The Dispute of the New World: The History of a Polemic, 1750–1900

Description

When Hegel described the Americas as an inferior continent, he was repeating a contention that inspired one of the most passionate debates of modern times. Originally formulated by the eminent natural scientist Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon and expanded by the Prussian encyclopedist Cornelius de Pauw, this provocative thesis drew heated responses from politicians, philosophers, publicists, and patriots on both sides of the Atlantic. The ensuing polemic reached its apex in the latter decades of the eighteenth century and is far from extinct today. Translated in 1973, The Dispute of the New World is the definitive study of this debate. Antonello Gerbi scrutinizes each contribution to the debate, unravels the complex arguments, and reveals their inner motivations. As the story of the polemic unfolds, moving through many disciplines that include biology, economics, anthropology, theology, geophysics, and poetry, it becomes clear that the subject at issue is nothing less than the totality of the Old World versus the New, and how each viewed the other at a vital turning point in history. Contents Translator's Preface Preface Prologue Chapter 1. Buffon and the Inferiority of the Animals Species in America I. The Absence of Large Wild Animals II. The Deterioration of the Domestic Animals III. The Hostility of Nature IV. The Impotence of the Savage V. The Cold and Humidity of the American Environment VI. Putrescence and Generation - Water and Life VII. America as a New Continent VIII. The Larger Species More Perfect and More Stable than the Small IX. Buffon's Aversion for Minutiae and Small Animals X. Quantitative Criteria and Literary Scruples XI. The Stable Superior to the Changeable: Aristotle XII. Volume and Perfection in Modern Zoology XIII. The Instability and Decadence of the Domestic Species XIV. Reflections on the New World XV. Nomenclature as the Cause of Confusion XVI. Conclusions A. Buffon and Montesquieu B. Zoological Geography: Europe and America C. The New Concept of Species Chapter 2. Some Figures of the Enlightenment I. Hume and the Inferiority of the Inhabitants of the Tropics II. Bodin's Theory of Climates III. The Theory of Climates from Tasso to Hume IV. Voltaire: The Beardless Indian and the Cowardly Lion V. Raynal: America as Immature and the Americans Decrepit VI. Marmontel and the Defense of the Weak and Wretched Americans Chapter 3. De Pauw and the Inferiority of the Men of America I. Faith in Progress and Society II. The Americans as Degenerate III. Exaggerations in the Anti-American Thesis IV. The Causes of the Catastrophe V. Bacon: America a Sodden Continent VI. The Indian as Animal and the Indian as Weakling VII. The Indian a Slave by Nature: Aristotle, Las Casas, and Sepulveda VIII. Climate and Natural Slavery IX. The Ineffectiveness of the Laws for the Protection of the Indians Chapter 4. European Reactions to de Pauw I. Reactions Immediate and Delayed II. Pernety and the American Giants III. Pernety Against Buffon: The Counterattack on Europe IV. De Pauw's Answer to Pernety: Degeneration and Progress V. Pernety's Second Offensive: Repetita Minime Juvant VI. De Pauw's Opinion Unaltered VII. The Philosopher La Douceur and the Natives of North America VIII. Paolo Frisi Criticizes de Pauw's Physicoclimatic Thesis IX. Delisle de Sales, de Pauw's Admiring Adversary X. The Abbe Roubaud: America and the Physiocrats XI. Galiani: The "Roughcast" Continent and the World of the Future XII. The Glorious Future of the West XIII. Mlle Phlipon and Her Schoolfriend XIV. Voltaire, Frederick of Prussia, and de Pauw's Second Recherches XV. Buffon's New Position: America as Immature, but the American Strong and Handsome Chapter 5. The Second Phase of the Dispute I. The Polemic Expanded and Uplifted II. Robertson and the Vastness and Poverty of Nature in America III. Goldsmith's Songless Birds IV. Robertson and the American Native V. The Explorers of Polynesia: James Cook and George Forster, Horace Walpole and Lord Kames VI. Two Supporters of de Pauw: Daniel Webb and Antonio Fonticelli VII. The Long-lasting Antagonism Between Spaniard and Creole VIII. The Pride of the Creoles IX. The Defense of the Creole: Garcilaso and Feijoo X. The Expulsion of the Jesuits XI. The Spanish Jesuits: Father Nuix Makes Use of de Pauw XII. De Pauw's First American Opponent XIII. The American Jesuits: Father Clavigero A. Fundamental Aim of the Work, the Refutation of de Pauw B. The Arguments Reversed C. The Defense of the Mexican Indian D. Moral Vices, Religion, and Cannibalism E. The Precursors of His Polemical Technique XIV. Father Molina's