( 3' ) 



have fcarce fo much as the notion of fuperflui- 

 ties. 



After all this, toleration and impunity is a very 

 great diforder ; as is alfo that want of fubordina- 

 tion in public as well as domeftic life, in which 

 every one does what feems good in his own eyes ; 

 where father, mother, and children often live, like fo 

 many perfons who have met by chance, and linked 

 together by no fort of tye ; where young perfons 

 manage the affairs of the family, without confulting 

 their parents about them any more than if they 

 were mere ftrangers ; where the children are 

 brought up in abfolute independance, and where 

 they are early accuftomed to liften neither to the 

 voice of nature, nor to the moft indifpenfible 

 duties of fociety. 



If in thofe nations who are governed with more 

 wifdom, and who are reftrained by the bridle of a 

 holy religion, We notwithstanding fometimes fee 

 fuch monfters as difhonour humanity, they at leaft 

 excite the horror of others, and expofe themfelves 

 to the lalh of the law ; but what is in this cafe 

 the crime of an individual, becomes the crime of 

 the nation, when it is fuffered to go unpunifhed, 

 as parricide itfelf is amongft the Indians ; and 

 were it ftill more rare than it is, this impunity, 

 however, is fuch a ftain as nothing can efface, and 

 which favours entirely of the barbarian. There 

 are, however, in all this fome exceptions, of which 

 I fhall prefently fpeak ; but, generally fpeaking, 

 the genius and character of our Indians is fuch as 

 I have been defcribing it. 



They are not only perfuaded, that a perfon who 

 is not in poffefTion of his /eafon is not refponfiblc 



for 



