MORTON 824 MORTON in the summer of 1830, to deliver an intro- ductory lecture to a course of anatomy, I chose for my subject 'the different forms of the skull as exhibited in the five races of men.' Strange to say I could neither buy nor borrow a cranium for each of these races, and I finished my discourse without showing either the Mongolia. 1 or the Malay. Forcibly im- pressed with this great deficiency in a most important branch of science, I at once resolved to make a collection for myself." Although most of the skulls belonging to the collection were contributed by some hundred friends, the cost of collecting to Morton must have been between $10,000 and $15,000. Agassiz, on visiting Philadelphia soon after his arrival in America, wrote that "Dr. Morton's unique collection of human skulls is to be found in Philadelphia. Imagine a series of 600 skulls, mostly Indian, of all the tribes who now inhabit or formerly inhabited America. Nothing like it exists elsewhere. This col- lection alone is worth a journey to Amer- ica." The two most important works by Morton based on his splendid collection of skulls are his "Crania Americana" and his "Crania Egyptica," the first published in 1839. He wrote to Gliddon : "You will observe by the annexed pros- pectus that I am engaged in a work of con- siderable novelty, and which, as regards the typography and illustrations at least, is de- signed to be equal to any publication hitherto issued in this country. You may be surprised that I should address you on the subject, but a moment's explanation may suffice to convey my views and wishes. The prefatory chapter will embrace a view of the varieties of the human race, embracing, among other topics, some remarks on the ancient Egyptians. The position I have always assumed is that the present Copts are not the remains of the ancient Egyptians, and in order more fully to make my comparisons, it is very important that I should get a few heads of Egyptian mummies from Thebes, etc. I do not care to have them entirely perfect specimens of embalming, but perfect in the bony structure. and with the hair preserved, if possible. It has occurred to me that, as you will reside at Cairo, and with your perfect knowledge of affairs in Egypt, you would have it in your power to employ a confidential and well- qualified person for this trust." Morton's ethnological studies led him to the conclusion that the human races are of diverse origin. For this he was bitterly assailed by numerous people, including sev- eral clergymen, who claimed that he was deny- ing the authority of the Scriptures by con- clusions of this character. Morton's life was made for a time unpleasant by the bitterness of the controversy, but his fine character was too well understood by those nearest him for those who attacked him to do him great injury. In an essay on "Hybridity," published in Sillinian's Journal for 1847, Morton showed that there are many examples of fertile hybrids known, and that therefore the fertility of off- spring from members of different human races cannot be considered an argument against the distinct specificity of these races. Since Dar- win's influence has spread abroad the whole subject would now, of course, be taken up from a different standpoint. Agassiz accepted, in the main, Morton's views. According to Marcon, Morton was second only to Cuvier in his influence on Agassiz's mind and scien- tific opinion. Of the opponents of Morton the most bitter was the Rev. Dr. Bachman, of Charleston, South Carolina, who published a book and several monographs attacking Morton. While they were of no value from the scientific standpoint, they served to stimulate Morton to get and publish new evidence. While in the midst of publishing such evidence in sup- port of his own point of view, Morton was suddenly stricken with mortal illness, and died in Philadelphia, May IS, 1851. The end is thus described by Patterson : "Never had Morton been so busy as in that spring of 1851. His professional engagements had largely increased, and occupied most of his time. His craniological investigations were prosecuted with unabated zeal, and he had recently made important accessions to his collection. He was actively engaged in the study of archeology, Egyptian, Assyrian, and American, as collateral to his favorite sub- ject. His researches upon hybridity cost him much labor, in his extended comparison of authorities, and his industrious search for facts bearing on the question. In addition to all this, he was occupied with the prepara- tion of his contribution to the work of Mr. Schoolcraft, and of several minor papers. Most of these labors were left incomplete. The fragments published in this volume will show how his mind was engaged, and to what conclusions it tended at the close. For it was now, in the midst of toil and usefulness, that he was called away from us. Five days of illness — not considered alarming at first—
