EFFECT OF CLIMATE ON CIVILIZATION. 599 of 34,000, not one. It is by bringing into these discussions the singular and widespread error that all the aboriginal American tribes are like, and by not making due allowance for their habits of life, their physical and mental endowments, that this mistake has arisen; but whoever will consider the facts as they actually stand must come to the conclusion that there are just as well-marked differences among these people as there are in the climates and circumstances in which they live. Intellectually, there is even a greater difference between the Indian of the United States and the Indian of Peru than there is in their physical aspect. The one is an intractable savage, the other docile and easily led; the one has never yet been enslaved, the other prospers and increases in number, though he has sustained all the consequences of the atrocities of the Spanish Conquest. By chance, or perhaps, as we should more truly say, through Providence, the field of Catholic labor has been among the more docile races, that of Protestant among the more untamable, and the result is exactly such as, under those circumstances, the philosopher would be led to expect. I can not here avoid recalling to the attention of the reader what I have said respecting the comparative progress of Christianity and Mohammedanism in Africa, for we find upon our own continent a repetition of the facts which were presented to us there. The chances, if such a term can, on this occasion, with propriety be used, of the diffusion of Christian civilization, are directly proportional to the existing intellectual development of the community among whom the attempt is made. Mohammedanism has diffused itself in Africa for precisely the same reason that Catholicism has succeeded in America-because its operation was commenced upon those tribes best prepared to receive it. climate on civ. We can not have a more striking instance of the effect of climate on civilization than that which is offered by the American In- Illustration of dians. As is well known, though throughout all those lati- the effect of tudes in which life is maintained with difficulty, by reason ilization. of their inclemency, all the tribes, both of the north and south continent, were in a barbarous state, yet in those more pleasant countries toward the equator, in which, by reason of the natural fertility of the soil and a higher mean temperature, the inhabitants had little occasion to work, and passed their lives in comparative plenty and ease, a special civilization had arisen. It is of no little interest to observe how the main features of Asiatic and European civilization were presented in this case, doubtless without any communication with those continents, for it shows how the human mind is ever prone to unfold itself in the same way, to give birth to the same ideas and to the same inventions. The Civilization of civilized Americans of Mexico and Peru were organized in the tropical Incommunities not unlike those with which the white man is dians. 600 EXTINCTION OF THE INDIANS. elsewhere familiar, living in cities which were regulated by municipal laws familiar enough to us, maintaining among their social institutions, fixed ideas respecting property and family rights, having a national religion, an established priesthood, and the means of recording events, which, though imperfect, were not unlike those which obtained in the earlier periods of our own civilization. If they had not a knowledge of iron and the plow, they had already fallen upon the early Asiatic plan of subjugating and domesticating such animals as were suitable for their purposes. Civilization arose among these people in similar localities and under similar circumstances of life as it had arisen among our ancestors in the Old World, and, such is the sameness of constitution of the human mind, was advancing in exactly the same way. Gradual extinction of the Indians of the temperate zone. Although, for a time, among the degenerate descendants of the Spaniards, the South American Indian may maintain himself, but little doubt can be entertained that the same destiny awaits him which has befallen his North American brother. He can not withstand that enterprise and activity which are leading to the extension of the white invaders of his native soil. Even though the age of cruelty to these unfortunates has passed away, never more to return, and enlightened governments, animated by sentiments into which no mercenary consideration enters, interest themselves in their welfare, it is not to be supposed that nations depending on such an artificial support can long continue to exist. In this inevitable decline, the tropical races may far more worthily excite our commiseration than those of the higher latitudes; nor is their departure unavenged: they leave behind them two curses, tobacco and syphilis. In conclusion of this partial examination of the progress of the human Manner of family under varied circumstances, we may remark a repetinations in civ- tion of a like series of changes to those which have been ilization. traced in the psychical career of the individual, and this, whether we consider the progress in theology, policy, philosophy, or any other respect. It is a continued passage from the general to the special -from the homogeneous to the heterogeneous. The history of any of the ancient nations might be brought forward as an example. Emerging from the barbarous state, they shake off their Fetichism, that union of the supernatural with the natural, which gives to every wood, every tree, every river, its presiding genius; to families, their Penates; to the city, and even to the road, their Lares; to stars, and to stones, and to medicines, their spirits; to the night, its apparitions and fairies. It is in vain that we say these are the subjects of African credulity. They are found in the origin of all people. Our forefathers once cherished the illusions which still occupy the negro mind. The time came when intellectual development outgrew such base superstitions, and for a crowd of PROGRESS OF CIVILIZATION. 601 imaginary inanities were substituted the chosen forms of Polytheism. It is true that, among Egyptians, Hindoos, or Greeks, there were deities. enough, but the process of specialization may be nevertheless plainly discerned. The Fetich stage, the Polytheistic stage, are necessarily included in the onward progress to a pure metaphysical Monotheistic conception. In this it is to be remarked that the Asiatic races Their religious of men have led the way, both in the priority and strictness persuasions. of their views. The great statesmen of China, of India, of Arabia, and of Judea, centuries ago, seized upon this as the pivot of their intellectual and even political systems. To the last country, Europe itself, as history proves, is indebted for this noble idea. European Monotheism is not indigenous, but imported from the Hebrews, an Asiatic race. The intellectual condition of the nations among whom it was introduced was but little advanced, and hence among some it came to be degraded-mixed up with the remains of popular and anthropomorphic conceptions, which otherwise were gradually dying out. For a length of time the pagan creeds maintained a conflict with it, and with difficulty it disentangled itself from the base features which they endeavored to impress upon it, as with the Hebrews themselves of old, the people seemed to