Page:Notes on the State of Virginia (1802).djvu/99

Rh laſt long and bloody war Logan remained idle in his cabin, an advocate for peace. Such was my love for the whites, that my countrymen pointed as they paſſed, and ſaid ‘Logan is the friend of white men.’ I had even thought to have lived with you, but for the injuries of one man. Colonel Creſap, the laſt ſpring, in cold blood, and unprovoked, murdered all the relations of Logan, not even ſparing my women and children. There runs not a drop of my blood in the veins of any living creature. This called on me for revenge. I have fought it: I have killed many: I have fully glutted my vengeance: for my country I rejoice at the beams of peace. But do not harbor a thought that mine is the joy of fear. Logan never felt fear. He will not turn on his heel to ſave his life. Who is there to mourn for Logan?—Not one.”

Before we condem d n the Indians of this continent as wanting genius, we muſt conſider that letters have not yet been introduced among them. Were we to compare them in their preſent ſtate with the Europeans, north of the Alps, when the Roman arts and arms firſt croſſed theſe mountains, the compariſon would be unequal, becauſe, at that time, thoſe parts of Europe were ſwarming with numbers, becauſe numbers produce emulation, and multiply the chances of improvement, and one improvement begets another. Yet I may ſafely aſk, how many good poets, how many able mathematicians, how many great inventors in arts or ſciences, had Europe, north of the Alps, then produced? And it was ſixteen centuries after this before a Newton could be formed. I do not mean to deny, that there are varieties in the race of men,