not remarkable for courage, though their only food is the flesh of animals.

The colour of the Negroes, as above obferved, affords a ftrong prefumption of their being a different fpecies from the Whites; and I once thought, that the prefumption was fupported by inferiority of understanding in the former. But it appears to me doubtful, upon fecond thoughts, whether that inferiority may not be occafioned by their condition. A man never ripens in judgment nor in prudence but by exercising these powers. At home, the negroes have little occafion to exercife either they live upon fruits and roots, which grow without culture: they need little clothing: and they erect houfes without trouble or art *. Abroad, they are miferable flaves, having no encouragement either to think or to act. Who can fay how far they might improve in a state of freedom, were they obliged, like Europeans, to procure bread with the fweat of

*The negro flaves in Jamaica, who have Sunday only at command for raising food to themselves, live as well, if not better, than the free negroes who command every day of the week. Such, in the latter, is the effect of indolence from want of occupation.

their brows? Some nations in Negroland, particularly that of Whidah, have made great improvements in government, in police, and in manners. The The negroes on the Gold coaft are naturally gay: they apprehend readily what is faid to them, have a good judgment, are equitable in their dealings, and accommodate themselves readily to the manners of ftrangers. And yet, after all, there feems to be fome original difference between the Negroes and Hindows. In no country are food and raiment procured with lefs labour than in the fouthern parts of Hindoftan, where the heat is great and yet no people are more induftrious than the Hindows.

I fhall close the furvey with fome inftances that feem to differ widely from the common nature of man. The Giagas, a fierce and wandering nation in the heart of Africa, are in effect land-pirates, at war with all the world. They indulge in polygamy; but buty all their children the moment of birth, and choose in their stead the most promifing children taken in war. There is no principle among animals more prevalent than affection to offspring: fuppofing the Giagas to be born without VOL. I. hands

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hands or without feet, would they be more diftinguishable from the rest of mankind?. To move the Giagas, at firft, to murder their own children, and to adopt thofe of frangers, is a proof of fome original principle peculiar to that people: and the continuance of the fame practice among the perfons adopted, is a strong inftance of the force of custom prevailing over one of the moft vigorous laws of nature. The author of an account of Guiana, mentioning a deadly poifon compofed by the natives, fays, "I do not find, that even in their wars, they ever ufe poifoned arrows. And yet it may be wondered, that a

I have oftener than once doubted whether the authors deferve credit from whom this account is ta ken; and, after all, I do not prefs it upon my readers. There is only one confideration that can bring it within the verge of probability, viz. the little affection that male favages have for their new-born children, which appears from the ancient practice of expofing them. The affection of the mother commences with the birth of the child; and, had the a vote, no infant would ever be destroyed. But as the affection of the father begins much later, the practice of deftroying new-born infants may be thought not altogether incredible in a wandering nation, who live by rapine, and who can provide themselves with children more eafily than by the tedious and precarious method of rearing them.

"people

"people living under no laws, actuated with "no religious principle, and unrestrained by the fear of prefent or future punish

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ment, should not fometimes employ that "fatal poifon for gratifying hatred, jealoufy, or revenge. But in a ftate of nature, though there are few restraints, there are "alfo fewer temptations to vice; and the "different tribes are doubtlefs fenfible, that

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poifoned arrows in war would upon the "whole do more mifchief than good." This writer, it would feem, has forgot that profpects of future good or evil never have influence upon favages. Is it his opinion, that fear of future mifchief to themselves, would make the negroes of New Guinea abstain from employing poisoned arrows against their enemies? To account for manners fo fingular in the favages of Guiana, there is nothing left but original difpofition. The Japanese refent injuries in a manner that has not a parallel in any other part of the world: it would be thought inconfiftent with human nature, were it not well vouched. Others wreak their refentment on the perfon who affronts them; but an inhabitant of Japan wreaks it on himself: he rips up his own belly. Kempfer

Kempfer reports the following inftance. A gentleman going down the great ftair of the Emperor's palace, paffed another going up, and their fwords happened to clash. The perfon defcending took offence: the other excufed himself, faying that it was accidental; adding, that the fwords only were concerned, and that the one was as good as the other. I'll show you the difference, says the perfon who began the quarrel: he drew his fword, and ripped up his own belly. The other, piqued at being thus prevented in revenge, haftened up with a plate he had in his hand for the Emperor's table; and returning with equal fpeed, he in like manner ripped up his belly in fight of his antagonist, saying, If I had not been ferving my prince, 66 you should not have got the start of me; "but I fhall die fatisfied, having fhow'd ་ you that fword is as good as yours." The fame author gives an inftance of uncommon ferocity in the Japanese, blended with manners highly polished. In the midst of a large company at dinner, a young woman, ftraining to reach a plate, unwarily fuffered wind to escape. Ashamed and confounded, the raised her breasts

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