DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1311#0156
12S THE GREAT EXHIBITION
CHAPTER XVIII.
FOREIGN AND COLONIAL DEPARTMENTS—continued—ABORIGINAL STATES.
BRITISH GUIANA—CASSAVA BREAD—PLANTAIN MEAL—JUICE OF THE COW TREE—VARIOUS
WOODS----PRIMITIVE CANOE—ORIGINAL HAMMOCK — GUIANA POTTERY — SIOUX SADDLE—
MODEL OP CARIB HOUSE----NATIVE DWELLING IN GUIANA—WESTERN AFRICA----CALABASHES,
ETC.—PALM OIL, ETC.—EGYPT AND TUNIS—ARAB'S TENT:—GYPSUM CARVINGS — MALTESE
CONTRIBUTIONS.
The first, and perhaps the most powerful and lasting impression received by an attentive
visitor at the Exhibition, when looking through its vast collection of articles from every
region on earth, was this—that all men, differ as they may in other important points,
more especially the uncivilised from the civilised, nevertheless obey at least one law in
common: they all, without exception, but in very different degrees of intensity, labour.
The judgment that man shall live by the sweat of his brow was here exemplified to the
full, although a consolatory experience also proves that the curse may largely bring out its
own relief. The most careless glance, however, at the multitudinous display of the
material results of all men's industry, established some striking distinction in quality
among them, even whilst unity in one respect of effort was recognised; and it cannot but
he useful to examine the several masses of products in detail, in order to search out the
causes of the obvious difference in their respective values. The articles indicated in the
title of this chapter—for example, the productions of those who are commonly called
Aborigines, or the less civilised races—are substantially the inferior fruits of human
industry. Yet they illustrate the primitive elements, out of which the most advanced
nations have elaborated their gorgeous and graceful, their eminently useful produc-
tions. The most polished nations may in them trace their own perfection backward to
its source. Then, these aboriginal productions suggest, in their rude aptitude of purpose,
sometimes in their skilfulness, irresistible arguments to the more refined, to look with
greater indulgence upon their struggling fellows, by whom such interesting productions
are made. The highly civilised man, rendered by science familiar with the works of
uncivilised people, will subdue his own prejudices in regard to their incapacity, and soon
come practically to aid them to acquire the superior qualifications that shall rightfully
place them on his level. China and India have so much in common with us, in their
manufactures, their arts, and their agriculture; and they have made so much progress
already in many respects, that purely aboriginal products are comparatively few in those
countries; but both possess some worthy of notice. Ceylon and the Indian Archipelago
have sent us more such • and Africa still more, from all its quarters—east, north, west,
and south. Turkey, although still too resplendent in " barbaric gold," instead of culti-
vating the best taste, is fast assuming the great forms of our civilisation; and Russia will
bring from its remoter tribes only, anything of a purely aboriginal character. North
America, in its prodigious new wealth of products of art and industry, offers some
scanty memorials of deep interest from its aboriginal tribes. Central and South America
could have presented most curious combinations of civilised and uncivilised manners as
now existing, and have sent us remarkable means of comparing the civilisation that
existed before the New "World was revealed to Europe, with the improvement intro-
duced by Christians at a frightful cost of human life. Both regions, distracted with
civil discord, have contributed a little—very little; but one South American British
colony, Guiana, has made a zealous response to the call from home. A rapid survey of
CHAPTER XVIII.
FOREIGN AND COLONIAL DEPARTMENTS—continued—ABORIGINAL STATES.
BRITISH GUIANA—CASSAVA BREAD—PLANTAIN MEAL—JUICE OF THE COW TREE—VARIOUS
WOODS----PRIMITIVE CANOE—ORIGINAL HAMMOCK — GUIANA POTTERY — SIOUX SADDLE—
MODEL OP CARIB HOUSE----NATIVE DWELLING IN GUIANA—WESTERN AFRICA----CALABASHES,
ETC.—PALM OIL, ETC.—EGYPT AND TUNIS—ARAB'S TENT:—GYPSUM CARVINGS — MALTESE
CONTRIBUTIONS.
The first, and perhaps the most powerful and lasting impression received by an attentive
visitor at the Exhibition, when looking through its vast collection of articles from every
region on earth, was this—that all men, differ as they may in other important points,
more especially the uncivilised from the civilised, nevertheless obey at least one law in
common: they all, without exception, but in very different degrees of intensity, labour.
The judgment that man shall live by the sweat of his brow was here exemplified to the
full, although a consolatory experience also proves that the curse may largely bring out its
own relief. The most careless glance, however, at the multitudinous display of the
material results of all men's industry, established some striking distinction in quality
among them, even whilst unity in one respect of effort was recognised; and it cannot but
he useful to examine the several masses of products in detail, in order to search out the
causes of the obvious difference in their respective values. The articles indicated in the
title of this chapter—for example, the productions of those who are commonly called
Aborigines, or the less civilised races—are substantially the inferior fruits of human
industry. Yet they illustrate the primitive elements, out of which the most advanced
nations have elaborated their gorgeous and graceful, their eminently useful produc-
tions. The most polished nations may in them trace their own perfection backward to
its source. Then, these aboriginal productions suggest, in their rude aptitude of purpose,
sometimes in their skilfulness, irresistible arguments to the more refined, to look with
greater indulgence upon their struggling fellows, by whom such interesting productions
are made. The highly civilised man, rendered by science familiar with the works of
uncivilised people, will subdue his own prejudices in regard to their incapacity, and soon
come practically to aid them to acquire the superior qualifications that shall rightfully
place them on his level. China and India have so much in common with us, in their
manufactures, their arts, and their agriculture; and they have made so much progress
already in many respects, that purely aboriginal products are comparatively few in those
countries; but both possess some worthy of notice. Ceylon and the Indian Archipelago
have sent us more such • and Africa still more, from all its quarters—east, north, west,
and south. Turkey, although still too resplendent in " barbaric gold," instead of culti-
vating the best taste, is fast assuming the great forms of our civilisation; and Russia will
bring from its remoter tribes only, anything of a purely aboriginal character. North
America, in its prodigious new wealth of products of art and industry, offers some
scanty memorials of deep interest from its aboriginal tribes. Central and South America
could have presented most curious combinations of civilised and uncivilised manners as
now existing, and have sent us remarkable means of comparing the civilisation that
existed before the New "World was revealed to Europe, with the improvement intro-
duced by Christians at a frightful cost of human life. Both regions, distracted with
civil discord, have contributed a little—very little; but one South American British
colony, Guiana, has made a zealous response to the call from home. A rapid survey of