the malay archipelago-2-第67节

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been　as　remote　as　the　origin　of　a　very　distinct　racea　race　as　different　from　the　Malay　in　mental　and　moral；　as　it　is　in　physical　characters。

As　bearing　upon　this　question　it　is　important　to　point　out　the　harmony　which　exists；　between　the　line　of　separation　of　the　human　races　of　the　Archipelago　and　that　of　the　animal　productions　of　the　same　country；　which　I　have　already　so　fully　explained　and　illustrated。　The　dividing　lines　do　not；　it　is　true；　exactly　agree；　but　I　think　it　is　a　remarkable　fact；　and　something　more　than　a　mere　coincidence；　that　they　should　traverse　the　same　district　and　approach　each　other　so　closely　as　they　do。　If；　however；　I　am　right　in　my　supposition　that　the　region　where　the　dividing　line　of　the　Indo…Malayan　and　Austro…Malayan　regions　of　zoology　can　now　be　drawn；　was　formerly　occupied　by　a　much　wider　sea　than　at　present；　and　if　man　existed　on　the　earth　at　that　period；　we　shall　see　good　reason　why　the　races　inhabiting　the　Asiatic　and　Pacific　areas　should　now　meet　and　partially　intermingle　in　the　vicinity　of　that　dividing　line。

It　has　recently　been　maintained　by　Professor　Huxley；　that　the　Papuans　are　more　closely　allied　to　the　negroes　of　Africa　than　to　any　other　race。　The　resemblance　both　in　physical　and　mental　characteristics　had　often　struck　myself；　but　the　difficulties　in　the　way　of　accepting　it　as　probable　or　possible；　have　hitherto　prevented　me　front　giving　full　weight　to　those　resemblances。　Geographical；　zoological；　and　ethnological　considerations　render　it　almost　certain；　that　if　these　two　races　ever　had　a　common　origin；　it　could　only　have　been　at　a　period　far　more　remote　than　any　which　has　yet　been　assigned　to　the　antiquity　of　the　human　race。　And　even　if　their　lenity　could　be　proved；　it　would　in　no　way　affect　my　argument　for　the　close　affinity　of　the　Papuan　and　Polynesian　races；　and　the　radical　distinctness　of　both　from　the　Malay。

Polynesia　is　pre…eminently　an　area　of　subsidence；　and　its　goat　widespread　groups　of　coral…reefs　mark　out　tile　position　of　former　continents　and　islands。　The　rich　and　varied；　yet　strangely　isolated　productions　of　Australia　and　New　Guinea；　also　indicate　an　extensive　continent　where　such　specialized　forms　were　developed。　The　races　of　men　now　inhabiting　these　countries　are；　therefore；　most　probably　the　descendants　of　the　races　which　inhabited　these　continents　and　islands。　This　is　the　most　simple　and　natural　supposition　to　make。　And　if　we　find　any　signs　of　direct　affinity　between　the　inhabitants　of　any　other　part　of　the　world　and　those　of　Polynesia；　it　by　no　means　follows　that　the　latter　were　derived　from　the　former。　For　as；　when　a　Pacific　continent　existed；　the　whole　geography　of　the　earth's　surface　would　probably　be　very　different　from　what　it　now　is；　the　present　continents　may　not　then　have　risen　above　the　ocean；　and；　when　they　were　formed　at　a　subsequent　epoch；　may　have　derived　some　of　their　inhabitants　from　the　Polynesian　area　itself。　It　is　undoubtedly　true　that　there　are　proofs　of　extensive　migrations　among　the　Pacific　islands；　which　have　led　to　community　of　language　from　the　sandwich　group　to　New　Zealand；　but　there　are　no　proofs　whatever　of　recent　migration　from　any　surrounding　country　to　Polynesia；　since　there　is　no　people　to　be　found　elsewhere　sufficiently　resembling　the　Polynesian　race　in　their　chief　physical　and　mental　characteristics。

If　the　past　history　of　these　varied　races　is　obscure　and　uncertain；　the　future　is　no　less　so。　The　true　Polynesians；　inhabiting　the　farthest　isles　of　the　Pacific；　are　no　doubt　doomed　to　an　early　extinction。　But　the　more　numerous　Malay　race　seems　well　adapted　to　survive　as　the　cultivator　of　the　soil；　even　when　his　country　and　government　have　passed　into　the　hands　of　Europeans。　If　the　tide　of　colonization　should　be　turned　to　New　Guinea；　there　can　be　little　doubt　of　the　early　extinction　of　the　Papuan　race。　A　warlike　and　energetic　people；　who　will　not　submit　to　national　slavery　or　to　domestic　servitude；　must　disappear　before　the　white　man　as　surely　as　do　the　wolf　and　the　tiger。

I　have　now　concluded　my　task。　I　have　given；　in　more　or　less　detail；　a　sketch　of　my　eight　years'　wanderings　among　the　largest　and　the　most　luxuriant　islands　which　adorn　our　earth's　surface。　I　have　endeavoured　to　convey　my　impressions　of　their　scenery；　their　vegetation；　their　animal　productions；　and　their　human　inhabitants。　I　have　dwelt　at　some　length　on　the　varied　and　interesting　problems　they　offer　to　the　student　of　nature。　Before　bidding　my　reader　farewell；　I　wish　to　make　a　few　observations　on　a　subject　of　yet　higher　interest　and　deeper　importance；　which　the　contemplation　of　savage　life　has　suggested；　and　on　which　I　believe　that　the　civilized　can　learn　something　from　the　savage　man。

