For the most important varieties of this species, which are moreover the most eminent actors in what is called “Universal History,” first rose to a flourishing condition on the shores of the Mediterranean.… This species alone (with the exception of the Mongolian) has had an actual history; it alone has attained to that degree of civilization which seems to raise men above the rest of nature.
For the most significant varieties of this species, which are also the most prominent figures in what is known as "Universal History," first flourished on the shores of the Mediterranean. This species alone (excluding the Mongolian) has a documented history; it alone has achieved that level of civilization that seems to elevate humans above the rest of nature.