Introductory address on the study of anthropology : delivered before the Anthropological Society of London, February 24th, 1863 / by James Hunt.

  • Hunt, James, 1833-1869.
Date:
1863
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Introductory address on the study of anthropology : delivered before the Anthropological Society of London, February 24th, 1863 / by James Hunt. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    slavery induced the scientific men of that country to advocate a distinct origin for the African race. For myself, I believe such a charge to be a gross calumny. If it could be demonstrated that the Negro was descended from the ape only a few generations ago, it would not at all alter the fact that at present he is a man, and has enough in common with ourselves to make us know that his parentage can be no excuse for using him cruelly. Or supposing that the Oran-utan is, as the Dyaks believe, a degenerated species of man, it is equally certain that he is not now a man, and has not the same claims on our sympathy as the most degraded savage. I would therefore express a hope that the objects of this Society will never be prostituted to such an object as the support of the slave-trade, with all its abuses ; but at the same time we must not shrink from the candid avowal of what we believe to be the real place in nature, or in society, of the African or any other race. It will be the duty of conscien- tious anatomists carefully to record all deviations from the human standard of organization and analogy with inferior types, which are fre- quently manifested in the negro race. These observations should be made solely as to the existence of the facts themselves, and without any reference to the theories that may be founded on them. Future generations will thank us more for the establishment of good reliable facts than for any hap-hazard speculations. At the same time I would not say a word against the generalizer. In a society like ours we want thinkers as well as observers. We should give every encouragement to the accurate reasoner, as it is to him we must look for the laws which can be deduced.from our illustrations and accu- mulation of facts. I should have liked to have given this evening a sketch of the present state of Anthropology; but I shall only be able just to touch on some points which may throw light on the best means for its future development. In the first place, I think it will be well if we can fully realize the exact position in which we now stand, as we shall then be better able to appreciate the amount of work that is before us. I beg, however, that no one will interpret my opinions to be in any way the opinion of the Society generally. As far, then, as I am able to judge, the science of Anthropology is not only in its infancy, but as a science, it hardly yet has any existence. Why we should have good reliable facts and systematic collections of the remains of all animals except man, is a psychological phenomenon of great interest, but one which I must not stay to investigate : but there can be little or no doubt of the fact itself. Dr. Morton in