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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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The Aztec children occupy gossip . Remarkable specimens of humanity they are , but as to any owe determining their place in the scale upon present evidence , the thing is clearly impossible . Two children aged ten or twelve , and seven or nine ( according to tKe weighty authority of Professor Owen ) , no more than thirty-three inches in height , are assuredly interesting , if only as cases of arrested development , ( for we believe these children must come under the consideration of the teratologist * . rather than the ethnologist . ) Dr . I ^ atham , so competent to speak on the ethnological question / does not consider them as a new species of the genus homo , nor even as a permanent variety ^ Professor Owen regards them as instances of impeded development . Dr . Co no llv was struck with their resemblance to idiots .-. ' ¦ ¦! .
As before stated , there is not sufficient evidence for a positive opinion . A few hints are all we venture . We do not regard them as of an intermediate race—the structure of the pelvis , the smallness of the lower jaw , the position of the occipital vertebrae with reference to the skull , prevent bur placing them below the Bushman , and closer to the Chimpanzee . But * f they are ^ not of an intermediate race > they must be either of a race degraded , or they must be simple monstrosities—examples of arrested
development . That they are not of a degraded race , we think is shown by / the fact of their organization not having fallen back into closer approximation to the animal type . That they are cases of arrested development seems extremely i ^ robalEile j and if the reader will turn to the plates of the aneucephalous niunimy , broughtfroiii Egypt by Passalacqua in 1826 , and drawnbyGeoffroy St . Hijlaire ( republished in Isidore Geoffroy St . Htlaire ' s Histqire des Anomalies de I ? Organization ) , he will be much struck with the resemblance to these Aztec children . The Aztecs ,
however , are only small brained , they are not without brains . But that they are cretins , Dr . Conolly rightly discerned . They are not absfelute idiots —indeed they are too lively for that . But if we consider the structure of the skull , and further , if we Consider the quaint angularity of their movements , ( one of the most obvious results of idiotcy being an inability to allow a graceful freedom of action , especially with the hands , ) we shall probably feel the force of Dr . CoKOLLY ' s ^ emarks . Those who have been
among cretins will remember that they are not all dull . Let but the senses be well developed , and there will be a restlessness which may easily be mistaken for inteUectual activity . These Aztecs seem to us to have ine' sensory ganglia Very well developed , ^ hat phrenologists call the region of the perceptive faculties is comparatively enormous ; and you cannot watch them for five minutes without being struck with the
insatiable activity of their senses ; the point they have most obviously in common with monkeys . But of cerebral development there is scarcely enough to suffice forT a monkey . The arrest in this portion is remarkable . And among the ; many structural indications of arrest—even more striking than that of the under jaw—is the position of the ears exactly on a line with the eyes Another curious indication is that of their deficiency of language . When first we heard it asserted that they had no language of their own , and yet had learned to say a few words of English , we felt it to be a physiological paradox , without example . Language is not an accomplishment , it is a function ; as any man may ascertain who tries to teach the most structure articulate
intelligent Chimpanzee . Unless the anatomical permit Bounds , there will be no language possible ; and if it be there , the language will come spontaneously , as the function of every organ ; how spontaneously and how actively let every nursery proclaim ! Now it is quite dear that these Aztecs have the vocal organs , but it is equally clear that these organs are very imperfectly developed , or rather , let us say , that the nervous centres whence the vocal stimulus should come are imperfectly developed , because they do not spontaneously utter any articulate sound they will do so at the bidding of their keepers , or ( as we were informed ) when their rocking-horse falls , they will exclaim « up" ^ V ^ n ^ thus showing that under a strong stimulus they will speak , but tins
stimulus does not come ah intra . re- i Sur conclusion is that they are eretins-unlike the cretins of Savoy and the Tvrol because placed in different conditions ; thus , to take only one ctrnpleVtheTrglanas are not diseased , because , unlike the Savoyards , they S water i « which there is iodine . That they are a race we cannot bring ourselves to believe . They may be two out ot many like them , and Sis said of their being worshipped as Gods * ay perhaps be connected with the well-known superstition which everywhere regards idiots and madmen as holy persons . ¦ .
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Table-moving is still active , though Fahaday ' s authority has cowed the mairUy . No delusibncan fairty be dissipated as long as people " believe hit Sev see" fthd fancy they bee when in truth they infer . We were muci amusS last weekly this example of . evidence of th . senses /' Write down the Strand in company with a friend , we were both sur-S at seeing in a bookseller ' s window Bleak House lying open m the unmttlShape of a thick octavo volume . Our knowledge that
Bleak House was not yet complete , and therefore could only be seen m numbers , not in volumes , made us doubt the evidence of our senses . We looked again and again . There teas the volume evident enough , tmmistakeable ! What could it be ? It turned out to be the last number of that work laid open on an bctavo volume , but so nicely adjusted , that the two seemed one ! We both laughed at this deception of the senses , arid agreed that had not our previous knowledge corrected the report of the senses , we should have been willing to swearwe had seen in a bookseller ' s window Bleak House bound in one volume . Had we said so to any one , knowing that such a thing was unlikely , should we not have considered him hypercritical in replying , " No , my friends , you saw nothing ., of the kind , but from certain impressions made upon your retina , you inferred that a volume ot Bleak House was before you" ?
A well-compiled volume—Table-turning and Table-talking—has just been issued by the house of Vizetelly , wherein the various articles which have appeared in French , German , and English papers , are collected and translated .
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^ if ^ T ^ Ve auporlluoua to " c * plain that Teratology ia tho fldonco of Mon gtotftaT ; % other work- of the law * oKrgaxuo deviation .
