nance. The inhabitants, have by no means, uniformity in all respects; as their circumstances and opportu nities are greatly varied in the same country. Some local situations, states of society, and modes of living are more favourable than others for the exertion of the mental powers, for refinement of manners, and for forming constitutional habits and complexion. And where a people have long cultivated the arts and sciences, and refined manners with success, a general aptitude becomes hereditary among their descendants. Thus this influence and these effects will in some degree be communicated from posterity to posterity. Birth and education not only peculiarize different nations, but different societies and families. The distinguished privileges, salubrious climate, and manner of living. give the superiority of some nations over others for stature, features, and complexion.

3d. The Jews will be next taken into consideration. The idea, which some entertain of their existing with the contrast of colours white and black, is incorrect. It is not proper to divide them into the two classes of white Jews and black Jews. They are dispersed through every country in the world; and they have four differences of complexion: the fair, swarthy, olive, and black. In whatever region they are found, they are marked with the common complexion of the natives. The Jews who live in Britain and Germany, and who are the descendants of past generations, have an intermixture of a fair and ruddy complexion, nearly resembling that of the English and Germans. Those of Spain and Portugal are swarthy, but little varied from the complexion of the Spaniards and Portuguese. In Syria, they, like the Syrians, are nearly of an olive colour. But in India. they are said to be black. However, they have not the African black, although their complexion is peculiarly dark. But to what shall we ascribe these very different shades of complexion, if not to the varieties of climate, manner of living, and other con

comitant circumstances. They are known to be descendants of one family, and to have but very few intermarriages with other nations. The manner, in which the Jews are found to exist in different countries and climates, may serve to show, that there may be great differences of feature and complexion amongst mankind even from natural and moral causes. Hence a strong argument for human identity, that all are the descendants of our first parents.

4th. The blacks of Africa and their descendants in other nations, will demand our attention. Their sullen and dejected looks, and their coarsely wrinkled visage present a picture of the effects of a fervid sun upon the head and body. The silly and idiotick countenance, which is frequently observed in the wretched natives of Africa, evinces the effect of the pain, and the faintness, occasioned by the intense rays of a vertical sun, beating upon them. Do they appear inferiour to some, compared with our own highly favoured nation; and scarcely worthy to be ranked among human beings? But what might not these degraded creatures be, in a few centuries, were they to possess our situations of climate, society, and mental improvement? In considering this class of mankind, let us consider them as inhabitants of the torrid zone, and brought up in poverty of diet, degrading ignorance, and filthiness in the manner of living, which tend greatly to debase the corporeal system, and debilitate the mind. A peculiarity of the Africans, which deserves to be noticed, is, their hair resembling wool. But universal experience demonstrates, that climate has a powerful effect upon the hair, fur, or wool of all animals, to render it coarse or fine, spare or thick, according to the temperature of the region, in which they are found. Why should not similar results be experienced by the human race, when exposed in like manner, as are the Africans. Neither is this a dire calamity of chance; but the care of a benevolent providence appears to be

exercised towards 'the natives of this fervid zone. Doctor Smith says, The covering of their head is a substance that is, properly, neither wool nor hair, but somewhat between them which is more comfortable to the head than either. It serves to protect the brain from the intense ardour of the sun, and does not, like hair, imbibe the perspirable moisture from the skin, which would render it, in that hot region, extremely unpleasant to the feeling, and unsafe to the health. The colour and curl of the hair depend in a great degree, upon a certain excrescence of that secretion in the skin, from which it derives its nutriment. Also, the evaporation of a volatile gas, rendering the surface quickly dry, and disposed to contract, while the centre continues distended, necessarily produces an involution or curling of the hair. It may be inquired, How comes the hair of the Africans to be so universally black? I answer, other tribes or nations of the torrid zone have black hair almost universally.

Another peculiarity, which should be mentioned, is the complexion of the Africans being so black, so very widely different from that of the inhabitants of this country. It should be kept in mind, that the colour of the inhabitants of the torrid zone, is generally black; modified, however, by various circumstances, such as the elevation of mountains, the vicinity of seas, and being open to wholesome or to scorching winds. As we advance towards the equator, we discern successively the various grades of dark complexion, from the swarthy to the blackest hue of the human skin. The features are most coarse and harsh in rigorous climates, and in a state of savage or barbarous manners, as among the natives of Africa. That climate possesses a powerful influence on the complexion of nations, we may infer from the effect of the solar rays upon the human skin in our own mild and temperate latitude. Take, for example, a pair of twins in childhood, of fair and

ruddy complexion. Suppose them to have so near a resemblance to each other as scarcely to be distinguished, even by the mother. The one is continued in school, and when out of the house, sheltered from the various inclemencies of the weather. But the other, spends his childhood in the labours of the field, exposed to the excesses of heat and cold. The one, in his youth, has the opportunities of Academies and a College for his improvement and refinement. The other, passes the days of his youth in the occupation of a sailor, and in the most barbarous ignorance. At the age of twenty, what a contrast of features and complexion! Whilst the one has an interesting countenance and delicate fairness, the other is deeply tinctured with a rough and swarthy complexion. But let the climax be continued. Instead of the partial exposure, to which the latter is subjected, by the short duration of our summer heats, suppose these were continued through the whole year with the same intensity. Add to this, that his situation be in the ardour of the torrid zone, to endure the rigours of the burning sands, and scorching, infectious winds. Moreover, let him be continued a few centuries, by progeny, in the interiour of Africa. What would be his sad appearance, what his dismal complexion! By this comparison we may be led to conceive, that the blackness of the African hue is not greater than might be expected from the force and continuance of natural and moral causes. But, besides the discolouration produced by the direct rays of the sun, naturalists inform us, that the effect of a torrid climate is very powerful on the action of the liver, the great laboratory of bile in the human system. And as it is increased in quantity, it is said to heighten the black hue of the skin. These observations serve to show that the peculiarities of the African race are consistent with human identity, or that they are of the same blood of the other nations of the earth, the descendants from the same first parents. It may be

replied, these arguments would be deemed sufficient, if it were not a matter of fact, that our own climate does not alter the complexion of the Africans, for they continue to remain black. But our northern, temperate climate does materially change the features and complexion of those, of the third and fourth generation. Though they hold their blackness, they have not that deep, gloomy, and sullen hue, which is a characteristick of those, who have lately come from Africa. Then if climate and manner of living do effect a change, though but slowly, instead of an objection against this subject, it is an undeniable argument in its favour. But how long would be necessary to re-produce an entire change? The reversion of any constitutional habit, features, or complexion of the body, would demand a much longer space of time in order fully to counteract them, than the acquiring that habit would. If the Africans have been one thousand years in reaching their present state, probably fifty thousand years would be necessary to effect a complete reversion.

REFLECTIONS.

1st. This is an instructive and important subject, worthy the attention and serious consideration of all to whom it is addressed. Does it appear new or novel to some? The subject is as old as the Bible, and as ancient as the creation of the first human pair. It is as interesting as the present prospects and future destinies of human and accountable beings to the bar of God. It is deeply interwoven and essentially connected with the whole of divine revelation. How important is it to have an indisputable line of distinction made between the highest grades of the animal creation, and the lowest class of human beings. The whole volume of divine truth is addressed to man, and whether high or low, rich or poor, bond or free, black or white; all their peculiarities of situation have a bearing on the great