The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex Volume II Part 24

[400] J. Stuart Mill remarks ('The Subjection of Women,' 1869, p. 122), "the things in which man most excels woman are those which require most plodding, and long hammering at single thoughts." What is this but energy and perseverance?

[401] An observation by Vogt bears on this subject: he says, it is a "remarkable circ.u.mstance, that the difference between the s.e.xes, as regards the cranial cavity, increases with the development of the race, so that the male European excels much more the female, than the negro the negress. Welcker confirms this statement of Huschke from his measurements of negro and German skulls." But Vogt admits ('Lectures on Man,' Eng.

translat. 1864, p. 81) that more observations are requisite on this point.

[402] Owen, 'Anatomy of Vertebrates,' vol. iii. p. 603.

[403] 'Journal of the Anthropolog. Soc.' April, 1869, p. lvii.

and lxvi.

[404] Dr. Scudder, "Notes on Stridulation," in 'Proc. Boston Soc. of Nat. Hist.' vol. xi. April, 1868.

[405] Given in W. C. L. Martin's 'General Introduct. to Nat.

Hist. of Mamm. Animals,' 1841, p. 432; Owen, 'Anatomy of Vertebrates,' vol. iii. p. 600.

[406] Helmholtz, 'Theorie Phys. de la Musique,' 1868, p. 187.

[407] Mr. R. Brown, in 'Proc. Zoo. Soc.' 1868, p. 410.

[408] 'Journal of Anthropolog. Soc.' Oct. 1870, p. clv. See also the several later chapters in Sir John Lubbock's 'Prehistoric Times,' second edition, 1869, which contain an admirable account of the habits of savages.

[409] Since this chapter has been printed I have seen a valuable article by Mr. Chauncey Wright ('North Amer. Review,'

Oct. 1870, page 293), who, in discussing the above subject, remarks, "There are many consequences of the ultimate laws or uniformities of nature through which the acquisition of one useful power will bring with it many resulting advantages as well as limiting disadvantages, actual or possible, which the principle of utility may not have comprehended in its action."

This principle has an important bearing, as I have attempted to shew in the second chapter of this work, on the acquisition by man of some of his mental characteristics.

[410] See the very interesting discussion on the Origin and Function of Music, by Mr. Herbert Spencer, in his collected 'Essays,' 1858, p. 359. Mr. Spencer comes to an exactly opposite conclusion to that at which I have arrived. He concludes that the cadences used in emotional speech afford the foundation from which music has been developed; whilst I conclude that musical notes and rhythm were first acquired by the male or female progenitors of mankind for the sake of charming the opposite s.e.x. Thus musical tones became firmly a.s.sociated with some of the strongest pa.s.sions an animal is capable of feeling, and are consequently used instinctively, or through a.s.sociation, when strong emotions are expressed in speech. Mr. Spencer does not offer any satisfactory explanation, nor can I, why high or deep notes should be expressive, both with man and the lower animals, of certain emotions. Mr. Spencer gives also an interesting discussion on the relations between poetry, recitative, and song.

[411] Rengger, 'Saugethiere von Paraguay,' s. 49.

[412] See an interesting discussion on this subject by Hackel, 'Generelle Morph.' B. ii. 1866, s. 246.

[413] A full and excellent account of the manner in which savages in all parts of the world ornament themselves is given by the Italian traveller, Prof. Mantegazza, 'Rio de la Plata, Viaggi e Studi,' 1867, p. 525-545; all the following statements, when other references are not given, are taken from this work. See, also, Waitz, 'Introduct. to Anthropolog.' Eng.

transl. vol. i. 1863, p. 275, _et pa.s.sim_. Lawrence also gives very full details in his 'Lectures on Physiology,' 1822. Since this chapter was written Sir J. Lubbock has published his 'Origin of Civilisation,' 1870, in which there is an interesting chapter on the present subject, and from which (p.

42, 48) I have taken some facts about savages dyeing their teeth and hair, and piercing their teeth.

[414] Humboldt, 'Personal Narrative,' Eng. translat. vol. iv.

p. 515; on the imagination shewn in painting the body, p. 522; on modifying the form of the calf of the leg, p. 466.

[415] 'The Nile Tributaries,' 1867; 'The Albert N'yanza,' 1866, vol. i. p. 218.

[416] Quoted by Prichard, 'Phys. Hist. of Mankind,' 4th. edit.

vol. i. 1851, p. 321.

[417] On the Papuans, Wallace, 'The Malay Archipelago,' vol.

ii. p. 445. On the coiffure of the Africans, Sir S. Baker, 'The Albert N'yanza,' vol. i. p. 210.

