of Brafil, are a plague that corrupts all. Spain and Portugal afford inftructive political leffons: the latter has been ruined by opulence; the former, as will be feen afterward, by taxes no lefs impolitic than oppreffive. To enable these nations to recommence their former courfe, or any na-` tion in the fame condition, I can discover no means but pinching poverty. Commerce and manufactures taking wing, may diftreffed condi

leave a country in a very tion but a people may be very diftreffed, and yet very vitious; for vices generated by opulence are not foon eradicated. And, though other vices fhould at last vanifh with the temptations that promoted them, indolence and pufillanimity will remain for ever, unlefs by fome powerful caufe the oppofite virtues be introduced. A very poor man, however indolent, will be tempted, for bread, to exert fome activity; and he may be trained gradually from lefs to more by the fame means. Activity, at the fame time, produces bodily ftrength; which will reftore courage and boldness. By fuch means a nation may be put in motion with the fame advantages it had originally; and its fecond progress may VOL. II.

X x

prove

prove as fuccefsful as the firft. Thus nations go round in a circle: the first part of the progrefs is verified in a thousand inftances; but the world has not fubfifted long enough to afford any clear instance of the other *.

I

66

The following letter I had from a gentleman, who, though at Lifbon for the fake of health, neglects no opportunity to increase his ftock of knowledge. Nothing but ocular demonftration could have con"vinced me that the human fpecies may be depraved "to the degree that is exemplified in this country. "Whether with regard to politics, morals, arts, or fo"cial intercourfe, it is equally defective. In short, "excepting the mere elementary benefits of earth and

air, this country is in the lowest state. Will you believe that I found not a fingle man who could in"form me of the price of land, very few who had any

notion to what value the product of their country "extends, or of it colonies. No one able to point out the means of reviving Portugal from its prefent de

fponding condition. With refpect to a general plan "of legiflation, there is none; unless the caprices of "an ignorant defpot may be called fuch, or the pro

jets of a defigning minifter, conftantly endeavour"ing to deprefs the nobility, and to beggar the other "orders of the ftatc. This the Marquis Pombal has

at length completed. He has left the crown poffeffed of a third part of the land-property, the church es enjoying another third, the remainder left to an indigent nobility and their vaffals. He has fubje&ted every branch of commerce to miniferial emoluments,

66

" and

I close this Sketch with two illuftrious examples of patriotifm; one ancient, one modern; one among the whites, one a mong the blacks. Ariftides the Athenian is famed above all the ancients for love to his country. Its fafety and honour were the only objects of his ambition; and his fignal difinterestedness made it the fame to him, whether thefe ends were accomplished by himself, or by others, by his friends

"and fixed judicial proceedings, both civil and crimi

nal, on the fluctuating bafis of his own interest or inclination. Take an inflance of their law. A "fmall proprietor having land adjoining to, or inter"mixed with, the land of a great proprietor, is obli-" "ged to fell his poffeffion, if the other wishes to have "it. In the cafe of feveral competitors to the fuccef"fion of land, it is the endeavour of each to feize the "poffeffion, well knowing that poffeffion is commonly "held the best title; and, at any rate, that there is no

claim for rents during the time of litigation. All "the corn growing in Eftremadura must be fold at "Lisbon. A tenth of all fales, rents, wages, &c. goes "to the King. These inftances are, I think, fufficient

to give a notion of the prefent ftate of the kingdom, ❝and of the merits of Pombal, who has long had the

reins in his hands as first minifter, who may juftly "boaft of having freed his countrymen from the dread "of becoming more wretched than they are at pre

fent. It gave me fatisfaction to find the doctrines of the Sketches finely illuftrated in the hiftory of this fingular kingdom. I am," &c.

Of

or his foes. One confpicuous inftance occurred before the battle of Marathon. the ten generals chofen to cominand the Athenian army, he was one but, fenfible that a divided command is fubjected to manifold inconveniencies, he exerted all his influence for Miltiades; and, at the fame time, zealously fupported a proposal of Miltiades to meet the Perfians in the field. His difintereftedness was ftill more confpicuous with regard to Themistocles, his bitter enemy. Sufpending all enmity, he cordially agreed with him in every operation of the war; affifting him with his counsel and credit, and yet fuffering him to ingrofs all the honour. In peace he was the fame, yielding to Themistocles in the adminiftration of government, and contenting himfelf with a fubordinate place. In the fenate, and in the affembly of the people, he made many proposals in a borrowed name, to prevent envy and oppofition. He retired from public bufinefs at the latter part of his life, paffing his time in training young men for ferving the ftate, inftilling into them principles of honour and virtue, and infpiring them with love to their country. His death unfolded

ed a fignal proof of the contempt he had for riches he who had been treasurer of Greece during the lavishment of war, did not leave money fufficient to defray the expence of his funerals: a British commiffary, in like circumftances, acquires the riches of Croefus.

The scene of the other example is Fouli, a negro kingdom in Africa. Such regard is paid there to royal blood, that no man can fucceed to the crown, but who is connected with the firft monarch, by an uninterrupted chain of females: a connection by males would give no fecurity, as the women of that country are prone to gallantry. In the last century, the Prince of Sambaboa, the King's nephew by his fifter, was invested with the dignity of Kamalingo, a dignity appropriated to the prefumptive heir. A liberal and generous mind, with undaunted courage, rivetted him in the affections of the nobility and people. They rejoiced in the expectation of having him for their King. But their expectation was blafted. The King, fond of his children, ventured a bold measure, which was, to inveft his eldest fon with

the