Pyrrha were fabled to have thus produced the new race of mankind from the pebbles which they severally threw behind them.*

On this plan there would have been two sets of human beings, as separate from each other as eagles and pheasants are; but this mode of origin would have soon sprung up into divergences, the consequences of which we cannot calculate. One effect, however, we may say, would have ensued, that neither sex would have become what it now is. Each would have differed so much in habits, nurture, and feelings, from what they now are, and from each other, that they might never have associated in sympathy, nor have long continued in amity together.

To prevent the disadvantageous result of such a division and distinctness of origin, it has been made an unaltering principle in the divine creation of human nature, that all mankind shall be of one blood and of one descent,† with perpetually attaching sympathies thence arising towards each other; and therefore that both sexes shall be born from the same mother, and have the same father: although such an appointment required a most peculiar and complicated contrivance and creative sagacity, in order to carry it into universal and unceasing effect, through all the successions of the human duration.

Most special, indeed, must have been the devised provisions to ensure such a perpetuated result. For that it might never fail, it has also been necessary that the two sexes should be kept alive in equal number, and therefore be born so as to preserve this mutual proportion with each other,a circumstance which the Creator made more difficult to himself by his laws of death, taking each away at all ages of their earthly existence, and by his assigning to them such different forms and offices of their bodily structure. It so happens in life, that from their more violent or consuming habits and occupations, the general mortality of males exceeds that of females. In order to prevent this consequence from altering their average equality, it became therefore ex

* See Letter XVI. of this volume, note.

When St. Paul expressed this truth to the Areopagus of Athens (Acts xvii. 26), it must have surprised them as much as his declaration of the final resurrection, for it formed no part of the theories of any of the ancient philosophers, nor of the popular mythologies.

pedient that rather more of the male sex should be born. By such an arrangement, the little inequalities of births and deaths would correct each other, and the balance be preserved between these two classes of the human population.

Now, on reference to the statistical tables of our own nation and of Europe on this subject, we find all these laws and provisions everywhere in effective operation. In England and Wales, and in the smaller adjacent isles, the two sexes come into existence in nearly equal numbers, and with the difference in favour of the male sex.* In France and elsewhere, we observe the same result. The calculations of the proportions of births, in various countries, present average numbers to us that differ in each, because the ratio of the deaths have similar variations. For we find that more males die within any particular period than females,

* In the Population Abstract ordered to be printed by the House of Commons in 1833, of the Parish Register Returns, digested and reduced into order with so much ability and correctness by Mr. Rickman, we have these authenticated facts on this subject:

In ENGLAND, during ten years, from 1821 to 1830, there were baptized 1,832,721 males, and 1,758,663 females.-Vol. iii. p. 412. In WALES during the same time, 83,949 males, and 76,666 females, p. 483. In the BRITISH ISLES of Guernsey, Jersey, and the adjacent ones, 15,096 males, and 14,409 females, p. 492.

†Thus, in France during the fifteen years from 1817 to 1831, there were born 7,490,931 males, and 7,041,247 females.-Ann. Long. for 1834. In Denmark in 1828, the boys born were 19,954, the girls 18,840.

Bull. Univ. 1830, p. 248. In the Prussian Provinces on the Rhine, the proportions born in 1828 were 40,893 boys, and 38,348 girls.-Ib. 435. At Brussels in 1833, the males born were 2,092, and the females 1,931.

The general proportion of the births of the different sexes in Europe has been thus calculated: For every 100 GIRLS born, there have been born the following number of BOYS:

In Russia, 109; Prussia, 107; in Sicily, Austria, Pomerania, Brandenburg, France, and Holland, 106; in Sweden, between 104 and 105; and in Great Britain, rather more than 104.

Mr. Rickman's Abstract states, that in ENGLAND in the ten years from 1821 to 1830, there were buried 1,193,461 males, and 1,155,665 females. During the eighteen years from 1813 to 1830 were buried 1,899,694 males, and 1,848,048 females.-V. iii. p. 412.

In WALES, during eighteen years from 1813 to 1830, the buried were 96,501 males and 94,253 females.-P. 483.

