and knowlege to a whole people, and produce the greatest improvements: But they fix the tongue by their writings, and prevent, in fome degree, its farther changes. LORD BACON has obferved, that the inhabitants of the fouth are, in general, more ingenious than thofe of the north; but that, where the native of a cold climate has genius, he rifes to a higher pitch than can be reached by the fouthern wits. This obfervation a late writer confirms, by comparing the fouthern wits to cucumbers, which are commonly all good of their kind; but at best are an infipid fruit: While the northern geniufes are like melons, of which not one in fifty is good; but when it is good, it has an exquifite relish. I believe this remark may be allowed juft, when confined to the EUROPEAN nations, and to the prefent age, or rather to the preceding one: But then I think it may be accounted for from moral caufes. All the sciences and liberal arts have been imported to us from the fouth; and 't's easy` to imagine, that, in the first ardor of application, when excited by emulation and by glory, the few, who were addicted to them, would carry them to the greatest height, and stretch every nerve, and every faculty, to reach the pinnacle of perfection. Such illuftrious examples fpred knowlege every where, and begot an univerfal esteem for the fciences: After which, 'tis no wonder, that industry relaxes; while men meet not with fuitable encouragement, nor arrive at fuch diftinction by their attainments. The univerfal diffusion of learning among a people, and the entire banishment of grofs ignorance and rufticity is, therefore, feldom attended with any remarkable perfection in particular perfons. It feems to be taken for granted in the dialogue de Oratoribus, that knowlege was much more common in VESPASIAN's age than in, that of CICERO or AUGUSTUS. QUINCTILIAN alfo complains of the profanation of learning, by its becoming too vulgar." Formerly, fays JUVENAL, fci"ence was confined to GREECE and ITALY. Now the whole world emulate"ATHENS and ROME. Eloquent GAUL has taught BRITAIN, knowing in the "laws. Even THULE entertains thoughts of hiring rhetoricians for its inftruc"tion t." This ftate of learning is remarkable; because JUVENAL is himself the laft of the ROMAN writers, who poffeffed any degree of genius. Thofe, who, fucceeded, are valued for nothing but the matters of fact, of which they give us information. I hope the late converfion of Muscovy to the study of the sciences will not prove a like prognoftic to the prefent period of learning. CARDINAL BENTIVOGLIO gives the preference to the northern nations above the southern with regard to candor and fincerity; and mentions, on the one hand, the SPANIARDS and ITALIANS, and on the other, the FLEMISH and GERMANS. But I am apt to think, that this has happened by accident. The ancient RoMANS feem to have been a candid fincere people as are the modern TURKS. But if we must needs fuppofe, that this event has arifen from fixed causes, we may only conclude from it, that all extremes are apt to concur, and are commonly at • Dr. BERKELY: Minute philofopher. "+ Sed Cantaber unde Stoicus antiqui præfertim ætate Metelli, Nunc totus GRAIAS, noftrafque habet orbis ATHENAS. De conducendo loquitur jam rhetore THULE," Satyr. 15. tended tended with the fame confequences. Treachery is the ufual concomitant of ignorance and barbarifm; and if civilized nations ever embrace fubtle and crooked politics, 'tis from an excess of refinement, which makes them difdain the plain direct road to power and glory. MOST conquefts have gone from north to fouth; and thence it has been inferred, that the northern nations poffefs a fuperior degree of courage and ferocity. But it would have been jufter to have faid, that moft conquefts are made by poverty and want upon plenty and riches. The SARACENS, leaving the deferts of ARABIA, carried their conquefts northwards upon all the fertile provinces of the ROMAN empire; and met the TURKS half way, who were coming fouthwards from the deferts of TARTARY. AN eminent writer * has remarked, that all couragious animals are also carnivorous, and that greater courage is to be expected in a people, fuch as the ENGLISH, whofe food is strong and hearty, than in the half-ftarved commonalty of other countries. But the SWEDES, notwithstanding their difadvantages in this particular, are not inferior, in martial courage, to any nation that ever was in the world. In general, we may obferve, that courage, of all national qualities, is the most precarious; because it is exerted only at intervals, and by a few in every nation; whereas industry, knowlege, civility, may be of conftant and univerfal use, and for feveral ages, may become habitual to the whole people. If courage be preferved, it must be by discipline, example, and opinion. The tenth legion of CESAR, and the regiment of PICARDY in FRANCE were formed promiscuously from among the citizens; but having once entertained a notion, that they were the best troops in the fervice, this very opinion really made them fuch. As a proof how much courage depends on opinion, we may observe, that of the two chief tribes of the GREEKS, the DORIANS, and IONIANS, the former were always esteemed, and always appeared more brave and manly than the latter; tho' the colonies of both the tribes were interfperfed and intermingled thro' all the extent of GREECE, the leffer ASIA, SICILY, ITALY and the islands of the EGEAN fea. The ATHENIANS were the only IONIANS that ever had any reputation for valor or military atchievements; tho' even