iv A GENERAL HISTORY

time, fecured the refpeét of the natives, and the obedience of the people
neceflarily employed in the laborious parts of this undertaking. Thefe
gentlemen denominated themfelves commanders, and not traders, though
they were intitled to both thofe chara€ters: and, as for the miffionaries,
if fufferings and hardfhips in the profecution of the great work which
they had undertaken, deferved applaufe and admiration, they had an
undoubted claim to be admired and applauded: they fpared no labour
and avoided no danger in the execution of their important office; and
it is to be ferioufly lamented, that their pious endeavours did not meet
with the fuccefs which they deferved: for there is hardly a trace to be

found beyond the cultivated parts, of their meritorious fun¢tions.

The caufe of this failure muft be attributed to a want of due confi-
deration in the mode employed by the miffionaries to propagate the
religion of which they were the zealous minifters. They habituated
themfelves to the favage life, and naturalifed themfelves to the favage
manners, and, by thus becoming dependant, as it were, on the natives, they
acquired their contempt rather than their veneration. If they had been
as well acquainted with human nature, as they were with the articles of
their faith, they would have known, that the uncultivated mind of an
Indian muft be difpofed by much preparatory method and inftru€tion to
receive the revealed truths of Chriftianity, to a€t under its fan@tions, and
be impelled to good by the hope of its reward, or turned from evil by
the fear of its punifhments. They fhould have began their work by
teaching fome of thofe ufeful arts which are the inlets of knowledge, and
lead the mind by degrees to obje€ts of higher comprehenfion. Agricul-
ture fo formed to fix and combine fociety, and fo preparatory to

objects