the law of nature to cultivate the ground that has fallen to its share.
Those people, like the ancient Germans and modern Tartars, who, having
fertile countries, disdain to cultivate the earth, and choose to live by
rapine, are wanting to themselves, and deserve to be exterminated as
savage and pernicious beasts."[20]

Now it is notorious that the savages knew nothing of agriculture when
first discovered by the Europeans, but lived a most vagabond, disorderly,
unrighteous life, rambling from place to place, and prodigally rioting
upon the spontaneous luxuries of nature, without tasking her generosity to
yield them anything more; whereas it has been most unquestionably shown
that Heaven intended the earth should be ploughed, and sown, and manured,
and laid out into cities, and towns, and farms, and country seats, and
pleasure grounds, and public gardens, all which the Indians knew nothing
about--therefore, they did not improve the talents Providence had
bestowed on them--therefore they were careless stewards--therefore, they
had no right to the soil--therefore, they deserved to be exterminated.

It is true the savages might plead that they drew all the benefits from
the land which their simple wants required--they found plenty of game to
hunt, which, together with the roots and uncultivated fruits of the earth,
furnished a sufficient variety for their frugal repasts; and that as
Heaven merely designed the earth to form the abode and satisfy the wants
of man, so long as those purposes were answered the will of Heaven was
accomplished. But this only proves how undeserving they were of the
blessings around them--they were so much the more savages for not having
more wants; for knowledge is in some degree an increase of desires, and it
is this superiority both in the number and magnitude of his desires that
distinguishes the man from the beast. Therefore the Indians, in not having
more wants, were very unreasonable animals; and it was but just that they
should make way for the Europeans, who had a thousand wants to their one,
and, therefore, would turn the earth to more account, and by cultivating
it more truly fulfil the will of Heaven. Besides--Grotius and Lauterbach,
and Puffendorf, and Titius, and many wise men beside, who have considered
the matter properly, have determined that the property of a country cannot
be acquired by hunting, cutting wood, or drawing water in it--nothing but
precise demarcation of limits, and th