An essay on the causes of the variety of complexion and figure in the human species : to which are added strictures on Lord Kaims's [sic] discourse, on the original diversity of mankind / by the Reverend Samuel Stanhope Smith, D.D. Vice-president, and professor of moral philosophy in the College of New-Jersey ; and member of the American Philosophical Society, held at Philadelphia for promoting useful knowledge.
- Samuel Stanhope Smith
- Date:
- MDCCLXXXVII [1787]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: An essay on the causes of the variety of complexion and figure in the human species : to which are added strictures on Lord Kaims's [sic] discourse, on the original diversity of mankind / by the Reverend Samuel Stanhope Smith, D.D. Vice-president, and professor of moral philosophy in the College of New-Jersey ; and member of the American Philosophical Society, held at Philadelphia for promoting useful knowledge. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)
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![limbs appear to have a difproportioned length to the body, and the fhape of the fkeleton is evidently difcernible through the fkin*. If thefe men had been found in a diftant region where no memory of their origin remained* the philofophers who efpoufe the hypothecs of different lpecies of men would have pro- duced them in proof, as they have often done nations diftinguimed by fmaller differences than diftinguifh thefe from their European anceftorsf. Examples taken from the natives of * The dark colour of the natives of the Weft-India Iflands is well Ttnown to approach very near a dark copper. The defcendentsof the Spa- niards in fouth America are already become copper coloured: [fee phih tranf. of roy. foe. Lond. N° 476 feet. 4.J The Portuguefe of Mitomba in Sierra Leona on the coafl of Africa have, by intermarrying with the na- tives, and by adopting their manners, become, in a few generations, per* feclly affimilated in afpect, figure and complexion, [fee treatifc on the trade of Great Britain to Africa, by an African mcrehant.] And lord Kaims, who cannot be fufpected of partiality on this fubjeft, fays of an- other Portuguefe fettlement on the coaft of Congo, that the defcendents of thofe polifaed Europeans, have become, both in their pcrfons and their manners, more like beaftsthan like men. [fee (ketches of man, prel. difc] Thefe examples tend to ftrengthen the inference drawn from the changes that have happened in the Anglo-Americans. And they (hew how ea- sily climate would afimilate foreigners to natives in the courfe of time, if they would adopt the fame manners, and equally expofe themfelvcs to its influence. f The habit of America is, in general, more (lender than that of Bri- tain. But the extremely meagre afpect of the poorcft and lowed clafs of people in fome of the fouthern dates may arife from the following caufe, that the changes produced by climate are, in the firft inftance, generally difeafes. Hereafter, when the conltitution (hall be perfectly accomodat- ed to the climate, it will by degrees affume a more regular and agreeable figure. The Anglo-Americans, however, will never rcfemble the na- tive Indians. Civilization will p/event Co great a degeneracy cither in the colour](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21155379_0031.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
