26 



most swarthy African ; but that part of it next hen 

 finger nails, about fifteen years ago, became white. 

 Her mouth soon underwent the same change, which 

 has since gradually extended over the whole body. At 

 present, four parts in live of her skin are white, 

 smooth, and transparent, as in a fair European, ele- 

 gantly shewing the ramifications of the subjacent blood 

 vessels. The other parts daily lose their blackness, 

 and partake of the prevailing colour. The neck and 

 back retain most of their pristine hue ; the head, face, 

 breast, legs, and arms, are all white. Her face and 

 breast, when anger or shame has been excited in her, 

 have been immediately observed to glow with blushes. 

 This is the naked fact ; but upon what principles of 

 philosophy can we account for it ? 



The skin covers almost all the whole body, and is 

 formed of whitish fibres, intermixed with numberless 

 branches of nerves, veins, and arteries. On its sur- 

 face are many furrows or indented lines, having ge- 

 nerally hairs on each side, and pores or little holes of 

 various sizes, serving for the transpiration of super- 

 fluous particles. Under the skin lie the subcutaneous 

 glands, which are supposed to transmit through th6 

 pores an insensible steam, commonly believed to be of 

 the same kind with what, when sensibly thrown out, 

 is .called sweat. 



The pores in our hands and feet are very remark- 

 able. Survey with a glass the palm of your hand, well 

 washed, and you may perceive innumerable little 

 ridges, of equal bigness and distance, every where run- 

 ning parallel with oath other ; these are very ob- 

 servable on the ends and first joints of the fingers and 

 thumb, and near it* root, a little above the wrist. 



Oil these ridges stand the pores, all in even rows. 

 Through a good glass every pore looks like a fountain. 

 The sweat may be. seen to stand therein as clear as 

 rock water : the ridges are so placed that they may 

 better suit with the use and motion of the hand ; those 

 on the lower side of each triangle to the bending in ot 



