428 



REMARKS 



O N 



THE 



MANNERS may lead to more authenticated fads, and ferve to illuflrate this 



curious part of the hiflory of mankind. In the greater part of 



I 



Europe it has been proved hy the mofl accurate lifls of mortality, 



r 



that the proportion of men to women is nearly equal, or if any 

 difference takes place the males born are more numerous, in the 

 proportion of 105 to 100 ; here no doubt, "providence has enforced 

 the neceffity of monogamy : how far the argument holds in hot 



countries, in Alia and Africa 



ftill uncertain. Perhap 



the 



vicious habit of polygamy, has in a long fucceffion. of time 



verted or 



ted the general rule of 



by the gradual 



Thus 



find 



enervation and encreafing weaknefs of males. 

 polygyny \\\ one part of the globe, monogamy in another, and we 

 have reafon to fufpecft that polyandry is actually eilablidied at Eaften- 

 Illand. In remote ages the Median women are faid to have had 

 feveral hufoands at a time, and thofe were thought ill provided, 

 who were wedded to no more than- five. * Nay, among the 



Britons ten or a dozen men kept but one woman. 4* 



The 



v/omen of quality on the coaft of Malabar are allowed to marry as 



many men as they pleafe. "** 



+ 



And lately it has been confirm-ed 



that in the kingdom of Tibet, feveral 



efpecially if they 



happen 



* Strabo Geogr. lib. xi. p. m. 362, 



^ Csfar de bello Galileo, lib. v. 



% Dellon's Voyage, part i. chap, xxxil. 



