Firft. We may observe, that, where a very extenfive government has been established for many centuries, it fpreads a national character over the whole empire, and communicates to every part a fimilarity of manners. Thus the CHINESE have the greatest uniformity of character imaginable; though the air and climate, in different parts of thofe vaft dominions, admit of very confiderable variations.

Secondly. In fmall governments, which are contiguous, the people have notwithstanding a different character, and are often as diftinguishable in their manners as the most diftant nations. ATHENS and THEBES were but a short day's journey from each other; though the ATHENIANS were as remarkable for ingenuity, politeness, and gaiety, as the THEBANS for dulnefs, rufticity, and a phlegmatic temper. PLUTARCH, difcourfing of the effects of air on the minds of men, obferves, that the inhabitants of the PIRÆUM poffeffed very different tempers from those of the higher town of ATHENS, which was diftant about four miles from the former: But I believe no one attributes the difference of manners in WAPPING and St. JAMES's, to a difference of air or climate.

Thirdly. The fame national character commonly follows the authority of government to a precife boundary; and upon croffing a river or paffing a mountain, one finds a new set of manners, with a new government. The LANGUEDOCIANS and GASCONS are the gayeft people in FRANCE; but whenever you pass the PYRENEES, you are among SPANIARDS. Is it conceivable, that the qualities of the air fhould change exactly with the limits of an empire, which depend fo much on the accidents of battles, negociations, and marriages ?

Fourthly,

Fourthly. Where any fet of men, fcattered over diftant nations, maintain a close fociety or communication together, they acquire a fimilitude of manners, and have but little in common with the nations amongst whom they live. Thus the Jews in EUROPE, and the ARMENIANS in the eaft, have a peculiar character; and the former are as much noted for fraud, as the latter for probity *. The Jesuits, in all Roman-catholic countries, are alfo obferved to have a character peculiar to themfelves.

Fifthly. Where any accident, as a difference in language or religion, keeps two nations, inhabiting the fame country, from mixing with each other, they will preferve, during feveral centuries, a diftinct and even oppofite fet of manners. The integrity, gravity, and bravery of the TURKS, form an exact contrast to the deceit, levity, and cowardice of the modern GREEKS.

Sixthly. The fame fet of manners will follow a nation, and adhere to them over the whole globe, as well as the fame laws and language. The SPANISH, EngLISH, FRENCH and DUTCH colonies are all distinguishable even between the tropics.

Seventhly. The manners of a people change very confiderably from one age to another; either by great alterations in their government, by the mixtures of new people, or by that inconftancy, to which all human affairs are subject. The ingenuity, industry, and activity of the ancient GREEKS have nothing in common with the ftupidity and indolence of the prefent inhabitants of those regions. Candour, bravery, and love of liberty formed the character of the ancient ROMANS; as

* See NOTE [L].
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fubtilty,

fubtilty, cowardice, and a flavish difpofition do that of the modern. The old SPANIARDS were reftlefs, turbulent, and fo addicted to war, that many of them killed themfelves, when deprived of their arms by the ROMANS *. One would find an equal difficulty, at prefent, (at least one would have found it fifty years ago) to rouze up the modern SPANIARDS to arms. The BATAVIANS were all foldiers of fortune, and hired themselves into the RoMAN armies. Their pofterity make ufe of foreigners for the fame purpofe that the ROMANS did their ancestors. Though fome few strokes of the FRENCH character be the fame with that which CESAR has afcribed to the GAULS; yet what comparifon between the civility, humanity, and knowledge of the modern inhabitants of that country, and the ignorance, barbarity, and groffnefs of the ancient? Not to infift upon the great difference between the prefent poffeffors of BRITAIN, and thofe before the ROMAN conqueft; we may obferve that our ancestors, a few centuries ago, were funk into the moft abject fuperftition, laft century they were inflamed with the most furious enthufiafm, and are now fettled into the most cool indifference with regard to religious matters, that is to be found in any nation of the world. Eighthly. Where feveral neighbouring nations have a very clofe communication together, either by policy, commerce, or travelling, they acquire a fimilitude of manners, proportioned to the communication. Thus all the FRANKS appear to have a uniform character to the eaftern nations. The differences among them are like the peculiar accents of different provinces, which are not diftinguishable, except by an ear accuftomed to them, and which commonly efcape a foreigner.

* TIT. LIVII, lib. xxxiv. cap. 17.

Ninthly.

Ninthly. We may often remark a wonderful mixture of manners and characters in the fame nation, speaking the fame language, and subject to the fame government: And in this particular the ENGLISH are the most remarkable of any people, that perhaps ever were in the world. Nor is this to be afcribed to the mutability and uncertainty of their climate, or to any other phyfical causes; fince all these causes take place in the neighbouring country of SCOTLAND, without having the fame effect. Where the government of a nation is altogether republican, it is apt to beget a particular fet of manners. Where it is altogether monarchica!, it is more apt to have the fame effect; the imitation of fuperiors spreading the national manners fafter among the people. If the governing part of a state confifts altogether of merchants, as in HOLLAND, their uniform way of life will fix their character. If it confifts chiefly of nobles and landed gentry, like GERMANY, FRANCE, and SPAIN, the fame effect follows. The genius of a particular fect or religion is also apt to mould the manners of a people. But the ENGLISH government is a mixture of monarchy, ariftocracy, and democracy. The people in authority are composed of gentry and merchants. All fects of religion are to be found among them. And the great liberty and independency, which every man enjoys, allows him to display the manners peculiar to him. Hence the ENGLISH, of any people in the universe, have the least of a national character; unless this very fingu larity may pass for fuch.

If the characters of men depended on the air and climate, the degrees of heat and cold should naturally be expected to have a mighty influence; fince nothing has a greater effect on all plants and irrational animals. And indeed

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indeed there is fome reason to think, that all the nations, which live beyond the polar circles or between the tropics, are inferior to the rest of the fpecies, and are incapable of all the higher attainments of the human mind. The poverty and mifery of the northern inhabitants of the globe, and the indolence of the fouthern, from their few neceffities, may, perhaps, account for this remarkable difference, without our having recourse to phyfical caufes. This however is certain, that the characters of nations are very promifcuous in the temperate climates, and that almost all the general observations, which have been formed of the more fouthern or more northern people in these climates, are found to be uncertain and fallacious t.

Shall we fay, that the neighbourhood of the fun inflames the imagination of men, and gives it a peculiaṛ fpirit and vivacity. The FRENCH, GREEKS, EGYP TIANS, and PERSIANS are remarkable for gaiety. The SPANIARDS, TURKS, and CHINESE are noted for gra vity and a serious deportment, without any fuch difference of climate, as to produce this difference of temper.

The GREEKS and ROMANS, who called all other nations barbarians, confined genius and a fine underftanding to the more fouthern climates, and pronounced the northern nations incapable of all knowledge and civility. But BRITAIN has produced as great men, either for action or learning, as GREECE or ITALY has to boast of.

It is pretended, that the fentiments of men become more delicate as the country approaches nearer the fun; and that the taste of beauty and elegance receives propor

+ See NOTE [M].