Researches into the Physical History of Man

James Cowles Prichard (1786 - 1848)

Prichard’s Researches into the Physical History of Man has been called the most important pre-Darwinian anthropological work in English of the nineteenth century. He is considered by many to be the "Father of Anthropology".
The central conclusion of the work is the unity of the human species, which has been acted upon by causes that have since divided it into permanent varieties or races.
In his Preface, he writes: "In the course of this essay I have maintained the opinion that all mankind constitute but one race or proceed from a single family".
In this summary passage Prichard indicates Africa (indirectly) as the place of human origin:
"On the whole, there are many reasons which lead us to the conclusion that the primitive stock of men were probably Negroes, and I know of no argument to be set on the other side."
Could this be the first historic recognition that "Black Lives Matter"?

Note: Latin, Greek and German passages recorded by Kazbek.

(Summary by John Greenman & Wikipedia)

Genre(s): Social Science (Culture & Anthropology)

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 00 Preface John Greenman
00:04:20
Play 01 Chapter I - Inquiry whether the human kind contains more than one Species - Section I - Different modes of reasoning adopted on this question - Method proposed to be followed in this Treatise John Greenman
00:28:04
Play 02 Chapter I - Section II - Of the diversities of Colour John Greenman
00:14:43
Play 03 Chapter I - Section III - Of the hereditary transmission of the varieties John Greenman
00:11:28
Play 04 Chapter II - The same Inquiry continued - Section I - On diversities of Form - Natural Physiognomy, etc. John Greenman
00:22:30
Play 05 Chapter II - Section II - Contiuation - Diversities in the Cranium John Greenman
00:33:30
Play 06 Chapter II - Section III - Continuation - Other diversities of Figure John Greenman
00:09:26
Play 07 Chapter II - Section IV - Continuation - Some curious instances of deviation John Greenman
00:10:15
Play 08 Chapter II - Section V - Of diversities of Stature John Greenman
00:04:44
Play 09 Chapter II - Section VI - Of the Hair John Greenman
00:07:46
Play 10 Chapter III - Inquiry whether all mankind are of one race or stock - Section 1 - Method of inquiry John Greenman
00:05:49
Play 11 Chapter III - Section II - Of the local relations of genera John Greenman
00:20:10
Play 12 Chapter III - Section III - Of particular species - each species a single race - segment 1 John Greenman
00:36:01
Play 13 Chapter III - Section III - Of particular species - each species a single race - segment 2 John Greenman
00:39:37
Play 14 Chapter III - Section IV - Of the peopling of distant regions John Greenman
00:16:57
Play 15 Chapter IV - On the Structure of the Parts in which the variety of Colour subsists, and on the nature of this diversity. - Section 1 - General Anatomical Observations John Greenman
00:13:31
Play 16 Chapter IV - Section II - Comparison of different Races John Greenman
00:04:12
Play 17 Chapter IV - Section III - Physiological observations John Greenman
00:11:04
Play 18 Chapter V - On the causes which have produced the diversities of the human species - Section I - Of the opinion of Buffon and his followers John Greenman
00:32:56
Play 19 Chapter V - Section II - Of the production of varieties in the race John Greenman
00:17:10
Play 20 Chapter V - Section III - Of the circumstances which promote the disposition to variation John Greenman
00:44:17
Play 21 Chapter V - Section IV - Primitive stock of men Negroes John Greenman
00:12:23
Play 22 Chapter V - Section V - Of the causes of varieties of form John Greenman
00:04:22
Play 23 Chapter VI - On the physical history of the most remarkable races of men - Of the South-Sea and Indian Islanders - Section I - General Observations John Greenman
00:08:53
Play 24 Chapter VI - Section II - General view of the nations inhabiting the South Sea islands and the Austral countries John Greenman
00:11:53
Play 25 Chapter VI - Section III - Of the Eastern Negroes - Of the people of New Guinea - Of the New Hollanders - Of the New Hebrides, New Caledonia, and other Papua Islands John Greenman
00:41:47
Play 26 Chapter VI - Section IV - Of the Islanders of the Pacific Ocean - Of the New Zealanders - Of the Natives of the Friendly Isles - Of Otaheite and the Society Isles - Of the Sandwich Islands - Navigators and Beauman Isles - Easter Island - Ladrones and Caroline Islands John Greenman
00:27:12
Play 27 Chapter VI - Section V - Of the Malays John Greenman
00:14:22
Play 28 Chapter VI - Section VI - Of the ancient people of the Indian Islands John Greenman
00:14:35
Play 29 Chapter VII - Proofs of the common origin of the ancient Indians and Egyptians - Section I - Of the Political history of the Indians John Greenman
00:24:33
Play 30 Chapter VII - Section II - Of the Political history of the Egyptians John Greenman
00:12:17
Play 31 Chapter VII - Section III - Of coincidences in the general principles of the Indian and Egyptian Mythologies John Greenman
00:25:34
Play 32 Chapter VII - Section IV -Of coincidences in the Theogonies John Greenman
00:40:56
Play 33 Chapter VII - Section V - On the Physical characters of the Egyptians John Greenman
00:22:52
Play 34 Chapter VII - Section VI - On the Physical characters of the ancient Indians John Greenman
00:15:13
Play 35 Chapter VIII - The same subject continued - Historical inquiries relating to it - General conclusions concerning the origin of the most celebrated Nations of the East - Section I - Examination of the historical conjectures proposed in order to account for the facts above stated John Greenman
00:42:46
Play 36 Chapter VIII - Section II - Of the history of other nations connected with this inquiry - Of the Antiquity of the Egyptians John Greenman
00:15:58
Play 37 Chapter VIII - Section III - Of the Antiquity of the Indians John Greenman
00:10:30
Play 38 Chapter VIII - Section IV - Of the Antiquity of the Assyrian Empire John Greenman
00:09:45
Play 39 Chapter VIII - Section V - Of the ancient inhabitants of Upper Asia - Of the Philistines - Of the Canaanites or Phænicians - Of the Syrians and Assyrians John Greenman
00:15:11
Play 40 Chapter VIII - Section VI - Of the Persians John Greenman
00:28:16
Play 41 Chapter VIII - Section VII - Conclusion of this subject John Greenman
00:05:07
Play 42 Chapter IX - Concerning the other principal Races of Men and their connexion in origin with the foregoing - Section I - Introductory remark John Greenman
00:01:49
Play 43 Chapter IX - Section II - Of the Scythian or Sarmatic tribes John Greenman
00:18:43
Play 44 Chapter IX - Section III - Of the Gothic or German race - 1. Of the Cimmerii - 2. Of the Getæ - 4. Of the Goths - 5. Of the German Tribes in general - 6. Of the connexion of this great family of nations with the ancient Asiatics - 7. Of the Physical characters of the Germans John Greenman
00:38:06
Play 45 Chapter IX - Section IV - Of the Pelasgian race John Greenman
00:33:37
Play 46 Chapter IX - Section V - Of the Celtic race John Greenman
00:17:13
Play 47 Chapter IX - Section VI - Of the Mongoles and other races resembling them in form John Greenman
00:19:44
Play 48 Chapter IX - Section VII - Of the American race John Greenman
00:13:23
Play 49 Chapter IX - Section VIII - Conclusion John Greenman
00:07:57