Chap. III. MORAL SENSE. 95 



during sickness, between the members of the same tribe, 

 and are sometimes extended beyond the limits of the 

 tribe. Mungo Park's touching account of the kindness 

 of the negro women of the interior to him is well known. 

 Many instances could be given of the noble fidelity of 

 savages towards each other, but not to strangers; 

 common experience justifies the maxim of the Spaniard, 

 "Never, never trust an Indian." There cannot be 

 fidelity without truth ; and this fundamental virtue is 

 not rare between the members of the same tribe : thus 

 Mungo Park heard the negro women teaching their 

 young children to love the truth. This, again, is one of 

 the virtues which becomes so deeply rooted in the mind 

 that it is sometimes practised by savages even at a high 

 cost, towards strangers ; but to lie to your enemy has 

 rarely been thought a sin, as the history of modern 

 diplomacy too plainly shews. As soon as a tribe has 

 a recognised leader, disobedience becomes a crime, and 

 even abject submission is looked at as a sacred virtue. 



As during rude times no man can be useful or faithful 

 to his tribe without courage, this quality has universally 

 been placed in the highest rank; and although, in 

 civilised countries, a good, yet timid, man may be far 

 more useful to the community than a brave one, we 

 cannot help instinctively honouring the latter above 

 a coward, however benevolent. Prudence, on the other 

 hand, which does not concern the welfare of others, 

 though a very useful virtue, has never been highly 

 esteemed. As no man can practise the virtues necessary 

 for the welfare of his tribe without ^self-sacrifice, self- 

 command, and the power of endurance, these qualities 

 have been at all times highly and most justly valued. 

 The American savage voluntarily submits without 

 a groan to the most horrid tortures to prove and 

 strengthen his fortitude and courage ; and we cannot 



