ſpeak of him ſomewhat from my own knowledge, but more from the information of others better acquainted with him, and on whoſe truth and judgment I can rely. From theſe ſources I am able to ſay, in contradiction to this repreſentation, that he is neither more defective in ardor, nor more impotent with his female, than the white reduced to the ſame diet and exerciſe: that he is brave, when an enterprize depends on bravery; education with him making the point of honor conſiſt in the deſtruction of an enemy by ſtratagem, and in the preſervation of his own perſon free from injury; or perhaps this is nature; while it is education which teaches us to[1] honor force more than fineſſe: that he will defend himſelf againſt an hoſt of enemies, always chooſing to be killed, rather than[2] to ſurrender, though it be to
- ↑ Sol Rodomonte ſprezza di venire
Se non, dove la via meno è ſicura. Arioſto. 14. 117. - ↑ In ſo judicious an author as Don Ulloa, and one to whom we are indebted for the moſt preciſe information we have of South America, I did not expect to find ſuch aſſertions as the following. ‘Los indios vencidos ſon los mas cobardes y puſilanimes que ſe peuden vér:—Se hacen inōcentes, ſe humillan haſta el deſprecio, diſculpan ſu inconſiderado arrojo, y con las ſúplicas y los ruegos dán ſeguras pruebus de ſu puſilanimidad.—ó lo que refieren las hiſtorias de la Conquiſta, ſobre ſus grandes acciones, es en un ſendito figuado, ó el character de eſtas gentes no es ahora ſegun era entonces; pero lo que no tiene duda es, que las Nacones dela parte Septentrionel ſubſiſten en la miſma libertad que ſiempre han tenido, ſin haber ſido ſojuzgados por algun Principe extrano, y que viven ſegun ſu régimen y coſtumbres de toda la vida ſin que haya habida motivo para que muden de character;
