18 .. CLINTON'S 



lived, than europcans ;"* and a (reach abbe.f who was attached to count 

 Rochambfau's army, and who published a small book of travels, visited 

 some of our church yards ; and seeing, or fancying that he saw* on 

 iue tombstones, bnt few notices of persons who had attained consid- 

 erable longevity has hazarded this general conclusion, that the ameri- 

 cans are shorter lived than the people of Europe. Censuses have been 

 taken of this city and state, and of the United States, at various times, 

 and with unquestionable accuracy. Bills of mortality have been kept 

 here ; and in Philadelphia, Boston, and some other towns ; and tables 

 of the number of births have also been collected in a few places. On 

 comparing the births with the whole population, the deaths with the 

 whole population, the number of births with the number of deaths, and 

 considering our rapid augmentation of inhabitants, doubling in some 

 states in thirteen or fourteen years, and upon a general average in 

 every twenty or twenty-three years, there can be no doubt but that the. 

 United States have a decided advantage, over the healthiest parts of 

 Europe. While in Paris, London, and Amsterdam, there are more deaths 

 than births, it is ascertained that, in our great cities, there are at least 

 two births to one death. The charges which have been brought against 

 the supposed deleterious effects of our climate, upon the human body, 

 have been thus refuted with the certainty of demonstration. 



The imputation of an unfriendly influence upon the mind is equally 

 groundless. Although there is, in all probability, some strong affinity 

 between ciimate and genius yet we have no reason to repine at our lot ; 

 for the peculiarities which distinguish us in this respect arc not unfa- 

 roiirable to intellectual energy. The connexion between the mind, 

 and the body, is universally admitted ; and the country which administers 

 to the beauty, the strength, and the health of the latter, cannot derogate 

 from the vigorous faculties of the former. We have more rain, more evap- 

 oration, more sunshine, and a greater number of clear days than they 

 have in Europe : onr atmosphere, it is supposed, contains more electri- 

 cal fluid ; and we are exposed to greater extremes of heat and cold. 

 We have no season corresponding with the european spring ; but the 

 greater part of our autumn is unparalleled for beauty, pleasantness, 

 and salubrity. These qualities of our climate are by no means hostile 

 to the growth of the intellect ; on the contrary, most of them are 

 highly friendly to the excitement of genius ; and we cannot better ex- 

 press our ideas on this subject than by adopting the language of a distin- 

 guished member of this society : " If genius, industry, erudition, and 

 the liberal arts, are begotten and nourished in a temperate climate and 

 a pure atmosphere, America has much to expect ; for the climate wiJN 



'* Siuith's history of the province of JNew-YorV, 



