weak fides of that philofophy? The fevereft fcrutiny, which NEWTON's theory has undergone, proceeded not from his countrymen but from foreigners; and if it can overcome the obftacles which it meets with at prefent in all parts of EuROPE, it will probably go down triumphant to the lateft pofterity. The ENGLISH are become fenfible of the fcandalous licentiousness of their stage, from the example of the FRENCH decency and morals. The FRENCH are convinced, that their theatre has become fomewhat effeminate, by too much love and gallantry; and begin to approve of the more mafculine tafte of fome neighboring nations.

IN CHINA there feems to be a pretty confiderable stock of politeness and science, which, in the course of fo many centuries, might naturally be expected to ripen into fomething more perfect and finifhed, than what has yet arifen from them. But CHINA is one vaft empire, fpeaking one language, governed by one law, and fympathizing in the fame manners. The authority of any teacher, fuch as CONFUSIUS, was propagated easily from one corner of the empire to another. None had courage to refift the torrent of popular opinion. And pofterity were not bold enough to difpute what had been univerfally received by their ancestors. This feems to be one natural reafon, why the fciences have made fo flow a progrefs in that mighty empire.

If we confider the face of the globe, EUROPE, of all the four parts of the world, is the most broken by feas, rivers, and mountains; and GREECE of all countries of EUROPE. Hence these regions were naturally divided into several diftinct governments. And hence the fciences arofe in GREECE; and EUROPE has been hitherto the most constant habitation of them.

I HAVE fometimes been inclined to think, that interruptions in the periods of learning, were they not attended with fuch a deftruction of ancient books, and the records of hiftory, would be rather favorable to the arts and fciences, by breaking the progrefs of authority, and dethroning the tyrannical ufurpers over human reason. In this particular, they have the fame influence, as interruptions in political governments and focieties. Confider the blind fubmiffion of the ancient philofophers to the feveral mafters in each school, and you will be convinced, that no good could ever be expected from an hundred centuries of fuch a fervile philofophy. Even the ECLECTICS, who arofe about the age of AUGUSTUS, notwithstanding their profeffing to chufe freely what pleased them from every dif

* If it be asked how we can reconcile to the foregoing principles the happiness, riches, and good police of the CHINESE, who have always been governed by a fole monarch, and can fcarce form an idea of a free government; I would anfwer, that tho' the CHINESE government be a pure monarchy, it is not, properly speaking, abfolute. This proceeds from a peculiarity of the fituation of that country: They have no neighbors, except the TARTARS, from whom they were, in fome meafure, fecured, at least feemed to be fecured, by their famous wall, and by the great fuperiority of their numbers. By this means, military difcipline has always been much neglected amongst them; and their ftanding forces are mere militia, of the

worst kind; and unfit to fupprefs any general infurrection in countries fo extremely populous. The fword therefore, may properly be faid to be always in the hands of the people, which is a fufficient reftraint upon the monarch, and obliges him to lay his mandarins or governors of provinces under the restraint of general laws, in order to prevent those rebellions, which we learn from history to have been fo frequent and dangerous in that government. Perhaps, a pure monarchy of this kind, were it fitted for defence against foreign enemies, would be the best of all governments, as having both the tranquillity attending kingly power, and the moderation and liberty of popular affemblies.

ferent

;

ferent fect, were yet, in the main, as flavish and dependent as any of their brethren; fince they fought for truth, not in nature, but in the several schools where they fuppofed the muft neceffarily be found, tho' not united in a body, yet difperfed in parts. Upon the revival of learning, thofe fects of Sroics and EPICUREANS, PLATONISTS, and PYTHAGOREANS, could never regain any credit or authority; and, at the fame time, by the example of their fall, kept men from fubmitting, with fuch blind deference, to thofe new fects, which have attempted to gain an ascendant over them.

THE third obfervation, which I fhall form on this head, of the rife and progrefs of the arts and sciences, is, That tho' the only proper Nursery of thefe noble plants be a free government, yet they may be transplanted into any government ; and that a republic is most favorable to the growth of the sciences, and a civilized monarchy to that of the polite arts.

To balance a large ftate or fociety, whether monarchical or republican, on general laws, is a work of fo great difficulty, that no human genius, however comprehenfive, is able, by the mere dint of reafon and reflection, to effect it. The judgments of many muft unite in this work: Experience muft guide their labor: Time muft bring it to perfection: And the feeling of inconveniencies muft correct the miftakes, which they inevitably fall into, in their first trials and experiments. Hence the impoffibility appears, that this undertaking should be begun and carried on in any monarchy; fince fuch a form of government, e're civilized, knows no other fecret in policy, than that of entrusting unlimited powers with every governor or magiftrate, and fubdividing the people into fo many claffes and orders of flavery. From such a situation, no improvements can ever be expected in the fciences, in the liberal arts, in laws, and scarce in the manual arts or manufactures. The fame barbarifm and ignorance, with which the government commences, is propagated to all pofterity, and can never come to a period by the efforts or ingenuity of fuch unhappy flaves.

