Cursory Remarks on the Physical and Moral History of the Human Species, and its connections with surrounding agency

Front matter

REMARKS ON THE PHYSICAL AND MORAL HISTORY OF THE HUMAN SPECIES. W. Wilson, Printer, 4, Greville-Street, Hatton-Garden, London. CURSORY REMARKS ON THE PHYSICAL AND MORAL HISTORY OF THE Hhtman &mit$> AND ITS CONNECTIONS WITH SURROUNDING AGENCY. By L. S. BOYNE. " The proper Study or Mankind is Man." LONDON: PRINTBD FOR BALDWIN, CRADOCK, AND JOT, PATERNOSTER-ROW. 1815. preface* A BRIEF outline of the History of Man, and his Connections with Surrounding- Agency, is at all times a subject primarily important : it is the proper province of Hu man inquiry, and equally interesting to all : it is a Picture that gives scope to the exer cise of splendid genius and talent ; it is a field for the display of invention, and the activity of imagination ; it abounds with mazes and intricacies ; it is in a great mea sure obscured in a sublime mystery, and to give a finished sketch of Human History is to do little less than to extract order and de sign from apparent chaos.

The limited boundary of our faculties is soon approach ed, the horizon flies before the observer; as he climbs each hill in expectation of reaching the desired goal, he sees " Alps on Alps arise ;" the philosopher stands confounded in a de sart plain, without a landmark — he is at sea VI

Preface

. without a compass ; led on by his senses, but more powerfully by his imagination, he is apt to wander from the road to truth, and fall into the specious path that at length bewilders him in superstition and scepticism. Such has been the fate of a large portion of travellers in this department of science. Let it not be thought the writer of these Letters expects any better success ; think not, he has the vanity to suppose he can add any light to this great subject; he has only act ed the part of a student, to gather facts from others, to copy Art as well as Nature. His sketch shows nothing original. His ambi tion would indeed be gratified, were it his high destiny to say, " I too am a Painter." Self-knowledge, the safe guide to truth, teaches him to be contented as a distant ob server. The peculiar nature of his Profes sional studies giving him an acquaintance with the Physical character of Animal Na ture, he has been led in his leisure hours to take a cursory survey of the Human state. He has in these Letters thrown together a body of general remarks on the great ele ments of our Nature, the attributes and qua-

PREFACE.

. VII lities of organized beings, as related to, and combined with, the great Masterpiece, Man. This rough sketch, this brief outline, not being a finished Portrait, he dedicates to those who have not leisure or means of pur suing more profound research. If any one with whom " his little Bark shall attendant sail," will have received the slightest tinge of taste for rational inquiry into the matters of which it treats — if any one may consider it an introduction to future more satisfactory investigation — the intention and design of the Writer will then have achieved their en tire consummation ; he shall then think his leisure usefully employed— his time fortu nately bestowed. He claims no merit ; he has furnished nothing new ; he has merely thrown together in a familiar shape a num ber of facts in Nature, that cannot be in structive to the Learned, but may operate as introductive of further inquiry among General Readers.

ERRATA. Page S3, line 3, for " inverted," read " invested." 88, — 13, for " Efflorescence," read " Inflorescence." 98, — 21, for " Crustana," read " Crustacea." 364„ — 10, for " Sencetus," read " Senectus." CONTENTS.

Birds, their Variety and Beauty — Feathers — comparative Anatomy and Physiology — the Egg — Quadrupeds, their general Skeleton, and comparative Structure approaches that of the Human Form — General Division — Domestication — Utility to Man 120—143

Letter VII

Man, his general Attributes — his Anatomy — his general Physiology — Cranium — the Brain the distinguishing Organ — the Face — the Thorax — Abdomen — Limbs — the Blood, its temperature and general Properties 144 — 169

Letter VIII

Digestive Organs — Experiments on Digestion — Activity of the Gastric Juice — Variety of Food — Muscular System — Position of the Foot — Erect Figure of Man — Mortality of the Species at different Periods — Climacteric Years — Number of Mankind 170—197

Letter IX

Mankind sprang from one common source — Remarks on the apparent and real Diversities among Animals — Varieties in Men — Observations to prove that all men have proceeded from one Parent Trunk 198—217

Letter X

Origin of the different Nations of the Globe — Man first created in Asia — Complexion of Infant Society — Europe peopled from Asia 218—240

Letter XI

The Varieties in Men adventitious — Original Colour of Man — Temperaments — Diversity in Men more influenced by Moral than Physical Agency — Climate has very limited effects — CONTENTS. XI the Identity of Mankind proved by the evidence of Scripture 241—260

General Remarks on the Human Structure and Condition — Progressive Course of Human Existence — the Immortality of the Soul — Christian Morals — Conclusion 355 — REMARKS ON THE PHYSICAL AND MORAL HISTORY OF THE HUMAN SPECIES