298 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



I venture to offer the following reply to thefe 

 objeélions. It has already been proved by evi- 

 dence, that the Nations of Africa and Afia, how- 

 ever black they may be, prefer white women to 

 thcfe of every other tint. If there be any Negro 

 Nations who paint the Devil white, this may be 

 eafily accounted for, from the flrong feeling which 

 they have of the tyranny which the whites exercife 

 over them. White, accordingly, having become 

 with them a political colour, ceafes to be a natural 

 one. Befides, the white in which they paint their 

 Devil is not a white, beautifully harmonious, like 

 that of the human figure : but a dead white, a 

 chalk white, fuch as that with which our painters 

 illuminate the figures of phantoms and ghofts in 

 their magical and infernal fcenes. 



If this dazzling colour is the expreffion of 

 mourning among the Indians and Chinefe, therea- 

 fon is, it contrails hardily with the black fkin of 

 thofe Nations. The Indians are black. The 

 ikin of the fouthern Chinefe is much fun-burnt. 

 They derive their religion and their leading cuf- 

 toms from India, the cradle of the Human Race, 

 the inhabitants of which are black. Their out- 

 ward garments are of a gloomy colour ; a great 

 part of their drefs confifts of black fattin ; the co- 

 vering for their under extremities is black boots ; 

 the ornamental furniture of their houfes confifts, 



in 



