Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/13

 HISTORY

OF THE

NORTH-AMERICAN INDIANS,

THEIR CUSTOMS, &c.

��Olfervatwns on the colour, Jbape, temper^ and drefs of the Indians of America.

��THE Indians are of a copper or r'ed-clay colour and they -de light in every thing, which they imagine may promote and increafe it : accordingly, they paint their faces with vermilion, as the belt and moft beautiful ingredient. If we confider the common laws of nature and providence, we mall not be furprized at this cuftom ; for every thing loves beft its own likenefs and place in the creation, and is difpofed to ridicule its oppofite. If a deformed fon of burning Africa, was to paint the devil, he would not do it in black colours, nor delineate him with a magged coarfe woolly head, nor with thick lips, a fhort flat nofe, or clumfy feet,, like thofe of a bear: his devil would reprefent one of a different nation or people. But was he to draw an agreeable picture, according to the African tafte, he would daub it all over with iboty black. All the Indians are fo ftrongly attached to, and prejudiced in favour of, ,their own colour, that they think as meanly of the whites, as we pombly can do of them. The Englifh traders among them, experience much of it, and are often very glad to be allowed to pafs mufter with the Indian chieftains, as fellow-brethren

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