DIFFERENCES IN THE ANIMAL ECONOMY. 395 



spicuous in the degeneracy of the descendants ? The 

 strongest illustration of these principles will be found in 

 the present state of many royal houses in Europe : the evil 

 must be progressive, if the same course of proceeding be 

 continued. 



I shall cite a single example to prove what will, to most 

 persons, seem unnecessary ; namely, that mental defects are 

 propagated, as well as corporeal. " We know," says 

 Haller, " a very remarkable instance of two noble fe- 

 males, who got husbands on account of their wealth, al- 

 though they were nearly ideots, and from whom this men- 

 tal defect has extended for a century into several families ; 

 so that some of all their descendants still continue ideots in 

 the fourth and even in the fifth generation *.'' 



CHAPTER VII. 



Differences in the Animal Economy. — •Diseases.— External Senses. 

 Language. 



There are tio essential differences between the various 

 races of the human species in the execution of the animal 

 functions. The circumstances which have been hitherto 

 noticed in this part of the subject are plainly referable, 

 for the most part, to the effect of climate, mode of life, ex- 

 ercise of the organs, or other external causes, and not to 

 any original diversity. 



I have already alluded to the peculiar odour of the cuta- 

 neous secretion in- the Negro (p. 264). It is said, by those 

 who are well acquainted with this race, to be very charac- 

 teristic, and to be transmitted to the offspring, as well as 

 their other peculiarities, in the mixed breeds. It has been 

 also observed, that they sv/eat much less than Europeans. 



* Ele7n, Physiol lib. 29. sect. ii. § 8. 