these were esteemed inferior to the LACEDEMONIANS, the braveft of the DORIANS. THE only obfervation, with regard to the differences of men in different climates, on which we can reft any weight, is the vulgar one, that people in the northern regions have a greater inclination to ftrong liquors, and thofe in the fouthern to love and women. One can affign a very probable phyfical caufe for this difference. Wine and diftilled fpirits warm the frozen blood in the colder climates, and fortify men against the injuries of the weather: As the genial heat of the fun, in the countries, expofed to his beams, inflames the blood, and exalts the paffion betwixt the fexes. PERHAPS too, the matter may be accounted for by moral caufes. All ftrong liquors are rarer in the north, and confequently are more coveted. DIODORUS SICULUS † Sir WILLIAM TEMPLE's account of the Netherlands. + Lib. 5. The fame author ascribes taciturnity to that people; a new proof that national characters may alter very much. Taciturnity, as a na I tional character, implies unfociableness. ARISTOTLE in his politics, book 2. chap. 9. fays that the GAULS are the only warlike nation, who are negligent of women. tells tells us, that the GAULS, in his time, were great drunkards, and much addicted to wine; chiefly, I fuppofe, from its rarity and novelty. On the other hand, the heat in the fouthern climates, obliging men and women to go half naked, thereby renders their frequent commerce more dangerous, and inflames their mutual paffion. This makes parents and husbands more jealous and reserved; which ftill farther inflames the paffion. Not to mention, that as women ripen. fooner in the fouthern regions, 'tis neceffary to obferve greater jealoufy and care in their education; it being evident that a girl of twelve cannot poffefs equal difcretion to govern this paffion, with one, who feels not its violence till fhe be feventeen or eighteen. PERHAPS too, the fact is falfe, that nature has, either from moral or physical caufes, diftributed thefe different inclinations to the different climates. The antient GREEKS, tho' born in a warm climate, feem to have been much addicted to the bottle; nor were their parties of pleasure any thing but matches of drinking among the men, who paffed their time altogether apart from the fair-fex. Yet when ALEXANDER led the GREEKS into PERSIA, a ftill more fouthern climate, they multiplied their debauches of this kind, in imitation of the PERSIAN manSo honorable was the character of a drunkard among the PERSIANS, that CYRUS the younger, foliciting the fober LACEDEMONIANS for fuccor against his brother, ARTAXERXES, claims it chiefly on account of his fuperior endowments, as more valorous, more bountiful, and a better drinker +. DARIUS HYSTASPES made it be infcribed on his tombstone, among his other virtues and princely qualities, that no one could bear a greater quantity of liquor. You may obtain any thing of the NEGROES by offering them ftrong drink; and may eafily prevail with them to fell, not only their parents, but their wives and miftreffes, for a cask of brandy. In FRANCE and ITALY few drink pure wine, except in the greatest heats of fummer; and indeed, it is then almoft as neceffary, in order to recruit the fpirits, evaporated by heat, as it is in SWEDEN, during the winter, in order to warm the bodies congealed by the rigor of the season. Ir jealoufy be regarded as a proof of an amorous difpofition, no people were more jealous than the MuscovITES, before their communication with EUROPE had somewhat altered their manners in this particular. BUT fuppofing the fact true, that nature, by physical principles, has regularly diftributed these two paffions, the one to the northern, the other to the fouthern regions; we can only infer, that the climate may affect the groffer and more bodily organs of our frame; not that it can work upon those finer organs, on which the operations of the mind and understanding depend. And this is agreeable to the analogy of nature. The races of animals never degenerate when carefully tended; and horses, in particular, always fhow their blood in their shape, spirit, and fwiftnefs: But a coxcomb may beget a philosopher, as a man of virtue may leave a worthless progeny, I SHALL Conclude this fubject with obferving, that tho' the paffion for liquor be much more brutal and debafing than love, which, when properly managed, is the fource of all politeness and refinement; yet this gives not fo great an advan * BABYLONII maxime in vinum & quæ ebrietatem Cap. 1. fequuntur, effufi funt. QUINT. CUR. Lib. 5. PLUT. SYMP. Lib. 1. Quæft. 4. tage tage to the fouthern climates, as we may be apt, at firft fight, to imagine. When love goes beyond a certain pitch, it renders men jealous, and cuts off the free intercourse betwixt the fexes, on which the politenefs of a nation will always much depend. And if we would fubtilize and refine upon this point, we might obferve, that nations, in very temperate climates, ftand the faireft chance for all forts of improvement; their blood not being fo inflamed as to render them jealous, and yet being warm enough to make them fet a due value on the charms and endowments of the fair fex. ESS A Y XXV. IT OF TRAGEDY. T feems an unaccountable pleasure, which the fpectators of a well-wrote tragedy receive from forrow, terror, anxiety, and other paffions, which are in themfelves difagreeable and uneafy. The more they are touched and affected, the more are they delighted with the fpectacle, and as foon as the uneafy paffions ceafe to