STUDY X. 87 



part of it's life in the vicinity of a frozen Atmo- 

 fphere. Thefe exceptions by no means deftroy 

 the general adaptation of thofe two colours ; on 

 the contrary, they confirm it, feeing it is employed 

 by Nature for diminifhing, or increafing, the heat 

 of the animal, in conformity to the temperature 

 of the place where it lives. 



I now leave it to Naturalifts to explain how it 

 comes to pafs, that cold mould caufe to vegetate 

 the hair of animals in the North ; and why the heat 

 mould fhorten, or caufe to fall off, the hair of ani- 

 mals, to the South ; in contradiction to all the Laws 

 of fyftematic, nay, of experimental Phyfics ; for 

 we are allured, from our perfonal experience, that 

 Winter retards the growth of the human hair and 

 beard, and that Summer accelerates it. 



I believe I have a glimpfe of a Law very diffe- 

 rent from the Law of analogies, which we fo com- 

 monly affign to Nature, becaufe it allies itfelf to 

 our weaknefs, by affording us a pretence to explain 

 every thing, with the affiitance of a final! number 

 of principles. This Law, infinitely varied in it's 

 means, is that of compenjations *. It is a confe- 



quence 



* In renewing on thefe compenfations, which are very nu 

 merous, and, among others, on thofe of the light of the 

 which embrowns bodies in order to weaken the réflexe 



G 4 



