ject proposed.
You may smile at our images of clay: but here, also,
we can make, for ourselves, a tolerable apology: and our
conduct, when contrasted with that of your religious en-
thusiasts, will not appear so laughable as you seem to
imagine. We do not worship the wood or clay, of which
the statue is composed; but the deity who is supposed,
to sanctify it by his presence. We do not adore the ca-
vern, the rock, the fountain, the cataract, the wind, or
THE SAVAGE. 315
the cloud; but the spirits who have taken up their resi-
dence there. Does not every one who worships an invi-
sible being, form, in his mind, an image of the being he
adores? Why then may we not assist hi«a in his concep-
tions by visible representations? Is it to be expected that
his ideal image will be a more correct likeness than the
production of our statuary, however rude it may appear
to the eye of a connoisseur? May he not as well take
the resemblance of his god from the hands of our inge-
nious artificer as worship the monstrous creation of his
own distempered and agitated mind?
Our attempts to control the operations of nature by
charms and incantations may appear ridiculous to the
philosophic few in civilized nations: but this weakness
cannot appear surprising in us, when it may be safely
asserted that nineteen twentieths of the most enlightened
nation on earth believe in the efficacy of charms as
whimsical and cdildish as ours. We are not more super-
stitious, in this particular, than were the ancients:
Carmim dii supcri placantur, carmine manes,
"By charms," says another poet, "the moon can be
brought down from heaven: by charms Circe changed
the companions of Ulysses into swine: and the cunning
serpent is destroyed by charms. "
Frank. You have, J understand, among you, many
customs and ceremonies, which you religiously observe,
although you are unable to give any rational account of
their origin or signification,
Piomingo. Well: is it not better that unmeaning ce-
remonies, should occupy our time, and that our religion
should consist of a round of external observances, than
that we should be continually gasping for heavenly in-
spirations, waiting for the illapses of the divinity, or
swelling with imaginary afflatus-, until, having deceived
ourselves as well as others, we be driven to madness by
the illusions of a distempered imagination?
Besides, every innoeent custom, how frivolous soever
it may appear, should be carefully observed. Every in-
novation in national manners opens a door for the en-
316 THE SAVAGE.
trance of vice, and shakes the foundations of virtue. Vir-
tue has been often compared to a plant: and, if I may be
allowed to poetize a little, I would consider it for a mo-
ment, as a beautiful but tender exotic transferred from
the mild and benignant climafe of heaven to the bleak
and ungenial region of the earth; where it must be pro-
tected by the sheltering walls of salutary prejudices, or
it will perish.
Every innovation in national manners is dangerous be-
cause it lessens our veneration for the wise institutions of
our fathers; it lessens the respect we should feel for
ourselves as members of a particular community; it de-
stroys nationality; it breaks down the barrier which the
wisdom of our ancestors has raised between us and the
other nations of the earth; it cuts away the dikes which
have defended us for ages from the tempestuous waves
which agitate the world: until, finally, we are over-
whelmed by an ocean of vices.
Frank. It is true, those sages, who have acquired im-
mortality by the establishment of nations, appear to have
thought it necessary to institute national customs and re-
gulations, and to instil local prejudices into the minds of
the people, who were the objects of their care; but their
plans were defective and erroneous, because they were
not calculated for extensive empires, and because they
had a tendency to originate and perpetuate national an-
tipathies and wars.
Piomingo. It is easy to find fault; but it would be dif-
ficult to show how they could have acted more judicious-
ly than they did. They were not so vain as to suppose
themselves capable of regenerating and reforming the
world, but wisely directed their exertions to the promo-
tion of the felicity of their countrymen. If a man endea-
vor to overturn a mountain, his labor will be lost; but
if he exert himself to remove a stone or a piece of tim-
ber out of his way, he will probably be successful.
One of those venerable legislators found himself in a
situation which enabled him to influence the decisions
of an inconsiderable people, whose happiness he was
anxious to secure. To them he issued his commands:
THE SAVAGE. 317
and, in order that they might make a suitable impres-
sion on their minds he called in the assistance of heaven.
The precepts inculcated were delivered as the oracles
of God: and the transgressor not only suffered the pun-
ishment announced by the law, but trembled at incur-
ring the displeasure of the divinity. The virtuous cit-
izen was not only rewarded by the applauses of his
country and distinguished by honorary marks of her
favor; but he also felt happy in the idea of having se-
cured the favor and protection of heaven.