BUT tho' law, the fource of all fecurity and happiness, arifes late in any government, and is the flow product of order and of liberty, it is not preserved with the fame difficulty, with which it is produced; but when it has once taken root, is a hardy plant, which will fcarce ever perish thro' the ill culture of men, or the rigor of the feafons. The arts of luxury, and much more the liberal arts, which depend on a refined tafte or fentiment, are eafily loft: because they are always relished by a few only, whofe leifure, fortune and genius fit them for fuch amufements. But what is profitable to every mortal, and in common life, when once difcovered, can scarce ever perish, but by the total fubverfion of fociety, and by fuch furious inundations of barbarous invaders, as obliterate all memory of former arts and civility. Imitation alfo is apt to transport thefe coarser and more ufeful arts from one climate to another, and make them precede the refined arts in their progrefs; tho' perhaps they fprang after them in their firft rife and propagation. From thefe caufes proceed civilized monarchies, where the arts of government, first invented in free ftates, are preferved to the mutual advantage and fecurity of fovereign and fubject.

HOWEVER perfect, therefore, the monarchical form may appear to fome politicians, it owes all its perfection to the republican; nor is it poffible, that a pure defpotifm, established among a barbarous people, can ever, by its native force

and energy, refine and polish itself. It must borrow its laws, and methods, and inftitutions, and confequently its ftability and order, from free governments. Thefe advantages are the fole growth of republics. The extenfive defpotism of a barbarous monarchy, by entering into the detail of the government, as well as into the principal points of adminiftration, for ever prevents all fuch improve

ments.

In a civilized monarchy, the prince alone is unrestrained in the exercise of his authority, and poffeffes alone a power, which is not bounded by any thing but custom, example, and the sense of his own intereft. Every minifter or magiftrate, however eminent, must submit to the general laws, which govern the whole fociety, and must exert the authority delegated to him after the manner, which is prescribed. The people depend on none but their fovereign, for the fecurity of their property. He is fo far removed from them, and is fo much exempt from private jealoufies or interefts, that this dependence is not felt. And thus a fpecies of government arifes, to which, in a high political rant, we may give the name of Tyranny, but which, by a juft and prudent administration, may afford tolerable security to the people, and may fulfil most of the ends of political fociety.

BUT tho' in a civilized monarchy, as well as in a republic, the people have security for the enjoyment of their property; yet in both thefe forms of government, thofe who poffefs the fupreme authority have the disposal of many honors and advantages, which excite the ambition and avarice of mankind. The only difference is, that in a republic, the candidates for offices must look downwards, to gain the fuffrages of the people; in a monarchy, they must turn their attention upwards, to court the good graces and favor of the great. To be fuccessful in the former way, 'tis neceffary for a man to make himself useful, by his industry, capacity, or knowlege: To be profperous in the latter way, 'tis requifite for him to render himself agreeable, by his wit, complaifance, or civility. A ftrong genius fucceeds beft in republics: A refined tafte in monarchies. And confequently the fciences are the more natural growth of the one, and the polite arts of the other.

Not to mention, that monarchies, receiving their chief ftability from a fuperftitious reverence to priests and princes, have almost always abriged the liberty of reafoning, with regard to religion and politics, and confequently metaphyfics and morals. All these form the moft confiderable branches of fcience. Mathematics and natural philofophy, which only remain, are not half fo valuable.

THERE is a very great connection among all the arts, which contribute to pleafure; and the fame delicacy of tafte, which enables us to make improvements in one, will not allow the others to remain altogether rude and barbarous. Amongst all the arts of conversation, no one pleases more than mutual deference or civility, which leads us to refign our own inclinations to thofe of our companion, and to curb and conceal that prefumption and arrogance fo natural to the human mind. A good-natured man, who is well educated, practises this civility to every mortal, without premeditation or intereft. But, in order to render that valuable quality general among any people, it seems neceffary to affift the natural difpofitions by fome general motive. Where power rifes upwards from

the

the people to the great, as in all republics, fuch refinements of civility are apt to be little practifed, fince the whole ftate are, by that means, brought near to a level, and every member of it is rendered, in a great measure, independent of another. The people have the advantage, by the authority of their fuffrages: The great, by the fuperiority of their station. But in a civilized monarchy, there is a long train of dependence from the prince to the peafant, which is not great enough to render property precarious, or deprefs the minds of the people; but is fufficient to beget in every one an inclination to please his fuperiors, and to form himself upon those models, which are most acceptable to people of condition and education. Politenefs of manners, therefore, arifes moft naturally in monarchies and courts; and where that flourishes, none of the liberal arts will be altogether neglected or defpifed.

THE republics in EUROPE are at prefent noted for want of politenefs. The good manners of a Swiss civilized in HOLLAND *, is an expreffion for rufticity among the FRENCH. The ENGLISH, in fome degree, fall under the fame cenfure, notwithstanding their learning and genius. And if the VENETIANS be an exception to the rule, they owe it, perhaps, to their communication with the other ITALIANS, moft of whofe governments beget a dependence more than fufficient for civilizing their manners.

