habitants are well proportioned, with regular engaging features; the women uncommonly beautiful and delicate. The inhabitants behaved with great hofpitality and probity to the crew of the fhip in which thefe gentlemen lately made a voyage round the world.

To find the inhabitants of thefe remote iflands differing fo widely from the rest of the world, as to have no averfion to ftrangers, but on the contrary fhowing great kindness to the firft they probably ever faw, is a fingular phenomenon. It is vain here to talk of climate; because in all climates we find an averfion to ftrangers. From the inftances given above, let us felect two islands, or two clusters of islands, fuppofe for example Bowman's islands inhabited by Whites, and thofe adjacent to New Guinea inhabited by Blacks. Kindnefs to strangers is the national character of the former, and hatred to strangers is the national character of the latter. Virtues and vices of individuals, depend on caufes fo various, and fo variable, as to give an impreffion of chance more than of defign. We are not always certain of uniformity in the conduct even of the fame

perfon;

perfon; far lefs of different perfons however intimately related: how small is the chance, that fons will inherit their father's virtues or vices? In most countries, a favage who has no averfion to ftrangers, nor to neighbouring clans, would be noted as fingular to find the fame quality in every one of his children, would be furprising: and would be still more fo, were it diffused widely through a multitude of his defcendents. Yet a family is as nothing compared with a whole nation; and when we find kindness to strangers a national character in certain tribes, we reject with difdain the notion of chance, and perceive intuitively that effects fo regular and permanent must be owing to a conftant and invariable caufe. Such effects cannot be accidental, more than the uniformity of male and female births in all countries and at all times. They cannot be accounted for from education nor from example; which indeed may contribute to fpread a certain fashion or certain manners, but cannot be their fundamental caufe. Where the greater part of a nation is of one character, education and example may extend it over the whole; but the character of that

that greater part can have no foundation but nature. What refource then have we for explaining the oppofite manners of the iflanders above mentioned, but that they are of different races ?

The fame doctrine is ftrongly confirmed upon finding courage or cowardice to be a national character. Individuals differ widely as to thefe; but a national character of courage or cowardice muft depend on a permanent and invariable caufe. I therefore proceed to instances of national courage and cowardice, that the reader may judge for himself, whether he can discover any other caufe for fuch steady uniformity but diversity of race,

The northern nations of Europe and Afia have at all times been remarkable for courage. Lucan endeavours to áccount for the courage of the Scandinavians from a firm belief, univerfal among them, that they would be happy in another world.

Vobis auctoribus, umbra,

Non tacitas Erebi fedes, Ditifque profundi
Pallida regna petunt; regit idem fpiritus artus
Orbe alio longa (canitis fi cognita) vitæ
Mors media eft. Certe populi, quos defpicit Arctos,
Felices errore fuo; quos ille, timorum

2

Maximus

Maximus, baud urget leti metus. Inde ruendi
In ferrum mens prona viris, animaque capaces
Mortis * (a).

Pretty well reafoned for a poet! but among all nations the foul is believed to be immortal, tho' all nations have not the courage of the Scandinavians. The Caledonians were eminent for that virtue; and yet had no fuch opinion of happiness after death, as to make them fond of dying. Souls after death were believed to have but a gloomy fort of existence, like what is de

*"If dying mortals dooms they fing aright,
"No ghofts defcend to dwell in endless night;
"No parting fouls to grifly Pluto go,
"Nor feek the dreary filent fhades below;
"But forth they fly, immortal in their kind,
"And other bodies in new worlds they find.
Thus life for ever runs its endless race,

And, like a line, Death but divides the space à A ftop which can but for a moment last, "A point between the future and the past.

Thrice happy they beneath the northern fkies,

"Who that worst fear, the fear of death, defpife;

"Hence they no cares for this frail being feel, But rush undaunted on the pointed steel; Provoke approaching fate, and bravely fcorn "To fpare that life which muft fo foon return.'

Rowe's

1

fcribed by Homer (a). Their courage therefore was a gift of nature, not of faith. The people of Malacca and of the neighbouring islands, who are all of the fame race and fpeak the fame language, are fierce, turbulent, and bold above any other of the human fpecies; tho' they inhabit the torrid zone, held commonly to be the land of cowardice. They never obfervé a treaty of peace when they have any temptation to break it; and are perpetually at war with their neighbours, or with one another. Inftances there are, more than one, of twenty-five or thirty of them in a boat, with no other weapons but poniards, venturing to attack a European fhip of war. Thefe men inhabit a fertile country, which should naturally render them indolent and effeminate; a country abounding with variety of exquifite fruits and odoriferous flowers in endlefs fucceffion, fufficient to fink any other people into voluptuoufnefs. They are a remarkable exception from the obfervation of Herodotus, "That it is not given. by "the gods to any country, to produce 66 rich crops and warlike men." This in(a) Odyffey, b. 11.

stance,