HN. SEMINAL VERMICULI. 53 
<femina of fome infufion animalcula are proba- 
© bly fo minute, that they may eafily arrive at the 
' | 2 * refervoirs 
may have fprung from one parent, may well be the fub- 
ject of difpute. It belongs tothe philofopher to admit no- 
thing but evidence. Prejudice, tradition, and analogy 
muitt be rejected, elfe he will never attain the way to truth; 
. and facts alone muf conftitute the foundation of his 
knowledge. 
This is an important fubject: it merits*mature inveftiga- 
tion. From the inquiries of modern naturalifts, there is un-, 
doubtedly great reafon to believe that there are confpicuous 
varieties among the races of men now inhabiting the globe; 
varieties fo ftriking as neither to be affected by climate nor 
the mode of life. Independent of the fize of the perfon, 
the colour of the fkin and the nature of the hair, on all 
which climate may in general have a confiderable effect, 
there is a difference in the figure of certain bones, and in 
the length of others that feems peculiar to the men. The 
quantity and proportion of flefh are varioufly diftributed 
over fome parts of the body: and one of the ftrongeft 
evidences of a diftin® race is the fingular conformation 
of the Egyptian and Abyffinian women, and thofe of the 
interior of Southern Africa. 
' Itis very poffible that cafual mutilations or natural im- 
perfections may be tranfmitted to pofterity: we have adtual- 
ly witneffed it on a fmall feale: yet I rather conceive that 
they would difappear in fubfequent generations. But 
how can we fuppofe the numerous and important varie- 
tieg 
