Genre:

Essay

Subjects:

Race, Ethnology, Imperialism, Breeding

    Declares that right up 'to the present day' well-meaning people such as Richard Phillips have 'striven to prove the identity of the fair and dark races, [...] have denied that the African differed mentally from the European' (341), and have 'hailed them as men and brothers' (340). Nevertheless, asserts that 'the fact remains that these two branches of the great human family are not on a level'. (341). Indeed, the 'negro invents nothing, originates nothing, improves nothing' and 'vegetated in his tropical swamps until his fair-complexioned brother, the world's bully, pioneer, and school master, came to draw him forth and load him with his burdens' (341). Although not advocating slavery, the author gives several examples drawn from both North America and the British Colonies of the enormous differences which exist between the industrious white races and the indolent 'Sambo and Gumbo' (340). On the still unsettled 'question of "amalgamation"', he reports that it 'has seldom been found that a direct cross between a European and any of the coloured races, whether Hindoo, Negro, or American Indian, has produced very good results. Physically and morally, the half-castes appear distinct from both stocks, and they seldom show intellectual or bodily vigour of very high quality' (347).