On the Diversity of Origin of the Human Races [pp. 603-642]

Prof. Agassiz New Hypothesis
know that it is by these very means, he executes his will; and
that the physical inferiority of subject races, as they exist for
example in the castes of India, is as much the instrument, as
the sign, of that inferiority.
But we state this ground, not for the purpose of resting our
argument upon it, but to show the superfluity of strength and
resources, which the question involves. Although we believe,
this view of the subject to be just and unanswerable, yet we
fully believe and hope to show, in the second place, that the
result in question does not transcend the analogies of existing
agencies and laws.
In the first place, the inferior orders of the animal kingdom
supply us with innumerable examples of varieties spontaneously springing up under our eyes, analogous in every particular,
including features, form, colour and hair, to those which distinguish the coloured from the white races of men. That familiar
domestic creature, the swine, within the limits of what are well
known to be varieties of the same stock, and within a very
recent period, will furnish any of our readers analogies in point.
In general form, and colour, and in the size and shape of the
cranium, and face, the diversities will be found far surpassing
those which separate the coloured from the white races of men.
We will find varieties ranging from 50 to 1200 lbs., in weight,
and with the greatest differences of physiognomy. Perfectly
black specimens of the animal, and an entire variety, as black
as any African, is familiar to many of our readers. If Prof.
A. insists upon the web finger as a mark of inferior development in the African, we can match it again, by the variety
with the hoof entirely solid, existing not only in Hungary
where it might be claimed to be of doubtful origin, but springing up and multiplying rapidly among ourselves. If the objector makes his stand upon the wool of the negro, we point to
the inverse but analogous change in the sheep and the goat.
The former covered with straight hair in the West Indies and
the latter clothing itself with its exquisitely soft, furry covering in Cashmere, and exchanging it for coarse hair when
removed from its home in the Himmalaya ranges.
It is unnecessary for us to inquire into the causes of these
changes; it is sufficient that they occur. We beg to refer
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