blumenbach and the black woman

Hi, all:

I was looking at the wikipedia entry for johann friedrich blumenbach,
who is widely regarded as the founder of physical anthropology, and who
originated the five-races-of-humanity categorial scheme. I noticed
that there is a claim made in that article that I have not seen
anywhere else. I quote:



Later in life Blumenbach encountered in Switzerland 'eine zum Verlieben
schönen Négresse' ('a negro woman beautiful enough to fall in love
with'). Further anatomical study led him to the conclusion that
'individual Africans differ as much, or even more, from other
individual Africans as Europeans differ from Europeans'. Furthermore he
concluded that Africans were not inferior to the rest of mankind
'concerning healthy faculties of understanding, excellent natural
talents and mental capacities'.

Unfortunately these later ideas were far less influential than his
earlier assertions with regard to the perceived relative qualities of
the different so-called races.



Anybody know where this story of the "negro woman" comes from? I'd
like to cite a reputable source in a paper.


Harvey

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