f enjoyment, which evinces the general care
and universal affection of Providence? The consequence of such neglect
or mistake, would be an injudicious and hasty effort to induce what we
call civilization, on the too much commiserated objects of our
philanthropy. Without disputing for a moment, that the intercourse with
Europeans has proved beneficial to these people, though, as every
intelligent reader knows well, a thousand arguments would be thrown away
on an attempt to shew there was no occasion to do so, we may fairly
enough affirm, that such zealous exertions as are here virtually
recommended, are liable to the charge of being premature, and not
altogether according to knowledge. We are too apt to imagine that
barbarous people are easily made to believe their institutions and
manners are erroneous, or impolitic; and that they will accordingly
readily listen to the suggestions of those who, they acknowledge, are in
many respects superior to themselves. But, in fact, the very reverse is
the case, and it will ever be found that the simplest states of society
are least sensible of inconveniences, and therefore most averse to
innovation. Besides, it ought to be remembered, that, independent of any
adventitious assistance, there is implanted in every such society, how
contemptible soever it may seem to others, a certain principle of
amelioration, which never fails, in due time, to yield its fruit, and
which, there is some reason to apprehend, may receive detriment from
obtrusive solicitude to hasten its product. Every boy has within him the
seeds of manhood, which, at the period appointed by nature, germinate,
blossom, and fructify; but anxiety to accelerate the process too often
ruins the soil on which they grow, and mars the hopes of the cultivator,
by unseasonable maturity and rapid decay. So is it with societies. The
progress of human affairs on the large scale, is precisely similar to
what we daily witness on the small. It has been described, with equal
beauty and correctness, by the judicious Ferguson, in his Essays on the
History of Civil Society. "What was in one generation," says he, "a
propensity to herd with the species, becomes, in the ages which follow,
a principle of natural union. What was originally an alliance for common
defence, becomes a concerted plan of political force; the care of
subsistence becomes an anxiety for accumulating wealth, and the
foundation of commercial arts."--Who can say that the offi