The works of the Honourable Robert Boyle, Esq., epitomiz'd by Richard Boulton ... ; illustrated with copper plates.

EXPERIMENT XI.

IN order to discover the Reason of the Black∣ness of Negroes, and the Colours of Foxes

and Hares as well as other Animals, I shall sub∣joyn some Collections I have made for that pur∣pose. And first, tho it is believ'd, that the Blackness of the Skins of Negroes depends on the Heat of the Sun, which in other hot Coun∣tries is observ'd to darken the Complexions of Men, more than in England; yet I am apt to be∣lieve, that something else is requisite to the Pro∣duction of those Colours, besides the Influence of the Sun, since we see that Infants are of the same Colour. Besides, in other Places of the same Latitude, the People are observ'd to be at the most but Tawny; and several Nations in the Empire of Aethiopia situated almost under the Torrid Zone: And it is observ'd by Travellers and Navigators, that there are very few Blacks in America, tho' the New World contains ma∣ny Climates, and reaches from one Tropick to another. And tho' the Danes are whiter than the Spaniards, yet it is observ'd, that the Swedes who likewise Inhabit those cold Countries are not so white as them. And I have seen several Russians, who were of a much browner Com∣plexion than the Danes, tho' these are said to proceed from a Race of Tartars, for in one Province the Muscovites are observ'd to be much whiter. And I am told, that Negroes live not far from the Cape of good Hope, which is beyond the Southern Tropick, tho' near the same degree of Latitude Northward, Divers American Nations are not inhabited by Negroes, and the Inhabitants of Candia, some Parts of Sicily, and even Spain are not so much as Tawny Moors. And even the Inhabitants of Greenland are observ'd to be of an Olive-colour, or a darker Complexion.

But nevertheless, that Coldness may in some measure contribute to Blackness or Whiteness, appears from what hath been observ'd in Russia and Livonia, viz. that Hares and Foxes become white in Winter, and regain their genuine Colours again in the Summer; yet in Curland, as Olaus Magnus relates, they vary not their Colour in the Winter; tho' this Country is only severv'd from Livonia by the River Dugna, where it may seem too strange to be credited, that so small a compass as that River takes up, should di∣versity the Effects of Cold so much; and the same Objection may be made in respect of the Moors, since Negroes inhabit on one side the River Cenega, and Tawny colour'd People on the o∣ther.

Another Opinion concerning the Colour of Negroes is, that it was a Curse entail'd upon the Race of Cham. But not to shift off the natural Cause of that Colour, by flying to a Principal and Universal Cause, whilst there is no necessi∣ty of it; not to urge, that the Curse pro∣nounced by Noah, was, that he should be a Ser∣vant of Servants, which was fulfill'd, when the Posterity of Sem subdued the Cananites; I see not why Blackness should be esteem'd a Curse, since the Negroes are so much content with it, that they paint the Devil white: Nor do I think Blackness inconsistent with Beauty, since it con∣sists in a Sumetry of Parts and good Features in the Face; so that Blackness cannot reasonably be accounted a Curse, except that Colour causes their Bodies to be more scorched by the heat of the Sun, than if it were white, according to the Doctrine above deliver'd.

But I am rather inclin'd to think, that they proceed from some seminal Influence, since Ne∣groes, as well as Americans Transplanted, re∣tain their Proper and Native Colours; and Twins which are got by the Portugals and Aethiopian Women, are, sometimes, one of them white, and the other black. And how far seminal Im∣pressions contribute to the differences of Orga∣nical Parts, appears from the flat Noses, and Blubber Lips of most Negroes. To which may be added, the little Feet of the Chineses and the Macrocephali mention'd by Hypocrates. And it hath not only been observ'd, that a sort of Hens want Rumps; but I have seen a Raven perfectly white. To which I shall add, that a Lady, who was a devout Catholick, looking upon the Peb∣bles at the Bottom of St. Winifred's Well, some time after bore a Child whose Skin was cover'd with the Resemblance of Red Pebbles.

To what hath been said of Negroes, I shall add, that the Epidermis only is black, the Skin under that, being as white as that of the Eu∣ropeans; so that a Child who had the Measles or small Pox, after those Pimples had broke, was cover'd with a multitude of white Spots: And it is attested by several, that the Negroes when first born, are red or white like other Children, but in a few days acquire the Colour of their Parents: Nevertheless, some of them that are born under the Torrid Zone, continue white, and are presented to the King, and always wait on him. These are usually, as Purchas witnesses, brought up in Witchcraft, and the People stand in great Awe of them.