47 
No. XXVIII. — MORALS . By E. B. TYLOli, Esq., F.R.S. 
The imperfection of our accounts of morals among savage and 
barbarous peoples is in a great measure due to travellers suppo¬ 
sing the particular system of morals in which they themselves 
were educated to be the absolute systemj thus they have merely 
approved or condemned what corresponded with or opposed 
their own notions, but have scarcely ever appreciated the fact 
that every tribe has its own system of morality, based on its 
own principles of right and wrong. It is necessary to place 
ourselves at the point of view of the particular tribe, to under¬ 
stand its moral scheme. The leading ideas to be borne in mind 
are especially the following :—That every tribe makes a distinc¬ 
tion between right and wrong, but hardly two tribes exactly 
agree on what acts are right and what wrong; in fact there is 
hardly any act considered wicked and abominable by some men, 
that is not somewhere or other looked on as harmless or virtu¬ 
ous, e. g. infanticide, treachery, &c. Next, that in all peoples, 
civilized or not, there exists an ideal high standard of morals, 
while public opinion tolerates or approves a lower practical stan¬ 
dard : it is desirable to obtain a definition of both. Also the 
moral standard varies from age to age, as our own has changed 
in the last thousand years; all records of such variations are 
important. Lastly, the moral standard differs, as between 
members of a family, members of a nation, or tribe, or alliance, 
and aliens and enemies; among many nations it may be held 
right and even glorious to cheat, plunder, illuse, or even mur¬ 
der a stranger, or foreigner, or one of another religion, but 
wrong to act thus towards a kinsman, fellow-citizen, or co¬ 
religionist. 
1. What words are used to express right and wrong, virtuous 
and vicious P 2. Do terms such as good and bad also denote this 
distinction when a man is described as good or bad ? what cha¬ 
racters correspond to this description ? 8. Are there well-known 
precepts as to what acts are right or wrong? are these taught 
to children, or inculcated in any ceremonial act by elders or 
priests ? 4. Do popular legends &c. set up heroic ideals of virtue P 
5. What is the practical judgment of public opinion as to what 
conduct is admirable and glorious ? what is required of every 
man on pain of public disapprobation ? and what conduct is held 
wicked, vile, despicable ? 6. What distinction is drawn between 
