72 HISTORY OF 



or not. But this is a very uncertain experiment : 

 the glass is frequently sullied by the vapour of 

 the dead man's body, and often the person is 

 still alive although the glass is no way tarnished. 

 In the same manner, neither burning nor scarify- 

 ing, neither noises in the ears, nor pungent spirits 

 applied to the nostrils, give certain signs of the 

 discontinuance of life ; and there are many in- 

 stances of persons who have endured them all, 

 and afterwards recovered, without any external 

 assistance, to the astonishment of the spectators. 

 How careful, therefore, should we be, before we 

 commit those who are dearest to us to the grave, 

 to be well assured of their departure : Experience, 

 justice, humanity, all persuade us not to hasten 

 the funerals of our friends, but to keep their bo- 

 dies unburied, until we have certain signs of their 

 real decease. 



CHAPTER VI. 



OF THE VARIETIES IN THE HUMAN RACE. 



HITHERTO we have compared man with other ani- 

 mals ; we now come to compare men with each 

 other. We have hitherto considered him as an 

 individual, endowed with excellencies above the 

 rest of the creation ; we now come to consider 

 the advantages which men have over men, and 

 the various kinds with which our earth is inha- 

 bited. 



