oy Tue WESTERN COUNTRY, 228. 
derived ; and I cannot help thinking that a full inveftiga- 
tion of the different languages of the nations will be the 
moft probable means for forming reafonabie conjectures: 
from whence this:continent was peopled. A knowledge 
of their cuftoms. and’ manners might alfo give us fome 
light. Thofe, however, who argue that the Indians are. 
defcended from the ten tribes of Ifrael, from a:fimilarity 
ef fome cuftoms, do not contider that the children of [f- 
rael were but little removed from a ftate of. nature; that: 
mature is uniform, and that all‘things being equal ever 
operate the fame. It is true that many cuftoms of the In= 
dians are the fame as thofe of the children of Hrael: but 
they were fuch as nature herfelf pointed out. 
As to the Gentus. of the Indians, I: believe:they. are 
as capable as.any other nation in learning. any art, either 
mechanical or liberal. Indeed, I never could find that they 
pofleffed any original ideas different from our own, or had 
any bias of mind, propenfity to particular vices, or pre-. 
dominancy of any paflion, which could not be traced to 
their origin in the human mind, and be found to arife. 
from the different ftages, between the abfolute ftate of 
nature and the higheft degree of civilization. In fat, we- - 
find them poffefled of every paflion, propenfity, and feel-. 
ing, of man. 
With regard to the ARTs of the ancient inhabitants, there » 
is very little ground for-us to form conjectures. I with 
meafures had been early taken to collect and preferve the 
different: articles which have been- found in different: pla~ 
ces, and that_all other artificial, as well as natural, curiofi- 
ties, together with accurate defcriptions of all the veftiges 
of antiquity, could have been collected and preferved. Per- 
haps, from the whole, fome future inquiries might have led . 
us to an inveltigation of the hiftory of this country. 
I might 
