. America--Ancient empires--Phenicians and Romans--Jews--Greece and Rome--Commercial cities of Europe--Isthmus of Darien 201 CHAPTER VII. INFLUENCE OF CHRISTIANITY UPON MORAL AND INTELLECTUAL DIVERSITY OF RACES.