lxxvi 
INTRODUCTION, 
failed in vain. Other difcoveries of new countries have, 
in effect, been wars, or rather maffacres; nations have been 
no fooner found out, than they have been extirpated; and 
the horrid cruelties of the conquerors of Mexico and Peru 
can never be remembered, without blufhing for religion 
and human nature. But when the recedes of the globe 
are invedigated, not to enlarge private dominion, but to pro¬ 
mote general knowledge; when we vifit new tribes of our 
fellow-creatures as friends; and wifh only to learn that they 
exid, in order to bring them within the pale of the offices 
of humanity, and to relieve the wants of their imperfect 
date of fociety, by communicating to them our fuperior 
attainments; voyages of difcovery planned with fuch bene¬ 
volent views by George the Third, and executed by Cook, 
have not, we trull, totally failed in this refpedt. Our repeated 
vilits, and long-continued intercourfe with the natives of 
the Friendly, Society, and Sandwich Illands, cannot but have 
darted fome rays of light on the infant minds of thofe poor 
people. The uncommon obje£ts they have thus had oppor¬ 
tunities of obferving and admiring, will naturally tend to 
enlarge their Hock of ideas, and to furnilh new materials 
for the exercife of their reafon. Comparing themfelves 
with their viliters, they cannot but be ftruck with the deeped 
convi£lion of their own inferiority, and be impelled, by 
the Itrongelt motives, to drive to emerge from it, and to 
rife nearer to a level with thofe children of the Sun who 
deigned to look upon them, and left behind fo many fpeci- 
mens of their generous and humane attention. The very 
introdu6lion of our ufeful animals and vegetables, by add¬ 
ing frelh means of fublidence, will have added to their com¬ 
forts of life, and immediate enjoyments; and if this be the 
only benefit they are ever to receive, who will pronounce 
that 
