ceived, and become the more devoted to those entertainments and practices with which they have been familiarly acquainted.

Hence it is, that a favage is never, without difficulty, prevailed upon to abandon his family and friends, and to relinquish the fight of thofe objects to which he has been long familiar.-To be banished from them is reckoned the greatest of all misfortunes.-His cottage, his fields, the faces and converfation of his kindred and companions, inceffantly recur to his memory, and prevent him from relishing any situation where these are wanting.-He clings to those well-known objects, and dwells upon all those favourite enjoyments which he has loft.The poorer the country in which he has lived, the more wretched the manner of life to which he has been accustomed, the lofs of it appears to him the more infupportable. — That very poverty and wretchedness, which contracted the sphere of his amusements, is the chief circumftance that increases his attachment to those few gratifications which it afforded, and renders him the more a slave to those particular habits which he hath acquired. Not all the allurements of European luxury could bribe a Hottentot to refign that coarse manner of life which was become habitual to him; and we may

VOL. I.

remark, that the "maladie du pays," which has been fuppofed peculiar to the inhabitants of Switzerland, is more or less felt by the inhabitants of all countries, according as they approach nearer to the ages of rudeness and fimplicity.

As those clans or villages, which inhabit the more uncultivated parts of the earth, are almost continually at war with their neighbours, and are obliged to be always in a posture of defence, fo they have constant occafion for a leader to conduct them in the various military enterprizes in which they are engaged.

It may be remarked, that wherever a number of people meet together in order to execute any measures of common concern, it is convenient that fome perfon fhould be appointed to direct their proceedings, and prevent them from running into confufion.-It is accordingly a general regulation, which appears to be uniformly adopted in all countries, that every public affembly fhould have a prefident, invested with fuch a degree of authority as is fuitable to the nature of the business committed to their care.-But in no cafe is a regulation of this kind so neceffary, as in the conduct of a military expedition.-There is no fituation in which a body of men are so apt to run into diforder, as in war; where

it is impoffible that they fhould co-operate, and preferve the leaft regularity, unless they are united under a single perfon, who is impowered to direct their movements, and to fuperintend and controul their feveral operations.

As the members of a family have been ufually con ducted by the father in all their excurfions of moment, they are naturally difpofed, even when their society becomes more enlarged, to continue in that courfe of action to which they have been accustomed; and, after they are deprived of this common parent, to fall under the guidance of fome other perfon, who appears next to him in rank, and poffeffes the greatest share of their efteem and confidence.

any

Superiority in ftrength, courage, and other perfonal accomplishments, is the first circumstance by which fingle perfon is raifed to be the leader of a clan, and by which he is enabled to maintain his authority.

In thofe rude periods, when men live by hunting and fishing, they have no opportunity of acquiring any confiderable property; and there are no diftinctions in the rank of individuals, but those which arise from perfonal qualities.

The ftrongeft man in a village, the man who excels

in running, in wrestling, or in handling those weapons which they make use of in war, is poffeffed of an evident advantage in every contest that occurs, and is hereby exalted to fuperior dignity.-In their games and exercises he is generally victorious, and becomes more and more distinguished above all his companions.When they go out to battle, he is placed at their head, and occupies that station which is held of the greatest importance. His exploits and feats of activity are viewed with pleasure and admiration; and he becomes their boast and champion in every ftrife or contention in which they are engaged.-The more they have been accustomed to follow his banner, they contract a stronger attachment to his perfon, and discover more readiness to execute those measures which he thinks proper to fuggeft.-They imagine that his greatness reflects honour upon the fociety to which he belongs, and are difpofed to magnify his prowess with that fond partiality which they entertain in favour of themselves.—According as he advances in reputation, he acquires more weight in their debates, and is treated upon every occafion with greater refpect and deference.-As they are afraid of incurring his displeasure, fo are they eager to diftinguish themselves in his eye, and, by their valour and fidelity,

to

to procure marks of his peculiar approbation and esteem. "Illum defendere, tueri, fua quoque fortia facta gloriæ "ejus affignare, præcipuum facramentum eft.-Prin

66

cipes pro victoria pugnant, comites pro principe *."

Among the natives in fome parts of the continent of South America, it is customary, in their military expeditions, to make choice of that perfon for their leader, who is fuperior to all his companions in bodily firength; and this point is ufually determined according to the burden which he is able to carry †.

• Tacitus de mor. German.

† Nouveaux voyages aux Indes Orientales, tom. iii.-Upon the fame principle, the captain of an expedition is frequently chosen from the number of wounds he has received in battle. Ibid. tom. i.

It has even been remarked, that all animals which live in herds or flocks are apt to fall under the authority of a fingle leader of fuperior ftrength or courage. Of this a curious inftance is mentioned by the author of Commodore Anfon's voyage." The largest fea-lion," fays he, "was the mafter

of the flock; and, from the number of females he kept to himself, and his "driving off the males, was ftiled by the seamen the bashaw. As they are of " a very lethargic difpofition, and are not eafily awakened, it is observed, "that each herd places fome of their males at a distance in the manner of cen❝tinels, who always give the alarm whenever any attempt is made either to "moleft or approach them, by making a loud grunting noise like a hog, or "fnorting like a horse in full vigour.-The males had often furious battles "with each other, chiefly about the females; and the bashaw just mentioned, "who was commonly furrounded by his females, to which no other male " dared to approach, had acquired that distinguished pre-eminence by many "bloody contefts, as was evident from the numerous fcars vifible in all parts " of his body."

But