A discourse delivered in the church in Brattle Street, in Boston, Tuesday, June 11th, 1799, before the Humane Society of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts / by Isaac Hurd, A.M. ; Fellow of the Massachusetts Medical Society.

  • Hurd, Isaac, 1756-1844.
Date:
1799
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A discourse delivered in the church in Brattle Street, in Boston, Tuesday, June 11th, 1799, before the Humane Society of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts / by Isaac Hurd, A.M. ; Fellow of the Massachusetts Medical Society. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

    12/28
    In fome Nations, the tender and benevolent paflions are rather difcountenanced, and thought difhonorable, while the ferocious are had in honor. The Savage of the Wildernefs, returning from hunting, or fome warlike expedition, is met by his Wife and Children : He regards them in fullen filence, and fcarcely takes notice of all their demonftrations of joy and tendernefs. It is too much condefcention for the majeure Savage. He fupprefles the feelings of his heart, that he may not be thought to depart from his dignity. But this fame being, fo tenacious of his dignity, left he be fubdued by the fofter paflions, thinks it noble to give way to all the fury and extravagance of revenge. To inflict all the moft exquiflte and invented tortures on the helplefs captive in his power, is at the fame time, in his view, a no- ble and worthy action.—Such ftrange ideas of dignity pof- fefs the rude and uncultivated mind. The truth is, every Nation is infpired with the object of its worfhip. It poffefTes the like temper with its God. The Savage, who worfhips the evil Spirit, is animated by the fame infuriate paflions, which that Spirit is fuppofed to pof- fcCs. In the utmoft indulgence of cruelty, he fuppofes that he performs a fervice, agreeable to the nature of his God. His temper is from his fupcrftition. It is alfo vifible, that where Chriftianity is profeflcd in any tolerable degree of purity, devout Worfhippers of the moft benevolent God are generally infpired with the like benevolent fpirit. Hence