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)
Chapters
1 Preface 4 min 2 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 28 min 3 Chapter I - Section II - Of the diversities of Colour 15 min 4 Chapter I - Section III - Of the hereditary transmission of the varieties 11 min 5 Chapter II - The same Inquiry continued - Section I - On diversities of Form - Natural Physiognomy, etc 22 min 6 Chapter II - Section II - Contiuation - Diversities in the Cranium 34 min 7 Chapter II - Section III - Continuation - Other diversities of Figure 9 min 8 Chapter II - Section IV - Continuation - Some curious instances of deviation 10 min 9 Chapter II - Section V - Of diversities of Stature 5 min 10 Chapter II - Section VI - Of the Hair 8 min 11 Chapter III - Inquiry whether all mankind are of one race or stock - Section 1 - Method of inquiry 6 min 12 Chapter III - Section II - Of the local relations of genera 20 min 13 Chapter III - Section III - Of particular species - each species a single race - segment 1 36 min 14 Chapter III - Section III - Of particular species - each species a single race - segment 2 40 min 15 Chapter III - Section IV - Of the peopling of distant regions 17 min 16 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 14 min 17 Chapter IV - Section II - Comparison of different Races 4 min 18 Chapter IV - Section III - Physiological observations 11 min 19 Chapter V - On the causes which have produced the diversities of the human species - Section I - Of the opinion of Buffon and his followers 33 min 20 Chapter V - Section II - Of the production of varieties in the race 17 min 21 Chapter V - Section III - Of the circumstances which promote the disposition to variation 44 min 22 Chapter V - Section IV - Primitive stock of men Negroes 12 min 23 Chapter V - Section V - Of the causes of varieties of form 4 min 24 Chapter VI - On the physical history of the most remarkable races of men - Of the South-Sea and Indian Islanders - Section I - General Observations 9 min 25 Chapter VI - Section II - General view of the nations inhabiting the South Sea islands and the Austral countries 12 min 26 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 42 min 27 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 27 min 28 Chapter VI - Section V - Of the Malays 14 min 29 Chapter VI - Section VI - Of the ancient people of the Indian Islands 15 min 30 Chapter VII - Proofs of the common origin of the ancient Indians and Egyptians - Section I - Of the Political history of the Indians 25 min 31 Chapter VII - Section II - Of the Political history of the Egyptians 12 min 32 Chapter VII - Section III - Of coincidences in the general principles of the Indian and Egyptian Mythologies 26 min 33 Chapter VII - Section IV -Of coincidences in the Theogonies 41 min 34 Chapter VII - Section V - On the Physical characters of the Egyptians 23 min 35 Chapter VII - Section VI - On the Physical characters of the ancient Indians 15 min 36 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 43 min 37 Chapter VIII - Section II - Of the history of other nations connected with this inquiry - Of the Antiquity of the Egyptians 16 min 38 Chapter VIII - Section III - Of the Antiquity of the Indians 10 min 39 Chapter VIII - Section IV - Of the Antiquity of the Assyrian Empire 10 min 40 Chapter VIII - Section V - Of the ancient inhabitants of Upper Asia - Of the Philistines - Of the Canaanites or Phænicians - Of the Syrians and Assyrians 15 min 41 Chapter VIII - Section VI - Of the Persians 28 min 42 Chapter VIII - Section VII - Conclusion of this subject 5 min 43 Chapter IX - Concerning the other principal Races of Men and their connexion in origin with the foregoing - Section I - Introductory remark 2 min 44 Chapter IX - Section II - Of the Scythian or Sarmatic tribes 19 min 45 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 38 min 46 Chapter IX - Section IV - Of the Pelasgian race 34 min 47 Chapter IX - Section V - Of the Celtic race 17 min 48 Chapter IX - Section VI - Of the Mongoles and other races resembling them in form 20 min 49 Chapter IX - Section VII - Of the American race 13 min 50 Chapter IX - Section VIII - Conclusion 8 min
