o r ig in ther lhbdued by him and;his adherents or that they found it theirs
OF ,SOiCI- . , .
E Tis s. intereit,.upon their own account, to acknowledge.his authority,, t o .
become his fubj efts .upon certain, conditions;:, and th.us-to-form one
large political, body, for f greater feenrity. and. defence ;. the better..-
regulations, à fecurity both o f perfon andproperty, and'a more im-.
partial, adminiflration .of ju ftic e ,. mentioned, in the fame account,
prové beyond difpute, that iff om the violent Rate' o f cannibalifm,.
the New-Zeelander? will foon arriye .in. their .moll populous diftridts,.
to a more fettled and- more happy Rate;. For though' the fubje&s for:
T eiratcoq frill eat.men, this cuftom is rather.kept up on account;
o f the vicinity,of.fuch , tribes as fHH retain the faine.cuftom, .other-
wife their, more improved fituition would hardly admit o f i t . .
•“ Denique coetera. animantia in fuo genere probe ide gunt : icon-
“ gregari' v idem us pare contra dijjimilia : ■ Léonum feritas>
inter fe non dimicat : ferpentum morjus non petit Jcrp entes :
“ ne maris quidem belluoe- ac -pifces; ni]i\ in, Jiverfa generap
“ Jceviunt : at hercule ! hominiplurima ex hornine 'funt mala.’1.
Elinc 11 1 s T . N a t . lrb. viL , Procemiiiîne,.
It is .either the fault o f fome. tribes, who are wanton, quarrelfome,
and overbearing, when , they.are driven by more powerful nations,
to fuch a defperate frtuation, thatthey become.degenerate, and their
offspring finks to.the loweff condition that can be intailed on mankind
; or it is rather owing tcrcruel chance or accident, that they
are
a r e b r o u g h t i n t o a. f o r l o r n f t a t e , w h e r e in , t h e i r p r o g e n y , l i n g e r s f o r o r i g i n
.! of socifome
time.: in both cafes. Providence, has, wifely made a provifion ETIES>
for preventing the. perpetuity o f .mifery„and . wretchednefs, in ,a
nation, by infufing originally, in .the. human , foul, , fuch faculties
and.powers, that.when. unfolded, .or .fet in motion by unfore-.-
feen accidents, fhall. at.laft invigorate the minds of men, and fupn
ply them with .'the neceflary means, and ftrength for. emerging from
their debafed condition, and enable them • to refume gradually , a
higher rank , in the .fcale o f rational, beings. The poor inhabitants.
of Tierra del Fuego> ,adt .only., by, inftindt, by neceflity and
want, and . in confequence o f , the accidental ..occurrences.,., which,
chance, or the natural changes o f . the elements, and. feafons throw
in their way-; but a more frequent intercourfe with -Europeans, or
fome other, unforefeen accident, for. inftance, .the fortuitous, in-r
vention .of iron, or.fome other ufefuL.metal; ,.a difeovery of the-
utility o f fome vegetable or tree, in their, climates; a new devife
for catching fifh ,, birds, and.quadrupeds, in a more eafy and exper
ditious manner than they have hitherto been, .accuftomed to, mull
doubtlefs, fooner . or later, bring on a revolution.in their condir
tion ; new manners, ne.w c.uftoms, ,a change o f diet, o f ■ drefa,
weapons and-utenfils, mull gradually produce, a total change .„of
their way of thinking and afting, introduce an alteration in their
temper, facilitate the better regulation and fecurity. of their., focier
ties.