The narratives of Columbus illustrate the first step in the formation of the Noble Savage idea.The Caribs are represented as a virtuous and mild people, beautiful, and with a certain natural
intelligence, living together in nakedness and innocence, sharing their property in common.
But though Columbus is enthusiastic about the Indians, he does not compare them with the
Europeans. For such a comparison a stimulus was soon provided by the brutality of the
Spaniards. Humanitarianism is the motive back of the Breuisima Relación de la Destruyción
de las Indias of Las Casas.
By 1539, when Las Casas’ book appeared, Spanish goldlust had made oppressed slaves of
the free and amiable beings described by Columbus.
“God,” the Bishop exclaims, “made this numerous people very simple, without trickery or
malice, most obedient and faithful to their natural lords, and to the Spaniards, whom they
serve; most humble, most patient, very peaceful and manageable, without quarrels, strife,
bitterness or hate, none desiring vengeance. They are also a very delicate and tender folk, of
slender build, and cannot stand much work, and often die of whatever sicknesses they have;
so that even our own princes and lords, cared for with all conveniences, luxuries and delights,
are not more delicate than these people who possess little, and who do not desire many
worldly goods; nor are they proud, ambitious, or covetous. They have a very clear and lively
understanding, being docile and able to receive all good doctrine, quite fitted to understand
our holy Catholic faith, and to be instructed in good and virtuous habits, having less
hindrances in the way of doing this than any other people in the world. Certainly these people
would be the happiest in the world if only they knew God.”
But the Spaniards have dealt with these poor souls most monstrously. “Among these tender
lambs, so highly qualified and endowed by their Lord and Creator, the Spaniards have made
entrance, like wolves, lions and tigers made cruel by long fasting, and have done nothing in
those parts for forty years but cut them in pieces, slaughter them, torture them, afflict them,
torment them and destroy them by strange sorts of cruelty never before seen or read or heard
so that of the three million and more souls who inhabited the Island of Hispaniola there are
now no more than two hundred natives of that land.” The pleasant impression made upon the
Indians by the comparative clemency of Columbus has been completely eradicated. “The
Indians began to see that these men could not have come from heaven.”
The Apostle to the Indians is terribly in earnest. He knows the Indians, and loves them as a
father loves his children. He does not claim perfection for them, but he recognizes them as
perfectible. He does not assert their superiority to the Spaniards, but his indignation against
his countrymen contains the germs of such an assertion.
English views of savage life tend to be less highly colored and enthusiastic than those of the
Spanish and French. But though it seems probable that the Noble Savage is chiefly a product
of Latin minds, Professor Chinard slightly underestimates the extent to which English
explorers gave support to the cult of the Indian.
There are, for example, decidedly sympathetic passages in the Voyage of Sir Francis Drake
from New Spain to the North-west of California. This celebrated voyage was begun in 1577.
The narrator reports that the savages - here natives of Brazil - go stark naked, but he does
not philosophize upon this observation. The “naturals” seem to be a civil and gentle folk: “Our
general went to prayer at which exercise they were attentive and seemed greatly to be
affected with it.” The savages, indeed, worship the whites as gods, at first making sacrifice to
them by tearing their own flesh, and when this is frowned upon by the voyagers, bringing
offerings of fruit. The savage king and his people crown Drake with flowers, “with one consent
and with great reverence, joyfully singing a song.” They wish the English to remain with them
for ever. “Our departure seemed so grievous to them, that their joy was turned into sorrow.”
Incidents such as these are ready-made for literary treatment.
Strenuous efforts were being made to “boom” Virginia as a field of colonization. This may
partly account for the enthusiasm of Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlow in their First Voyage
Made to the Coast of Virginia. These gentlemen find the natives fearless and trustful. They are
“a handsome and goodly people, and in their behavior as mannerly and civil as any in
Europe.” Later it is reported:
father loves his children. He does not claim perfection for them, but he recognizes them as
perfectible. He does not assert their superiority to the Spaniards, but his indignation against
his countrymen contains the germs of such an assertion.
