ee agency, and will
not move a step in consequences, till it be decided. Nay, even if it
were so, in favour of the highest claims which have ever been put in on
the side of liberty, still he might demur, and with good reason indeed,
till the fact of arbitrariness in any case, or cases, was ascertained.
Obviously, would he say, we are not entitled to make inferences from the
nature of things, till we are acquainted with it. But who, he would ask,
can with propriety say, his acquaintance with nature is so complete,
that he can at once, and without possibility of mistake, determine, what
does and what does not belong to it? It is to be feared, that a man has
but a bad case in hand, who, in order to establish its truth, must first
prove his own infallibility. Such an objection, therefore, as has been
now stated, is evidently not destitute of strength. But on the whole, a
careful examination will convince any unprejudiced person, that the
reasoning alluded to, is entitled to considerable regard, and yields
very probable deductions. Only let us not urge it too far, and let us by
all means recollect, that things which to lookers-on seem altogether
arbitrary, may nevertheless be accounted for by the agents themselves,
on principles which have their foundation in the common nature of our
species, independent of any casual communication or intercourse between
us.--E.]

Now that I am again led to speak of cannibals, let me ask those who
maintain, that the want of food first brings men to feed on human flesh,
what is it that induces the Feejee people to keep it up in the midst of
plenty? This practice is detested very much by those of Tongataboo, who
cultivate the friendship of their savage neighbours of Feejee,
apparently out of fear, though they sometimes venture to skirmish with
them on their own ground, and carry off red feathers as their booty,
which are in great plenty there, and, as has been frequently mentioned,
are in great estimation amongst our Friendly Islanders. When the two
islands are at peace, the intercourse between them seems to be pretty
frequent, though they have, doubtless, been but lately known to each
other; or we may suppose that Tongataboo, and its adjoining islands,
would have been supplied before this with a breed of dogs, which abound
at Feejee, and had not been introduced at Tongataboo so late as 1773,
when I first visited it. The natives of Feejee, whom we met with here,
were of a colour that was a ful