84 HISTORY OF THE [BOOK. i. 



dreadfully prevalent, as it anciently was amongst 

 most of the nations of the earth. 



Having thus mentioned the natives of the South- 

 sea islands, I cannot but advert to the wonderful 

 similarity observable in many respects, between our 

 ill-fated West-Indians and that placid people. The 

 same frank and affectionate temper, the same cheer- 

 ful simplicity, gentleness and candour; a behaviour 

 devoid of meanness and treachery, of cruelty and re- 

 venge, are apparent in the character of both; and 

 although placed at so great a distance from each other, 

 and divided by the intervention of the American con- 

 tinent, we may trace a resemblance even in many of 

 their customs and institutions; their national son^s 



* o 



and dances, their domestic economy, their system of 

 government, and their funeral ceremonies. I pretend 

 not, however, to affirm, that this resemblance is so 

 exact, as to create the presumption of a common ori- 

 gin. The affinity perceivable in the dispositions and 

 virtues of these widely separated tribes, arose proba- 

 bly from a similarity in their circumstances and situa- 

 tion, operating on the general principles of human 

 nature. Placed alike in a happy medium between 

 savage life, properly so called, and the refinements of 

 polished society, they are found equally exempt from 

 the sordid corporeal distresses and sanguinary passions 

 of the former state, and from the artificial necessities, 

 the restraints and solicitudes of the latter. To a spe- 

 culative mind, such a situation may appear, for a mo- 

 ment, even superior to our own; " but if we admit" 

 (says the elegant historian of the amiable Otaheiteans) 



