NATURAL HISTORY OF CREATION. 221 



remains of works of art far superior to any which the 

 present unenlightened inhabitants coukl have produced. 

 It is to be ]-eadily admitted that such decadences are 

 common ; but do they necessarily prove that there has 

 been anything like a regular and constant decline into 

 the present state, from a state more generally i-elined % 

 May not these be only instances of local failures and sup- 

 pressions of the ]?rinciple of civilisation, where it had 

 bL'gun to take root amongst a people generally barbarous'? 

 This, at least, were as legitimate an inference from the 

 facts which are known. But it is also alleged that we 

 know of no such thing as civilisation being ever self- 

 originated. It is always seen to be imparted from one 

 people to another. Hence, of course, we must infer tliat 

 civilisation at the first could only have been of super- 

 natural origin. This argument appears to be founded on 

 false premises, for civilisation does sometimes rise in a 

 manner clearly independent amongst a horde of people 

 generally barbarous. A striking instance is described in 

 the laborious work of Mr. Catlin on the North American 

 tribes. Far placed among those which inhabit the vast 

 region of the north-west, and quite beyond the reach of 

 any influence from the whites, he found a small tribe 

 living in a fortified village, where they cultivated the 

 arts of manufacture, realised comforts and luxuries, and 

 had attained to a remarkable refinement of manners, 

 insomuch as to be generally called the polite and friendly 

 Mandans. They were also moi'e than usually elegant in 

 their persons, and of every variety of complexion between 

 that of their compatriots and a pure white. Up to the 

 time of Mr. Catlin's visit, these people had been able to 

 defend themselves and their possessions against the 

 roving bands which surrounded them on all sides ; but, 

 soon after, they w^ere attacked by small-2)ox, which cut 



