NATURAL HISTORY OF MAX, 529 



that it lias used its superiority to annihilate its sister races, and reign 

 on their tombs. 



III. Respect for Self. — I have shown you that the evils of which we 

 accuse the savages exist with us. Permit me to show you among 

 tliem the good of which civilized people pretend to have the monop- 

 oly. The sentiments of honor and of modesty are certainly two of 

 the most noble and most delicate of the respect due to one's self. We 

 find these two sentiments developed sometimes in a high degree in the 

 most savage peoples. 



It is evident that the idea of modesty must vary from one region 

 to another ; it cannot be the same among people forced by the climate 

 to go naked, and among those who are compelled, by the rigors of 

 climate, to wear clothes. "We ought, in this respect, to look for marked 

 differences, and to take account of these exigencies; besides, from the 

 nature of the subject, I cannot enter into details, and I will only say 

 that more than one traveler has expressed his astonishment to find 

 more of true modesty among naked savages than among civilized 

 and well-clothed people. 



Honor is, perhaps, the sentiment which is most uniformly mani- 

 fested among these people. To obey the sense of honor, they hesitate 

 not to provoke torments, to brave, and even to solicit, death. A young 

 Kaffre chief is condemned to death ; he may be pardoned on the con- 

 dition of losing his ostrich-feather, which for him represents epaulets ; 

 he demands, as a favor, to be thrown to the crocodiles rather than 

 be dishonored. The red-skin made a prisoner, attached to the post of 

 torture, defies his enemies to extract from him the least sign of suf- 

 fering. 



Tliat wliich we call chivalric generosity exists among the most 

 savage peoples. Two Irishmen quarreled one day with some Austra- 

 lians ; they were without arms. Instead of profiting by this advan- 

 tage, the savages gave them arms, that they might defend themselves. 



In our war at Tahiti, Admiral Bruet, commander of the French 

 forces, took a bath one day in a river of the interior of the isle, while 

 a well-armed chief belonging to the enemy was concealed near by. 

 When peace was gained, this chief came to see the admiral, and easily 

 showed him that for nearly two hours his life had been in his power. 

 " Why did you not draw ?" said the admiral. "I should have been 

 dishonored in the eyes of my people," replied the native, " if I had 

 killed by surprise a chief such as thou." 



See how the people called savages often conduct themselves. 

 Would we do better ? 



You see, gentlemen, and you may fearlessly say, to the honor of 

 our species, that morality, in its more serious as well as in its more 

 delicate aspects, is found among all men ; and, decisively, man is a 

 moral being. 



II. Religion. — I come now to another order of considerations, that 

 VOL. v. — 34 



