96 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



or expel them. This is the cause of that despotism, 

 which, perpetually pressing upon the people, has 

 invariably crushed all the efforts of industry and 

 talent in the beautiful climates of Persia, of India, 

 and of China. 



Mild climates, soils abundantly supplied with 

 moisture by the hand of nature, and rich in vegetable 

 productions, are the true cradles of agriculture and 

 civilization. When the position of countries thus 

 happily circumstanced, shelters them against the 

 irruptions of barbarian hordes, talent of every de- 

 scription is excited, and mutual emulation carries 

 every art and science to a high pitch of perfection. 

 Such were the advantages possessed by Greece and 

 Italy in ancient days, and such are the happy pri- 

 vileges at the present moment of by far the largest 

 portion of Europe. 



There are, however, intrinsic and almost constitu- 

 tional obstacles which appear to arrest the progress 

 of certain races of mankind even in the very midst 

 of circumstances the most favourable to improve- 

 ment. 



VARIETIES OF THE HUMAN SPECIES. 



The indiscrimiate sexual intercourse among the 

 human race, and the consequent production of an 

 offspring capable of propagation, seem to prove 

 mankind to be but a single species. There are, 

 however, certain hereditary conformations which 

 give rise to peculiar distinctions among them, and 

 constitute what are denominated varieties. 



