MAN 
peaJ-anCe, that it is really as black as the blackeft 
horn, when reduced to the fame degree of thin- 
nefs. Thefe accurate authors alfo affure us, that 
the Ikins of Negroes are of a reddifli brown co- 
lour, approaching to black: this colour of Ne- 
groes, if we may credit Barrere, is produced by 
their bile, which he affirms, from feveral dilTec- 
tions he made in New France, inftead of being 
yellow, is as black as ink. The bile, when ab- 
forbed and difperfed through the body, tinges the 
fkin of white people yellow; and, if it were black, 
it would probably produce a black colour. But, 
with refpedl to us, as foon as the efFufion of the 
bile ceafes, the (km refumes it's natural whitenefs. 
We muft: therefore fuppofe that the bile of Ne- 
groes is perpetually effufed; or, as Barrere al- 
ledges, that it is fo abundant, as to be naturally 
fecreted in the fcarf-fkin, and to tinge it of a 
black colour. On the whole, it feems probable 
that both the bile and the blood of Negroes are 
browner than thofe of white people, as their feins 
are likewife blacker. But one of thofe fa6ts can- 
not be admitted to prove the caufe of the other; 
for if the blacknefs of the blood or bile be allowed 
to give the fame colour to the flcin, then, inftead 
of demanding why the fldn of Negroes is black, 
we ought to enquire why their blood or their bile 
is of that colour ? This fpecies of falfe reafoning, 
in place of folving the queftion, renders it Rill 
more intricate. It appears, therefore, that the 
heat of the climate, and the expofure to fervid 
air, are the chief caufes of blacknefs among the 
human fpecies. When this heat is exceffive, as 
in Senegal and Guinea, the Men are perfeftly 
black ; when it is fomewhat lefs violent, the black- 
nefs is not fo deep; when it becomes more tempe- 
rate, the Men are only brown ; and, laftly, when 
it is altogether temperate, the inhabitants are 
white; but when the cold becomes extreme, it pro- 
duces efFefls fimilar to thofe of violent heat. 
The original inhabitants of America compofe a 
fifth race, differing as much from all the reft in 
colour as they are difcinft in habitation. The na- 
tives of America (except in the northern extre- 
mity, where eliey refemble the Laplanders) are of 
a reddifh copper-colour; and though, in the old 
world, different climates produce a variety of 
complexions and cuftoms, the natives of the new 
continent feem to refemble each other in every ef- 
fential refpeft: they are all nearly of one colour; 
all have black, thick, ftraight hair ; and thin black 
beards, v/hich however they take care to pluck 
out by the roots. They have in general flat nofes, 
high cheek-bones, and fmall eyes. Thefe de- 
formities of nature they endeavour to increafe by 
art: they flatten the nofes, and often the whole 
heads, of tlieir children, while the bones are yet 
tender, and fu fceptible of every imprelTion. Their 
bodies and fiices they paint of various colours; 
hair on any part of them, except their heads, is 
confidered as a deformity, which they are careful 
to eradicate and their limbs are generally more 
ilender, as well as far lefs ftrong, than thofe of Eu- 
ropeans. 
All thefe favages appear to be naturally pufil- 
lanimous; they are feldom known to face their 
enemies in the field, but fall on them unawares; 
and the violence of their fears ferves to increafe 
the rigours of their cruelty. Habituated to want, 
they are amazingly patient in adverfity : diftrefs, 
by becoming familiar, feems lefs terrible to them; 
fo that their patience originates rather from cuf- 
tom than fortitude. They all carry a ferious and 
grave air, though without mental application; 
and, in proportion as they are cruel to their ene- 
mies, they are benevolent and equitable to each 
other. In all their a6lions, they feem to have 
adopted this maxim, that — 
' A generous friendfhip no cold medium knows; 
But with one love, or one refentment, glows.' 
In fnort, the cuftoms of favage nations are almoft 
every where the fame; a v/ild, independent, and 
precarious life, produces a peculiar alfemblage of 
virtues and vices : hence patience and hofpitality, 
indolence and rapacity, content and fincerity, are 
not lefs frequent among the favages of America, 
than among all other barbarous nations that inha- 
bit the terraqueous globe. 
The fixth and laft grand divifion of human 
beings comprehends the Europeans, and thofe na- 
tions which border on Europe. In this clafs v^e 
may reckon the Georgians, CircafTians, and Min- 
grelians; the natives of Afia Minor, and the north- 
ern parts of Africa; together with a part of thofe 
countries which lie north-weft of the Cafpian Sea^ 
The inhabitants of thefe regions vary a good deal 
from each other; but they generally agree in the; 
colour of their bodies, the fairnefs of their com- 
plexions, the largenefs of their limbs, and the 
ftrength of their mental faculties. Some arts in- 
deed have been invented among other nations, 
but here they have been brought to perfedlion: 
nor are the natives of the climates now under con- 
fideration more diftinguiOied for perfonal beauty, 
than for their progrefs in the arts and fciences, the 
elegancies of life, and politenefs of behaviour. 
In barbarous countries, the inhabitants go either 
naked, or are aukwardly cloathed in furs, or 
adorned with feathers; in countries femi-barba- 
rous, the robes are loofe and flowing; but here 
the drefs is lefs adapted for fiiew than expedition: 
it is extremely convenient, and at the fame time 
unites every neceffary ornament. 
To fome one of the claffes already enumerated 
we may refer the people of every country; and in 
proportion as nations have been lefs vifited by 
ftrangers, or have enjoyed lefs intercourfe with 
the reft of mankind, we find their perfons and 
manners more ftrongly impreffed with fome one 
of the charadlers before mentioned. On the con- 
trary, in thofe places where trade has long flou- 
rifhed, or where enemies have made many incur- 
fions, the races are ufually found blended, and 
probably fall under no particular variety : thus, in 
the iflands of the Indian Ocean, where commerce 
has been carried on time immemorial, the inhabi- 
tants feem to be a mixture of all the nations on 
earth; white, olive, brown, and black Men, are 
all huddled together in the fame city, and propa- 
gate a mixed breed, that can be referred to none 
of thofe claffes into which naturalifts have thought 
proper to arrange mankind. 
It is eafy to perceive that, of all the colours by 
which mankind is diverfified, white is not only the 
moft beautiful to the eye, but alfo the moft advan- 
tageous. The fair complexion, if it may be fo 
termed, feems like a tranfparent covering to the 
foul ; all the variations of the paffions, every ex- 
preffion of joy or forrow, animates the counte- 
nance, and, without language, indicates the ftate 
of the mind. In the flighteft change of health 
alfo, the colour of the European face is the moft 
exad index, and often forewarns us of thofe difor- 
ders which we do not yet perceive : not but that 
the 
