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269 
parents; but arrived at the age of puberty* 
and able to provide for themselves,, they no 
longer have any respect for them, and they 
will follow their own will and pleasure in spite 
of all their remonstrances,, unless, indeed, their 
parents be of an advanced age* Old age 
never fails to command their most profound 
veneration. 
No people are possessed of a greater share 
of natural politeness than the Indians: they 
will never interrupt you whilst you are speak¬ 
ing nor, if you have told them any thing 
which they think to be false, will they •bluntly 
contradict you. “ We dare say,'brother,” they 
will answer, “ that you yourself believe what 
“ you tell us to be true; but it appears to us 
so improbable that we cannot give our assent 
“ to it.” 
In their conduct towards one another nought 
but gentleness and harmony is observable. 
You are never w itness amongst them, to such 
noisy broils and clamorous contentions as are 
common amongst the lower classes of people 
in Europe ; nor do you perceive amongst them 
any traces of the coarse vulgar manners of 
these latter people; they behave on all occa¬ 
sions like gentlemen, and could not so many 
glaring proofs be adduced to the contrary, you 
never could imagine that they were that fe¬ 
rocious savage people in war which they are 
