A REMARKABLE ANTICIPATION, ETC. 281 



with ill various races are caused by climatic changes and by 

 Varying intensity in the rays of the sun, is then considered, 

 and a great many ancient and modern exponents of this 

 view are quoted. After reproducing a long passage from 

 Buffon, the hypotheses of the Rev. Dr. S. S. Smith of 

 New Jersey are described. These deal not only with the 

 "gradation in the complexion nearly in proportion to the 

 latitude, ..." but also with the influence which heat 

 exerts upon the secretion of bile. In consequence of heat 

 "the bile ... is augmented. . . . This liquor tinges the 

 complexion. ..." " Bile, exposed to the sun and air, is 

 known to change its colour to black — black is, therefore, the 

 tropical hue." This latter and the very similar views of 

 Blumenbach are, however, dismissed by Prichard as ''with- 

 out foundation " ; while as to the former suggestion of Dr. 

 Smith, together with that of Buffon and the older writers, he 

 observes that the principal observations on which it is based 

 are correct. " It is certain that the majority of black races 

 of men are inhabitants of the intertropical regions, and that 

 most of the licrht-coloured nations are to be found in cold 

 or temperate climates." But although he admits the fact, 

 he maintains that it is capable of " a different interpretation 

 from that which modern writers have in general adopted ". 

 He similarly admits that the skin of a European is 

 darkened by the sun, and continues : "It seems, at first, not 

 very improbable that individuals darkened by exposure to 

 heat in southern climates, may have an offspring of deeper 

 colour in consequence, and if this effect increases in every 

 generation it may be thought sufficient, in a long course of 

 ages, to produce a black colour of the deepest tint". But this 

 view does not by any means commend itself to him ; for he 

 continues " that this notion, however, is altogether incorrect, 

 I venture to conclude from the following considerations : — 

 " I. The progeny of individuals, embrowned by exposure 

 to the sun, is born with the original complexion, and not with 

 the acquired hue of the parents." Furthermore, he points 

 out that white and black races moved respectively to 

 tropical and temperate climates have retained their original 

 colour for ages. The second consideration which leads him 