'Tis difficult to pronounce any judgment concerning the refinements of the ancient republics in this particular: But I am apt to fufpect, that the arts of converfation were not brought fo near perfection among them as the arts of writing and compofition. The fcurrility of the ancient orators, in many inftances, is quite fhocking, and exceeds all belief. Vanity too is often not a little offenfive in authors of that age t; as well as the common licentioufnefs and immodesty of their ftile, Quicunque impudicus, adulter, ganeo, manu, ventre, pene, bona patria laceraverat, fays SALLUST in one of the gravest and most moral paffages of his hiftory. Nam fuit ante Helenam Cunnus teterrima belli Caufa, is an expreffion of HORACE, in tracing the origin of moral good and evil. OVID and LUCRETIUS are almoft as licentious in their ftile as my lord ROCHESTER; tho' the former were fine gentlemen and delicate writers, and the latter, from the corruptions of that court, in which he lived, feems to have thrown off all regard to fhame and decency. JUVENAL inculcates modefty with great zeal; but fets a very bad exam ple of it, if we confider the impudence of his expreffions.

I SHALL alfo be fo bold, as to affirm, That among the ancients, there was not much delicacy of breeding, or that polite deference and refpect, which civility obliges us either to exprefs or counterfeit towards the perfons with whom we converfe. CICERO was certainly one of the politeft gentlemen of his age; and yet must confefs I have frequently been fhocked with the poor figure under which he

C'eft la politeffe d'un Suiffe En HOLLANDE civilifé. ROUSSEAU. † 'Tis needless to cite CICERO or PLINY on this head: They are too much noted; But one is a little furprized to find ARIAN, a very grave, judicious writer, interrupt the thread of his narration all of a fudden to tell his readers that he himfelf is as eminent among the GREEKS for elo.

quence as ALEXANDER was for arms. Lib. 1.

This poet (See lib. 4. 1165) recommends a very extraordinary cure for love, and what one expects not to meet with in fo elegant and philofophical a poem. It feems to have been the original of fome of Dr. SWIFT's beautiful and cleanly images. The elegant CATULLUS and PHÆDRU ́S fall under the fame cenfure.

represents his friend ATTICUS, in those dialogues, where he himself is introduced as a speaker. That learned and virtuous ROMAN, whofe dignity, tho' he was only a private gentleman, was inferior to that of no one in ROME, is there fhewn in rather a more pitiful light than PHILALETHES's friend in our modern dialogues. He is a humble admirer of the orator, pays him frequent compliments, and receives his inftructions, with all the deference that a fcholar owes to his master *. Even CATO is treated in fomewhat a cavalier manner in the dialogues de finibus. And 'tis remarkable, that CICERO, being a great fceptic in matters of religion, and unwilling to determine any thing on that head among the different fects of philofophy, introduces his friends difputing concerning the being and nature of the gods, while he is only a hearer; because, forfooth, it would have been an impropriety for fo great a genius as himself, had he spoke, not to have faid fomething decifive on the subject, and have carried every thing before him, as he always does on other occafions. There is also a spirit of dialogue obferved in the eloquent books de Oratore, and a tolerable equality maintained among the speakers: But then these speakers' are the great men of the age preceding the author, and he recounts the conference as only from hearfay.

ONE of the most particular details of a real dialogue, which we meet with in antiquity is related by POLYBIUS†, when PHILIP, king of MACEDON, a prince of wit and parts, met with TITUS FLAMININUS, one of the politeft of the ROMANS as we learn from PLUTARCH ‡, accompanied with ambalfadors from almost all the GREEK cities. The ETOLIAN ambaffador very abruptly tells the king, that he talked like a fool or a madman (Ange) That's evident, fays his majefty, even to a blind man ; which was a raillery on the blindness of his excellency. Yet all this paft not the usual bounds: For the conference was not disturbed; and FLAMININUS was very well diverted with these strokes of humor. At the end, when PHILIP craved a little time to confult with his friends, of whom he had none prefent, the ROMAN general, being defirous alfo to fhew his wit, as the hiftorian fays, tells him, that perhaps the reason, why he had none of his friends with him, was becaufe be bad murdered them all; which was actually the cafe. This unprovoked piece of rufticity is not condemned by the hiftorian, caused no farther resentment in PHILIP, than to excite a SARDONIAN fmile, or what we call a grin, and hindered him not from renewing the conference next day. PLUTARCH too men| tions this raillery amongst the witty and agreeable fayings of FLAMININUS.

'Tis but an indifferent compliment, which HORACE pays to his friend GROSPHUS, in the ode addreffed to him. No one, fays he, is happy in every respect. And I may perhaps enjoy fome advantages, which you are deprived of. You possess great riches: Your bellowing herds cover the SILICIAN plains: Your chariot is drawn by the finest borfes: And you are arrayed in the richest purple. But the indulgent fates, with a fmall inheritance, have given ME a fine genius, and have endowed me with a contempt for the malignant judgments of the vulgar. PHÆDRUS, fays to his pa