who, from their infancy toil in confinement, and -obierve their
diftorted, difproportioned limbs, their ghaftly faces, and their-puny
Hinted fize. On the contrary, the whole body acquires - by a
moderate and equal ule - o f all our parts, a conftitution which is
gradually Heeled againft decay and difeafes : an equal ihare o f agility
is imparted to all the limbs, which knits the joints to their due confidence
and liability. T h e inhabitants o f the South Sea ifles, are by
their lively temper in their early age prevented from being inactive.
Th e happinefs of their climate, the fertility o f their foil, the luxuriance
o f vegetation, and the fewnefs o f their wants, alfo make
too great an exertion unneceffary : it is therefore moderate exercife
which, among many other happy circumftapces, contribute to form
thefe' tall and beautiful figures, which, are fo common among,
them.
; Thirdly, Form and habit, are likewife fubjeft to the fime influence: •
of climate, food, and exercife; this fpares us the trouble o f
repeating the above mentioned arguments : for it is evident that
heat dries the limbs and whole frame o f body in the Mallicolefe
the inhabitants of Eafler-Iiland, the Marquefas, the L ow Iflands,
the Towtows and lower ranks o f people in the Society and Friendly
Ifles, who all go naked, and are much expofed to air and fun •}
hence, they become thin and flender; -for even their bones are-
notftrong, but.folid and hard. On the other hand, cold climates
give.
give a more foft, fpungy and fucculent habit of body; which is
eafily obfervable in ’ the people of Tierra del Fuego, who are a
thick, fquat, bony race o f men. Th e New-Zeelanders are
likewife in. a milder climate, flefhy, boney, and fucculent, and
the Arees and better fort o f people, in the Society and' Friendly
Ifles, who carefully ftudy, and endeavour to keep themfelv.es cool,
and avoid as much as poflible, an expofure to the heat o f the fun,
are fucculent, flefhy, and fat.
Fourthly, The peculiar defers, or excejfes, or modifications o f certain
fa r ts o f the hitman body have eridemial caufes, dependent Upon peculiar
cuftoms, .which fometimes are obvious, but at other times not
eafily inveftigated, efpecially when the obferver has not more time
to ftudy them, -than we had. However, we will point them out,
and leave it to, others to make further difcoVeries.
In Mallicollo, we abferved that die greater part of the Ikulls of
the inhabitants, had a very Angular conformation; for the forehead
from the beginning o f the nofe, together with the reft o f
the head, was much depreffed and inclining backward: which
caufes. an appearance in the looks and countenances o f the natives,
fimilar to thole q f monkies.. Whether the inhabitants ufe feme!
art to give the heads of their children this figure, or whether it
be. owing to fotne other caufe, or to an original defedt o f the whole
generation, which in the fiift couple from whom this tribe
M m 2 defcended,
CAUSES
>F V AR I -
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