brings forth in May, or beginning of June; and the female of the fallow deer brings forth at the fame time. The fhe-afs is in season beginning of fummer; but the bears twelve months, which fixes her delivery to fummer. Wolves and foxes copulate in December: the female carries five months, and brings forth in April, when animal food is as plentiful as at any other season; and the fhe-lion brings forth about the fame time. Of this early birth there is one evident advantage, hinted above: the have time to grow fo young firm as easily to bear the inclemencies of winter. Were one to guess what probably would be the time of rutting, summer would be named, especially in a cold climate. And yet to quadrupeds who carry but four or five months, that economy would be pernicious, throwing the time of delivery to an improper feafon for warmth, as well as for food. Wifely is it ordered, that the delivery fhould conftantly be at the best season for both. Gregarious quadrupeds that store up food for winter, differ from all other quadrupeds with respect to the time of delivery. Beavers copulate the end of autumn, and bring forth in January, when their granary is full. The fame economy probably obtains among all other quadrupeds of the fame kind. One rule takes place among all brute animals, without a fingle exception, That the female never is burdened with two litters at the fame time. The time of gestation is so unerringly calculated by nature, that the young brood upon hand can provide for themfelves before another brood comes on. Even a hare is not an ex in a year. The female ception, tho' many litters are produced carries thirty or thirty-one days; but fhe fuckles her young only twenty days, after which they provide for themfelves, and leave her free to a new litter. The care of animals to preferve their young from harm is a beautiful inftance of Providence. When a hind hears the hounds, fhe puts herself in the way of being hunted, and leads them a way way from her fawn. The lapwing is no lefs ingenious: if a perfon approach, she flies about, retiring always from her nest.` A partridge is extremely artful: fhe hops away, hanging a wing as if broken lingers till the perfon approach, and hops again. A hen, timid by nature, is bold as a lion in defence of her young: she darts upon every creature that threatens danger. The roe-buck defends its young with refolution and courage. So doth a ram; and fo do many other quadrupeds. It is obferved by an ingenious writer (a), that nature sports in the colour of domestic animals, in order that men may the more readily distinguish their own. It is not easy to fay, why colour is more varied in fuch animals, than in those which remain in the state of nature: I can only fay, that the cause affigned is not fatisfactory. One is seldom at a lofs to distinguish one animal from another; and Providence never interposes to vary the ordinary course of nature, for an end fo little neceffary as to make the diftinction still more obvious. Such interpofition would befide have a bad effect, by encouraging inattention and indolence. The foregoing particulars are offered to the public as hints merely may it not be hoped, that they will excite curiofity in those who relish natural history? The field is rich, tho' little cultivated; and I know no other branch of natural history that opens finer views into the conduct of Providence. (a) Pennant. VOL. I. Ff SKETCH 226 SKETCH VII. Progress of MANNERS. TH Here are peculiarities in the appearance, in the expreffions, in the actions, of fome perfons, which, in oppofition to manners of the generality, are termed their manners. Such peculiarities in the bulk of a nation, by which it differs from other nations, or from itself at different periods, are termed the manners of that nation. Manners therefore fignify a mode of behaviour peculiar to a certain perfon, or to a certain nation. The term is not applied to mankind in general; except perhaps in contradiftinction to other beings. Manners are distinguished from morals; but in what respect has not been clearly explained. Do not the fame actions relate to both? Certainly; but-in different refpects: an action confidered as right or wrong, belongs to morals; confidered as characteristical of a perfon, or of a people, it belongs to manners. Manners peculiar to certain tribes and to certain governments, fall under other branches of this work. The intention of the prefent sketch is, to trace out the manners of nations, in the different stages of their progrefs, from infancy to maturity. I am far from regretting, that manners produced by climate, by soil, and by other permanent caufes, fall not under my plan: I fhould in deed deed make but a poor figure upon a fubject that has been learnedly discussed by the greatest genius of the present age (a). I begin with external appearance, being the first thing that draws attention. The human countenance hath a greater variety of expreffions than that of any other animal; and fome perfons differ widely from the generality in thefe expreffions. The fame variety is obfervable in human gestures; and the fame peculiarity in particular persons, so as to be known by their manner of walking, or even by fo flight an action as that of putting on or taking off a hat: fome men are known even by the found of their feet. Whole nations are distinguishable by the fame peculiarities. And yet there is less variety in looks and gestures, than the different tones of mind would produce, were men left to the impulfes of pure nature: man, an imitative animal, is prone to copy others; and by imitation, external behaviour is nearly uniform among those who study to be agreeable; witness people of fashion in France. I am acquainted with a blind man, who, without moving his feet, is constantly balancing from fide to fide, excited probably by fome internal impulfe. Had he been endowed with eyefight, he would have imitated the manners of others. I rest upon these outlines to enter fully into the fubject would be an endlefs work; difproportioned at any rate to the narrowness of my plan. Dress must not be omitted, because it enters into external appearance. Providence hath clothed all animals that are unable to clothe themselves. Man can clothe himself; and he is endowed befide with an appetite for dress, no less natural than an appetite for food. That appetite is proportioned in degree to its use: in cold climates it is vigorous; in hot climates, extremely faint. (a) Montefquieu, F f 2 Savages Savages must go naked till they learn to cover themfelves; and they foon learn where covering is neceffary. The Patagonians, who go naked in a bitter-cold climate, must be woefully ftupid. And the Picts, a Scotch tribe, who, it is faid, continued naked down to the time of Severus, did not probably much furpafs the Patagonians in the talent of invention. Modesty is another cause for clothing: few favages expose the whole of the body without covering. It gives no high idea of Grecian modefty, that at the Olympic games people wrestled and run races ftark naked. There is a third caufe for clothing, which is, the pleasure it affords. A fine woman, seen naked once in her life, is a desirable object; defire being inflamed by novelty. But let her go naked for a month; how much more charming will fhe appear, when dreffed with propriety and elegance! Cloathing is fo effential to health, that to be lefs agreeable than nakedness would argue an incongruity in our nature. Savages probably at first thought of cloathing as a protection only against the weather; but they foon discovered a beauty in dress: men led the way, and women followed. Such favages as go naked, paint their bodies, excited by the fame fondnefs for ornament, that our women fhew in their party-coloured garments. Among the Jews, the men wore earrings as well as the women (a). When Media was governed by its own kings, the men were fumptuous in drefs: they wore loofe robes, floating in the air; had long hair covered with a rich bonnet, bracelets, chains of gold, and precious ftones: they painted their faces, and mixed artificial hair with that of nature. As authors are filent about the women, they probably made no figure in that kingdom, being fhut up, as at prefent, in feraglios. Very (a) Exod. xxxii. 2. different |