[418] 'Travels', p. 533.

[419] 'The Albert N'yanza,' 1866, vol. i. p. 217.

[420] Livingstone, 'British a.s.sociation,' 1860; report given in the 'Athenaeum,' July 7, 1860, p. 29.

[421] Sir S. Baker (ibid. vol. i. p. 210) speaking of the natives of Central Africa says, "every tribe has a distinct and unchanging fas.h.i.+on for dressing the hair." See Aga.s.siz ('Journey in Brazil,' 1868, p. 318) on the invariability of the tattooing of the Amazonian Indians.

[422] Rev. R. Taylor, 'New Zealand and its Inhabitants,' 1855, p. 152.

[423] Mantegazza, 'Viaggi e Studi,' p. 542.

[424] 'Travels in S. Africa,' 1824; vol. i. p. 414.

[425] See, for references, 'Gerland uber das Aussterben der Naturvolker,' 1868, s. 51, 53, 55; also Azara, 'Voyages,' &c.

tom. ii. p. 116.

[426] On the vegetable productions used by the North-Western American Indians, 'Pharmaceutical Journal,' vol. x.

[427] 'A Journey from Prince of Wales Fort,' 8vo. edit. 1796, p. 89.

[428] Quoted by Prichard, 'Phys. Hist. of Mankind,' 3rd edit.

vol. iv. 1844, p. 519; Vogt, 'Lectures on Man,' Eng. translat.

p. 129. On the opinion of the Chinese on the Cingalese, E.

Tennent, 'Ceylon,' vol. ii. 1859, p. 107.

[429] Prichard, as taken from Crawfurd and Finlayson, 'Phys.

Hist. of Mankind,' vol. iv. p. 534, 535.

[430] "Idem ill.u.s.trissimus viator dixit mihi praecinctorium vel tabula faeminae, quod n.o.bis teterrimum est, quondam permagno aestimari ab hominibus in hac gente. Nunc res mutata est, et censet talem conformationem minime optandam est."

[431] 'The Anthropological Review,' November, 1864, p. 237. For additional references, see Waitz, 'Introduct. to Anthropology,'

Eng. translat. 1863, vol. i. p. 105.

[432] 'Mungo Park's Travels in Africa,' 4to. 1816, p. 53, 131.

Burton's statement is quoted by Schaaffhausen, 'Archiv fur Anthropolog.' 1866, s. 163. On the Banyai, Livingstone, 'Travels,' p. 64. On the Kafirs, the Rev. J. Shooter, 'The Kafirs of Natal and the Zulu Country,' 1857 p. 1.

[433] For the Javanese and Cochin-Chinese, see Waitz, 'Introduct. to Anthropology,' Eng. translat. vol. i. p. 305. On the Yura-caras, A. d'Orligny, as quoted in Prichard, 'Phys.

Hist. of Mankind,' vol. v. 3rd edit. p. 476.

[434] 'North American Indians,' by G. Catlin, 3rd edit. 1842, vol. i. p. 49; vol. ii. p. 227. On the natives of Vancouver Island, see Sproat, 'Scenes and Studies of Savage Life,' 1868, p. 25. On the Indians of Paraguay, Azara, 'Voyages,' tom. ii.

p. 105.

[435] On the Siamese, Prichard, ibid. vol. iv. p. 533. On the j.a.panese, Veitch in 'Gardeners' Chronicle,' 1860, p. 1104. On the New Zealanders Mantegazza, 'Viaggi e Studi,' 1867, p. 526.

For the other nations mentioned, see references in Lawrence, 'Lectures on Physiology,' &c. 1822, p. 272.

[436] Lubbock, 'Origin of Civilisation,' 1870, p. 321.

[437] Dr. Barnard Davis quotes Mr. Pritchard and others for these facts in regard to the Polynesians, in 'Anthropological Review,' April, 1870, p. 185, 191.

[438] Ch. Comte has remarks to this effect in his 'Traite de Legislation,' 3rd edit. 1837, p. 136.

[439] The Fuegians, as I have been informed by a missionary who long resided with them, consider European women as extremely beautiful; but from what we have seen of the judgment of the other aborigines of America, I cannot but think that this must be a mistake, unless indeed the statement refers to the few Fuegians who have lived for some time with Europeans, and who must consider us as superior beings. I should add that a most experienced observer, Capt. Burton, believes that a woman whom we consider beautiful is admired throughout the world, 'Anthropological Review,' March, 1864, p. 245.