TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 139 



finite meaning at all, imply the lowest moral as well as the lowest intellectual 

 condition." To every proposition in this remarkable sentence I entirely demur. 

 There is, I think, a very intimate connexion between knowledge and civilization. 

 Knowledge and barbarism cannot coexist, knowledge and civilization are in- 

 separable. 



Again, the words " utter barbarism " have certainly a very definite signification, 

 but as certainly, I think, not that which the Duke attributes to them. The 

 lowest moral aud the lowest intellectual condition are not only, in my opinion, not 

 inseparable, they are not even compatible. Morality implies responsibility, and 

 consequently intelligence ; the lower animals are neither moral nor immoral ; the 

 lower races of men may be, and are, vicious ; but allowances must be made for 

 them ; on the contrary {corruptio optimi pessima est), the higher the mental power, 

 the more splendid the intellectual endowment, the deeper is the moral degradation 

 of him who wastes the one and abuses the other. 



Travellers who have lived much among savages differ greatly from the Duke in 

 his estimate of their moral condition. Thus, Mr. Wallace, our latest and one of 

 our best travellers, says*, " I have lived with communities of savages in South 

 America and in the East, who have no laws or law courts but the public opinion 

 of the villagers freely expressed. Each man scrupulously respects the rights of 

 his fellow, and anj^ infraction of those rights rarely or never takes place. In such 

 a community all are nearly equal ; there are none of those wide distinctions of 

 education and ignorance, wealth and poverty, master and servant, which are the 

 product of our civilization ; there is none of those widespread division of labour 

 which, while it increases wealth, produces also conflicting interests ; there is not 

 that severe competition aud struggle for existence or for wealth which the dense 

 population of civilized countries inevitably creates. All incitements to great 

 crimes are thus wanting, and petty ones are thus repressed, partly by the influence 

 of public opinion, but chiefly b}" that natural sense of justice and of his neigh- 

 bour's right, which seems to be in some degree inherent in every race of man. 

 Now, although we have progressed vastly beyond the savage state in intellectual 

 achievements, we have not advanced equally in morals." 



As regards the Bushmen, Le Vaillant saj's : — " For myself, who, far from fearing 

 the Houzouanas, had felt pleasure from their society, and entertained an affection 

 for them, I once more confess that I did not part from them without regret ; that 

 I found them an active, laborious, and intelligent race of men, ever ready to oblige 

 in spite of obstacles, and superior to other savages both in courage and ability . . 



They inspired me," he adds, " with more love and 



esteem than any other tribe in Africa; with whom I woidd have undertaken, 

 without fear, to traverse the whole of that quarter of the globe had my good 

 fortune permitted me to know them sooner ; and if ever circumstances allow me to 

 resume the project, which it has been so painful to me to relinquish, they are the 

 only ones that shall be my companions in the enterprise, and to them alone will I 

 direct my steps without delay." 



Speaking of the South Australians, Major Mitchell says: — "My experience 

 enables me to speak in the most favourable terms of the Aborigines" t- 



The Flatheads of Oregon are described by those who have the best oppor- 

 tunities of knowing them, collectively as well as individuallj^ as moral and honest 

 in all their dealings ; brave in the field, amenable to their chiefs, fond of cleanli- 

 ness, and decided enemieo of theft and falsehood of every description. They are 

 also free from backbiting and laziness, which are so common among other tribesf. 



Lafitau §, also, speaking of the American savages, observes that, "ces peuples, 

 sans avoir de loix ecrites, ne laissent pas d'avoir une justice rigoureuse dans le 

 fonde, et de se tenir en respect les ims les autres, par la crainte qui oblige les par- 

 ticuliers a veiller sur leur propre conduite, pour ne pas troubles I'ordre et la tran- 

 quillite publique ; ce qui estle but de tout bon gouvernement." 



It may be said that these are exceptional cases, still they are enough for my 

 purpose, and on the whole, the fair inference seems to be that savages are more 



* Malay Archipelago, vol. ii. p. 460. 



t Stephens's ' South Australia,' p. 73. See also p. 80. J Dunn's ' Oregon,' p. 311. 



§ Mceura des Sauvages Americains, vol. i. p. 501. 



