Page:An essay on the origin and relative status of the white and colored races of mankind.djvu/37

 performer on the Piano, are also referred to as evidence of the Black man's great capacity for acquiring the art of Music. Tom's knowledge of Music was not acquired by scientific study, but, solely, by ear: and his retentive memory, intense passion and exquisite taste for music, were extraordinary gifts, and sportive freaks of nature, at the expense of his other faculties; for he is an awkward ignoramus, and almost an idiot in every other respect. As evidence of the Black man sBlack man's [sic] architectural talents, it has been claimed that he built the Pyramids of Egypt and other ancient structures: but that has been entirely refuted by modern discoveries; and ancient sculpture and paintings, all exhibit him in subordinate attitudes. It has also been alleged that Hannibal, the great Carthagenian General, was a black man: but this allegation is based upon geographical and historical ignorance; by confounding the white inhabitants of the city of Carthage—which was founded in African territory, purchased, from the Africans, by Queen Dido of Tyre—with the original natives of Africa. The preserved outlines of Hannibal's prominent features and straight hair show that he had no identity with the Black man. It has also been claimed that, Solomon, King of the Israelites, who were known as a white race, and whose descendants at this day, are known to be white, was a black man, because it is written in the Book of Canticles, that on a certain occasion, he said, "I am black but comely," but that alleged blackness was undoubtedly a figurative allusion to his fallen state, after his apostacy—a term which was commonly used to denote degeneracy. However, the Book of Canticles, containing the alleged declaration, has been discarded from the Bible as uncanonical and consequently as unreliable.