Blair Collection > Kelt or Gael

The Kelt or Gael. 5
of men differ in size, or in form, or in colour;
and he expresses the fact of the presence of
one or more of these differences by saying that
the men differ in race. What the origin or
cause of the difference is we know not yet.
Whether races sprung from different ancestors,
and if so, when and where ; what their early
surroundings were ; what modifications, if any,
are due to the climate ; how many of them
inhabit their early homes ; or what modifications,
if any, are due to migration, are not proven : nay.
the evidence is not even yet available.
The philologist is aiding the ethnologist, but as Philology,
yet with little result. It is not yet known whether
there is any necessary relation between race and
language ; nor is it known at what stage in his
career man began to speak. It is doubted
whether the vocal organs of the man who owned
the Neanderthal skull were complete. Professor
Sayce says, while the characteristics of race seem
almost indelible, language is as fluctuating and
variable as the waves of the sea. It is perpetually
changing in the mouth of its speakers ; nay, the
individual can even forget the language of bis
childhood, and acquire another which has not the
remotest connection with it. A man cannot rid
himself of the characteristics of race ; but his
language " is like his clothing, which he can strip
off" and change almost at will. It seems to me
that this is a fact of which only one explanation
is possible. The distinctions of race must be