Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 17.djvu/425

Rh edge converges upon this great human research; and "the proper study of mankind" is now more fruitful of positive and pregnant conclusions than it has ever been before. The theme is itself of intrinsic moment to the students of nature, and is engaging the assiduous attention of talented men in all cultivated nations. From this point of view alone, or as a repository of facts and a lucid exposition of principles, the volume has marked merit, and will do excellent service simply as a popular ethnological manual.

But, while useful as a mere didactic discussion of anthropological questions, the work has an interest of another kind in relation to the special object for which it was written. It is an able contribution to a serious modern controversy, which will bring it into demand beyond the customary circle of scientific and miscellaneous readers. The Church has its traditional ethnology, vaguely assented to by multitudes who have never inquired into the subject, but which is now totally out of harmony with all the results of actual knowledge. It is the old astronomical conflict over again, in a more modern field. Knowledge still advances, and stationary, dogmatic beliefs are left standing as milestones to mark its progress. The prevalent ecclesiastical theory of the origin and history of the human race, which is passively entertained by the great body of orthodox believers, must be discarded or squared with the results of scientific investigation. All fair-minded theologians will recognize the significance of the crisis, and welcome every efficient contribution toward the settlement of the difficulty. Dr. Winchell's work is devoted to this object, and it is executed with such learning and ability that it must at once take rank as an authoritative text-book of the subject. It is not too much to say that it settles the controversy; and all Christian teachers, who have any genuine interest in the adjustment of their beliefs so that they shall harmonize with scientific demonstrations, owe gratitude to the author of this work for the untiring labor that he has bestowed upon the inquiry, and the intrepid spirit in which he has pursued it.

The definite scope of Dr. Winchell's book may be best obtained from his own statement. He says: "The central idea of the work is human preadamitism; all other views presented are subsidiary or collateral. The thesis implies that the characterization of Adam, in the document which has given us the name, is such that the name can not be applied to the first progenitor of the human kind, and that all the collateral statements either involve or permit the derivation of Adam from an older race. But the defense of the thesis does not rest, as it once did, on the purely linguistic interpretation of the Bible. We have now the facts of race-histories, and the discovered laws of animal life, past and present, to summon to the sanction and support of the conclusion. I have not contented myself with the employment of the direct argument, but have attempted to show that the old hypothesis of the descent of the black races from Ham is equally unscriptural and unscientific. Finally, assuming the thesis proved, I have endeavored to gratify the natural and intelligent curiosity which expresses itself in the questions: Who, then, were the first men? Where did they appear, and how long since? How have the races come into existence, and what has been the method of their dispersion over the earth? These questions necessarily lead us to the very borders of the field of recognized facts, and even into the domain of speculation; but I hope I have in most cases presented views which coordinate the facts in a rational conception, if I have not enunciated conclusions which will stand the test of future investigation. I hope, also, that on some of these themes I have presented groupings of the facts and tentative generalizations which will interest the strictly scientific inquirer. In any event, I desire the reader to consider that the defense of the main thesis is not involved in any of the hazard of the speculative suggestions brought forward in the sequel."

It is impossible here to enter into any detail of the views developed in this work; but the reader will get a good idea of the nature and breadth of the discussion by an ennumerationenumeration [sic] of the subjects treated. Dr. Winchell's chapters are: I. "Some Traditional Beliefs"; II. "Biblical Language"; III. "The Hamites and their Dispersion";IV. "The Semites and their Dispersion"; V.