From the facts we have adduced it seems to follow, that one of the earliest races of men of whose existence, civilization and physiognomy, we have any remaining proofs, were dark or black colored.  “We must,” says Prichard, “for the present look upon the black races as the aborigines of Kelaenonesia, or Oceanica,—­that is as the immemorial and primitive inhabitants.  There is no reason to doubt that they were spread over the Austral island long before the same or the contiguous regions were approached by the Malayo-Polynesians.  We cannot say definitely how far back this will carry us, but as the distant colonizations of the Polynesians probably happened before the island of Java received arts and civilization from Hindustan, it must be supposed to have preceded by some ages the Javan era of Batara Guru, and therefore to have happened before the Christian era.”

The Negro race is known to have existed 3,345 years, says Dr. Morton, 268 years later than the earliest notice of the white race, of which we have distinct mention B.C. 2200.  This makes the existence of a Negro race certain about 842 years after the flood, according to the Hebrew chronology, or 1650 years after the flood, according to the Septuagint chronology, which may very possibly have been the original Hebrew chronology.  There is thus ample time given for the multiplication and diffusion of man over the earth, and for the formation—­either by natural or supernatural causes, in combination with the anomalous and altogether extraordinary condition of the earth—­of all the various races of men.

It is also apparent from the architecture, and other historical evidences of their character, that dark or black races, with more or less of the Negro physiognomy, were in the earliest period of their known history cultivated and intelligent, having kingdoms, arts, and manufactures.  And Mr. Pickering assures us that there is no fact to show that Negro slavery is not of modern origin.  The degradation of this race of men therefore, must be regarded as the result of external causes, and not of natural, inherent and original incapacity.[641]

FOOTNOTES: 

[638] See Dr. Wiseman’s Lectures on the connection between Science and Revealed Religion, Am. ed., pp. 95-98

[639] See Nat.  Hist.  Human Species p. 373.

[640] See British Encyclopaedia, vol. ii. pp. 237, 238

[641] Tiedeman, on the Brain of the Negro, in the Phil.  Trans., 1838, p. 497

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CHAPTER VI.

NEGRO TYPE.