One, 
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336 On National Character. 
was only adapted to one climate; if another 
situation changed his character and lessened 
his consequence. 
Should a different plan be adopted, and 
in place of examining each assigned cause 
of national character the whole were taken 
collectively, still we should be as much 
embarrassed as in ascribing to family eha- 
racter its precise origin; for, nations conti- 
guous to each other, the genius of whose laws 
and whose religion are the same, are not 
similar in the leading features of their charac- 
ter: witness, the French and the Spaniards, 
the Malays, and other nations of India, the 
original inhabitants of St. Domingo, and of 
St. Vincent. As we therefore are not able 
to form a correct estimate of the character of 
a people by a knowledge of their laws, their 
religion, or their climate, let us appeal to 
history. 
History is the record of the actions of men; 
the motives which led to these actions, and 
the mode of their performance constitute their 
character; if we were to select a nation, say 
our own, as an example, and after carefully 
scratinising the conduct of the preceding 
generation, were to state the character of 
that generation; it is highly probable that 
the opinion so formed would be correct. If 
