ing, give the superiority of some nations over others, for stature, features, and complexion.

Every species of plants and animals may be distinguished by certain constituent principles, as well as the human family by any peculiar and general characteristicks; notwithstanding, we see nature in all her productions prone to every possible diversity. Both uniformity and variety characterize all her operations.

Children of the same parents are frequently born under circumstances of great dissimilitude. Need I mention the case of Esau and Jacob? Suffer me to notice the instance of two young ladies, who were my pupils, and twins also. The one, as to her complexion, was the fairest of the fair; her hair beautifully fine and straight. The countenance of the other was singularly dark, and her hair very black, also naturally curly. Should the peculiarities of the latter be increased in equal degrees to the fourth generation, there would be descendants, aside from the influence of climate, completely of the negro cast. The father of these

two females had black hair, and eyes dark brown. The features of the mother exhibited a sandy shade. Abundant facts within our observation, testify, that in every nation, and even in the same family, nature operates with much diversity in her productions.

2dly. Some peculiarities of other nations demand attention.

The Esquimaux, the Laplanders, the Samoiedes, and the northern tribes of the Tartars, have their head and breast unusually large, the neck uncommonly short, the eyes, hands, and feet remarkably small. The cause is doubtless owing chiefly to the climate; as they live in the northern parts of the globe, in which regions intense and almost perpetual cold reigns. The natural effect of a clime so rigorous, is to restrain the growth and expansion of the limbs most remote from the centre

of warmth and circulating heat in the body. The consequence is, the size of the hands and feet is greatly diminished, while the head and breast, which receive a more forcible impulse of the blood, become proportionably enlarged. And as these are so greatly expanded, the neck is apparently shortened. Moreover, the inhabitants of those cold regions are habitually raising their shoulders to protect their necks from the uncomfortable effects of intense frost and piercing winds; so that their heads seem to rest on their breast, or sunk down below their shoulders. This appearance is what gave rise to the fable of tribes, who had no necks. But should any of us be removed to those keen regions of the north, we should readily contract their habits, and by the intensity of the cold, begin to be assimilated to them; and, in a few generations, should partake of all their peculiarities.

For illustration, suppose a tree in a warm climate have a long and slender body, and very extended limbs. Let a young shoot of the same be transplanted in a much colder region, and reproduced for a few centuries; the trunk of the tree would become shorter and thicker, and its branches not so extensively spread.

Thus, in consequence of the unremitted constriction of cold, a particular habit of body, or disposition of features, is gradually incorporated into the system, and gives a form to the person, and lineaments to the features, more or less strongly marked, as far as the cause efficiently operates. On this same principle we may account for the dark and brown complexion, and for the coarseness and roughness of the countenances of the inhabitants of the frozen regions. Their rough and harsh features are the natural result of the corrugations and distortions occasioned by the climate. Even in our own temperature, when a person is exposed to the severities of a bleak north wind, for only one hour, how is his visage changed by a

momentary roughness and brownness. Hence, coarse living, unpolished society, and rigour of climate, are reasons sufficient to account for all the peculiarities and irregularities of complexion, features, and stature, which characterize the inhabitants of the regions of the north.

3dly. I shall now treat of the aborigines of this country. Their state of society is such, that climate and their manner of living produce very de-, teriorating effects. A savage, seldom enjoying the protection even of a poor hut, and often compelled to lodge on the bare earth, under the open sky, imbibes the influence of the sun and atmosphere at every pore of his body. The American Indian inhabits an uncultivated forest, abounding with stagnant water, and covered with a luxuriant growth of vegetables, which fall down and corrupt on the spot where they grew. He generally pitches his wigwam by the side of a river, that he may enjoy the conveniences of fishing as well as of hunting. The vapour of rivers, therefore, which are often greatly obstructed in their course by the trees fallen, and the leaves collected in their channels, the exhalations of marshes, and the noxious gases evolved from decaying vegetables, impregnate the whole atmosphere, and give a deep bilious tinge to the complexion of the savage. And the sun, acting immediately upon the skin in this state, necessarily impresses on it a very dark hue.

The darkness of the complexion is still further increased in consequence of the frequent fumigations, by which they are obliged to guard against the annoyance of innumerable insects, which swarm in undrained and uncultivated countries; and the smoke, with which their huts small and unskilfully built, are constantly filled. Smoke discolours every object long exposed to its action by insinuating itself into the pores, and adhering strongly to the surface. Hence it contributes somewhat to

heighten the effect of so many other discolouring causes on the complexion of the American savages.

The hardships of their condition, their scanty and meagre food, weaken and exhaust the principle of life. They are sometimes left to want from the uncertainty of their provision; and, on other occasions, being furnished with a superfluity, they are tempted to overstrain themselves by a surfeit. Besides, their entire inattention to the cleanliness of their persons and their huts, has its influence to heighten the disagreeable duskiness of their colour, and to render their features coarse and deformed. Hence it results, that savages never can be entirely fair; and from the similarity of their situations and habits they must be, in all climates, of a similar complexion.

Nothing but a skilful agriculture can perfectly purify the air from the insalubrious exhalations, created by the causes already mentioned. All uncultivated countries tend to produce a bilious habit and a dark complexion in the savages, who range them. Hence it is, that in civilized society alone we meet with some instances among them of strong and muscular bodies, and of regular and agreeable features.

4thly. The Jews will be next taken into consideration.

As the Jews have inhabited every climate, that is not extremely cold, so they have changed their complexion in every case, and acquired some likeness in colour, form and features to the people, among whom they have for a long time, lived. The idea which some entertain of their existing with the contrast of colours white and black, is incorrect. It is not proper to divide them into the two classes of white Jews and black Jews. They are dispersed through every country in the world, and have four differences of complexion; the fair, the swarthy, the olive and black. In whatever region they are found, they are marked with the peculiar

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colour of the natives. The Jews, who live in Britain and Germany, and who are the descendants of past generations in the same nations, have an intermixture of a fair and ruddy complexion, nearly resembling that of the English and Germans. Those of Spain and Portugal are swarthy, but little varied from the features of the Spaniards and Portuguese. In Syria, they, like the Syrians, are nearly of an olive colour. But in India they are said to be black. However, they have not the blackness of the African countenance, although they are peculiarly dark. But to what shall we ascribe these very different shades of complexion, if not to dissimilarity at birth, the varieties of climate, manner of living, and other concomitant circumstances? They are known to be the descendants of one family, and to have but very few intermarriages with other nations. The diversity of the manner, in which the Jews are found to exist, in different countries and climates, may serve to show, that there may be great differences of features and complexion among mankind, even from natural and moral causes. Hence a strong argument for human identity, that all are the descendants of our first, common parents.

5thly. The Arabians and Chinese serve to illustrate the influence of climate on the complexion.

These people have remained, from a very remote antiquity, almost wholly unmingled with foreign nations. The former, especially, can be traced by a clear and undisputed genealogy to their origin in one family; and they have never been blended, either by conquest, or by commerce, with any other race. And yet we find every gradation of discolouration among them from the swarthy hue of the northern provinces, to the deep black, suffused with a yellowish tinge, which prevails in the southern extremity of the Arabian peninsula.

The present subject may be happily illustrated, from the consideration of the features of the ori