society is brilliant, glorious, powerful, passionate, feeling, enthusiastic, in possession of an of and by ambition or Similarly, Tocqueville “ardor belief,” “inspired pure virtue” (10, 642). describes the Indian as in feeling and while his description of “rich grandeur,” Tanner’s memoirs—and Tanner himself, who he met—reveals a sense of awe at their savage virtues In this way, aristocracy and the Indian appear similar. Of Indian virtues, Tocqueville writes, nations are governed by opinions and mores and, through “Savage alone” “undisciplined and they remain and like the noble aristocracy courage” “spontaneous instincts,” “free” “proud” (367, 369-370). Thus, the Indian and the aristocrat share the passionate peaks of a proud, class. However, in companion with the parallels in virtuous spirit, the Indian and the aristocrat also share a propensity for vice. As a result of their spiritual heights of passion, both the aristocrat and the Indian are susceptible to increased depravity and corruption. Due to the of their the “restlessness desires,” aristocracy is vulnerable to a perverse redirection of his energy following a of “collapse faith” (620). When this occurs, they turn toward love of material however, “exclusively gratifications;” search for well-being is not enough. They need sumptuous depravity and splendid “the corruption. They erect a magnificent shrine to matter and seem to view with one another to excel in the art of turning themselves into (620). Tocqueville identifies the same progression brutes” during a reflection on the Indian. After declaring that nations are governed by opinions “Savage and mores (367), Tocqueville describes how European invasion occasioned a collapse of alone” faith powerful enough to put the Indian into a degenerative state: European tyranny attenuated the North American feeling for their native Indian’s their their habits, and increased their needs land…obscured traditions…changed immeasurably, making them less disciplined and civilized than they were before. Meanwhile, the moral and physical condition grew steadily worse, and their tribes’ barbarity kept pace with their wretchedness. (368)
society is brilliant, glorious, powerful, passionate, feeling, enthusiastic, in possession of an “ardor of belief,” and “inspired by ambition or pure virtue” (10, 642). Similarly, Tocqueville describes the Indian as “rich in feeling and grandeur,” while his description of Tanner’s memoirs—and Tanner himself, who he met—reveals a sense of awe at their savage virtues In this way, aristocracy and the Indian appear similar. Of Indian virtues, Tocqueville writes, “Savage nations are governed by opinions and mores alone” and, through “undisciplined courage” and “spontaneous instincts,” they remain “free” and “proud” like the noble aristocracy (367, 369-370). Thus, the Indian and the aristocrat share the passionate peaks of a proud, class. However, in companion with the parallels in virtuous spirit, the Indian and the aristocrat also share a propensity for vice. As a result of their spiritual heights of passion, both the aristocrat and the Indian are susceptible to increased depravity and corruption. Due to the “restlessness of their desires,” the aristocracy is vulnerable to a perverse redirection of his energy following a “collapse of faith” (620). When this occurs, they turn “exclusively toward love of material gratifications;” however, “the search for well-being is not enough. They need sumptuous depravity and splendid corruption. They erect a magnificent shrine to matter and seem to view with one another to excel in the art of turning themselves into brutes” (620). Tocqueville identifies the same progression during a reflection on the Indian. After declaring that “Savage nations are governed by opinions and mores alone” (367), Tocqueville describes how European invasion occasioned a collapse of faith powerful enough to put the Indian into a degenerative state: European tyranny attenuated the North American Indian’s feeling for their native land…obscured their traditions…changed their habits, and increased their needs immeasurably, making them less disciplined and civilized than they were before. Meanwhile, the tribes’ moral and physical condition grew steadily worse, and their barbarity kept pace with their wretchedness. (368)
2DLamon%20Tocqueville.docx