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S. 



425 



to confefs, that lam not as yet perfuaded of the great and univerfal manners' 



argument for monogamy, viz. the equal proportion of women to 



men ; as, in my opinion, it is not clearly proved, that this jufl pro- 



portion takes place in all countries and climates. On the contrary, 



I am of opinion, that in Africa, the conflitution of food and climate, 



and the prevailing cuflom of marrying many wives, have, by length 



of time, produced a confiderable difparity between the numbers of 



men and women, fo that now to one man feveral women are torn. 



r 



In all kinds of animals, it has been obferved, that in the two fexes 



when coupled, the moft vigorous and hotteil conllitutlon always 



r 



prevails 5 ;fo that if, for inftance, the ftallion be more hot and vigo- 

 rous than the mares, and not impaired by age and too often repeat- 

 ed covering, the male foals in general will be more numerous ; but 

 if, on the contrary, the ma-res are more vigorous, the ftalllon old 



i 



and exhauHed by many copulations, their offspring will chiefly con- 

 fifl of females. If this be applied to the inhabitants of Africa, it is 



V ■ 



J 



evident, that the men there, accuftomed to polygamy, are ener- 

 vated by the ufe of fo many women, and therefore lefs vigorous; 

 the women, on the contrary, are of a hotter conflitution, not only on 



J 



account of their more irritable nerves, more fenfible organization, 

 and more lively fancy; but llkewife becaufe they are deprived in 

 their matrimony of that fliare of phyflcal love, which in a monoga- 

 inous condition would all be theirs ; and thus, for tJie above rea- 



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fon 



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