The wise lawgiver saw the necessity of raising an
insurmountable barrier between his political children and
the other nations of the earth. How can he preserve
his favorites from contamination? shall lie build a. wall of
adamant that cannot be scaled? shall he surroundt hem
with mountains, whose impassable summits asscend to
the heavens? shall he call around them the waves of
some restless and tempestuous ocean? or shall he hide
them in the midst of an inhospitable desert? These
things exceed his abilities; but he may, by judicious re-
gulations, render the objects of his care and the neigh-
boring nations reciprocally odious to each oilier.
It may be observed that these ancienjt lawgivers
thought salutary prejudices and an unvarying system of
manners necessary for the prosperity of virtue; but mo-
dern philosophers endeavor to eradicate all prejudices,
whether beneficial in theireffects or otherwise: they are
in quest of truth, but they ought to reflect that truth,
enough to answer their purpose, will never be jound.
Should they even follow Nature to her hiding place and
ravish the master secret from her bosom; would the dis-
covery be productive of happiness to man?
Every one now appears desirous to promote the in-
tercourse of nations. Were all nations equally vicious,
were society every where equally corrupt; were all laws
and constitutions of government, equally well calculated
to promote the felicity of man, were all customs, opi-
nions, and pursuits, equally conducive to the practice of
virtue; then, indeed, a philosopher might be well pleased
318 THE SAVAGE.
to see nations supply each others' wants, reciprocate of-
fices of friendship, and maintain a continual intercourse;
then, he need not be apprehensive of promoting civili-
zation at the expense of virtue and happiness: but, if
the laws, constitutions, customs, prejudices, manners,
pursuits, of one people, be more desirable than those of
another, what will be the consequence of association?
All the advantages which the virtuous nation derived
from its local institutions will gradually lessen, and final-
ly disappear.
Ancient lawgivers studied the nature of man, and
formed his mind to virtue and glory; but the founders of
modern republics think mind altogether unworthy of
their attention: they take no measures to prevent the
existence of vice, but suppose they have fulfilled their
duly, when they inflict punishment on the vicious.
What wouldest thou think of a physician, to whom
some prince had committed the care of the health of
his subjects, who, instead of recommending temperance
and exercise, and using every means in his power to pre-
vent the existence of disease; instead of watching the
approaches of destemper, and administering, in good
time, the necessary remedy; should encourage the objects
of his care in every species of excess, and pay no atten-
tion whatever to the causes or progress of indisposition;
but when the patient should become absolutely incurable
would order his head to be taken off by an attendant? —
Such is the conduct of modern legislators: they never
attempt to form the mind; to give a salutary direction to
its energies; to implant the seeds of honor, patriotism,
friendship, heroism; to awaken in the breast a love of
glory, and stir up the sparks of noble ambition. No: they
permit every species of vice to flourish until it have
taken such deep root in society, that it cannot be extir-
pated. What then? The sapient legislators assemble
and make a law against this destructive vice: and in obe-
dience to this law, the sword of justice is sent forth to
destroy those members of the community who are most
deeply infected with the prevailing distemper: a dis-
temnftr Whir.h. if flip (mvprnmpnf liart rlrtno itc rlnf ir txrrmLrl
THE SAVAGE. 319
never have existed. Another vice becomes universal;
and another law is made against the vicious. Crimes are
multiplied, and laws are multiplied also; until men lose
the idea of right and wrong in that of lawful and unlaw-
ful: and however base, perfidious and unjust their con-
duct may be, they account themselves u good men and
true" if they do not incur the penalty of the law.
It is amusing to hear those, who thrive by the vices
and follies of others, and fatten on the corruptions of so-
ciety, boast of their civilization and adduce the multipli-
city of their laws as a proof of their refinement. Where-
as, in truth, the multiplicity of their laws proves nothing
but the multiplicity of their crimes.
Frank. Is it not true, that savages have but few laws,
and that civilized nations have many? And does not this
arise from multifarious businesses and diversified rela-
tions on the one hand, and from sameness of life and
restricted intercourse on the other?
Piomingo. It is true, that savages have ^ew laws, be-
cause they are governed by a system of manners — because
they are virtuous: and it is also true, that polished nations
have many laws, because their manners are corrupted —
because they are villous. However highly polished a na-
tion might be, however various the relations that might
subsist among the individuals composing the same, if men
were just, there would be no necessity for laws — there
would be no laws. Yet we bear the wisest among you
boasting of your multiplied statutes: as well might the
captive be proud of his chains, or the slave of the whip
suspended over his shoulders! But we are also told that
your laws are just: and of that you are vain: were the
laws unjust, something might, be inferred, from that cir-
cumstance, in your iavor; but as they are just, you must
be unjust. Thou shall not steals was a very just law: but
it proves there were thieves among the Jews.
Frank. Dost thou suppose that the founders of the
American republic should have imitated the conduct of
those sages of antiquity to whom thou hast alluded?
