"The experiences of Haller, Boerhaave, Denman Barnes, Dewees, and others were in support of a contrary opinion. There can, I think, be but little doubt that 'temperature, mode of life, moral and physical education do produce decided variations in rela tion to puberty.' The late Professor Traill, Editor of the 8th Edi. tion of the Encyclopædia Britannica, states that Fodere observed a difference in this respect between the inhabitants of the warm Maritime part of Provence and the elevated valleys of Entrannes and St. Etienne, and that he himself (Traill) had remarked a similiar difference in Spain between the children in the plains of Andalusia and among the mountains of Cataleena (Outlines of Medical Jurisprudence, p. 18).

"Dr. Tilt compiled from the works of various authors a table of the periods of first menstruation of 12,037 women, in hot, temperate and cold climates. The following are briefly the results arrived at.

No. of observations

Mean Age.

13.19

14.94

16.41

14.85

"The table referred to is to be found in Dr. Tilt's work on "Diseases of Women," 2nd edition, p. 35,

"Menstruation has been found to be accelerated amongst the Manchester cotton-spinners by continual exposure to a high artificial temperature. The effects of high temperature in hastening development of the organic functions generally were well demonstrated by Reaumer's experiments on Pupac and by Mr. Higginbottom's researches on the metamorphosis of the tadpole into the frog (Phil. Trans. 1850 p. 431, and Proceedings of the Royal Society vol. XI. p. 532.)

"Those who desire to study fully the subject of puberty, in all its bearings, should consult the writings of Raciborski, Costa, Pouchet, Bierre de Boismont, Whithead, Arthur Farre, Allen Thomson, Roberton, Mayer (Des Rapports Conjugaux) Meigs, &c., and different standard treatises on Medical jurisprudence as those of Beck, Orfila, Casper, Chevers, Taylor, &c.

This is sufficient to give a vertigo to the ordinary reader. Dr. Smith is too learned-but we hope his learning will not be lost on those who take a deep interest in Hindu Social Reform. Dr. Smith's own opinion as to the proper age of marriage has been already quoted, and it will be observed that his own conclusion is that temperature is one of several causes which determine early or late puberty. But the conclusion arrived at by Carpenter and Darwin after a careful study of its effects on the reproductive system of animals is that it has but little effect. Montesquien's opinion was probably based on the celebrated text of Angira which prescribed 8, 9 and 10 as the marriageable age for Hindu girls. He probably jumped to the conclusion that because a precept like this occurred in some of the Hindu Shastras, women actually reached puberty at these ages. Had the climate such a powerful effect we would expect English girls, born and bred in India, to attain puberty at an earlier age than their sisters in England. But this, we are informed, is not the case. Moreover, it is curious that in several parts of Africa, early marriages are unknown, while the Esquimaux who live in cold climate marry almost as early as the Hindus. All these facts show that the conclusion arrived at by Dr. Roberton is more likely to be correct than that arrived at by the various comparatively older writers mentioned by Dr. Smith. The case of the cotton spinners in England has been explained . away by showing that the congregation of the two sexes is primarily the cause of the early puberty noticed in their case, and as regards Provence and Spain, it is clear that many more causes might be at work, as in India, than the apparent cause of climate.

Dr. Nobin Krishna Bose wrote:-"I do not think that climate exerts that degree of influence in modifying the age of puberty in different parts of the world which has been ascribed to it. Some difference it will produce, no doubt, but this, on examination, will be found to range within very narrow limits. On studying the age of marriage in different countries at different periods of time, it has appeared to me, on the other hand, that early wedlock has been the result of ignorance and of general degraded condition of the female sex, and hence at one time it was not unknown even in the latitudes of England and Russia. And the mischief lies in this, viz, that when, the practice becomes a marked one, it tends to perpetuate itself by

producing precocious prematurity (sic!) among the childern, in accordance with the organic laws which govern the hereditary transmission of physical and mental qualities. This consideration shows how cautious we should be in ascribing the prevalence of this custom in any country to climate, solely or principally.

