Book XVI.
Chap. 4.born more boys than girls[1]; on the contrary, by the accounts we have of Asia, there are there born more[2] girls than boys. The law which in Europe allows only one wife, and that in Asia which permits many, have therefore a certain relation to the climate.
In the cold climates of Asia, there are born as in Europe, more males than females; and from hence, say the[3] Lamas, is derived the reason of that law, which amongst them, permits of a woman to have[4] many husbands.
But it is difficult for me to believe that there are many countries, where the disproportion can be great enough for any exigency to justify the introducing either the law in favour of many wives, or that of many husbands. This would only imply, that a majority of women, or even a majority of men, is more conformable to nature in certain countries than in others.
I confess, that if what history tells us be true, that, at Bantam[5] there are ten women to one man, this must be a case particularly favourable to polygamy.
In all this I only give their reasons, but do not justify their customs.
- ↑ Dr. Arbuthnot finds that in England the number of boys exceeds that of girls; but people have been to blame to conclude that the case is the same in all climates.
- ↑ See Kempfer, who relates that upon numbering the people of Meaco, there were found 182072 males and 223573 females.
- ↑ Du Halde's Hist. of China, Vol. 4.
- ↑ Albuzeit-el-hassen, one of the two Mahometan Arabs, who, in the ninth century, went into India and China, thought this custom a prostitution. And indeed nothing could be more contrary to the ideas of a Mahometan.
- ↑ Collection of voyages for the establishment of an India company. Vol. 1.
