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CHARACTER OF THE 



decline of life. Trifling provocations will often 

 throw them into a rage ; but they are easily 

 appeased when in anger, and they never har- 

 bour a revengeful purpose against those, by 

 whom they conceive that they have been injur- 

 ed. They are not brave; but when they ap- 

 prehend little danger, they will often, as they 

 say, play the man. They are very deceitful, 

 are exceedingly smooth and polite, and are even 

 gross flatterers to the face of a person, whom 

 they will basely slander, behind his back. They 

 pay little regard to veracity or to honesty* 

 Their word is not to be trusted ; and they 

 are much addicted to pilfering, and will even 

 steal articles of considerable value, when a fa- 

 vourable opportunity offers. A secret they can- 

 not keep. They rarely feel gratitude, though 

 they are often generous. They are obedient, 

 but not faithful servants. By flattering their 

 vanity, of which they have n ot a little, they 

 may be persuaded to undertake the most diffi- 

 cult enterprises, provided their lives are not 

 endangered. Although they are generally una- 

 ble to read, yet they acquire considerable knowl- 

 edge of human nature, and some general infor- 

 mation, in regard to the state of this country* 

 As they leave Canada while they are young, 

 they have but little knowledge of the principles 



