"I do not quite understand you," observed Mr. Robinson.
"It is said by naturalists," answered the Judge, "that man comprehends, within himself, the peculiarities of all inferior animals. Now, there are some capable of domestication, while others are irreclaimable. You may tame the horse, but not the tiger. The wild element controls the one, and is controllable in the other. In my opinion, this wild element so predominates in the Indian as to make him incapable of civilization. He is the tiger."
"But some have been civilized," remarked Mr. Armstrong.
"A quasi civilization, I grant," said the Judge; "and were I to concede more, the exceptions are so few as only to confirm the rule."
"Your theory opens a wide field for speculation," said Mr. Robinson, "and I could bring many objections to it. In the first place"——
"No doubt, no doubt," cried the Judge, hastily, and desirous to avoid the arising collision, "and I shall be happy to examine the subject, at some future time, with you. I throw out these ideas only as hints. But there is another rule operative, if, indeed, it is not the same differently expressed—the inferior must always give place to the superior race"
"That is not clear, either," said the divine. "What race ever existed superior to the Jews? Yet, observe their condition."
"I am not understood. Why, the Jews prove my theory. If they had not been a superior race, they would long ago have been extinct. But their number now is probably as great as it ever was. The Indians, however, are vanishing."
"And, really, Mr. Bernard," said his wife, "on your own principles, they will be no loss, if they do vanish. If a superior race succeeds, all the better."
"Right, right, my dear," cried her husband, "rem acu—pshaw! I was going to quote Latin. They have had their day, and fulfilled their design."