On National Character. $29 
sufficient data to form an estimate of their 
characters from; thus national prejudices are 
engendered and kept in existance. 
A fair appeal to history might cause our 
pity, but not our contempt of any 
people; but by forming an opinion of the 
character of other nations by their customs, 
we feed our vanity till it usurps the place of 
the understanding, and that which has but 
little relation to character is made the basis of 
it. For, most national customs have their 
origin in utility, not in disposition, or in pre- 
conceived opinions. A Russian drinks rancid 
oil, and we infer that he is one of the most 
brutish and uncivilized of all the human 
race; we are disgusted at his conduct; but 
the climate of Russia requires the inhabitants 
to use strong and nutritious diet; and no 
article is so much so as oil. Our own pea- 
santry would use oil, were they to reside in 
Russia, on account of its utility. The Hot- 
tentots anoint themselves with grease and oil; 
the utility of the custom is apparent, from the 
defence it gives from insects. The imhabi- 
tants of the South Sea Islands lacerate their 
"persons; an ancient Britain daubed himself 
with paint; each had a reference to the same 
object, utility. To terrify an enemy, or to 
conciliate a friend, have ever been the leading 
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