244 A HISTORY OF 



tons may be easily distinguished from those of the Tartar races. Tlw 

 nations that inhabit the peninsula of India, seem to be the principal 

 stock from whence the inhabitants of the islands that lie scattered in 

 the Indian ocean have been peopled. They are, in general, of a 

 slender shape, with long straight black hair, and often with Roman 

 noses. Thus they resemble the Europeans in stature and features ; 

 but greatly differ in colour and habit of body. The Indians are of an 

 olive colour, and in the more southern parts, quite black ; although 

 the word Mogul, in their language, signifies a white man. The women 

 are extremely delicate, and bathe very often : they are of an olive 

 colour, as well as the men : their legs and thighs are long, and their 

 bodies short, which is the opposite to what is seen among the women 

 of Europe. They are, as I am assured, by no means so fruitful as 

 the European women ; but they feel the pains of child-birth with 

 much less sensibility, and are generally up and well the day following. 

 In fact, these pains seem greatest in all countries where the women 

 are most delicate, or the constitution enfeebled by luxury or indolence. 

 The women of savage nations seem, in a great measure, exempt from 

 painful labours ; and even the hard-working wives of the peasants 

 among ourselves, have this advantage from a life of industry, that their 

 child-bearing is less painful. Over all India, the children arrive sooner 

 at maturity, than with us of Europe. They often marry, and consum- 

 mate, the husband at ten years old, and the wife at eight ; and they 

 frequently have children at that age. However, the women who are 

 mothers so soon, cease bearing before they are arrived at thirty ; and 

 at that time, they appear wrinkled, and seem marked with all the de- 

 formities of age. The Indians have long been remarkable for their 

 cowardice and effeminacy ; every conqueror, that has attempted the 

 invasion of their country, having succeeded. The warmth of the 

 climate entirely influences their manners ; they are slothful, submis- 

 sive, and luxurious ; satisfied with sensual happiness alone, they find 

 no pleasure in thinking ; and contented with slavery, they are ready 

 to obey any master. Many tribes among them eat nothing that has 

 life ; they are fearful of killing the meanest insect ; and have even 

 erected hospitals for the maintenance of all kinds of vermin. The 

 Asiatic dress is a loose flowing garment, rather fitted for the purposes 

 of peace and indolence, than of industry or war. The vigour of the 

 Asiatics is in general conformable to their dress and nourishment ; 

 fed upon rice, and clothed in effeminate silk vestments, their soldiers 

 are unable to oppose the onset of an European army, and from the 

 times of Alexander to the present day, we have scarce any instances 

 of their success in arms. Upon the whole, therefore, they may be 

 considered as a feeble race of sensualists, too dull to find rapture in 

 any pleasures, and too indolent to turn their gravity into wisdom. To 

 this class we may refer the Persians and the Arabians, and in general 

 the inhabitants of the islands that lie scattered in the Indian ocean. 



The fourth striking variety in the human species, is to be found 

 among the negroes of Africa. This gloomy race of mankind is found 

 to blacken all the southern parts of Africa, from eighteen degrees 

 north of the line, to its extreme termination at the Cape of Good 

 Hope I ki-ow ; t is said, that the Cadres, who inhabit the southern 