operate, the piece is at an end. One fcene of full joy and contentment and fecurity is the utmost, that any compofition of this kind can bear; and it is fure always to be the concluding one. If in the texture of the piece, there be interwoven any scenes of fatisfaction, they afford only faint gleams of pleasure, which are thrown in by way of variety, and in order to plunge the actors into deeper diftrefs, by means of that contraft and disappointment. The whole art of the poet is employed, in rouzing and fupporting the compaffion and indignation, the anxiety and refentment of his audience. They are pleafed in proportion as they are afflicted; and never are so happy as when they employ tears, fobs, and cries to give vent to their forrow, and relieve their heart, fwoln with the tenderest sympathy and compaffion. THE few critics, who have had fome tincture of philosophy, have remarked this fingular phænomenon, and have endeavored to account for it. L'ABBE DUBOS, in his reflections on poetry and painting, afferts, that nothing is in general fo difagreeable to the mind as the languid, liftlefs ftate of indolence, into which it falls upon the removal of every paffion and occupation. To get rid of this painful fituation, it feeks every amufement and purfuit; bufinefs, gaming, fhows, executions; whatever will rouze the paffions, and take its attention from itself. No matter, what the paffion is: Let it be difagreeable, afflicting, melancholy, difordered; it is ftill better than that infipid languor, which arifes from perfect tranquillity and repose... It is impoffible not to admit this account, as being, at least, in part fatisfactory. You may obferve, when there are feveral tables of gaming, that all the company run to thofe, where the deepest play is, even tho' they find not there the finest players. The view, or at leaft, imagination of high paffions, arifing from great lofs or gain, affects the spectators by fympathy, gives them fome touches of the fame paffions, and ferves them for a momentary entertainment. It makes the 130 the time pass the easier with them, and is fome relief to that oppreffion, under which men commonly labor, when left entirely to their own thoughts and medi tations. Wɛ find, that common lyars always magnify, in their narrations, all kinds of danger, pain, distress, sickness, deaths, murders, and cruelties; as well as joy, beauty, mirth, and magnificence. It is an abfurd fecret, which they have for pleafing their company, fixing their attention, and attaching them to fuch marvellous relations, by the paffions and emotions, which they excite. THERE is, however, a difficulty of applying to the present subject, in its full extent, this folution, however ingenious and fatisfactory it may appear. It is certain, that the fame object of diftrefs which pleases in a tragedy, were it really fet before us, would give the most unfeigned uneafinefs, tho' it be then the moft efMonfieur FONTENELLE feems to have fectual cure of languor and indolence. been fenfible of this difficulty; and accordingly attempts another folution of the phænomenon; at leaft, makes fome addition to the theory abovementioned *. "PLEASURE and pain," fays he, "which are two fentiments fo different in "themselves, differ not fo much in their caufe. From the inftance of tickling, "it appears, that the movement of pleasure pufhed a little too far, becomes pain; "and that the movement of pain, a little moderated, becomes pleasure. Hence "it proceeds, that there is fuch a thing as a forrow, foft and agreeable: It is a pain weakened and diminished. The heart likes naturally to be moved and af"fected. Melancholy objects fuit it, and even difaftrous and forrowful, pro"vided they are foftened by fome circumftance. It is certain, that on the theatre, "the reprefentation has almoft the effect of reality; but yet it has not altogether "that effect. However we may be hurried away by the fpectacle; whatever "dominion the fenfes and imagination may ufurp over the reafon, there ftill "lurks at the bottom a certain idea of falfhood in the whole of what we fee. This “idea, tho' weak and disguised, fuffices to diminish the pain which we fuffer "from the misfortunes of thofe whom we love, and to reduce that affliction to "fuch a pitch as converts it into a pleasure. We weep for the misfortune of a "hero, to whom we are attached: In the fame inftant we comfort ourselves, by "reflecting, that it is nothing but a fiction: And it is precifely, that mixture "of fentiments, which compofes an agreeable forrow, and tears that delight us. "But as that affliction, which is caused by exterior and fenfible objects, is ftronger "than the confolation which arises from an internal reflection, they are the ef"fects and symptoms of forrow, which ought to prevail in the compofition." THIS folution feems juft and convincing; but perhaps it wants ftill fome new addition, in order to make it anfwer fully the phænomenon, which we here examine. All the paffions, excited by eloquence, are agreeable in the highest degree, as well as thofe which are moved by painting and the theatre. The epilogues of CICERO are, on this account chiefly, the delight of every reader of tafte; and it is difficult to read fome of them without the deepest fympathy and forrow. His merit as an orator, no doubt, depends much on his fuccefs in this particular. When he had raised tears in his judges and all his audience, they were then the most highly delighted, and expreffed the greatest fatisfaction with the pleader. • Reflexions fur la poetique. § 36. The |