Note 18 — San Agustin’s Letter on the Filipinos

4. Although we call both the natives of America and those of these Philipinas Islands Indians, it cannot be denied that they are very different; for the inclination of the Asiatics18 is somewhat more docile and more capable of progress through teaching. Accordingly, I shall confine my remarks to the Indians of Philipinas, leaving the definition of the Americans for those who know them; for they have enough chroniclers who have undertaken it, although I doubt that they obtained their desire, such as Father Juan de Torquemada in his Monarchia Indiana,19 Fray Antonio de Remesal,20 and Father Joseph de Acosta.21 For what has been written of them by the bishop of Chiapa, Fray Bernardino de Cassas,22 and by Don Juan de Palafox23 in his treatise on the virtues of the Indians, was written from very remote experience; and they were carried away by the holy zeal of their defense as they were deceived24 by their remote knowledge of the object—as [in viewing] the hills and mountains, which anear are green, but afar are blue. Gold conceals from the sight the degree of its fineness; and one must crush25 the rock himself, and frequently, in order to recognize the truth.