inferiority of understanding, compared with the inhabitants of other climates, where the mind, as well as body, are conftantly at work for procuring neceffaries *?

This

* The bleflings of ease and inaction are most poe"O tically displayed in the following defcription: felix Lapo, qui in ultimo angulo mundi fic bene lates, contentus et innocens. Tu nec times anno"nae charitatem, nec Martis praelia, quae ad tuas "oras pervenire nequeunt, fed florentiffimas Europae "provincias et urbes, unico momento, faepe dejiciunt "et delunt. Tu dormis hic fub tua pelle, ab omni<< bus curis, contentionibus, rixis, liber, ignorans, quid "fit invidia. Tu nulla nofti difcrimina, nifi tonantis "Jovis fulmina. Tu ducis innocentiffimos tuos annos "ultra centenarium numerum, cum facili fenectute, et "fumma fanitate. Te latent myriades morborum no

bis Europaeis communes. Tu vivis in fylvis, avis <inftar, nec fementem facis, nec metis ; tamen alit te « Deus optimus optime." Linnaeus, Flora Lapponica. (In English thus: "O happy Laplander, who, on the "utmoft verge of habitable earth, thus liveft obfcure, " in reft, content, and innocence. Thou fearest not "the fcanty crop, nor ravages of war; and those ca"lamities which wafte whole provinces and towns, "can never attain thy peaceful fhores. Wrapt in thy "covering of fur, thou canft fecurely sleep; a stran"" ger to each tumultuous care; unenvying and unen"vied. Thou fearest no danger, but from the thun"der of heaven. Thy harmless days flide on in inno"cence, beyond the period of a century. Thy health

"is

Confidering

This fuggefts a thought.

that inftinct is a guide much lefs fallible than reason, why should it be more fparingly beftowed on man, the chief of the terreftrial creation, than on other animals? Whatever appearance this may have at firft fight against the human race, it will be found, on confideration, greatly in their favour. Inftinct in man is confined within the narrowest bounds, and given only where reafon would be ineffectual. Inftinct, it is true, is infallible, and fo are the laws of matter and motion: but, how low is blind inftinct compared with the faculty of reafoning, deliberating, and choofing? Man governs himself, and choofes invariably what appears the best: Brute animals have no felf-government, but are led blindly by natural impulfe, without

"is firm, and thy declining age is tranquil. Millions

of difeafes, which ravage the reft of the world, have "never reached thy happy climate. Thou liveft as the "birds of the wood; thou careft not to fow nor reap, "for bounteous Providence has fupplied thee in all

thy wants."So eloquent a panegyrift upon the Lapland life would make a capital figure upon an oyfter. No creature is freer from want, no creature freer from war, and probably no creature is freer from fear; which, alas! is not the cafe of the Laplander.

having any end in view. Inftinct differs only from the laws of matter, by comprehending a greater variety of circumftances; and is far inferior in dignity to the faculty of reafon.

That curious writer Mandevil, who is always entertaining, if he does not always inftruct, exults in maintaining a propofition feemingly paradoxical, That private vices are public benefits. He proves indeed, moft triumphantly, that theft produced locks and bars, and that war produced swords and guns. But what would have been his triumph, had he discovered, that felfish and diffocial vices promote the most elevated virtues; and that, if fuch vices were eradicated, man would be a grovelling and contemptible being?

Upon the whole, the prefent ftate of things, in which evils both natural and moral make a part, contributes more to the enjoyment of life, as well as to the improvement of our faculties and paffions, than an uniform ftate, without variety, and without hopes and fears.

How rafhly do men judge of the conduct of Providence! So flattering to the

VOL. II.

E e

ima

imagination is a golden age, a life of perpetual funshine, as to have enchanted poets, ancient and modern. Impreffed with the felicity of fuch a ftate, can we be fatisfied with our condition in this life? Such a jumble of good and ill, malice mixed with benevolence, friendship friendship alloyed with fraud, peace with alarms of war, and fometimes bloody wars, is it not natural to think, that, in this unhappy world, chance prevails more than wisdom? Can freethinkers with a better theme for declaiming against Providence, while good men figh inwardly, and must be filent *?

But

L'homme qui ne peut que par le nombre, qui n'est fort que par fa réunion, qui n'eft heureux que par la paix, a la fureur de s'armer pour fon malheur et de combattre pour fa ruine. Excité par l'infatiable avidité, aveuglé par l'ambition encore plus infatiable, il renonce aux fentiments d'humanité, cherche à s'entredétruire, fe détruit en effet; et après ces jours de fang et de carnage, lorfque la fumée de la gloire s'eft diffipée, il voit d'un oeil triste la terre dévaftée, les arts enfevelies, les nations difperfées, les peuples affoiblis, fon propre bonheur ruiné, et fa puiffance réelle anéantie. "Grand Dicu! dont la feule préfence foutient "la nature et maintient l'harmonie des loix de l'uni"vers; Vous, qui du trône immobile de l'empirée, voyez rouler fous vos pieds toutes les fphéres céleftes es fans choc et fans confufion; qui du fein du repos, ❝ repro

But behold the blindnefs of man with respect to the difpenfations of Providence!

A

"reproduifez à chacque inftant leurs mouvemens im "menfes, et feul régiffez dans une paix profonde ce " nombre infini de cieux et de mondes; rendez, ren"dez enfin le calme à la terre agitée! Qu'elle foit "dans le filence! Qu' á votre voix la difcorde et la "" guerre ceffent de faire retenter leurs clameurs or"gueilleuses! Dieu de bonté auteur de tous les êtres, "vos regards paternels embrassent tous les objets de la "création: mais l'homme est votre être de choix; "vous avez éclairé fon ame d'une rayon de votre lu"miére immortelle; comblez vos bienfaits en péné"trant fon coeur d'un trait de votre amour : ce fenti"ment divin fe répandant par-tout, réunira les natures "ennemies; l'homme ne craindra plus l'afpect de "l'homme; le fer homicide n'armera plus fa main ; le "feu dévorant de la guerre ne fera plus tarir la fource "des générations; l'efpéce humaine maintenant af❝ foiblie, mutilée, moiffonnée dans fa fleur, germera de "nouveau et se multipliera fans nombre; la nature ac"cablée fous le poids de fléaux, ftérile, abandonuée, "reprendra bientôt avec une nouvelle vie fon ancienne "fécondité; et nous, Dieu Bienfaiteur, nous la fe"conderons, nous la cultiverons, nous l'obferverons "fans ceffe pour vous offrir à chaque inftant un nou❝veau tribut de reconnoiffance et d'admiration ;" Buffon Hiftoire Naturelle, vol. 9. 8vo edit.

"Man, who is powerful only by (In English thus: numbers, whofe ftrength confifts in the union of forces, and whofe happiness is to be found alone in a state of has the madness to take arms for his own yet peace, mifery, and fight to the ruin of his fpecies. Urged

on