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While the fever of the Turkish question is raging , Bayle St . John , already known as an excellent writer on the East , has produced a volume well worthy of attention—The Turks in Europe . He is rather hard upon the Turks , and greatly in favour of that notion touched on in these columns some weeks ago , of the Hellenic Empire .
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. BOOKS ON OUR TABLE . The Poultry Book . ^• h " ^^ ' The New Quarterly Review . __ ' rt T v ^^ Vf * * a Mead of an ' Analysis of the Mistory of Greece . By D . W . Turner , M . A . J . W . Parker and Son , Lecture on the Chinese Language and Literature . Delivered by James Summers . ¦ J . W . Parker and Son , Table Turning and Table Talking . , i ? ^™^ Politics MadeEasy , far Young Men . By J . Bentley . W . C . Stevenson , There and Back Aqain in Search of Beauty . By J . A . St . John . 2 vola . Longjnan anu Co , The Eastern Question , in Relation to the Restoration of the Greek Empire . By an Inquirer . ¦ . Longman and Co , The Royal Descent of Kelson and Wellington . By O . E . French . WiWam Pictering TJie Midland-Metropolitan Magazine and Monthly Review . Arthur Hall , Virtue , and Co . Life and Times of Madame DeStael . By Maria Morris David Bogue . Bohn ' s Antiquarian Library—Matthewof Westminster ' s Chronicle . By C . D . Young . ^ _^^ Bohn ' s Classical Library—The Organon , or Logical Treatitet of Aristotle . By O . F . Owen , M . A . 2 "Vols iJonn . Bohn ' s Illustrated Library—China : Pictorial , Descriptive , and Historical . H . G . Bohn . Bohn ' s Standard Library—The Prose Works of John Milton . Vol . 5 . . ** - £ _» ° ™ - The Turks in Europe : A Sketch of Manners and Politics in the Ottoman Empxre . By Bayle bt . Tnhn - ^ Chapman and riaii . Reading for Travellers—Samuel Johnson . By Thomas Carlyle . Chapman and Hall . California and its Gold Mines . By Kobert Alison . Groombndge and Sons . The Illustrated London Astronomy , for the Use of Schools . By J . E . Hnrd . ^ Cook - and Co Electric Sciences its History , Phenomena , and Applications . By T . C . ^* ^ 11- Coote and Co The Universal Litrary . ^^ ^ JfCne ^ T ^ F ^ l yTreLry . Ko . 1 . ^ Houlston andI Bjgg- .. Writing * oYDouglas Jerrold-A Man . made of Money . rha « m * n ^ A & TheDtddlTaihit yAbroad . Ko . XI . Chapmim « dM Home Circle . . T F I Dav " Zau > son ' s Merchant ' s Magazine . Partridge and Oakey * T ^ Jo ^ al ^ Psychological Medicine and Mental Pathology . John ChurchiS ; The Some Companion . C 9 , i ? leet-streec
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HAYDON'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY . IAfe of Benjamin Robert ETai / don , Historical Painter . From his Autobiography and Journals . Edited and compiled by Tom Tnylor , Esq . 3 vols . Longman and Co . This is the saddest , yefc most inspiriting- and intensely interesting book that has appeared for a long while ; a book directly interesting to artists , but also to evory spirit struggling with the world ; a book containing in the form of personal experience and example some of the wisest lessons of life . The finest picture Hay don ever painted is painted in these volumes . _ . _
It is difficult to like Haydon , as one sees him here portrayed , but impossible not to admire the immense energy , courage , and ardent aspiration which moved him . There was more swagger than strength in him , more confidence than genius ; but ho had some of the qualities which go to form greatness , and his success was entirely owing to these qualities . Taking the most favourable view of his powers , we should sum them up in , his own . words , applied by him to Fuseli , — " On the whole ho was a great genius , but not a sound genius , and failed to interest the nation by having nothing in common with our natural
sympathies . " His strength lay in the confidence he had in high principles of Art , and tho courageous love with which he laboured : weak as ho was in life , he was resolute in Art . He could not attend to tho most ordinary suggestions of prudonco , but ho gave passionate" attention to all that could advance his painting . Tho completeness of his studios , and the deep inward delight which always sustained him while a \ , work , will not bo lost on tho student who reads these records . This is the valuable lesson of his life : it aliowa the magnificent reward which high aims carry with thorn ; it shows the inspiring courage they bring , and how they enable man . to face and baffle adversity , to " scorn delights and livo laborious days . " Haydon ' e sufferings arose from his weakness , his perversity , his bad temper ; his happiness ,, and tho sympathy ho found 80 active and abundant on all sides , wore duo to his noble ambition . Sad the book ia
sad with sordid cares and miserable pettinesses , but it fascinates with its earnestness , us Haydon himself fascinated . There are records in these pages of generosity and sympathy which astound us . We knew before how great was the generous aid daily outstretched to struggling artists and authors—how much unsolicited kindness and active benovolenco is incessantly employed to relievo tn . e wants of such mon in a style of liberality and delicacy which makes the common sarcasm about " money getting , money loving people , " odfoualy untrue ; we know before that scarcely a biograph y appears which doea not record such generosity , and that the unwritten biographies would multiply such
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Critics are not the legislators , but the judges and police of literature . They ao not - r ^ ake laws—they interpret and try to enforcethem .-r-JSdinburgh Review .
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Jtefer ^ I 853 rr THE LEADER . 691
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Leader (1850-1860), July 16, 1853, page 691, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1995/page/19/
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