BOOK II. CHAP. XIII. 273 



larly cleftru£live of the enamel of the teeth. No people in the 

 world have finer teeth than the native Blacks of Jamaica; and 

 none devour greater quantities of fugar. Few of the Creole ladies 

 fip their tea till it cools to about milk-warmth, nor oftener than 

 once, or at the utmoH: twice, a day. But they, who have been 

 brought up in England, where they were accuftomed to drink it 

 almoft boiling-hot, and to debauch in it too freely, are many of 

 them fo much addided to, and confirmed in this praftice, that 

 they cannot break themfelves of it here without much reluflance. 

 And hence perhaps it happens, that the natives of England, and 

 thofe Creoles who have been educated in England, have not in 

 general fuch good teeth, as others who have never been out of the 

 ifland [«]. 



A crooked or deformed Creole man or woman, unlefs fuch at the 

 time of their birth, or diftorted by fome mifchance, would here be 

 a rarity to be gazed at. 



The method ufcd here in rearing children fecures the graceful 

 form of their perfons, and is a certain proof of maternal good 

 fenfe. From the time their infants area month old, they are al- 

 lowed no other bed than a hardmatrafs, laid upon the floor; and, 

 inftead of a flieet, they repofe on a fmooth (heep-fkin, which is oc- 

 cafionally fhifted, for the lake of cleaulinefs. They are clad loofe 

 and light, go without the incumbrance of ilockings, are bathed 

 regularly in water every day, and expofed freely to the air ; fo that 

 no part of the world can fhevv more beautiful children. The girls 

 are not fuffered to wear flays (thofe abominable machines for the 

 de{lru£lion of fhape and health) ; but, as well as the boys, are 

 indulged in fuch a cool and unconfined attire, as admits the free 

 extenfion of their limbs and mufcles. 



[a] Some reftrift the bad effects of fugar entirely to what is refined, which is fuppofed to be 

 impregnated with lime, iifed in the procefs ; and the corrofive power of this fubftance npon bones 

 is well known. But it is fearcely probable, that even a ftrong folution of lime in water could pro- 

 duce this erofion of the teeth, unlefs they were daily rubbed with it ; and even then it is far from 

 being certain. But combine this alkali with an acid (as it is in fugar), and furely its effcft mull be 

 greatly altered. We may lemavk, however, the inconfiltence of writers; fome of whom blame 

 the acid in the fugar ; others, the alkali of the lime; thus imputing the effcft to nvo contrary 

 principles. The very finall quantit)' of lime, that can remain intermixed, is certainly not an- 

 fwerable to the fufpicion ; but, if it even (houlj be thought to defcrve it, the muftovado, or unre- 

 fined, will (land clear of it. 



Vol. II. N n Manv 



