\ 



H 



U M A N 



S 



P 



E 



C 



I 



E 



S. 



431 



joyed by many hufbands, nor were they afraid of encountering the M 



w 



embraces of a multitude from our fhip, being accuilomed to thefe 

 rites on account of the reduced numbers of their fex, who were 

 fcarcely able to fatisfy the defires of fo many. If the above 



w 



mentioned theory were admifllble, and could be confirmed by fads 



and experi 



in this iile 



ce, the far greater proportion of boys, fhould be bon 

 but the too numerous embraces of many might perhap 



/ 



ferve to fruflratethe procreation of children, as is commonly the cafe 

 with thofe unhappy females, who proftitute thfemfelve§ to a 



\ 



multitude 



Thefe few remarks are offered 



opes of conveyin 



fome 



ideas of the different manners and cuftoms adopted among the 

 various nations of the South Sea, in regard to their women in 

 general, and during marriage in particular. They lead the thinking 

 mind towards the invefligation of truth, and the wife difpenfations 

 of providence relative to the generation of man ; we obferve, that 

 though in a higher refined, more civilized, and more moral 



true and befl means for perpe- 

 yet when man is degenerated 



nation, monogamy feems to be the 



tuating 



and encreafing mankind ; 



and debafed by vicious habits, or involved in great misfortunes, we 

 find polygyny zndi polyandry likewife employed, though I humbly 

 prefume they may be allowed, as matters now fland. But in cafe 

 wife legiilators had any authority, they could not better employ it, 



than 



t 

 1 



1 



