( s ) 



to general iricreafe ? If now enjoyed in abundance, is there 

 no danger of indifpofition by repletion ? If now withheld, is 

 not weaknefs and debility likely to enfue r The quality of food 

 ' is confefledly ditFerent, as well animal as vegetable : if coarfe 

 and refufe, or in good condition ; if juicy, or dry in its nature^ 

 if frefh, or prefervcd by artificial means, fait, or fmoke, cor- 

 refpondent effects on thofe who live on it may naturally be 

 cxpeded. And to this mull be added, the veiy great variety 

 of iiquorSj fermented or limple, water, milk, beer, wine, fap 

 of trees, fpirits from corn, rice^ vinous fermentations, and 

 what anfwers the fame end, opium. Thefe are many of them' 

 daily noticed by us, and from what we actually fee, we may 

 readily conclude their influence elfewhere* 



Thefe caufes branch out into almoft innumerable effefls j 

 and vary in the fame kingdom, or country. To trace them 

 further is rather the province of the Geographer than thd 

 Naturalift ; though it muft be owned that whatever concern^ 

 our race, interefts fomething in us luperior to curiofity. 



What was the original colour of mankind, has long divided 

 the learned. Upon the whole, I acquiefce in the opinion that 

 the lighter Afiatics are the neareft to it ; for in our owit 

 country, which ftands firft in fairnefs of complexion, the tints 

 of thole among us expofed to the air, &c. are little different 

 trom many Afiatics. That cxpofure to air is our natural ftate, 

 I am perfuaded : and thus circumftanced, the cleared fkin' 

 acquires a tint o( brunette. The deviation of colour has been 

 toward fairnefs in Europe,-^towards blacknels in Africa. 

 Not but that the upper fkin of a Negro is colourlefs as our 



own ; 



