Volume 1
An history of the earth, and animated nature / By Oliver Goldsmith.
- Oliver Goldsmith
- Date:
- 1797
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: An history of the earth, and animated nature / By Oliver Goldsmith. Source: Wellcome Collection.
431/444 page 409
![duced by the variety of his fituation ; fo in the lower ranks that are more fubje£l to variation, the influence of climate is more readily perceived. As thefe are more nearly attached to the earth, and in a manner connected to the foil *, as they have none of the arts of fhielding off fhe inclemency of the weather, or foftening the rigours of the fun, they are con- fequently more changed by its variations. In general, it may be remarked, that the colder the country, the larger and the warmer is the fur of each animal *, it being wifely provided by Nature, that the inhabitant fbould be adapted to the rigours of its fituation. Thus the fox and wolf, which in temperate climates have but fhort hair, have a fine long fur in the frozen regions near the pole. On the contrary, thofe dogs which with us have long hair, when carried to Guinea, or Angola, in a fhort time cafl their thick covering, and affume a lighter drefs, and one more adapted to the warmth of the country. The beaver, and the ermine, which are found in the greateft plenty in the cold regions, are re- markable for the warmth and delicacy of their furs; while the elephant, and the rhinoceros, that are natives of the line, have fcarce any hair. Not but that human induftry can, in fome meafure, co-operate with, or reprefs the effects of climate in this particular. It is well known what altera- tions are produced by proper care, in the fheep’s fleece, in different parts of our own country; and the fame induftry is purfued with a like fuccefs in Syria, where many of their animals are clothed with a long and beautiful hair, which they take care to improve, as they work it into that fluff called camblet, fo well known in different parts of Europe. The difpofition of the animal feems alfo not lefs marked by the climate than the figure. The fame caufes that feem to have rendered the human inhabitants of the rigorous cli- mates favage and ignorant, have alfo operated upon their animals. Both at the line and the pole, the wild quadru- peds are fierce and untameable. In thefe latitudes, their favage difpofitions having not been quelled by any efforts from man, and being (till farther ftimulated by the feverity of the weather, they continue fierce and untra&able. Moft of the attempts which have hitherto been made to tame the wild beads brought home from the pole or the equator, have Volume 'I, ]D d](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28777773_0001_0431.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