In both ENGLAND and WALES taken together, during the ten years from 1821 to 1830, there were buried 1,251,105 males and 1,211,802 females.-P. 486.

In the British Isles of Guernsey, Jersey, &c., the buried during these ten years were 9,077 males, and 8,933 females.-P. 492

In London for these ten years the burials were 160,242 males, and 152,250 females; and during the eighteen years from 1813 to 1830, there VOL. II.-N

although on this point, from circumstances probably local, there are local diversities.* But amid all the fluctuations, either in the nativities into human life, or in the departures from it, the existing numbers of the whole population in every civilized country where nature has her undisturbed operation, are as nearly upon a level as to each sex, as, in such an ever-floating series of moveable incidents, an equality can be maintained.†

Here, again, human sagacity is baffled in its attempts to discern, not only how it is that different sexes can proceed from the same parent, and that a maternal one; but likewise, by what more particular causation it is, that more males shall thus constantly be born, because more die; and always as many more as shall everywhere maintain the general

were buried 233,310 males, and 219,836 females.-P. 494. So in 1828, in the Prussian Rhine Provinces, 26,843 males died, and but 25,874 females. -Bull. Univ. 1830, p. 435.

* It appears that in some of the counties in England more females die than males within certain periods, as in Bedford, in the ten years before mentioned, the proportion stands-males, 7,632; females, 8,178: and in eighteen years from 1813 to 1830, males, 12,508; females, 13,486.-P. 6. So in Bucks, for the same periods, males, 12,657; females, 13,736 : males, 21,384; females, 33,923.-P. 24. Cumberland, males, 14,669; females, 14,951: males, 25,502; females, 26,017.-P. 54. In Derby, for the ten years, the proportion was-males, 19,954: females, 20,154: but in the eighteen years it was on the more usual ratio of males, 33,283, and 33.198 females.-P. 61. It varied in the same manner in the county of Gloucester. That, in counties so different in all respects from each other as Bucks and Cumberland, more females should die, may be assumed to arise from local circumstances in each.

A greater mortality of females occurs also in the county of Northampton. In the ten years, 15.870 males and 16,604 females were buried; and in the eighteen, 26,578 males, and 27,967 females, p. 235. Rutland has the same peculiarity, p. 264. Somerset, likewise, where the burials in the ten years were 32,362 males, and 33,317 females; and in the eighteen years, 53,904 males, and 55,298 females, p. 291. Suffolk, p. 324. Westmoreland, p. 354. Wilts, p. 367. Thus, in eleven English counties more women die than men in a given time; but in the others more males.

In 1831, the numbers stood thus: in GREAT BRITAIN, 8,163,023 males, 8,376,295 females; making a slight preponderance of the latter on the whole of the existing population.

The same ratio appears in each of the separate kingdoms.

ENGLAND, 6,376,627 males, and 6,714,378 females. WALES, 394,563 males, and 411,619 females. SCOTLAND, 1,114,816 males, 1,250,298 females.-V. i. p. 1042. These numbers, with 277,017 males for the army and navy, make up the general total above stated.--Rickman's Abstract. So, in the Prussian Provinces on the Rhine, in 1828, the population was 1,079,178 males, and 1,093,367 females.--Bull. Univ. 1830, p. 435.

equalization constantly and so universally; but yet no more than is necessary for this purpose.

This is another instance of a purpose, immense in its largeness and expanse of operation and in its undeviating continuity, unceasingly and most precisely accomplished. No science can trace the laws or means by which such results are effectuated; we can only perceive that a most nice adjustment of millions of millions of particular incidental circumstances must have been made and sustained in order to produce them.

It is with pain we read that there are some countries, in which human selfishness and crime interfere to counteract the appointed system of Providence in this respect, by wilfully destroying their female babes.* Infanticide prevailed in the Sandwich Islands and in New Zealand. It still throws a dark shade over the national character of China.‡

*The British East India government has laudably directed its endeavours to suppress this revolting practice. But Lieut. Burnes found it still to prevail among the Rajapoots, near Cutch. The moment the female is ushered into the world, it is smothered in milk. By a treaty between these princes and the Bombay government, it was stipulated that this horrible habit should be abandoned; but when Lieut. Burnes, thirteen years after this agreement, visited this country, he found in some of the villages the population to consist of 800 males to 140 females; evidencing that the abolition required by the treaty had not been performed.

