136 



fine children — their offspring, of face and 

 form as fair as the faireft Europeans. 



Thefe fa£ts (land in dire£t opposition to 

 the fpeculative doctrines of thofe who derive 

 the various colours of the human race from 

 climate or locality of refidence, together with 

 the concomitant circumftances of diet, and 

 mode of life. Confident with fuch opinion 

 it follows that the offspring of Europeans, 

 living conftantly in the torrid zone, and, more 

 particularly, if ufing the fame diet, and ex- 

 pofed to fimilar habits, and occupations, mult 

 degenerate,and,in future ages, become negroes. 



The three families above-mentioned are, 

 undoubtedly, of the fifth or fixth,, or, per- 

 haps, a ftill more diftant generation, in di- 

 rect lineal defcent, from parents, originally, 

 Englifh ; but whofe offspring, through every 

 race, to the prefent children, have always re- 

 fided between the tropics. They have, more- 

 over, lived in circumftances of mediocrity, 

 expofed to labour, and to the full influence of 

 climite ; or have known only the abode of 

 poverty, and by needy fortune have been 

 compelled to ufe a diet very fimilar to that of 



