On the Cretins of the Vallais. 16^ 



themfelves fenfible of their misfortune, and that 

 every care is taken of them, which their fituation 

 will admit of. 



In fome places they are looked on as the idiots 

 of Turkey : in others they are confidered as pre- 

 deftinated beings, the devoted victims of the 

 wrath of Providence, and punifhed by its vifita- 

 tion for the fins of the reft of the family. Either 

 idea infures them kindnefs and attention. In the 

 firft inltance, they are objeds of religious venera- 

 tion j in the fecond, they are recompenfed out of 

 gratitude, on account of their fuppofed fufFerings 

 for the frailties of their parents, and their 

 friends. 



To confider fuch groups of them as accidental, 

 is impoffible. There have been generations after 

 generations of them, and though their numbers 

 vary in different fanf^lies, fome are almoft entire- 

 ly compofed of them. Nature muft here there- 

 fore aft or^ certain principles, and be governed 

 by fixed laws, though the former are not yet 

 known, and the latter have not been difcovered. 

 What proves, to a degree almoft of mathematical 

 certitude, that there is fome phyfical reafon for 

 the dreadful Angularity, is the fingle circum- 

 ftance, that a family com.ing from a diftance to 

 refide within the diftricl, has, in a few years, oc- 

 cafion to lament, on its increafe, that idiocy it 

 was before a ftranger to. The fame argument 

 has equal force againft its being tranfmitted from 



inter- 



