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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 February 2018
It has been a question for curious speculation since man began to reflect on the origin of knowledge and the nature of his own faculties, what would be the character of a human being growing up without any intercourse with his kind, and having no ideas and no knowledge save those derived by his own unassisted intellect from his observations of the external world. Man's acquired knowledge being evidently the combined product of his own innate capacities, tastes, and sympathies, and the suggestions and customs resulting from his contact with other beings, it is only by a very difficult and somewhat doubtful process of analysis that philosophers have been able to distinguish what is innate and what is acquired; and, as every one knows, great discussions have taken place as to the line of demarcation between those ideas which are the result of education, and those supposed to be of spontaneous growth. The experiment said by Herodotus∗ to have been performed by King Psammitichus is one likely enough to have been made by an eastern prince addicted to those speculations on the origin of ideas which so naturally present themselves to human curiosity. In order, as the priests of Memphis told the great father of history, to decide the important question:—Which was the most ancient of nations?—the king gave two newborn children to a shepherd to educate. They were nursed by goats and separated from all human beings.
Read at a Quarterly Meeting of the Medieo-Psychologieal Association, held at Glasgow, on May 21st, 1874.
∗ Herodotus, Clio, cap. ii., compare the remarks of Renan on this passage. “De l'Origine du Langage,“ Paris, 1858, p. 30.>' href=https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Herodotus,+Clio,+cap.+ii.,+compare+the+remarks+of+Renan+on+this+passage.+“De+l'Origine+du+Langage,“+Paris,+1858,+p.+30.>>Google Scholar
† See “Chambers' Gazetteer of Scotland,” Edinburgh, 1833. Article “Inch keith.”>' href=https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=See+“Chambers'+Gazetteer+of+Scotland,”+Edinburgh,+1833.+Article+“Inch+keith.”>>Google Scholar
∗ “An Historical Account of the Discovery and Education of a Savage Man, or of the first developments, physical and moral, of the young Savage caught in the Woods near Aveyron, in the year 1798,” by E. M. Itard, &c., London, 1802. In reading this pamphlet, plainly the work of a superior mind, one cannot fail to he struck with the subtlety of the analysis of the sensory and mental powers of this “simple child of nature,” as M. Itard believed him to be, aud the sagacity of the means used to educate his intelligence. The skilful preceptor overrated the mental capabilities of his pupil; but he has laid down a suggestive and valuable method of education, which has been of great use in the training of idiots.>>Google Scholar
† See for example, Justinus Historiarum Philippicarum, Lib. xliii., cap. i., Sed Fortuna origini Romana; prospiciens pueros lupse alendos obtulit; quæ amissis catulis, distenta ubera exinanire cupiens nutrirmi se infantibua præbuit.>>Google Scholar
∗ Herodotus, Lib. i., cap. 122.>>Google Scholar
† De Bullo Gothico, Lib. ii., cap. 16.>>Google Scholar
‡ “A Journey through the Kingdom of Oude in 1849-50,” by Major-General Sir W. H. Sleeman, K.C.B., resident at the Court of Lucknow. London, 1858. Vol. i., pp. 208-222.>>Google Scholar
∗ These statistics are taken from the Annual Reports of the Sanitary Commissioner with the Government of India.>>Google Scholar
∗ See Diodorus Siculus, Lib. i., cap. 88.>>Google Scholar
∗ See “The Anthropological Eeview,” vol. i., No. 1. London, 1863.>>Google Scholar
∗ Quoted in “Illustrated Natural History,” by J. G. Wood. Mammalia, p. 394.>>Google Scholar
† See “Smellie's Translation,” vol. vi. London, 1812.>' href=https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=See+“Smellie's+Translation,”+vol.+vi.+London,+1812.>>Google Scholar
‡ Der irländische Knabe den Tulpius besehrieben, hatte eine flache Stirn, ein erhöhtes Hinterhaupt, eine weite blöckende Kehle, eine dicke an den Gaurn gewachsene Zunge, eine starke einwärts gezogene Herzgrube, gerade wie es der vierfüssige Gang gehen musste. Das niederländische Mädchen, das noch aufrecht gang, und bei dem sich die weibliche Natur so weit erhalten hatte, dass es sich mit einer Strohschürze deckte, hatte eine braune, rauhe, dicke Haut, ein langes und dickes Haar. Herder, Ideen zur Geschichte der Menschheit. Drittes Buch kap vi.>>Google Scholar
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