376 J A M A-'i -'C'A:^^ 



might ralfe them to a nearer apparent equality with the human, 

 and make them even excel the inhabitants of ^mqua, Angolay and 

 JVhidah. Mr. Hume prefumes, from his obfervations upon the 

 native Africans, to conclude, that they are inferior to the reft of the 

 fpecies, and utterly incapable of all the higher attainments of the . 

 human mind. Mr. Beattie, upon the principle of philanthropy, 

 combats this opinion; but he is unfortunate in producing no de- 

 inonftration to prove, that it is either lightly taken up, or incon- 

 fiftent with experience. He likewife makes no fcruple to confound 

 the Negroes and Mexican Indians together, and to deduce con- 

 clufions from the ingenuity of the latter, to (hew the probable 

 ingenuity of the former. We might reafonably fuppofe, that the- 

 commerce maintained with the Europeans for above two centuries, 

 and the great variety of fabrics and things manufadured, which 

 have been introduced among the Guiney Negroes for fuch a length 

 of time, might have wrought fome effedl towards polifliing their 

 manners, and exciting in them at leaft a degree of imitative in- 

 duftry; but it is really allonifhing to find, that thefe caufes have 

 not operated to their civilization; they are at this day, if any credit 

 can be given to the moft modern accounts, but little diverted of 

 their primitive brutality; we cannot pronounce them infufceptible 

 of civilization, fince even [^J apes have been taught to eat, drink, 

 repofe, and drefs, like men ; bnt of all the human fpecies hitherto 

 difcovered, their natural bafenefs of mind feems to afford leaft hope 



\k'\ The docility of many among the brute creation, is a fubjed which the pride of man is 

 not very fond of examining with a too critical iiivelligation ; but none is more curious; the 

 enqifny is humiliating to thofe who would fondly confider man as poflefiing fomething of an 

 angelic nature ; they think it degrades them to allow brutes a reafoning faculty; yet there are 

 not wanting proofs of fomcwhat very like it, efpecially in thofe animals with whom we are nioft 

 converfant, and therefore have more frequent opportunities ot fludying. l^opc, more free in his 

 opinion, calk the elephant " halt-reafoning;" the relations that are given of the fenfibility of 

 this animal appear to many perfons ahnoll incredible. 



Mr. Toreeu affirms, that, when he was at Surat in 175 1, he had an opportunity of remarking 

 one, whofe mafler hail let it out to hire for a certain fum/fr day. Its emploj'raent was, to carry 

 timber for building, out of the river; which bufinefs it difpatched very dextroufly under the 

 command of a boy, and afterwards laid one piece upon another in fuch good order, that no man 

 could have done it better. 



The docility of monkeys and apes is iHU fuperior. One of the latter, trained in France, ^^'as 

 not long fmce exhibited in London. He performed a variety of equilibres on the wire with as 

 much expertiiefs as the moft noted human artifls that have appeared before the public in tliis 

 walk. 



of 



