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as 'tis said that the sea then divided Sicily from Italy
〃Haec loca； vi quondam et vasta convulsa ruina；
Dissiluisse ferunt； quum protenus utraque tellus
Una foret〃
＇〃These lands； they say； formerly with violence and vast desolation
convulsed； burst asunder； where erewhile were。〃AEneid； iii。 414。＇
Cyprus from Syria； the isle of Negropont from the continent of Beeotia；
and elsewhere united lands that were separate before； by filling up the
channel betwixt them with sand and mud：
〃Sterilisque diu palus； aptaque remis；
Vicinas urbes alit； et grave sentit aratrum。〃
＇〃That which was once a sterile marsh； and bore vessels on its
bosom； now feeds neighbouring cities； and admits the plough。〃
Horace； De Arte Poetica； v。 65。＇
But there is no great appearance that this isle was this New World so
lately discovered： for that almost touched upon Spain； and it were an
incredible effect of an inundation； to have tumbled back so prodigious a
mass； above twelve hundred leagues： besides that our modern navigators
have already almost discovered it to be no island； but terra firma； and
continent with the East Indies on the one side； and with the lands under
the two poles on the other side； or； if it be separate from them； it is
by so narrow a strait and channel； that it none the more deserves the
name of an island for that。
It should seem； that in this great body； there are two sorts of motions；
the one natural and the other febrific； as there are in ours。 When I
consider the impression that our river of Dordogne has made in my time on
the right bank of its descent； and that in twenty years it has gained so
much； and undermined the foundations of so many houses； I perceive it to
be an extraordinary agitation： for had it always followed this course；
or were hereafter to do it； the aspect of the world would be totally
changed。 But rivers alter their course； sometimes beating against the
one side； and sometimes the other； and some times quietly keeping the
channel。 I do not speak of sudden inundations； the causes of which
everybody understands。 In Medoc； by the seashore； the Sieur d'Arsac； my
brother； sees an estate he had there； buried under the sands which the
sea vomits before it： where the tops of some houses are yet to be seen；
and where his rents and domains are converted into pitiful barren
pasturage。 The inhabitants of this place affirm； that of late years the
sea has driven so vehemently upon them； that they have lost above four
leagues of land。 These sands are her harbingers： and we now see great
heaps of moving sand； that march half a league before her； and occupy the
land。
The other testimony from antiquity； to which some would apply this
discovery of the New World； is in Aristotle； at least； if that little
book of Unheard of Miracles be his ＇one of the spurious publications
brought out under his name D。W。＇。 He there tells us； that certain
Carthaginians； having crossed the Atlantic Sea without the Straits of
Gibraltar； and sailed a very long time； discovered at last a great and
fruitful island； all covered over with wood； and watered with several
broad and deep rivers； far remote from all terra firma； and that they；
and others after them； allured by the goodness and fertility of the soil；
went thither with their wives and children； and began to plant a colony。
But the senate of Carthage perceiving their people by little and little
to diminish； issued out an express prohibition； that none； upon pain of
death； should transport themselves thither； and also drove out these new
inhabitants； fearing； 'tis said； lest' in process of time they should so
multiply as to supplant themselves and ruin their state。 But this
relation of Aristotle no more agrees with our new…found lands than the
other。
This man that I had was a plain ignorant fellow； and therefore the more
likely to tell truth： for your better…bred sort of men are much more
curious in their observation； 'tis true； and discover a great deal more；
but then they gloss upon it； and to give the greater weight to what they
deliver； and allure your belief； they cannot forbear a little to alter
the story； they never represent things to you simply as they are； but
rather as they appeared to them； or as they would have them appear to
you； and to gain the reputation of men of judgment； and the better to
induce your faith； are willing to help out the business with something
more than is really true； of their own invention。 Now in this case； we
should either have a man of irreproachable veracity； or so simple that he
has not wherewithal to contrive； and to give a colour of truth to false
relations； and who can have no ends in forging an untruth。 Such a one
was mine； and besides； he has at divers times brought to me several
seamen and merchants who at the same time went the same voyage。 I shall
therefore content myself with his information； without inquiring what the
cosmographers say to the business。 We should have topographers to trace
out to us the particular places where they have been； but for having had
this advantage over us； to have seen the Holy Land； they would have the
privilege； forsooth； to tell us stories of all the other parts of the
world beside。 I would have every one write what he knows； and as much as
he knows； but no more； and that not in this only but in all other
subjects； for such a person may have some particular knowledge and
experience of the nature of such a river； or such a fountain； who； as to
other things； knows no more than what everybody does； and yet to give a
currency to his little pittance of learning； will undertake to write the
whole body of physics： a vice from which great inconveniences derive
their original。
Now； to return to my subject； I find that there is nothing barbarous and
savage in this nation； by anything that I can gather； excepting； that
every one gives the title of barbarism to everything that is not in use
in his own country。 As； indeed； we have no other level of truth and
reason than the example and idea of the opinions and customs of the place
wherein we live： there is always the perfect religion； there the perfect
government； there the most exact and accomplished usage of all things。
They are savages at the same rate that we say fruits are wild； which
nature produces of herself and by her own ordinary progress； whereas； in
truth； we ought rather to call those wild whose natures we have changed
by our artifice and diverted from the common order。 In those； the
genuine； most useful； and natural virtues and properties are vigorous and
sprightly； which we have helped to degenerate in these； by accommodating
them to the pleasure of our own corrupted palate。 And yet for all this；
our taste confesses a flavour and delicacy excellent even to emulation of
the best of ours； in several fruits wherein those countries abound
without art or culture。 Neither is it reasonable that art should gain
the pre…eminence of our great and powerful mother nature。 We have so
surcharged her with the additional ornaments and graces we have added to
the beauty and riches of her own works by our inventions； that we have
almost smothered her； yet in other places； where she shines in her own
purity and proper lustre； she marvellously baffles and disgraces all our
vain and frivolous attempts：
〃Et veniunt hederae sponte sua melius；
Surgit et in solis formosior arbutus antris；
Et volucres nulls dulcius arte canunt。〃
＇〃The ivy grows best spontaneously； the arbutus best in shady caves；
and the wild notes of birds are sweeter than art can teach。
〃Propertius； i。 2； 10。＇
Our utmost endeavours cannot arrive at so much as to imitate the nest of
the least of birds； its contexture； beauty； and convenience： not so much
as the web of a poor spider。
All things； says Plato；＇Laws； 10。＇ are produced either by nature； by
fortune； or by art； the greatest and most beautiful by the one or the
other of the former； the least and the most imperfect by the last。
These nations then seem to me to be so far barbarous； as having received
but very little form and fashion from art and human invention； and
consequently to be not much remote from their original simplicity。 The
laws of nature； however； govern them still； not as yet much vitiated with
any mixture of ours： but 'tis in such purity； that I am sometimes
troubled we were not sooner acquainted with these people； and that they
were not discovered in those better times； when there were men much more
able to judge of them than we are。 I am sorry that Lycurgus and Plato
had no knowledge of them； for to my apprehension； what we now see in
those nations； does not only surpass all the pictures with which the
poets have adorned the golden age； and all their inventions in feigning a
happy state of man； but； moreover； the fancy and even the wish and desire
of philosophy itself； so native and so pure a simplicity； as we by
experience see to be in them； could never enter into their imagination；
nor could they ever believe that human society could have been