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not long fubfift in vigour. However that be, fuch belief of the origin of the Incas, is evidence of great virtue and moderation in that family; for any grofs act of tyranny or injuftice, would have opened the eyes of the people to fee their error, Moderation in the fovereign and obedience without reserve in the fubjects, cannot fail to produce a government mild and gentle; which was verified in that of Peru; fo mild and gentle, that to manure and cultivate the lands of the Inca and to lay up the produce in ftorehouses, were the only burdens impofed upon the people, if it was not fometimes to make cloaths and weapons for the army. At the fame time, their kings were fo revered, that these articles of labour were performed with affection and alacrity.

The government was equally gentle with regard to punishments. Indeed very few crimes. were committed, being confidered as a fort of rebellion against their great god the fun. The only crime that feems to have been punished with feverity, is the marauding of foldiers; for death was inflicted, however inconfiderable the damage.

In this empire, there appears to have been the most perfect union between law and religion; which could not fail to produce obedience, order, and tranquility, among that people, though extremely numerous. The Inca family was famed for moderation they made conquefts in order to civilize their neighbours; and as they feldom if ever tranfgreffed the bounds of morality, no other art was neceffary to preserve the government entire, but to keep the people ignorant of the true religion. They had virgins dedicated to the fun, who, like the veftal virgins in Rome, were under a vow of perpetual chastity.

This fubject fhall be concluded with some flight obfervations on the two governments I have been defcribing. Comparing them together, the Mexi

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can government feems to have been supported by arms; that of Peru by religion.

The kings of Peru were hereditary and absolute: thofe of Mexico elective. In contradiction however to political principles, the government of Peru was by far the milder. It is mentioned above, that the electors of the Mexican kings were hereditary princes; and the fame electors compofed the great council of ftate. Montefquieu therefore has been mifinformed when he terms this a defpotic monarchy (a): a monarchy can never be defpotic, when the fovereign is limited by a great council, the members of which are independent of him. As little reafon has he to term Peru defpotic. An abfolute monarchy it was, but the fartheft in the world from being defpotic: on the contrary, we find not in hiftory any government fo well contrived for the good of the people. An Agrarian law, firmly rooted, was a firm bar against fuch inequality of rank and riches, as lead to luxury and diffolution of manners: a commonwealth is naturally the refult of fuch a conftitution; but in Peru it was prevented by a theocratical government under a family fent from heaven to make them happy. This wild opinion, fupported by ignorance and fuperftition, proved an effectual bar against tyranny in the monarch; a moft exemplary conduct on his part being neceffary for fupporting the opinion of his divinity. Upon the whole, comprehending king and fubject, there perhaps never exifted more virtue in any other government, whether monarchical or republican.

In Peru there are traces of fome diftinction of ranks, arising probably from office merely, which, as in France, was a bulwark to the monarch against the peafants. The great fuperiority of the Peruvian

(a) L'Efprit des loix, liv. 17, ch. 2.

Peruvian Incas, as demi-gods, did not admit a hereditary nobility.

With respect to the progrefs of arts and manufactures, the two nations differed widely: in Mexico, arts and manufactures were carried to a furprising height, confidering the tools they had to work with: in Peru, they had made no progrefs; every man, as among mere favages, providing the neceffaries of life for himself. As the world goes at prefent, our multiplied wants require fuch numbers, that not above one of a hundred can be fpared for war. In ancient times, when these wants were few and not much enlarged beyond nature, it is computed that an eighth part could be fpared for war: and hence the numerous armies we read of in the history of ancient nations. The Peruvians had it in their power to go ftill farther: it was poffible to arm the whole males capable of fervice: leaving the women to fupply the few neceffaries that might be wanted during a fhort campaign; and accordingly we find that the Incas were great conquerors.

The religion of the Peruvians, confidered in a political light, was excellent, The veneration they paid their fovereign upon a falfe religious principle, was their only fuperftition; and that fuperftition contributed greatly to improve their morals and their manners on the other hand, the religion of Mexico was execrable.

Upon the whole, there never was a country deftitute of iron, where arts feem to have been carried higher than in Mexico: and, bating their religion, there never was a country deftitute of writing, where government feems to have been more perfect. except not the government of Peru, which, not being founded on political principles, but on fuperftition, might be more mild, but was far from being fo folidly founded.

SKETCHES

SKETCHES

OF THE

HISTORY OF MAN.

воок III.

PROGRESS OF SCIENCES.

PRE FACE.

MORALITY, theology, and the art of reafoning, are three great branches of a learned education; and justly held to be fo, being our only fure guides in paffing through the intricate paths of life. They are indeed not fo effential. to thofe termed men of the world: the most profound philosopher makes but an infipid figure in fashionable company; would be fomewhat. ridiculous at a court-ball; and an abfolute abfurdity among the gamefters at Arthur's, or jockeys at Newmarket. But, thefe cogent objections notwithstanding, I venture to pronounce fuch studies to be not altogether unfuitable to a gentleman. Man is a creature full of curiofity; and to gratify that appetite, many roam through the world, fubmitting to heat and cold, nay to hunger and thirst, without a figh. Could indeed that troublesome guest be expelled, we might bug our

felves in ignorance; and, like true men of the world, undervalue knowledge that cannot procure money, nor a new fenfual pleasure. But alas! the expulfion is not in the power of every one; and thofe who must give vent to their curiofity, will naturally employ it upon ftudies that make them good members of fociety, and endear them to every perfon of virtue.

And were we even men of the world in fuch perfection, as to regard nothing but our own interest; yet does not ignorance lay us open to the crafty and defigning and does not the art of reafoning guard many an honest man from being misled by fubtile fophifms? With respect to right and wrong, not even paffion is more dangerous than error. And as to religion, better it were to fettle in a conviction that there is no God, than to be in a state of wavering and fluctuation; fometimes indulging every loofe defire, as if we were not accountable beings; and fometimes yielding to fuperftitious fears, as if there were no god but the devil. To a welldifpofed mind, the existence of a fupreme benevolent Deity, appears highly probable: and if by the study of theology that probability be improved into a certainty, the conviction of a fupreme Deity who rules with equity and mildness, will be a fource of conftant enjoyment, which I boldly fet above the titillating pleasures of external fenfe. Poffibly there may be lefs prefent amusement in abstract ftudies, than in news-papers, in party-pamphlets, or in Hoyle upon Whift: but let us for a moment anticipate futurity, and imagine that we are reviewing paft tranfactions,- -how pleasant the retrofpect of those who have maintained the dignity of their nature, and employed their talents to the best purposes !

Contradictory opinions that have influence on practice, will be regretted by every person of a found heart; and as erroneous opinions are commonly the refult of imperfect education, I would gladly hope, that a remedy is not altogether out of reach. At the revival of arts and fciences, the learned languages were our fole ftudy, be

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