† Mr. Ellis found in the SANDWICH Islands that "the number of males was much greater than that of females in all the islands, in consequence of the girls being more frequently destroyed in infancy, as less useful than the males for war, fishing, &c. But since the abolition of infanticide (through the influence of the missionaries), the numbers are equal." -Ellis, p. 444.

In NEW ZEALAND also, "before our intercourse with them, a universal eustom existed among them of destroying most of their FEMALE children in infancy. Their excuse was, that they were quite as much trouble to rear, and consumed just as much food as a male child; yet, when grown up, were not fit to go to war as their boys were."-Earle's Nar. New Zeal. p. 244.

Mr. Barrow found it to be the custom at Pekin for carts to go round the streets to pick up the bodies of such infants as had been thrown out during the night.-Dogs and swine are let loose before the police carts are sent out.-Barrow's China, p. 168.

Mr. Gutzlaff states, from what he saw in 1832: "It is a general custom among them to drown a large proportion of their female children. This crime is so common among them, that it is perpetrated without any feeling, and even in a laughing mood. To ask a man of distinction whether he has daughters is a mark of great rudeness."-Journal, p. 174. He adds afterward, "at the beach of Amoy, we were shocked at the spectacle of a pretty new-born babe, which shortly before had been

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It extended to both sexes in the Society and Sandwich Islands, but is giving way as the missionaries succeed in diffusing the opposing principles of Christianity.* As the custom of exposition disgraced both ancient Greece and Rome, and the former eastern states, we are entitled to say that it is this benevolent religion, the sacred friend, protector, and exalter of the female sex, which alone can rescue human nature from such abominations; for we know in our times, even, that Rousseau could abandon his own offspring; and we learn that Turkish women, though very maternal to those whom they choose to rear, yet wilfully intercept what they are too indolent to nurse or educate. How soon, without Christianity, would such wickednesses spread even among ourselves, since writings recommending them have ventured to appear!

It has been asked, why should there have been two sexes of the human race? why were they not all men? why make any of that sex whom Mohammed thought unworthy of being in his paradise?‡ whom even a Chinese man of letters, when killed. Asking the by-standers what this meant, they answered with indifference, It is only a girl. It is a general custom in this district to drown female infants immediately after their birth. Respectable families seldom take the trouble, as they express themselves, to rear their useless girls."-Gutz. Journal of a Voyage to China, p. 188.

* Mr. Stewart says of the SANDWICH Islands, when he first visiter them, "Two thirds of the infants born perish by the hands of their own parents, before attaining the first or second year of their age."-P. 251.

Mr. Ellis confirms this proportion (p. 25), and adds, "sometimes they strangle their children, but more frequently bury them alive."

It was done in the SOCIETY Islands, but with this difference: "while they were idolaters, they practised infanticide probably more than any other natives in the Pacific; but if the intended victim was allowed to survive only one day, and frequently not more than a few hours, it was generally saved."--Ellis, Haw. p. 325. "The king, and some of the chiefs, since they have attended to the precepts of Christianity, have exerted themselves to suppress the practice."-Ellis, Haw. p. 330.

† Mr. Slade informs us of the Turkish ladies, that "to be childless is considered as a great misfortune; yet, after two or three, they are addicted to procure miscarriages."-Trav. in Turkey. p. 322.

Ali-Bey-Badia, who was fully initiated into all the rules and practices of Islamism, mentions in his account of Fez, that "as the prophet has not assigned any place for women in his paradise, the Mahometans give them no places in the mosques, and have exempted them from the obligation of frequenting the public prayers."-Travels, v. i. p. 69. Hence the Mussulman idea, that women have no souls. Contrary to all such customs, the mosques at Fez had the singularity of a covered part for females, The Moors are, therefore, not wholly barbarians.