We　most　of　us　believe　that　we；　the　higher　races　have　progressed　and　are　progressing。　If　so；　there　must　be　some　state　of　perfection；　some　ultimate　goal；　which　we　may　never　reach；　but　to　which　all　true　progress　must　bring　nearer。　What　is　this　ideally　perfect　social　state　towards　which　mankind　ever　has　been；　and　still　is　tending？　Our　best　thinkers　maintain；　that　it　is　a　state　of　individual　freedom　and　self…government；　rendered　possible　by　the　equal　development　and　just　balance　of　the　intellectual；　moral；　and　physical　parts　of　our　nature；a　state　in　which　we　shall　each　be　so　perfectly　fitted　for　a　social　existence；　by　knowing　what　is　right；　and　at　the　same　time　feeling　an　irresistible　impulse　to　do　what　we　know　to　be　right。；　that　all　laws　and　all　punishments　shall　be　unnecessary。　In　such　a　state　every　man　would　have　a　sufficiently　well…balanced　intellectual　organization；　to　understand　the　moral　law　in　all　its　details；　and　would　require　no　other　motive　but　the　free　impulses　of　his　own　nature　to　obey　that　law。

Now　it　is　very　remarkable；　that　among　people　in　a　very　low　stage　of　civilization；　we　find　some　approach　to　such　a　perfect　social　state。　I　have　lived　with　communities　of　savages　in　South　America　and　in　the　East；　who　have　no　laws　or　law　courts　but　the　public　opinion　of　the　village　freely　expressed。　Each　man　scrupulously　respects　the　rights　of　his　fellow；　and　any　infraction　of　those　rights　rarely　or　never　takes　place。　In　such　a　community；　all　are　nearly　equal。　There　are　cone　of　those　wide　distinctions；　of　education　and　ignorance；　wealth　and　poverty；　master　and　servant；　which　are　the　product　of　our　civilization；　there　is　none　of　that　wide…spread　division　of　labour；　which；　while　it　increases　wealth；　products　also　conflicting　interests；　there　is　not　that　severe　competition　and　struggle　for　existence；　or　for　wealth；　which　the　dense　population　of　civilized　countries　inevitably　creates。　All　incitements　to　great　crimes　are　thus　wanting；　and　petty　ones　are　repressed；　partly　by　the　influence　of　public　opinion；　but　chiefly　by　that　natural　sense　of　justice　and　of　his　neighbour's　right；　which　seems　to　be；　in　some　degree；　inherent　in　every　race　of　man。

Now；　although　we　have　progressed　vastly　beyond　the　savage　state　in　intellectual　achievements；　we　have　not　advanced　equally　in　morals。　It　is　true　that　among　those　classes　who　have　no　wants　that　cannot　be　easily　supplied；　and　among　whom　public　opinion　has　great　influence；　the　rights　of　others　are　fully　respected。　It　is　true；　also；　that　we　have　vastly　extended　the　sphere　of　those　rights；　and　include　within　them　all　the　brotherhood　of　man。　But　it　is　not　too　much　to　say；　that　the　mass　of　our　populations　have　not　at　all　advanced　beyond　the　savage　code　of　morals；　and　have　in　many　cases　sunk　below　it。　A　deficient　morality　is　the　great　blot　of　modern　civilization；　and　the　greatest　hindrance　to　true　progress。

During　the　last　century；　and　especially　in　the　last　thirty　years；　our　intellectual　and　material　advancement　has　been　too　quickly　achieved　for　us　to　reap　the　full　benefit　of　it。　Our　mastery　over　the　forces　of　mature　has　led　to　a　rapid　growth　of　population；　and　a　vast　accumulation　of　wealth；　but　these　have　brought　with　them　such　au　amount　of　poverty　and　crime；　and　have　fostered　the　growth　of　so　much　sordid　feeling　and　so　many　fierce　passions；　that　it　may　well　be　questioned；　whether　the　mental　and　moral　status　of　our　population　has　not　on　the　average　been　lowered；　and　whether　the　evil　has　not　overbalanced　the　good。　Compared　with　our　wondrous　progress　in　physical　science　and　its　practical　applications；　our　system　of　government；　of　administering　justice；　of　national　education；　and　our　whole　social　and　moral　organization；　remains　in　a　state　of　barbarism。　＇See　note　next　page。＇　And　if　we　continue　to　devote　our　chief　energies　to　the　utilizing　of　our　knowledge　the　laws　of　nature　with　the　view　of　still　further　extending　our　commerce　and　our　wealth；　the　evils　which　necessarily　accompany　these　when　too　eagerly　pursued；　may　increase　to　such　gigantic　dimensions　as　to　be　beyond　cur　power　to　alleviate。

We　should　now　clearly　recognise　the　fact；　that　the　wealth　and　knowledge　and　culture　of　the　few　do　not　constitute　civilization；　and　do　not　of　themselves　advance　us　towards　the　〃perfect　social　state。〃　Our　vast　manufacturing　system；　our　gigantic　commerce；　our　crowded　towns　and　cities；　support　and　continually　renew　a　mass　of　human　misery　and　crime　absolutely　greater　than　has　ever　existed　before。　They　create　and　maintain　in　life…long　labour　an　ever…　increasing　army；　whos