The history of America, from its discovery by Columbus to the conclusion of the late war : with an appendix, containing an account of the rise and progress of the present unhappy contest between Great Britain and her colonies . e natives of the foil, this laft inquiry btcomesunnecelTary; and as he has ever been of opinion, that the charaflers of nations, whether favsgect civilized, are morepcrfeflly obtained from a particular delineation of their manners and cuftoms,than from any general theoretical furvey, (the diflinguifhingcharaileriftics even of barbarous tribes,though fprurg from the fame
The history of America, from its discovery by Columbus to the conclusion of the late war : with an appendix, containing an account of the rise and progress of the present unhappy contest between Great Britain and her colonies . e natives of the foil, this laft inquiry btcomesunnecelTary; and as he has ever been of opinion, that the charaflers of nations, whether favsgect civilized, are morepcrfeflly obtained from a particular delineation of their manners and cuftoms,than from any general theoretical furvey, (the diflinguifhingcharaileriftics even of barbarous tribes,though fprurg from the fame common flock, being often obferved to difter eircntially,) he propofesto cent nue the thread of his narration. However, he thinks it proper to notice thofe leading dif-tinftions, which mark tlw Americans as a particular race of men, and which induce him to confiderthrm as aborigines of that portion of the earth which they inhabit.*^ The fiift peculiarity that ftrikes us on the view of a native of the New World is his copper colour, which is nearly the fame in every latitude ; beneath the vertical rays of the fun, in themilder climates, and in ihs regions of eternal fxoll. The fecond grand perfonal diflinftion i«, tlie. THE HISTORY OF AMERICA. iSi CHAP. IV. Tbe InvaJioH of Mexico,, and the Progrefs cf the Spaniflx Arms, till the Arrival of Cortez at theCapital of that opulent and cxieifive Ernpre, TH E mofl: embarraffing fuuation in which a perfon pofiefred of delegated CHAP. can find hinifelf, is to be obliged to undertake what he diftrufts his a. D. i to perform, or to employ another in a fervice that, properly executed,would do honour to his own character, and which may exalt his deputy abovehim. Such was the fuuation of Velafquez, when he had almoll thatarmament, deftined to attempt the conqucft of the rich country dilcovered byGrijalva. Though a man ot alpiring ambition, and not v/ithout talents forgovernment, he had neither that daring cou
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