English views of savage life tend to be less highly colored and enthusiastic than those of the
Spanish and French. But though it seems probable that the Noble Savage is chiefly a product
of Latin minds, Professor Chinard slightly underestimates the extent to which English
explorers gave support to the cult of the Indian.
There are, for example, decidedly sympathetic passages in the Voyage of Sir Francis Drake
from New Spain to the North-west of California. This celebrated voyage was begun in 1577.
The narrator reports that the savages - here natives of Brazil - go stark naked, but he does
not philosophize upon this observation. The “naturals” seem to be a civil and gentle folk: “Our
general went to prayer at which exercise they were attentive and seemed greatly to be
affected with it.” The savages, indeed, worship the whites as gods, at first making sacrifice to
them by tearing their own flesh, and when this is frowned upon by the voyagers, bringing
offerings of fruit. The savage king and his people crown Drake with flowers, “with one consent
and with great reverence, joyfully singing a song.” They wish the English to remain with them
for ever. “Our departure seemed so grievous to them, that their joy was turned into sorrow.”
Incidents such as these are ready-made for literary treatment.
Strenuous efforts were being made to “boom” Virginia as a field of colonization. This may
partly account for the enthusiasm of Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlow in their First Voyage
Made to the Coast of Virginia. These gentlemen find the natives fearless and trustful. They are
“a handsome and goodly people, and in their behavior as mannerly and civil as any in
Europe.” Later it is reported:
“We found the people most gentle, loving and faithful, void of all guile and treason, and such
as live after the manner of the golden age.” This comparison with the Golden Age is
particularly interesting. When men began to think of the American Indian in terms of traditional
literary formulas, they were well on the way toward the formation of the Noble Savage idea.
as live after the manner of the golden age.” This comparison with the Golden Age is
particularly interesting. When men began to think of the American Indian in terms of traditional
literary formulas, they were well on the way toward the formation of the Noble Savage idea.
A very influential account was doubtless Raleigh’s Discourse of the large, rich and beautiful
Empire of Guiana. The portions of this account which are of interest to us deal with various
tribes along the Orinoco Rivera region which is the habitat of the Noble Savage at his noblest
and most savage.
Raleigh’s opinion of the natives is consistently favorable. Of one tribe he says, “These Tivitivas
are a very goodly people and very valiant, and have the most manly speech and most
deliberate that ever I heard, of what nation soever.” This tribe relies for sustenance entirely on
the bounty of nature. “They never eat of anything that is set or sowen: and as at home they
use neither planting nor other manurance, so when they come abroad, they refuse to feed of
aught, but of that which nature without labour bringeth forth.”
Raleigh agrees with many other voyagers in ascribing rare physical beauty to the savages. Of
a Cacique’s wife he writes: “In all my life I have seldome seene a better favoured woman. She
was of good stature, with blacke eyes, fat of body, of an excellent countenance, her hair
almost as long as herself, tied up againe in prettie knots. I have seene a lady in England as
like to her, as but for the colour, I would have sworne might have been the same.” Praise from
Sir Hubert!
Empire of Guiana. The portions of this account which are of interest to us deal with various
tribes along the Orinoco Rivera region which is the habitat of the Noble Savage at his noblest
and most savage.
Raleigh’s opinion of the natives is consistently favorable. Of one tribe he says, “These Tivitivas
are a very goodly people and very valiant, and have the most manly speech and most
deliberate that ever I heard, of what nation soever.” This tribe relies for sustenance entirely on
the bounty of nature. “They never eat of anything that is set or sowen: and as at home they
use neither planting nor other manurance, so when they come abroad, they refuse to feed of
aught, but of that which nature without labour bringeth forth.”
