Chap. VIII. ANT I EN T METAPHYSICS. 207 



kind, rather than fuch as are taken from antient books, to which, 

 I obferve, that Men, who are not fcholars, give very little credit. 

 There are alfo many among us, who are not difpofed to believe th:; 

 mod credible travellers, if they atteft fads very different from what 

 has fallen under their own obfervation, and contrary to the notions 

 they have formed of human nature. Laying afule, therefore, both 

 antient authors and modern travellers, i will appeal to nations whofe 

 cuftoms and manners we are well acquainted with, having been 

 long connected with them in war, in peace, and in commerce. Such 

 are the Savages^ as we call them, of North America, concerning 

 whom I have been at a great deal of pains to inform myfelf : For, 

 not being fo happy as to be perfectly fatisfied with men fuch as f 

 fee them in Britain and in other parts of Europe, 1 have been na- 

 turally led to inquire whether men have been in all ages and nations 

 of the world fuch as we fee them now, and whether there are not 

 yet to be found men very different from us, in Mind as well as in 

 Body. Now, I think, thofe Savages of North America are very dif- 

 ferent from us, particularly in Mind, of v/hich I am now fpeaking. 

 And I will here give a charad;er of them, which I have had from 

 feveral perfons who have been years among them, and particularly 

 from Monfieur Roubaud, whom I have mentioned in the Firft Vo- 

 lume of the Origin and Progrefs of Language *^ who was mifTionary 

 among a tribe of them for feven years, and, befides, was acquainted 

 with an old milTionary, who had refided no lefs than forty-fix years 

 at a place where there is a general rendezvous once a year, on account 

 of commeice. It was no wonder, therefore, that Monfieur Roubaud, 

 being fo well informed, and having liv^ed fo long among them him- 

 felf, fhould know their cuftoms and manners better than any man 

 that ever I converfed with. But, further, he underftood perfectly 

 their language, which it was neceflary he fliould do, in order to dif- 



charge 



* Page SjS- <^f the Second Edition, where I have given his remarks upon the 

 language of the Albinaquois, a nation of North America, which fliow him to be 

 a Man of fclence and accurate obfervation. 



