Viewing page 94 of 130

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

296
eulogy as would lead us to believe that it is received by all the Anatomists of Europe as one of the highest improvements in anatomical and physiognomonical science.* Yet, after extolling this discovery in the highest terms, and quoting the name of Blumenbach with the same familiarity as that of Von Camper, as if he were perfectly acquainted with the writings of both these great anatomists, he seems not in the least aware that the former has entirely rejected the principle on which this facial line is drawn. Can it be because Blumenbach's work is written in latin! I will not presume such a disgraceful thing. I will, therefore, proceed to exhibit my proof, without doubting but that I shall be understood. "At

[[footnote]]
  *Unfortunately for the accuracy of his geometrical language he repeatedly speaks of the greater or less degree of obtuseness in the facial angle, from that of 70° which is the measure of an African face, to that of 80° or 85° which is the measure of the European. 
  If he had followed his guide Von Camper throughout, in his diction, as well as the supposed result of his experiments, he would have taught him greater precision, at least, in his expression. "Pour peu que l'on considère avec attention l'angle dans les quartre tetes," says he, speaking of some skulls which were before him, "on reconnoitra facilement qu'ils deviennent plus considerables," (not more obtuse) "à mesure qu'on élève davantage la ligne faciale, d'ou il resulte que la plus grand dimension" (not the most obtuse) "aura lieu dans les Europeens."——Partie 1. § viii.
[[/footnote]]

297

enim vero," says Blumenbach, speaking of this celebrated line, "si quid recte video, hæc regula non uno vitio laborare mihi vedetur.--1°. Enim, quod equidem ex iis quæ de varietatibus faciei gentilitiæ diximus (§56) per se patet, universa hæcce linea facialis ad summum non nisi in eas generis humani varietates quadrat quæ mandibularum directione ab invicem variant, neutiquam vero in eas quæ contraria plane ratione facie potius in latera diducta insigues sunt. 

2. Sæpissime diversissimarum gentium craniis toto, quod aiunt, cælo ab invicem discrepantibus, una tatem eademque lineæ facialis directio esse solet; vice versa, pluribus unius ejusdemque gentis craniis, quæ in universum eodem habitu invicem conveniunt linea facialis valdopere diversa. Parum enim ex sola directione faciei in craniis a latere visis judicare licet, nisi simul respectus habeatur latitudinis eorum. Ita v.c. dum hæc scribo coram video cranioum bigam Æthiopis scil. Congensis, et Sarmatæ Lithuani; utrisque linea facialis fere una eademque; habitus tamen maxime diversus si angustum et quasi carinatum Æthiopis caput cum quadrato magis Sarmatœ comparaveris. Contra vero alia bina

N N

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-06-06 07:03:20 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-06-05 19:28:23