MORAL AND INTELLECTUAL QUALITIES. 415 



their appearance, strangers to all the conveniences and plea- 

 sures of advanced social life, and deeming themselves happy 

 in escaping the immediate perils of famine ; the former, at 

 least in this quarter of the world, either never have been in 

 so low a condition, or, by means of their higher endowments, 

 have so quickly raised themselves from it, that we have no 

 record of their existence as mere hunting or fishing tribes. 

 In the oldest documents and traditions, which deserve any 

 confidence, these nobler people are seen at least in the pas- 

 toral state, and in the exercise of agriculture, the practice of 

 which is so ancient, that the remotest and darkest accounts 

 have not preserved tlie name of the discoverer, or the date of 

 its introduction. No European people, therefore, has been 

 In a condition comparable to that of the present dark-co- 

 loured races within the reach of any history or tradition. 



The invention of arts and sciences in the East, and their 

 surprising progress in Europe, are due to the white men. 

 The comparatively rational system of Heathenism, contained 

 in the Grecian mythology, with its elegant fables and alle- 

 gories ; and the three religions, which exhibit the only 

 worthy views of the Divinity, that is, Judaism, Christianity, 

 and Mahometanism, all derive their birth from the same 

 quarter. 



The Caucasian variety claims also the Persian Zoroas- 

 ter ; and, if I mistake not, the founders of the religion of 

 Bramah, who in the peninsula of India bad signalized them- 

 selves by great advances in art and science in the very re- 

 motest antiquity. 



In the white races we meet, in full perfection, with true 

 bravery, love of liberty, and other passions and virtues of 

 great souls ; here only do these noble feelings exist in full 

 intensity, while they- are, at the same time, directed by su- 

 perior knowledge and reflection to the accomplishment of 

 the grandest purposes. They alone have been as generous 

 and mild towards the weak and the vanquished, as terrible 

 to their enemies ; and have treated females with kindness, 

 attention, and deference. Here alone arc compassion and 

 benevolence fully developed ; the feeling for the pains and 



