INTRODUCTORY DISCOURSE. 25 



unrivalled for salubrity ; others exist in different places, which have bene- 

 ficial effects upon health. There are .sulphur springs in Otsego, Cayuga, 

 and Ontario counties ; and it remains yet to be determined whether great 

 quantities of sulphur may not be obtained from them. There is a 

 bituminous spring in Alleghany county, whence the famous Seneka oil 

 is obtained. In Purchas' Pilgrims, it is stated, that " near unto Buchan 

 in Persia is a very strange and wonderful fountain under ground, out of 

 which there springeth and issueth a marvellous quantity of black oil, 

 which serveth all parts of Persia to burn in their houses."* It is also 

 used in that country for lighting streets, and in its purest forms is called 

 Xaptha. At Aniiano, in Italy, JLhe petroleum of a- spring, discovered 

 within a few years, is also employed to light their cities. It might be of 

 considerable consequence to discover whether the petroleum of our 

 springs might not be used for like beneficial purposes.(lO) 



'* Homo naturae minister et interpres." Man is the minister and 

 interpreter of nature, said a great philosopher ;f and he ought unques- 

 tionably to commence the study of the important science of nature by 

 becoming acquainted with his own species in every form of existence, 

 and in every stage of society from the erratic savage of the forest to the 

 polished inhabitant of the city. In this country we behold man in every 

 shape and modification, of insulated and social being. When we peruse 

 Herodotus' description of the scythians ; Thueydides' of the ancient 

 grecians ; Caesar's of the gauls and britons ; and Tacitus' of the germans, 

 we perceive the prototypes of our indians : but we have it in our power 

 to, view man in a savage state with our own eyes, without relying upon the 

 reports of others; and it is to be regretted that so much time has trans- 

 pired without more attention being bestowed on this interesting subject. 

 Dr. Robertson says, " almost two centuries elapsed after the discoTr; 

 America before the manners of its inhabitants attracted, in any consider- 

 able degree, the attention of philosophers." This neglect can, perhaps, 

 never be fully retrieved. An intercourse with civilized man has changed 

 our indians in almost every respect ; but there is still a sufficient remnant 

 of their manners, languages, and traditions left to interest inquiry and 

 invite investigation : in some very rc:note quarters they may still bt found 

 ia the unsophisticated forms of original barbarism ; unaltered by extrinsic 

 intercourse. Many of their languages may still be redeemed from obli- 

 vion, their persons may be delineated, and their manners and traditions 

 may be described ; anJ the knowledge which may be obtained! added 

 to what has already been collected, may furnish invaluable illustrations 

 of the hmiun species-(ll) The number of languages in Mexico fc thirty- 

 five", of wh;ch fourteen have grammars and dictionaries. The Bible has 

 been translated by Elliot, the indian apostle, into thcalgonquin language :t 

 two thousand copies of the Mohawk version of St. John's gospel hav 



'* Purchas' Pilgrims, vol. 2. p. 1431. f Clavigero's Mexico, vo! ". 



* Barcflt's IVpvnm Oreanmrv 



D 



