162 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



defefh of their natural conflitution. Fifthly, the excefs 

 of cold in the countries of America, in comparifori of 

 thofe of the old continent, fituated at an equal diftance 

 from the equator. 



But this fuppofed fmallnefs and lefs ferocity of the 

 American animals, of which we fhall treat hereafter, in- 

 flead of the malignity, demonftrate the mildnefs and 

 bounty of the clime, if we give credit to BufFon, at whofe 

 fountain Sig. de Paw has drank, and of whofe teftimony 

 he has availed himfelf againfl Don Pernetty. Buffon 

 who in many places of his Natural Hiftory produces the 

 fmallnefs of the American animals as a certain argument 

 of the malignity of the climate of America ; in treating 

 afterwards of favage animals, in torn. II. fpeaks thus : 

 " As all things, even the moflfree creatures, are fubject 

 to natural laws, and animals as well as men are fubje&ed 

 to the influence of climate and foil, it appears that the 

 fame caufes which have civilized and polifhed the human 

 fpecies in our climates, may have likewife produced fimi- 

 lar eflfec'te upon other fpecies. The wolf, which is per- 

 haps the fierceft of all the quadrupeds of the temperate 

 zone, is however incomparably lefs terrible than the ty- 

 ger, the lion, and the panther of the torrid zone ; and 

 the white bear and hyena of the frigid zone. In Ame- 

 rica, where the air and the earth are more mild than thofe 

 of Africa, the tyger, the lion, and the panther, are not 

 terrible but in the name. They have degenerated, if 

 fiercenefs joined to cruelty, made their nature ; or, to 

 fpeak more properly, they have only fuffered the influ- 

 ence of the climate : under a milder iky their nature 

 alfo has become more mild. From climes which are im- 

 moderate in their temperature are obtained drugs, per- 

 fumes, poifons, and all thofe plants whofe qualities are 



ftrong. 



" 



