The Homo sapiens of Linnæus, which the learned Swede defined to be in its wild aboriginal state, fourfooted, mute, and hairy, and which, brought under the more civilized influences of clothing and social habits, expanded into the American, European, Arabic, African racesbesides the monstrous varieties comprising the cretin of the Alps, the giant of Patagonia, the Hottentot the short and pyramidal-skulled Chinese, and the flatheaded Indian of Canada,represented the idea which our ancestors formed of the human animal a hundred years ago. We shall accordingly proceed to examine the main questions at issue, with the view of removing, if possible, some of the scientific, as well as popular, errors which prevail upon the subject. The efforts of the human mind, in all historic times, to penetrate and explain the deep mystery of the origin of the human race, have once more been revived with an intensity of purpose surpassing all previous example and we shall best promote the object in view if we direct attention to those important physical facts connected with the inquiry, which must form the true basis of any accurate generalization. The disputes with regard to the precise affinity and relations of man to the lower animals have now excited so much acrimony, and have assumed such proportions, that we feel at length compelled to offer an opinion upon this controversy.
Memoire sur les Plis Cerébrux de l'Homme et des Primatés. Teeth in the Varieties of Man and the Anthropoid Apes. (Transactions of the Zoological Society of London.) 4to. Osteological Contributions to the Natural History of the Anthropoid Apes. Edinburgh Review (1863) Edinburgh Review (April 1863)ĪRT.
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