VOL. LV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. IQl 



was taken from this child's head. He was born about 6 or 7 weeks after his pa- 

 rents landed in Virginia, in the year 1755; and was purchased by Mr. Hill Clark 

 of Col. Chambers in 1764, so that he appeared not to be quite 10 years old; 

 and his mother had had 2 children after, who were both as black as the parents. 



Now, though this deviation of colour in the child, from the contrary hue of 

 both parents, was very singular, and something preternatural, yet instances of the 

 same kind had happened before. There was one about 4 years before in London, 

 which was a white girl, something younger than this boy, but exactly similar in 

 colour, wool, &c. and was said, by the person who made a show of her, to have 

 been the offspring of a black father and mother. Dr. P. did not go to see her; 

 but he read an advertisement concerning her, several times in the public papers, 

 wherein she was called a white negro girl; and was informed by those that saw 

 her, that she answered the description in the advertisement very truly. She was 

 shown in town for some months every day. 



To this case he subjoins 2 others, one of which he saw himself, and the other 

 was given him by a gentleman of undoubted veracity; which, though they differ 

 in some circumstances from the above, yet have so much relation to each other, 

 as will prevent their being censured as digressions from the subject. The first 

 was of a black man who married a white woman in York several years ago; of 

 which he had an account from an eye-witness. She soon proved with child, and 

 in due time brought forth one entirely black, and in every particular of colour 

 and features resembling the father, without the least participation from the mo- 

 ther. This was thought a very singular case, because people naturally expect the 

 issue of such a marriage would be tawny : which indeed is the usual effect pro- 

 duced by the congress of black and white persons. The 2d case was of a black 

 man, servant to a gentleman who lived in the neighbourhood of Gray's-Inn. He 

 married a white woman, who lived in the same family; and, when she proved 

 with child, took a lodging for her in Gray's-inn-lane ; when she was at her full 

 time, the master had business out of town, and took his man with him, and did 

 not return till 10 or 12 days after this woman was delivered of a girl, which was 

 as fair a child to look at as any born of white parents, and her features exactly 

 like the mother's. The black at his return was much disturbed at the appearance 

 of the child, and swore it was not his: but the nurse who attended the lying-in 

 woman soon satisfied him : for she undressed the infant, and showed him the 

 right buttock and thigh, which were as black as the father, and reconciled him 

 immediately to both mother and child. Dr. P. was informed of the fact, and 

 went to the place, where he examined the child, and found it true; this was in 

 the spring of the year 1747, as his notes specified which he took on the spot. 



Wishing to add as much as possible to this account, he took an opportunity of 

 inquiring about matters of this sort, in a family who came to live in Red-lion- 



