356 PSYCHOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION. [PART II. 



It results from the preceding observations, that agriculture 

 contains many of the essential germs of civilization, though they 

 are rarely fully developed. We may at the same time remark, 

 that peoples which have never been under the necessity of 

 abandoning a nomadic life, who possess no beasts of burden, 

 should not be. reproached with an incapacity for civilization, as 

 the assumption of an innate impulse for culture and labour, 

 without being driven to it by necessity, is a mere fiction. If such 

 peoples should become civilized by their own native force, we 

 should consider them as more highly gifted than the Europeans. 



It is true that we do not everywhere, even when agriculture 

 constitutes the chief means of subsistence, observe such rapid 

 progressive development as we might be led to expect. A va- 

 riety of causes may prevent such progress. If nature is too 

 generous, and very little labour is required for raising the 

 necessaries of life, physical indolence must be the result. This 

 disadvantage, under which many Negro countries labour, only 

 disappears if the superfluities of the native soil find an outlet 

 by trade, and the people require articles of necessity or luxury 

 peculiar to foreign countries. It has already been observed, 

 that agriculture loses the greater part of its beneficial influence 

 if exclusively carried on by slaves. Agriculture produces in 

 time an inequality in the possession of goods. Individuals 

 grow in wealth, whilst others who do not reap the fruit of their 

 labour become dependent. The consequence is, that there 

 is no love of labour, for ' ' people who live by the work of their 

 hands are only industrious when they enjoy the fruit of their 

 handiwork, or have been trained to constant activity." 1 The 

 spirit of oppression and of self-interest which prevails in 

 society undermines or destroys all moral feelings, as may be 

 seen in many peoples of Africa and the South Sea. 



We are thus introduced to another essential agent of civiliz- 

 ation, namely, the development of public law and government. 

 Their influence is very great, but it is difficult to arrive at 

 its true value. By some it is considered as all powerful. 



1 Wrangell, " Statist, in Etlinog. naclir. iiber d. russ. Besit/. in Am." p. 

 2] 7, 1839. 



