Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/220

 204 C02dMKRCE WITH melioration produced in society. Political reforma- tion, resulting from the mere exercise of rea- son, indeed, belongs only to the intelligence and refinement of an exalted state of social exist- ence, — only perhaps to the European race and to modern Europe. In the extent and importance of the change and improvement effected in the mode of conducting the oriental commerce by each race, we have a test by which their comparative genius and character may be fairly estimated. The In- dian islanders never ventured out of the Archipe- lago with their productions. The Hindus disco- vered the Indian Archipelago, and brought spices and the silk of China to their own markets. The Arabs did a great deal more. Dispensing with the three voyages necessary, in a ruder state of na- vigation, to obtain the commodities of the more distant Indian islands, and the fou7' necessary to obtain those of China, they brought both by one simple efiPort to their own ports. What the superior genius of Europeans effected it is almost super- fluous to insist upon. The six voyages of the rudest period of the Indian commerce they reduced to one, in duration and expence hardly exceeding any individual voyage of the barbarians. Of the nations thus alluded to, as we recede from the East, each has a greater difficulty to conquer, but genius and energy of character increase in a still greater proportion. From this, and many other