be reluctant to surrender altogether their Polytheistic ideas. These remarks are to be understood as not applying to individuals, for in every age and nation great men have arisen, whose views on these and other subjects of like vital importance were far in advance of their times. In their best days, both in Greece and Rome, there were men who had attained to the standard here alluded to, but their teaching was without effect on the popular mass. There was a want of equivalency between the individual attainment and the race attainment. Though individuals may be progressive, races are essentially conservative; and hence there will constantly arise against individual attempts at an advance discountenance and resistance, an opposition which in too many instances becomes a tyranny. Masses of men are not like inorganic masses, which resist a change by their inertia alone. The biography of every great reformer shows that the popular mind resents any disturbance of its repose. Resistance has to be overcome in the moving of things, resentment is added in the moving of men. common mo To the philanthropist it is a most delightful spectacle that the various nations, in spite of the difference of their interests, their Existence of a creeds, and their polities, can yet present certain great prin- rality with disciples which they recognize in common, and this is becom- cordant creeds. ing more and more marked with the onward advance of the world. the course of events, the special is ever coming out of the general, and the great principles of a common morality are gradually disentangling and In unfolding themselves from contradictory forms of faith. The Chinese, the Hindoo, or the Turk, though they may not coincide with the American or European as to what is to be looked upon as true, will yet agree as to what is just. The sentiment of honor, the ideas of personal integrity, are fast becoming universal. Yet even in these later ages, there is in this respect nothing new. The tendency of the human mind, whether individual or collective, to the same direction is continually manifest-a premarked and predestined course in which it must go. Our most refined notions of rectitude contain nothing more than is to be found in the little epitome of the ancient lawgiver; for if we strike from the ten commandments whatever is explanatory or threatening, retaining the mandatory parts alone, there remains what commends itself to the understanding of intelligent men even of the most diverse nations-the acknowledgment of the unity of God, the veneration due to him, the expediency of a day of rest for the laborer, the duty of filial affection, the enormity of murder, the sin of adultery, the crime of stealing, the shame of lying, and a strict regard for the property of another: these are things which exact for themselves a spontaneous and universal assent. CHAPTER VIII. SOCIAL MECHANICS. Comparative Sociology.— Connection of Structure and Habit.—Connection of History and Physiology. - Insect Society.-Descartes's Doctrine that Insects are Automata.-Necessity of a Mechanism of Registry for Instinct, Reason, and Civilization. Nature of Man.-Influence of surrounding Circumstances on him.-Definiteness of his Career. GENERAL FACTS OF EUROPEAN HISTORY.-Introduction of Egyptian Civilization into Europe.The Registry of Facts by Writing.-Egyptian Philosophy in the Greek Schools.-The Persian Empire: its Influence.—Analytical Quality of the European Mind.-Influence of the Greek Schools on modern Philosophy. Origin of European Commerce.-Discovery of the Straits of Gibraltar.-Macedonian Campaign. -Reconstruction of Monarchy in Egypt. The Roman Empire: its centralizing and civilizing Power.-Fall of European Paganism.—Influence of the Christian Church.-The Sabbath Day.-The Reformation. Influence of Mohammedanism on Europe.-The Arab physical Science.-The Crusades.-Discovery of America by the Spaniards.-Fall of the Spanish Power. Later Mental Changes in Europe.-Disappearance of Credulity.-Physiological Change of Europeans.-Effect of Mohammedanism in changing the Centre of Intellect of Europe.—Analytical Tendency of the European Mind.-Advantages resulting therefrom. HAVING described man as an individual, we have next to consider him in his social relations; for so closely are his actions connectDependency of social career on ed with his organization, that it may be said that universal history is only a chapter of physiology. It is acknowledged, structure. COMPARATIVE SOCIOLOGY. 603 even by those who have given but a superficial attention to the subject, that there is a connection between corporeal development and historical career; that those races who have led the way in the course of civilization, and those who still remain in the savage state, are characterized by striking anatomical peculiarities, particularly in the size and development of their cerebral hemispheres. Such general conclusions are strengthened by our observations on the animal series, the lower members of which offer together a sameness of structure and an identity in their course of life. In those the metamorphoses of which have been stud- Structure and ied, it is always noticed that every change of structure is at habit in the once followed by a change of habit, yet, during the continuance case of insects. of a given condition, their manner of life is without any variation. The actions of one insect are for the most part the actions of another of the same kind and in the same state, whether larva, pupa, or imago. But in the midst of all this automatism there are, however, the glimmerings of a free will. The animal world presents forcible illustrations on every hand on the connection of structure and habit. Philosophical views of human sociology are only to be attained by treating that great problem in the same manner that we have Comparative learned to treat so many others in physiology. We must in- sociology. clude in our discussion all other animal races, and not close our eyes to the fact that there is such a thing as comparative sociology. We observe the republican propensities of the ant, the monarchical life of bees, the solitary habit of other tribes. Is it not, at least in part, because of cerebral peculiarities that one kind of bird is polygamous, and another observes an annual or perpetual monogamy; that the buffalo delights in the society of his kind, but the lion will tolerate no neighbor; that the horse runs in herds, and adopts an organized system, submitting to a captain whose motions he follows? We can not suppose that these habits are the sole result of a present and immediately active external influence which calls them forth; an internal influence is also at work, an internal influence dependent on organization. A discussion of the problem of human sociology could, therefore, only be completed after a study of the same problem in the entire animal series—a task requiring varied and profound knowledge of natural history and comparative anatomy. Indeed, the present state of these sciences does not enable us to accomplish it. The remarks I am about to make are, therefore, of a very imperfect kind. The social problems presented to us by animals are a fitting introduction to the social problems of man. For the clearer understanding of what follows, it may Distinction betherefore be observed that we may receive the term instinct tween instinct as indicating a faculty incapable of improvement, and possess and reason. |