THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. z8 3 



I am well aware, that it maybe urged by thofe who per- 

 mit themfelves to fay every thing, bccaufe they are not at 

 pains to confider any thing, that the courfe of my argument 

 will lead to a defence of polygamy in general, the fuppofed 

 doctrine of the Thelypthora * Such reflections as thefe, 

 unlefs introduced for merriment, are below my animadver- 

 fion ; all I fhall fay on that topic is, that they who find en* 

 couragcment to polygamy in MrMadan's book, the Thelyp- 

 thora, have read it with a much more acute perception than 

 perhaps I have done ; and I ihall be very much miflaken, 

 if polygamy increafes in England upon the principles laid 

 down in the Thelypthora. 



England, fays Dr Arbuthnot, enjoys an equality of both 

 fexes, and, if it is not fo, the inequality is fo imperceptible, 

 that no inconvenience has yet followed. What we have 

 now to inquire is, Whether other nations, or the majority 

 of them, are in the fame fituation ? For, if we arc to decide 

 by this, and if we mould happen to find, that, in other 

 countries, there are invariably born three women to one 

 man, the conclufion, in regard to that country, mult be, that 

 three women to one man was the proportion of one fex to 

 the other, impreiled at the creation infemne of our firft parent. 



I confess I am not fond of meddling with the globe 

 before the deluge. But as learned men feem inclined to think 

 that Ararat and Euphrates are the mountain and river of 

 antediluvian times, and that Mefopotamia, or Diarbekir, is 

 the ancient fituation of the terreuriai paradife, I cannot give 



N n 2 D r 



: A late publication of-Dr Madati's, little ur.derflood, as it would fe«m. 



