That the Law of Polygamy is an Affair that depends on Calculation.
ACCORDING to the calculations made in several parts of Europe, there are here born more boys than girls; on the contrary, by the accounts we have of Asia, there are there born more 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 lamas, is derived the reason of that law, which, amongst them, permits a woman to have 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, 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.