45() VARIETIES OF MANKIND. 



like their superiors, they see their manners, adopt their habits, 

 and insensibly receive the same ideas of elegance anil beauty. 

 The field slaves are in consequence slow in changing the aspect 

 and figure of Africa. The domestic servants have advanced far 

 before them in acquiring the agreeable and regular features, and 

 the expressive countenance of civilised society. The former are 

 frequently ill shaped, they preserve in a great degree the African 

 lips, and nose and hair. Their genius is dull, and their counte- 

 nance sleepy and stupid. The latter are straight and well pro- 

 portioned, their hair extended to three or four, sometimes even 

 to six or eight inches : the size and shape of their mouth hand- 

 some, their features regular, their capacity good, and their look 

 animated."* 



Dr. Prichard has ( been assured by persons who have resided 

 in the West Indies, that a similar change is very visible among 

 the Negro slaves of the third and fourth generation in those 

 islands, and that the first generation diners considerably from the 

 natives of Africa.' f 



The South Sea Islanders, who appear to be all of one family, 

 vary according to their degree of cultivation. The New Zea- 

 landers, for example, are savages and chiefly black ; the New 

 Hollanders are half civilised and chiefly tawny ; the Friendly 

 Islanders are more advanced and are not quite so dark, several 

 are lighter than olive colour, and hundreds of European faces are 

 found among them. 



The people of Otaheite and the Society isles are the most 

 civilised and the most beautiful : the higher orders among them 

 have a light complexion and hair flowing in ringlets ; the lower 

 orders, less cultivated, are less pleasing. 



" The same superiority," says Captain King, J f which is ob- 



* On the Causes of the variety in the Complexion and Figure of the human 

 species, p. 85 sq. 

 t I. c. page 227. note. 

 X Cook, Voyages. Vol. ill. book v. ch. 7. 



