Sketches of Indian Character / Being a Brief Survey of the Principal Features of Character Exhibited by the North American Indians; Illustrating the Aphorism of the Socialists, that "Man is the creature of circumstances"

SKETCHES OF INDIAN CHARACTER: BEING A BRIEF SURVEY OF THE PRINCIPAL FEATURES OF CHARACTER EXHIBITED BY THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS; ILLUSTRATING THE APHORISM OF THE SOCIALISTS, THAT “MAN IS THE CREATURE OF CIRCUMSTANCES.”
COMPILED BY JAMES NAPIER BAILEY.
“In order to complete the history of the human mind, and attain to a perfect knowledge of its nature and operations, we must contemplate man in all those various situations in which he has been placed. We must follow him in his progress through the different stages of society, as he gradually advances from the infant state of civil life towards its maturity and decline. We must observe at each period, how the faculties of his understanding unfold; we must attend to the efforts of his active powers, watch the various movements of desire and affection as they rise in his breast, and mark whither they tend, and with what ardour they are exerted.”
Robertson.
Leeds:
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY JOSHUA HOBSON, MARKET STREET, BRIGGATE; SOLD BY ABEL HEYWOOD, OLDHAM STREET, MANCHESTER; PATON AND LOVE, NELSON STREET, GLASGOW; JOHN CLEAVE, SHOE LANE, FLEET STREET, LONDON; AND ALL BOOKSELLERS.
1841.


The history of nations fully establishes the fact, that the character of man results from the operation of circumstances on his organism. This great and important truth is written in such broad and legible characters on the face of human annals, as may easily be distinguished and can scarcely be mistaken. Among rude and savage tribes we discern features of character, which are distinctly referable to the influence of causes peculiar to the savage state; and among the members of civilized communities, we behold the manifestation of virtues, vices, and talents, which are also traceable to the operation of circumstances differing from those which determine the character of barbarous nations. There is a marked dissimilarity between the barbarian of Labrador and the native of London or Paris; yet this difference is more the child of accident than of nature, and would probably disappear in course of time were the parties to be subjected to the influence of similar institutions.