(1847)
In very hot climates, where the heat of the sun has great power, people
are usually as brown as mahogany; and in the hottest countries they are
negroes, with black skins. A learned man once travelled into one of these
warm climates, from the cold regions of the north, and thought he would
roam about as he did at home; but he soon had to change his opinion. He
found that, like all sensible people, he must remain in the house during the
whole day, with every window and door closed, so that it looked as if all in
the house were asleep or absent. The houses of the narrow street in which
he lived were so lofty that the sun shone upon them from morning till
evening, and it became quite unbearable. This learned man from the cold
regions was young as well as clever; but it seemed to him as if he were
sitting in an oven, and he became quite exhausted and weak, and grew so
thin that his shadow shrivelled up, and became much smaller than it had
been at home. The sun took away even what was left of it, and he saw
nothing of it till the evening, after sunset. It was really a pleasure, as soon as
the lights were brought into the room, to see the shadow stretch itself
against the wall, even to the ceiling, so tall was it; and it really wanted a
good stretch to recover its strength. The learned man would sometimes go
out into the balcony to stretch himself also; and as soon as the stars came
forth in the clear, beautiful sky, he felt revived. People at this hour began to
make their appearance in all the balconies in the street; for in warm climates
every window has a balcony, in which they can breathe the fresh evening
air, which is very necessary, even to those who are used to a heat that makes
them as brown as mahogany; so that the street presented a very lively
appearance. Here were shoemakers, and tailors, and all sorts of people
sitting. In the street beneath, they brought out tables and chairs, lighted
candles by hundreds, talked and sang, and were very merry. There were
people walking, carriages driving, and mules trotting along, with their bells