Piomingo. As far as it might have been practicable, they
320 THE SAVAGE.
lions as would have had a tendency to give a national
charactertothe people of the United States. They should
have instituted a grand national system of education, and
breathed the spirit of virtuous republicanism into the ris-
ing generation. They should have instituted schools, gym-
nasia, games, festivals. They should have made it their
primary concern to raise citizens for the only republic
on earth. They should have considered the youth of both
sexes as belonging to the nation, and have taken care that
the offspring of the indigent should not be brutalized by
drudgery, nor that of the opulent ruined by indulgence.
They should have distinguished excellence by honorary
rewards and desirable privileges, and have rendered in-
dolence, avarice, and selfishness, contemptible. Indeed,
any institution, which would have created nationality,
would have been attended with an infinity of advantages.
But nothing of this nature was attempted: they legisla-
ted concerning exports and imports, offices and salaries.
They thought nothing worth their attention but the acqui-
sition and protection of property — the ways and means
of getting rich, and the sweets of luxurious enjoyment.
No plan of education has been formed: no grand national
work has been undertaken; no glorious enterprise has
been achieved; nothing daring and magnanimous has been
attempted, which might give the citizens a high opinion
of their country, of their government, of themselves; no-
thing has been thought of which might divert the attention
of the citizens from their avaricious pursuits; nothing has
be*en imagined which might share the respect which is
now paid solely to riches; no — the image of no new God
has been set up, which might divide, with Mammon, the
adorations of the good peopl® of the United States ! What
will be the fate of a commonwealth governed by such
grovelling sordid stattsmen,suchintriguinglow politicians?
Itwill become a nation of mercantile adventurers, brokers,
shopkeepers, pedlers, usurers, and unprincipled specula-
tors. A mercenary spirit will pervade every part of the
community: it will influence the actions of the governing
and the governed, of the opulent and the indigent, of the
THE SAVAGE. 321
groaning under the weight of oppression, cowardly,
weak, divided, effeminate, base, the nation will become
a prey to the first daring usurper or ambitious invader.
Frank. We wander from the subject, Piomingo. Plato
taught his disciples in the shades of the academy; Epi-
cures inquired after the sovereign good in the delicious
recesses of a garden; Zeno instructed his followers in a
portico; Aristotle was the father of the walkers; and thou
I suppose, meanest to institue a sect of sleeping philoso-
phers, and give lessons, in thy bed, on indolence of body
and tranquility of mind. Thou wilt place the summum
bonum in a torpor of the faculties. Wilt thou rise vo-
luntarily? or shall I exert a little salutary force, and
compel thee to obey my commands? If existence be de-
sirable, why should we cast away the blessing? A man
might as well be dead as continually asleep.
Piomingo. {stretching and yawning) Mere existence is
by no means desirable: therefore, when I see no prospect
of pleasure, I grow weary of life, and resorted to that
species of temporary death which is vulgarly called sleep.
Dead! (yawning) I should like very much to be dead.
Frank. Die then: there is nothing to prevent thee.- I
will, as a friend, endeavor to facilitate thy escape from
this troublesome world: I will furnish thee witb a knife,
a rope, or a poisoned chalice: I will accompany thee to
the brink of a precipice, or to the banks of a stream.
Leap boldly: and terrestrial affairs will disturb thee no
longer.
Piomingo. Thou art very obliging: but, at present 1 feel
no inclination to trouble thee with commands of that ex-
traordinary nature. For dcalhwo. may "devoutly wish;"
but dyings I apprehend, must be rather disagreeable.
However, to convince thee of my respect for thy advice,
I hasten to extricate myself from the embraces of sloth.
Frank. Thou dost well. Sloth is a most pernicious mis-
tress: she smiles, soothes, seduces, and caresses; but,
finally, destroys every one who yields to her blandish-
ments. Though thou wert Samson, thou wilt lose thy
strength if thou laycst thy head in the lap of this Deli-
lah! Though thou wert Ulysses, thou wilt sink to a
322 THE SAVAGE.
state of brutal'ty if thou yield to the solicitations of this
Circe! Though thou wert Hercules, thou wilt become
contemptible if thou become the slave of thisOmphale!
Piomingo. Thou speakest well: but did I not feel an
inclination for breakfast, I fancy I should be able to re-
sist the most potent of thy arguments, and withstand thy
most ardent solicitations.
Frank. I have heard that savages smoke and sleep
away their time, and cannot be roused from their state
of stupefaction, save by the calls of hunger or a desire
of revenge.
Piomingo. Thou hast not been correctly informed.
Friendship, glory, love of country , afford motives suffi-
ciently powerful to call forth their ardor, and produce
the most heroic exertions.
Frank. Wilt thou go to church?
