capable of civilization, and how many degrees o f refinement does
not even this fituation admit
Infancy is in individuals, merely animal life. In the fape manner
the -loweft degree of,'degeneration in , collective bodies,, is
a n i m a l i t y . Ch'ildhpgd- is undefigningy. harmlefs, and innocent •
private property and perfonal, fecurity of others, are ideas .which the
boy is to be taught when he emerges from infancy, for he knows
of no other law than that o f the; (irongcft. . Th e s a v a g e has
likewife no idea o f the perfond fecurity o f any other b.efides himlelf,
nor thinks better in regard to private property : he kills where he
is the ftrongeft, and he.robs. where he cannot otherwise obtain the'
pofieflion o f what he covets.Adokfcence is the age .of violent
paffions, breaking. out in outrages againft a l l . the principles of
morality; carrying away like an impetuous flood whatever oppofes;
its defires.: the youth has. the dawning o f underflamding add r.eafon,
and i f the mental faculties are not improved: i n , this .ftagej^and; the
paffions made fubfervient to reafon, he degenerate's into.; profligacy,
and'brings on his own ruin. Th e b a r b a r i a n is’ likewife. fiery
and violent, without controul and principle!,|S nayf /capable. Of the
moft. deteftable outrages:: nations, in thii Rate I want education
and. improvement more than in any other.' Manhood • and a
mature age, are fimilar' to. the c i v i l i z e d s t a t e , ! and have
therefore feveraf degrees;
Thefe
Thefe remarks will give a general outline of the real condition progress
. OF s a -
o f thefe nations, o f the improvements which philofophers c a n v a g e s .
.with propriety with for them, and of the progrefs they may be
expeded to have made from the little intercourfe with Europeans.
I have been frequently alked, what improvements and progrefs
in .civilization the inhabitants;: o f .the iflands in the South Sea
appeared to me to have made fince Europeans came among them.
A few years in regard to a nation, are a few moments. in a man’s
life, a man may learn very ufeful things materially affeding his
fituation in life in a few hours; but it would be next to impoffible
to point out in his charader, his mode of, living, his converfation,
•and his adions a.few hours after this acquifition, the advantages he
xan or will derive from thence j this :holds likewife in regard to
.nations L a few years cannot bring on a .material .change among
them. W e carried hogs and fowls to New-Zeeland, and dogs
and pigs .to New-Caledonia, dogs .to Tanna, Mallicollo, and the
Friendly Ifles,. and goats to O-Taheitee; thefe animals will no -
.doubt in time.caufe a material change in the way of living o f thefe
-nations; but as we .could give no more than one couple o f goats
and a few o f the other fpe.cies o f animals, it will require a fucceffion
,of ye ar s before they .can multiply, and become fo numerous, that
every inhabitant may have feveral of them, and thus, be enabled to
employ them in food. The ufe o f iron tools is another article,
R i- which