Natural History of Chile A. The Rehabilitation of Nature in Chile B. Respectful Disagreement with Buffon XV. Fathers Velasco, Jolis, and Peramas: Quito, the Chaco, and the River Plate XVI. Carli's American Letters XVII. Franklin and the North Americans' Stature XVIII. Paine: The Promise of Greatness in America's Nature XIX. Hamilton and Crevecoeur XX. Thomas Jefferson's Notes on Virginia A. The MAmmoth and America's Humidity B. The Animals Compared by Volume C. The Indios and the Redskins D. The White Man in America E. Buffon, the Panther, and the Elk XXI. Filippo Mazzei: Experience Against Idealization and Calumny XXII. The Botanist Castiglioni and the Lascivious North American Colonists XXIII. The Vindication of America's Youth XXIV. Herder and the American Problem Chapter 6. The Reaction to de Pauw in Spanish America I. Characterisitcs of the Latin American Reaction to the European Slanders II. Davalos and the Climate of Peru III. Salas and the Happy Earth of Chile IV. Iturri and Munoz's History V. Moxo: Mexico Defended by a Spaniard VI. Unanue: Lima's Climate and Her Collegians' Erudition VII. Davila Condemarin: A Belated Apology of the University of San Marcos VIII. Caldas and the Cold in New Granada IX. The Mexican S.T. de Mier and de Pauw in the Cortes of Cadiz X. Other Reactions in Latin America: The Youthfulness of the New World XI. The Honduran J.C. Valle and the Mission of America Chapter 7. Hegel and His Contemporaries I. The Americans Politically Dismissed and Their Zoological Problems Dissolved II. Kant: A New Opinion of the American III. Thomas Moore: A Wretched People in a Splendid Land IV. Volney and Perrin du Lac: Criticisms of the North Americans V. Keats: The Flight of the Dryads VI. Byron and Shelley: The Recherches sur les Grecs and the Radiant Destiny of the United States VII. Chateaubriand: America's Pernicious Splendor VIII. Goethe: An America Without Basalt or Manor Houses IX. Lenau: The Promised Land Becomes the Accursed Land X. Leopardi: America's Decadence Becomes Universal XI. De Maistre: The Degeneration of the American Savage XII. Fabre d'Olivert: America Rejected by the Theosophists XIII. The Reaction of the Scientists: Barton and Humboldt A. Benjamin Smith Barton and the Learned North Americans B. Humboldt's Enthusiasm for Tropical America C. His Criticisms of Buffon and de Pauw XIV. Hegel: America Immature and Impotent A. Overall Judgment, Severe and Impassive B. The Restoration of the Philosophy of Nature C. Radical Antievolutionism D. The Impotence of Nature E. Deduction of the Hemispheres and the Continents F. Old World and New World G. The Impotence of America in Its Fauna H. The American Birds and Their Songs I. The Savage as Man of Nature J. The American Aborigines K. Contemporary America: America and the "Spirits of Peoples" L. The United States and South America M. The Character of Hegel's Error N. The Thesis Less Vigorous in Hegel Than in Buffon O. The Historicization and Dissolution of the Thesis P. The Chain of Being and the Old Metaphysics Chapter 8. The Dispute's Trivialization and Obstinate Vitality I. Dislocation of the Terms of the Polemic After Hegel II. Friedrich Schlegel: The Zoological and Anthropological Poverty of America III. Zoologists and Anthropologists: Guano and the Savages IV. Darwin: The South American Fauna and the Evolution of the Species V. Schopenhauer: America's Animals and Savages as Decadent or Imperfect Forms VI. The Saint-Simonians and Auguste COmte VII. Edgar Quinet: The Insularity of America and the Triumph of the Humblest Creatures VIII. British Criticisms of American Society: Frances Wright and Mrs. Trollope IX. Echoes of Mrs. Trollope: Pro-Americanism and Anti-Americanism in Stendhal and Jacquemont X. Other Critics of the Right: Anthony Trollope and Thomas Hamilton XI. Critics of the Left: Miss Martineau and Captain Marryat XII. Dickens: Nature and Society Equally Putrescent XIII. Reactions in the United States A. Emerson and the Freshness of American Culture B. Lowell and Melville: Messianisim and Desperation C. Thoreau: Primitivism Rediscovered D. Walt Whitman: The Athletic Democracy's Emphatic Oracles XIV. The Polemic's Last Metamorphosis: Immigrants and Expatriates XV. The Young World Quite Old XVI. De Pauw's Oblivion and Secret Immortality XVII. The Scientific Revision and the Buffonian Calumny Chapter 9. Supplements and Digressions I. The Originality of Buffon II. the Tropicalization of the White Man III. The Mexicans' Human Sacrifices IV. The Impotence of Nature V. The Quakers, the Marquis, and the Girondist VI. A Latecomer and His Disciple: Drouin de Bercy and Giuseppe Compagnoni Bibliography of Works Cited Suggestions for Further Research Index