Piomingo. I think not. To what church wouldest thou
lake me?
Frank. Thou art so old that I have small hopes of be-
ing so blessed as to witness thy conversion: were it not
that I am discouraged by this consideration, I should in-
sist upon thy attending some of the calvinistic, reform-
ed, doubly refined, and evangelical churches, where
thou mighest hear the gospel preached in its purity, and
be carefully instructed in the doctrines of grace.
Piomingo. What are the doctrines of grace?
Frank. We are commanded not to "cast pearls be-
fore swine." Wert thou only in a state of grace and ho-
nored with a pair of "newinvented patent" spiritual
eyes, thou wouldest be able to discover the beauty of
these sublime, man- depressing, and God-exalting doc-
trines. Ah! it is a very comfortable thing to be in a state
of grace! In that case, my dear Piomingo, thou should-
est not need to be under any apprehensions of being
eternally damned: thou mightest venture slyly to indulge
those corruptions of thy nature which might not be
purged away by the process of regeneration; but thou
wouldest have to be careful not to bring reproach upon
the godly by thy irregular proceedings. There was Da-
vid, for instance, the royal nightingale: he made a few
THE SAVAGE. 323
false steps in his progress through life: but, being one
of the elect, his soul was as safe as a guinea in the iron
chest of a miser: the Lord never fails to pardon the
transgressions of his children.
Piomingo. Thou bringest to my recollection a man
greater than David — the fighting*, praying, canting, hy-
pocritical, enthusiastic, daring, cruel, magnanimous,
Cromwell; who murdered his master, and committed a
few barbarities in Ireland and Scotland. He inquired,
towards the end of his life, if it were certain, that the
saints could not fall away and be finally lost. Being an-
sweied, that nothing was more certain, he exclaimed with
ex-ultaiion, "Then I am safe: for I know that 1 was in a
state of grace!" — I am afraid tftat these doctrines are
unfavorable to the practice of virtue.
Frank. Virtue! Evangelical christians never men-
tion virtue, unless in the way of reproach: it is a hea-
thenish kind of a thing — filthy rags — yea, d ### in the
sight of the Lord. Any one who hopes to acquire favor
with God by promoting the good of l|is fellow creatures
is regarded by them with the utmost contempt and ab-
horrence, and stigmatized with the odious epithets of
legalist and moralist. They feel abundance of love and
veneration for that being who from all eternity judiciously
selected them as the objects of his beneficence; but they
look down with ineffable contempt on a reprobate world
— "vessels, of w r rath fitted to destruction!" They have
a great antipathy against nature and every thing natural,
and are continually striving to have it brought into sub-
jection: indeed they have been so far successful as to
have brought themselves to think with pleasure of the
eternal damnation of a vast majority of mankind. They
have constructed a hell, a dreadful hell, in which they
hope to see unbelievers eternally punished: Yea, they
flatter themselves with the idea that they, the saints, shall
be placed on thrones, and will have the sublime happi-
ness ct^ pronouncing the irreversible doom, of never-
ending torments, upon impenitent millions: among whom
they expect to see reprobate fathers, mothers, brothers,
sisters, wives and r.hildrpn!
324
INDEX.
Recollections of Infancy,
5
Vitioua Habits,
111
Longing alter immortality,
8
Complaint,
114
Communication.
9
The Schoolmaster,
123
Old age,
10
Prejudice,
141
ES'ecte of civilization.
ii
25
From Crito,
146
Acquisition of wealth,
1?
Travels,
li4
Discoveries,
IS
From Crito,
158
Esquire,
21
Zeno,
159
Vanity,
27
Piorningo,
«*.
The Hill of Life,
28
Cards,
160
Remonstrance of the Letter II
?3
The savage at the Theatre,
164
Prudence,
35
Commerce,
167
Recollections of Youth,
3G
Christinas,
168
The Devil,
?,s
Education,
172
Friendship,
48
Mother Wit,
176
What is Truth,
65
Manufactories,
178
Desire of Distinction,
69
Punctuation: from Crito,
181
Theology,
71
The Walk,
183
Virtue,
:2
Pronunciation: from Crito, 227,
SOS
Justice,
70
Satire,
233
The Grave,
77
Thoughts,
• £38
The stage of Life,
79
Savage Correspondence,
242
Conversation,
80
Letter I— From Chotabowee,
244
Happiness,
to
95
The Statehouse yard,
147
The man of the World,
89
Letter 11 — From Chotahowee,
254
Politics,
91
Story Telling,
267
Sermons,
98
Scandal,
577
Eating,
100
Peace,
^5
Society,
104
Letter III— From Chotabowee,
293
The golden age,
ib-
Sunday,
30*
Slavery,
105,
184