Chap. VII. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 125 



In the Jir/l place, I will fliow, that there could be no Scnfc of Ho- 

 nour without a Senfe of what is Fair, and Handfome, and Becoming, 

 in Charadler and Sentiments. A Senfe of Honour is found fo uni- 

 verfal among all Men, barbarous or civilized, that it may be reckon- 

 ed infeparable from Human Nature. Among civilized nations, it is 

 the great Principle of A6tion ; for what we call Fafliion, which go- 

 verns our lives, owes its influence intirely to the Senfe of Honour ; 

 for what is Falhionable is pratftifed only becaufe it is Honourable. 

 And, among the barbarous nations, it is as prevalent ; nor have we 

 hitherto difcovered any nation, in which there does not appear to be a 

 Senfe of Honour, in one thing or another. 1 he favages of Guiana, in 

 South America, have fuch a Senfe of Honour, that they will languilli 

 and die, if they are affronted by adlions, words, or even looks, as I 

 have been aflTured by a gentleman who was five years among them. 

 TheEfquimeaux girl, that was at London fome years ago, could not 

 bear to be exhibited as a fhow : And, whenever fhe fufpedted that 

 a company was got together to look at her, fhe was highly affront- 

 ed. Even the Orang Outang, whom many will not allow to be of 

 our fpecies, is of the fame difpofition, as is atteded by the Briftol 

 merchant, whofe letter I have printed in the Origin and Progrefs of 

 Language* ; and was attefted alfo by another very credible narrative, 

 that I heard, of one of them, who ferved as a failor on board a Ja- 

 maica fhip that traded to the flave coafl:, melled with the lailors, did 

 the duty of a common failor, and alfo ferved the Captain as a cab- 

 bin-boy ; but one day having broken a (>hina bowl, the Captain 

 beat him, which the animal laid fo much to heart, that he abftain- 

 ed from food, and died. — In fhort, the Senfe of Honour I hold to 

 be fo elTential to Human Nature, that, if a man never had it, I 

 (hould not believe that he belonged to the fpecies : And, if he once 

 had it, but loft it intirely, I fliould confider him as the moft abje(ft 

 and degenerate creature of the human race. 



Now, 

 * Vol- I p. 281. fecond edit. 



