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Blacknefs, muft make the People blacker in fuch 
Places than any- where clfe ; which we fee to be true 
of the Negroes in Africa , who are much blacker than 
the Indians of Afia, or America , who live in the fame 
Climate, but inhabit more temperate Countries. This 
Power of the Sun will be much increafed in fuch 
Tandy Soils, 
2. By the Scarcity, ;f not intire Abfence, of large, 
fpreading, fucculent Plants.; which afford, in other 
moift and more fertile Soils in hot Countries, agree- 
able cooling Shades, or a moift cool Atmolpherc, 
from their Exhalations, which take off much of the 
fcorching Heat of the Sun ; which Lucan obferves to 
be the Cafe in Africa: 
Hoc tam fegne folum raras tamen exerit Herbas . 
3. The Want of Water muft much increafe the 
Heat of the Body, if not of the Sun; and confpires 
to the fame Effects, as the more immediate Heat of 
the Sun itfclf. This is well known to be the Cafe 
in Africa , from the many Caravans that perifh for 
Want of Water in travelling through its midland 
Parts ( vide Geog. Nat. Leo Hift. Africa; 5 as well as 
the Account we have of Catos March thro' ir, and 
many orher Travellers) ; Befides, it rains fo fcldom in 
many Places of Africa, as to make it generally be- 
lieved, formerly, that it never rained there at all ; 
which muft much more exficcate the Body, and parch 
the Skin more powerfully, in thefe fandy Regions, 
where no Rain ever falls, but at a certain Seafon or 
two in the Year, than in more temperate Regions, 
altho’ in the fame Latitude. 
2. The Ways of Living in many hot Countries, 
particularly in Africa , do very much contribute to 
S 2 increafe 