Raleigh agrees with many other voyagers in ascribing rare physical beauty to the savages. Of
a Cacique’s wife he writes: “In all my life I have seldome seene a better favoured woman. She
was of good stature, with blacke eyes, fat of body, of an excellent countenance, her hair
almost as long as herself, tied up againe in prettie knots. I have seene a lady in England as
like to her, as but for the colour, I would have sworne might have been the same.” Praise from
Sir Hubert!
The following is a portion of an account of an interview with a venerable chief: “I asked what
nations those were which inhabited on the farther side of those mountains. He answered with
a great sigh (as a man which had inward feeling of the losse of his countrie and libertie,
especially for that his eldest son was slain in a battell on that side of the mountains, whom he
most entirely loved) that hee remembered in his father’s lifetime, etc., etc. After hee had
answered thus farre he desired leave to depart, saying that he had farre to goe, that he was
olde, and weake, and was every day called for by death, which was also his owne phrase.
This Topiawari is helde for the prowdest and wisest of all the Orenoqueponi, and soe he
behaved himselfe towards mee in all his answers at my returne, as I marvelled to find a man
of that gravitie and judgement, and of soe good discourse, that had no helpe of learning nor
breede.”
This sketch of the old Cacique is executed with a significant relish. Quite plainly, the savage
has become literary material; his type is becoming fixed; he already begins to collect the
accretions of tradition. Just as he is, Topiawari is ready to step into an exotic tale. He is the
prototype of Chactas and Chingachgook.
The effect on English writers of such accounts as those we have been examining is shown in
Michael Drayton’s poem, To the Virginian Voyage:
“And cheerfully at sea,
Success you still entice,
To get the pearl and gold,
And ours to hold
Virginia,
Earth’s only paradise.
“Where nature hath in store
Fowl, venison, and fish,
nations those were which inhabited on the farther side of those mountains. He answered with
a great sigh (as a man which had inward feeling of the losse of his countrie and libertie,
especially for that his eldest son was slain in a battell on that side of the mountains, whom he
most entirely loved) that hee remembered in his father’s lifetime, etc., etc. After hee had
answered thus farre he desired leave to depart, saying that he had farre to goe, that he was
olde, and weake, and was every day called for by death, which was also his owne phrase.
This Topiawari is helde for the prowdest and wisest of all the Orenoqueponi, and soe he
behaved himselfe towards mee in all his answers at my returne, as I marvelled to find a man
of that gravitie and judgement, and of soe good discourse, that had no helpe of learning nor
breede.”
This sketch of the old Cacique is executed with a significant relish. Quite plainly, the savage
has become literary material; his type is becoming fixed; he already begins to collect the
accretions of tradition. Just as he is, Topiawari is ready to step into an exotic tale. He is the
prototype of Chactas and Chingachgook.
The effect on English writers of such accounts as those we have been examining is shown in
Michael Drayton’s poem, To the Virginian Voyage:
“And cheerfully at sea,
Success you still entice,
To get the pearl and gold,
And ours to hold
Virginia,
Earth’s only paradise.
“Where nature hath in store
Fowl, venison, and fish,
And the fruitful’st soil,
Without your toil,
Three harvests more,
All greater than you wish.
“To whom the Golden Age
Without your toil,
Three harvests more,
All greater than you wish.
“To whom the Golden Age
Still nature’s laws doth give,
No other cares attend,
But them to defend
From winter’s rage,
That long there doth not live.”
No other cares attend,
But them to defend
From winter’s rage,
That long there doth not live.”
Virginia reminds the poet both of the Earthly Paradise and the Golden Age; and the second
stanza quoted brings an unconsciously ironical reminder of the Land of Cockayne. Here we
see that fusion of contemporary observation with old tradition on which the Noble Savage idea
depends.
pp. 1015
stanza quoted brings an unconsciously ironical reminder of the Land of Cockayne. Here we
see that fusion of contemporary observation with old tradition on which the Noble Savage idea
depends.
pp. 1015
source: "Against Civilization" by John zerzan
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