Page:The negro's origin.djvu/36

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34
IS THE NEGRO CURSED?

of Canaan? Shall the unknown identify the known? Is it reasonable to suppose, aye, is it possible that an obscure younger son could identify or designate a father; one of the four, too, saved in the Ark? It is impossible save on the hypothesis that he had done something, by which his name had become spread abroad. The following is not at all dissimilar in word and spirit: "And the sons of John (Adams) that went forth into the world were, John Quincy, Samuel, Josiah and Ebenezer, and John Quincy (Adams) is the brother of Ebenezer."

Likewise in verse 22, Ham is again designated as the father of Canaan. Canaan must have had a wide-spread notoriety; and the question presents itself, what had he done to achieve it? He was the youngest of four sons. The youngest do not usually have the greatest fame, all things being equal. Each of his three brothers were men of spirit: not likely to be overshadowed by a younger brother in deeds of moment. Each of them founded an empire; and living when the work of each is done, we are prepared to say that Canaan was the least likely to obtain an enviable fame of all the Hamitic family Yet Ham is not designated as the father of Mizraim; though Mizraim was verily a prince; he is not designated as