100 



IMPROVEMENT OF TUE BREEDS. 



grasses, as now cultivated, are to be met with in a 

 wild state ; they have evidently been brought to their 

 present fulness by the care of ages. The red cabbage 

 and the cauliflower are the altered descendants of 

 a widely different sea-side plant. The different races 

 of cabbages are examples of a wonderful deviation 

 from the natural type, and they ail require much 

 nicety in cultivation to prevent them assuming the 

 characters of the original stock, as, when permitted to 

 grow wild, especially on a sterile soil as that of the sea 

 coast, they are sure in no long time to become exact 

 counterparts of their originals. Cultivation, also, 

 though taken, in rather a different sense, influences to 

 a great extent the form and features of animals. In 

 proof of this may be adduced the differences that exist 

 between different ranks of inhabitants in almost all 

 countries. Buffon says, that in France you may dis- 

 tinguish by their aspect not only the nobles from the 

 peasantry, but the superior orders of nobility from the 

 inferior — these from citizens, and citizens from peas- 

 ants. The African field-slaves in America, are ex- 

 tremely different from the domestic servants of the 

 former nation, retaining as they do their original pecu- 

 liarities from poor living and degrading duties ; while 

 the latter have nearly approached to the habits and 

 modes of thinking of their masters, from living with 

 them, and being well treated under the same roof. 

 " The South Sea islanders," says Dr Elliotson, " who 

 appear to be all of one family, vary according to their 

 degree of cultivation. The New Zealanders, for ex- 

 ample, are savages, and chiefly black ; the New Hol- 

 landers half civilized, and chiefly tawny ; the Friendly 



