Chap. III.] MORAL SENSE. 91 



in cruelty to animals, 26 and humanity with them is an un- 

 known virtue. Nevertheless, feelings of sympathy and 

 kindness are common, especially 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 inte- 

 rior to him is well known. Many instances could be 

 given of the noble fidelity of savages toward 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 funda- 

 mental 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 root- 

 ed in the mind that it is sometimes practised by savages, 

 even at a high cost, toward strangers ; but to lie to your 

 enemy has rarely been thought a sin, as the history of 

 modern diplomacy too plainly shows. As soon as a tribe 

 has a recognized 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 civilized 

 countries a good, yet timid man may be far more useful 

 to the community than a brave one, we cannot help in- 

 stinctively honoring 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 



96 See, for instance, Mr. Hamilton's account of the Kaffirs, ' Anthropo 

 logical Review,' 1870, p. xv. 



