2g4 B 0 M A T R A- 
conformable to a fouthern climate. Far be it from my intention how- 
ever, to put thefe paffions on a level ; I only mean to fliew that the 
prciident's reafoning proves too much. It muft further be confidered, 
that the genial warmth which expands the defires of the men, and 
prompts a more imUmked exertion of their faculties, does not infpire 
their conftitutions with proportionate vigor, that on the contrary, renders 
^ them, in this refpeCt, inferior to the inhabitants of the temperate zone; 
whilft it equally influences the defircs of the oppofite fex, without being 
found to diminiih from their capacity of enjoyment. From which I 
would draw this conclufion, that if nature intended that one wom^n only 
ihould be the companion of one man, in the colder regions of the earth, 
it appears alfo intended, a forthriy that the fame law Ihould be obferved 
in the hotter ; inferring nature's defign, not from the defires, but from 
the abilities with which Ihe has endowed mankind. 
Montefquleu has further fuggefled, that the inequalit}' in the compa- 
tative numbers of each fex, born in Afia ; which is reprefented to be 
greatly fuperior on the female fide i may have a relation to the law that 
allows poJyganii * But there is ftrong reafon to deny the reality of this 
fuppofcd excefs. The Japan account, taken from Kiemfer^ which makes 
them to be in the proportion of twenty two to eighteen ^ is very inconclu^^ve, 
as the numbering of the inhabitants of a great ckff can furnrOi no proper 
teft ; and the account of births at Bantam ^ which ftates the number of 
girls to be ten, to one boy, is not only manifeftly abfurd, but pofitively 
falfe, I can take upon me to alTert, that the proportion of the fexes, 
throughout Sumatra, does not fenfibly differ from that afcertained m 
Europe ; nor could I ever learn from the inhabitants of the many eaftem 
iflands whom I have converfed with, that they were confcious of any 
difproportion in this rcfped:. 
Connexion But from whatever fource we derive polygamy^ its prevalence feems 
g^TTy^^d'pur- univerfally attended with the pradice of giving a valuable con- 
diafc of wives, ficJeration for the woman, inftead of receiving a dowry with her. This is 
n natural confequence. Where each man endeavors to engrofs fevera!, 
the 
