Still, Roger Williams, always just, took care to record the good points of the natives as well as their failings. This was unlike many Englishmen of his time, who looked down upon the savages as little better than animals. For one thing, hospitality was a common virtue among them. Had it not been so, Roger Williams could never have found for his book such a list of friendly expressions as “Warm you,” “Sit by the fire,” “Come hither, friend,” “Come in,” “I thank you,” “I thank you for your kind remembrance,” and “I thank you for your love.” “The courteous pagan shall condemn Uncourteous Englishmen, Who live like foxes, bears and wolves, Or lion in his den. “Let none sing blessings to their souls, For that they courteous are: The wild barbarians with no more Than nature, go so far. “If Nature’s sons both wild and tame, Humane and courteous be, How ill becomes it sons of God To want humanity!” Again, Roger Williams tells us, “If any stranger come in, they presently give him to eat of what they have; many a time, and at all times of the night (as I have fallen in travel upon their houses) when nothing hath been ready, have themselves and their wives risen to prepare me some refreshing. In summer time I have known them lie abroad often themselves, to make room for strangers, English or others.” “I have known them leave their house and mat To lodge a friend or stranger, When Jews and Christians off have sent Christ Jesus to the manger.” Family affection and loyalty were strong in the Indian, while drunkenness was an almost unknown vice. As for such crimes as robbery and murder, Roger Williams says that the red men have as good, if not a better, record than their white neighbors. In war, too, the example set by the English was hardly what we would expect from a superior race: “The Indians count of men as dogs, It is no wonder then: They tear out one another’s throats! But now that Englishmen, “That boast themselves God’s children and Members of Christ to be, That they should thus break out in flames, Sure ’tis a mystery!” Roger Williams gave the natives credit, too, for being punctual. “They are punctual in their promises of keeping time; and sometimes have charged me with a lie for not punctually keeping time, though hindered.” The Indians were exceedingly fond of news. So eager were they to learn what was going on around them that if any stranger was able to satisfy their curiosity in their own language, they called him a god. Forming a circle about the news-bringer and silently puffing at their pipes, they would listen with deep attention to what he had to say. Being children of nature and living mostly in the open, they were far better acquainted with the outdoor world than were their white neighbors. Their five senses were trained to a wonderful degree and they were intimately familiar with the sun and moon, the winds and weather.