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SKETCHES

OF THE

HISTORY OF MAN.

воок II.

PROGRESS OF MEN IN SOCIETY,

SKETCH IX.

Military Branch of Government.

DURING the infancy of a nation, every member depends on his own induftry for procuring the neceffaries of life: he is his own mafon, his own tailor, his own physician; and on himself he chiefly relies for offence as well as defence. Every favage can fay, what few beggars among us can fay, Omnia mea mecum porto; and hence the aptitude of a favage for war, which makes little alteration in his manner of living. In early times accordingly, the men were all warriors, and VOL. II.

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every known art was exercifed by women; which continues to be the cafe of American savages. And even after arts were fo much improved as to be exercifed by men, none who could bear arms were exempted from war. In feudal governments, the military fpirit was carried to a great height: all gentlemen were foldiers by profeflion; and every other art was defpifed, as low, if not contemptible.

Even in the unnatural state of the feudal fyftem, arts made fome progrefs, not excepting thofe for amufement; and many conveniencies, formerly unknown, became neceffary to comfortable living. A man accustomed to manifold conveniencies, cannot bear with patience to be deprived of them: he hates war, and clings to the fweets of peace. Hence the neceffity of a military establishment, hardening men by ftrict difcipline to endure the fatigues of war. By a standing army, war is carried on more regularly and scientifically than in a feudal government; but as it is carried on with infinitely greater expence, nations are more referved in declaring war than formerly. Long experience has at the fame time made it evident, that a nation feldom gains by war; and that agriculture, manufactures, and commerce, are the only folid foundations of power and grandeur. Thefe arts accordingly have become the chief objects of European governments, and the only rational caufes of war.

Among the warlike nations of Greece and Italy, how would it have founded, that their effeminate defcendents would employ foldiers by profeffion to fight their battles! And yet this is unavoidable in every country where arts and manufactures flourish; which, requiring little exercise, tend to enervate the body, and of courfe the mind. Gain, at the fame time, being the fole object of industry, advances felfifhnefs to be the ruling paffion, and brings on a timid anxiety about property and self-prefervation. Cyrus, though enflamed

with refentment against the Lydians for revolting, liftened to the following advice, offered by Crofus, their former King. "O Cyrus, destroy "not Sardis, an ancient city, famous for arts and "arms; but, pardoning what is paft, demand "all their arms, encourage luxury, and exhort "them to inftruct their children in every art of "gainful commerce. You will foon fee, O King, "that instead of men, they will be women." The Arabians, a brave and generous people, conquered Spain; and drove into the inacceflible mountains of Biscay and Afturia, the few natives who stood out. When no longer an enemy appeared, they turned their swords into ploughfhares, and became a rich and flourishing nation. The inhabitants of the mountains, hardened by poverty and fituation, ventured, after a long interval, to peep out from their strong holds, and to lie in wait for ftraggling parties. Finding themfelves now a match for a people, whom opulence had betrayed to luxury and the arts of peace to cowardice; they took courage to difplay their banners in the open field; and after many miliitary atchievements, fucceeded in conquering Spain. The Scots, inhabiting the mountainous parts of Caledonia, were am overmatch for the Picts, who occupied the fertile plains, and at laft fubdued them*.

Benjamin de Tudele, a Spanish Jew, who wrote in the twelfth century, obferves, that by luxury and effeminady

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* Before the time that all Scotland was brought under one king, the highlanders, divided into tribes or clans, made war upon each other; and conti nued the fame practice irregularly many ages after they fubmitted to the king of Scotland. Open war was repreffed, but it went on privately by depredations and reprisals. The clan-spirit was much depreffed by their bad fuccefs in the rebellion 1715; and totally crushed by the like bad fuccefs in the rebellion 1745. The mildness with which the highlanders have been treated of late, and the pains that have been taken to in troduce industry among the, have totally extirpated depredations and reprifals, and have rendered them the moft peaceable people in Scotland but have at the fame time reduced their military fpirit to a low ebb. To train them for war, military difcipline has now become no less neceffary than to others.

effeminacy the Greeks had contracted a degree of foftnefs, more proper for women than for men; and that the Greek Emperor was reduced to the neceffity of employing mercenary troops, to defend his country against the Turks. In the year 1453, the city of Conftantinople, defended by a garrifon not exceeding 6000 men, was befieged by the Turks, and reduced to extremity; yet not a fingle inhabitant had courage to take arms, all waiting with torpid defpondence the hour of utter extirpation. Venice, Genoa, and other fmall Itali an ftates, became for effeminate by long and fuccessful commerce, that not a citizen ever thought of ferving in the army; which obliged them to employ mercenaries, officers as well as private men. These mercenaries, at first, fought confcientiously for their pay; but reflecting, that the victors were no better paid: than the vanquished, they learned to play booty. In a battle particularly between the Pifans and Florentines, which lafted from fun-rifing to fun-fetting, there was but a fingle man loft, who, having accidentally fallen from his horfe, was trodden under foot. Men at that time fought on chorfeback, covered with iron from head to heel. Machiavel mentions a battle between the Florentines and Venetians which lafted half a day, neither party giving ground; fome horfes wounded, not a man flain. He obferves, that fuch cowardice and diforder was in the armies of thofe times, that the turning of a fingle horfe either to charge or retreat, would have decided a battle. Charles VIII of France, when he invaded Italy anno 1498, understood not fuch mock battles; and his men were held to be devils incarnate, who seemed to take delight in fhedding human blood. The Dutch, who for many years have been reduced to mercenary troops, are more indebted to the mutual jealousy of their neighbours for their independence, than to their own army. In the

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1672, Lewis of France invaded Holland, and in forty days took forty walled towns. That country was faved, not by its army, but by being laid under water. Froft, which is ufual at that feason, would have put an end to the seven United Provinces.

The fmall principality of Palmyra is the only inftance known in hiftory, where the military fpirit was not enervated by opulence, Pliny defcribes that country as extremely pleafant, and bleffed with plenty of fprings, though furrounded with dry and fandy deferts. The commerce of the Indies was at that time carried on by land; and the city of Palmyra was the centre of that commerce between the Eaft and the West. Its territory being very finall, little more than fuffi. cient for villas and pleafure-grounds, the inhabitants, like thofe of Hamburgh, had no way to employ their riches for profit but in trade. At the fame time, being fituated between the two mighty empires of Rome and Parthia; it required great addrefs and the most affiduous military difcipline, to guard it from being fwallowed up by the one' or the other. This ticklish fituation preserved the inhabitants from luxury and effeminacy, the ufual concomitants of riches. Their fuperfluous wealth was laid out on magnificent buildings, and on em: bellishing their country-feats. The fine arts were among them carried to a high degree of perfection, The famous Zenobia, their Queen, being led captive to Rome after being deprived of her dominions, was admired and celebrated for fpirit, for learning, and for an exquisite taste in the fine arts.

Thus, by accumulating wealth, a manufacturing and commercial people become a tempting object for conqueft; and by effeminacy become an eafy conqueft. The military fpirit feems to be at a low ebb in Britain will no phantom appear, even in a dream, to disturb our downy reft? For

merly,

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