a degree of remorfe *. At the fame time, as chastity in perfons who are fingle is only a felf-duty, it is not fo ftrongly enforced by the moral fenfe as chastity is in married perfons, who owe fidelity to each other. Deviations accordingly from the former make a lefs figure than from the latter: we scarce ever hear of adultery among favages; though among them incontinence before marriage is not uncommon. In Wales, even at prefent, and in the highlands of Scotland, it is fcarce a difgrace for a young woman to have a baftard. In the country laft mentioned, the first instance known of a baftard-child being destroyed by its mother through fhame, is a late one. The virtue of chaftity appears to be there gaining ground; as the only temptation a woman can have to destroy her child, is to conceal her frailty. The principle of chastity, like that of propriety or of decency, is faint among

Quand enfin cette aimable jeunesse vient à fe marier, les deux époux fe donnant mutuellement les premices de leur perfonne, en font plus chers l'un à l'autre ; des multitudes d'enfans fains et robustes deviennent le gage d'une union que rien n'altere; Rouf feau Emile.

Lavages;

favages; and has little of that influence which prevails among polifhed nations before they are corrupted by luxury. We fhall have occafion to fee afterward, that even the great duty of juftice is faint among barbarians; and that it yields readily to every irregular impulfe, before the moral fenfe has arrived to maturity.

Chastity is a reftraint upon nature; and, therefore, if fhame be removed by making it lawful to obey the appetite, nature will prevail. In the year 1707, a contagious distemper having carried off a large proportion of the inhabitants of Iceland, the King of Denmark fell on a device to repeople the country, which fucceeded to a wifh. A law was made, authorifing young women in that ifland to have baftards, even to the number of fix, without wounding their reputation *. The young women were so zealous to repeople their

Don Juan de Ulloa, in his voyage to Peru, mentions a very fingular tafte prevalent in that country, that a man never takes a virgin to wife; and thinks himself difhonoured if his wife have not, before marriage, enjoyed many lovers. If we can truft Paulus Venetus, a young woman of Thibet, in Afia, is not reckoned fit to be married till fhe be defloured.

country,

country, that after a few years it was found proper to abrogate the law.

Modesty is by nature intended to guard chastity, as chastity is to guard matrimony. And modefty, like chastity, is one of those delicate principles that make no great figure among favages. In the land of Jeffo, young women sometimes go naked in fummer: if however they meet a ftranger, they hang the head, and turn away through fhame. Nature here is their only inftructor *. Some favage tribes have fo little notion of modefty, as to go naked, without even covering their privy parts. Regnard reports, upon his own knowledge, that in Lapland, man, woman, and child, take the hot bath promifcuoufly, and are not ashamed to be feen in that condition, even by a ftranger. As this appeared fingular, I took an opportunity to mention it to Dr Solander, who had made more than one vifit to that country. He faid, that Regnard's report might be true; but without any imputation on the modesty of

Doth not modesty prevail among many animals? Elephants are never seen in copulation, nor cats, nor beafts of prey.

VOL. II.

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the Laplanders, for that their place of bathing is always fo dark that nothing can be feen. He added, that the females in Lapland, both married and unmarried, are extremely chafte. The inhabitants of Otaheite, if Bougainville can be trufted, feem to have as little notion of modesty as of chastity. But many of that author's facts ftand contradicted by later voyagers. The women of New Zealand are both chafte and modeft. Captain Cook, in his voyage round the world, ftumbled upon fome of them naked, diving for lobfters; and they were in great confufion for being feen in that condition by ftrangers.

But now, if pairing in the fricteft fenfe be a law of nature among men, as among fome other animals, how is polygamy to be accounted for, which formerly was universal, and to this day obtains among many nations? Polygamy, I answer, is derived from two fources; first, from favage manners, once univerfal; and next, from voluptuoufnefs in warm climates, which inftigates men of wealth to tranfgress every rule of temperance. These two fources I propofe to handle with care,

because

because they make a large branch in the hiftory of the female fex.

With refpect to the firft, fweetness of temper, a capital article in the female character, difplays itfelf externally by mild looks and gentle manners. But fuch graces are scarce difcernible in a female favage; and even in the moft polifhed women, would not be perceived by a male favage. Among favages, ftrength and boldness are the only valued qualities: in these females are miferably deficient; and for that reafon, are contemned by the males, as beings of an inferior order. The North- ́ American tribes glory in idleness: the drudgery of labour degrades a man in their opinion, and is proper for women only. To join young perfons in marriage is accordingly the bufinefs of parents; and it would be unpardonable meanness in the bridegroom, to fhew any fondness for the bride. Young men among the Hottentots, are admitted into fociety with their feniors at the age of eighteen; after which it is difgraceful to keep company with women. In Guiana, a woman never eats with her husband; but after every meal attends him with water for washing. In

the