438 AN ACCOUNT OF, &c. 



state as much as possible to their old, during at 

 least fifty generations, that is, during a period 

 equivalent to 1500 years in the history of man. 



Hitherto, while speaking of the external ap- 

 pearance of negroes, I have taken notice only 

 of their colour. I shall now say a few words 

 upon their woolly hair, and, according to our 

 notions of beauty, the deformity of their features. 



There are several facts which seem to show, 

 that these circumstances are somehow connected 

 with their low state of civilization. 



First j the black inhabitants of the Indian Pe- 

 ninsula within the Ganges, who, compared with 

 the African negroes, may be regarded as a po- 

 lished people, have hair and features much less 

 dissimilar to the European. 



Secondly ; Woolly heads, and deformed fea- 

 tures, appear again, as we proceed further to 

 the east, among the savage inhabitants of New 

 Guinea, and the adjacent islands, at the distance 

 nearly of half of the circumference of our globe 

 from Africa, and consequently without the 

 smallest probability of any communication 

 having ever existed between the two countries. 



Lastly ; it appears probable from the reliques 

 of ancient art, that the early inhabitants of Egypt 

 were of the negro race. If, then, the negroes 

 of Africa were ever to be civilized, their woolly 

 hair and deformed features would, perhaps, in 



