HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



163 



ftrong. The temperate earth on the contrary, produces 

 only things which are temperate ; the mildefl herbs, 

 the moft wholefome pulfe, the fweeteft fruits, the mofl 

 quiet animals, and the mod humane men are the natives 

 of this happy clime. As the earth makes the plants, 

 the earth and plants make animals ; the earth, the plants, 

 and the animals make man. The phyfical qualities of 

 man, and the animals which feed on other animals, de- 

 pend, though more remotely, on the fame caufes, which 

 influence their difpofitions and cuftoms. This is the 

 greateft: proof and demonftration, that in temperate 

 climes every thing becomes temperate, and that in intem- 

 perate climes every thing is exceflive ; and that fize and 

 form which appear fixed and determinate qualities, de- 

 pend notwithstanding, like the relative qualities, on the 

 influence of climate. The fize of our quadrupeds can- 

 not be compared with that of an elephant, the rhinoce- 

 ros, or fea-horfe. The largefl: of our birds are but fmall 

 if compared with the oftrich, the condore, and cafoare." 

 So far Mr. Buffon, whofe text we have copied, becaufe 

 it is of importance to our purpofe, and entirely contrary 

 to what M. de Paw writes againft the climate of Ame- 

 rica, and BufFon himfelf in many other places. 



If the large and fierce animals are natives of intempe- 

 rate climes, and fmall and tranquil animals of temperate 

 climes, as Mr. BufFon has here eftablifhed ; if mildnefs 

 of climate influences the difpofition and cuftoms of ani- 

 mals, Mr. dePaw does not well deduce the malignity of 

 the climate of America from the fmaller fize and lefs 

 fiercenefs of its animals ; he ought rather to have deduc- 

 ed the gentlenefs and fweetnefs of its climate from this 

 antecedent. If, on the contrary, the fmaller fize and 

 lefs fiercenefs of the American animals, with refpecl to 



thofe 