Dr. Atmaram Pandurang wrote:-" You will find in all countries in the world that girls living in city, and especially in very crowded parts of it, and in the lowest strata of society, arrive at puberty at a much earlier age than those living in the agricultural or rural districts, and in the upper strata in whom high moral, feelings prevail. The custom of premature marriage thereby acting injuriously upon the morals of the people among whom it prevails, has an undoubted tendency to bring on early puberty, and .this is strangely mistaken for 'climatic influence.' Climate has no in. fluence in the matter. The history of our own people in former years when this pernicious custom had no existence, will bear me out fully, so that I need not point to other classes or tribes in this country or other countries, savage and civilized, where the custom of early marriage does not exist, to support the assertion that climate has no influence in the coming on of puberty."

Dr. A. White wrote: "From inquiries I have made on this subject, I have long since come to the conclusion that, there is a considerable difference with regard to the period at which menstruation first makes its appearance between English and Indian girls. Among English girls menstruation occurs more frequently at 15 years than at any other age, while among Indian girls, in the majority of cases, I believe it occurs at 13 or even less. The cause of this difference of two years is not so much in my opinion the effect of climate as a difference in the condition of the two races.

Dr. Mohendral Sircar, after showing how the age of menstruation and conception has become lower than in the days of Susruta, from valuable statistics collected by himself, writes about the effect of climate as follows: "As to whether climate, the degree of latitude, the position on the surface of the earth, the nature of the soil and other surroundings have or have not any influence upon the menstrual function, its first appearance, its subsequent regularity, and its final decline, this is a question which

may be still regarded as open to discussion. I do not think facts have been collected with sufficiently scrupulous accuracy, and other circumstances, social and domestic, have been allowed due weight in the balance of causation, to warrant any positive conclusion on the point. A superficial view of available facts would seem to incline the mind to the belief that climate does influence the menstrual function delaying its first appearance in the cold and hastening the period in tropical climates. After weighing carefully all the circumstances which might have a possible influence on the function, I am led to believe that if climate has any influence, it is trifling, not to say infinitesimal. There is no doubt as our table will show (the statistics collected by the Doctor) that, age of first menstruation here in Calcutta (I do not say, Bengal advisedly) is earlier than in London, but I am more inclined to attribute this difference to the difference as social and domestic economy that obtains in the respective places. I have not said Bengal, because I have positive testimony that there is a striking difference between the ages of first menstruation in town and country. The earliest ages that I have quoted of early menstruation were in some of the rich families in Calcutta. And I have no doubt in my mind that high and luxurious living and early seeing and knowing of child-husbands, and child-wives, favoured by the anxiety of fond parents to see their little ones become fathers and mothers, are the chief causes of the forced puberty which we so much regret in our female rather than in our male children." This passage cannot be repeated too often. Those who rely on the climate theory have to explain how rural girl attain puberty later than urban ones-how the old Aryas knew no such practice as early marriage-how even in England and Russia this practice prevailed, at one time, though neither country is tropical-how it prevails even now among the Esquimaux and how it does not prevail in several parts of Africa. We have seen how the old supposition that skincolour depended upon climate has been found to be untrue, and we think, we have sufficiently shown that the equally old supposition that early puberty is the natural result of a hot climate must share its fate.

APPENDIX II.

A SCHEME OF SOCIAL REFORM ON THE PRINCIPLE OF SELF-HELP AND

"ON THE LINES OF LEAST

RESISTANCE."

I.

There has been a great deal of talk on the subject of social reform. None can deny that the time for action has now arrived.

The result of the discussion establishes almost a perfect unanimity as to the necessity of well-organized Social Reform Associations. Indeed the strongest argument urged against Government interference is that, social reform must come from within, and the Hindus must help themselves.

There is only one gentleman, R. S. Vishwanath Narayen Mandlik, who is opposed to the formation of such associations. His reason is that the pledges usually taken by the members of such associations are seldom kept, and that, therefore, such associations generally discredit the cause which they ought to promote.

There is considerable truth in this objection—and it cannot be denied that most Social Reform Associations have failed. Let us see why they have failed.

Under the English law, a pledge by a member of an association to defer the marriage of his son and daughter until a certain age, is an agreement without consideration, and, therefore, void. The pledges taken cannot thus be enforced-nor of course any penalties provided for their breach. The gentlemen who take the pledges are aware of this fact and the public is aware of it. There is of course a considerable difference between taking a pledge which can be legally executed, and which cannot be. In the former case, the outside public can understand that the pledge-taker is in earnest that he has made a self-sacrifice-and that he means action. In the latter