where would be the sense of extolling a good character or action, which, at the fame time, is allowed to be good for nothing? All the differences, therefore, in morals, may be reduced to this one general foundation, and may be accounted for by the different views which people take of thefe circumftances.

Sometimes men differ in their judgment about the usefulness of any habit or action: Sometimes also the peculiar circumftances of things render one moral quality more ufeful than others, and give it a peculiar preference.

It is not fuprifing, that, during a period of war and disorder, the military virtues fhould be more celebrated than the pacific, and attract more the admiration and attention of mankind. "How ufual is it," fays TULLY*,“ to find CIMBRIANS, CELTIBERIANS, and "other Barbarians, who bear, with inflexible con"ftancy, all the fatigues and dangers of the field; "but are immediately difpirited under the pain and "hazard of a languishing diftemper: While, on the "other hand, the GREEKS patiently endure the flow "approaches of death, when armed with fickness "and difeafe; but timoroufly fly his prefence, when "he attacks them violently with fwords and fal"chions!" So different is even the fame virtue of courage among warlike or peaceful nations! And indeed we may obferve, that, as the difference between war and peace is the greatest that arifes among nations and public focieties, it produces alfo the greatest variations in moral fentiment, and diversifies the most our ideas of virtue and perfonal merit.

Sometimes too, magnanimity, greatness of mind, difdain of flavery, inflexible rigour and integrity, may better fuit the circumftances of one age than thofe of another, and have a more kindly influence, both on public affairs, and on a man's own fafety and advancement. Our idea of merit, therefore, will alfo vary a little with these variations; and LA

BEO, perhaps, be cenfured for the fame qualities which procured CATO the highest approbation.

A degree of luxury may be ruinous and pernicious in a native of SWITZERLAND, which only fofters the arts, and encourages induftry, in a FRENCHMAN or ENGLISHMAN. We are not, therefore, to expect, either the fame sentiments or the fame laws in BERNE, which prevail in LONDON or PARIS.

Different customs have also fome influence as well as different utilities; and by giving an early biass to the mind, may produce a fuperior propensity, either to the useful or the agreeable qualities; to those which regard felf, or those which extend to fociety. These four fources of moral fentiment ftill fubfift; but particular accidents may, at one time, make any one of them flow with greater abundance than at another.

The customs of fome nations fhut up the women from all focial commerce: Thofe of others make them fo effential a part of fociety and conversation, that, except where business is tranfacted, the malefex alone are fuppofed almost wholly incapable of mutual difcourfe and entertainment. As this difference is the most material that can happen in private life, it must also produce the greatest variation in our moral fentiments.

Of all nations in the world, where polygamy was not allowed, the GREEKS feem to have been the most referved in their commerce with the fair fex, and to have imposed on them the ftricteft laws of modesty and decency. We have a strong inftance of this in an oration of LYSIAS *. A widow injured, ruined, undone, calls a meeting of a few of her nearest friends and relations; and though never before accustomed, says the orator, to speak in the presence of men, the diftrefs of her circumftances constrained her to lay the cafe before them. The very opening of her mouth in fuch company required, it feems, an apology.

* Orat. 33.

When

When DEMOSTHENES profecuted his tutors, to make them refund his patrimony, it became neceffary for him, in the courfe of the law-fuit, to prove that the marriage of APHOBUS's fifter with ONETER was entirely fraudulent, and that, notwithstanding her fham-marriage, fhe had lived with her brother at ATHENS for two years paft, ever fince her divorce from her former husband. And it is remarkable, that though these were people of the first fortune and diftinction in the city, the orator could prove this fact no way, but by calling for her female flaves to be put to the question, and by the evidence of one phyfician, who had seen her in her brother's houfe during her illness *. So referved were GREEK man

ners.

We may be affured, that an extreme purity of manners was the confequence of this referve. Accordingly we find, that, except the fabulous stories of an HELEN and a CLYTEMNESTRA, there fcarcely is an inftance of any event in the GREEK hiftory which proceeded from the intrigues of women. On the other hand, in modern times, particularly in a neighbouring nation, the females enter into all transactions and all management of church and state: And no man can expect fuccefs, who takes not care to obtain their good graces. HARRY the third, by incurring the displeasure of the fair, endangered his crown, and loft his life, as much as by his indulgence to herefy.

It is needless to diffemble: The confequence of a very free commerce between the fexes, and of their living much together, will often terminate in intrigues and gallantry. We must facrifice fomewhat of the useful, if we be very anxious to obtain all the agreeable, qualities; and cannot pretend to reach alike every kind of advantage. Inftances of licence, daily multiplying, will weaken the scandal with the one fex, and teach the other, by degrees, to adopt the Z 3 famous

* In Oneterem.

famous maxim of LA FONTAINE, with regard to female infidelity: That if one knows it, it is but a small matter; if one knows it not, it is nothing*.

Some people are inclined to think, that the best way of adjusting all differences, and of keeping the proper medium between the agreeable and the useful qualities of the fex, is to live with them after the manner of the ROMANS and the ENGLISH (for the cuftoms of these two nations feem fimilar in this refpect); that is, without gallantry, and without jealoufy. By a parity of reason, the customs of the SPANIARDS and of the ITALIANS of an age ago (for the present are very different), muft be the worst of any; because they favour both gallantry and jealoufy.

Nor will these different customs of nations affect the one fex only: Their idea of perfonal merit in the males muft alfo be fomewhat different with regard, at least, to converfation, addrefs, and humour. The one nation, where the men live much apart, will naturally more approve of prudence; the other of gaiety. With the one, fimplicity of manners will be in the highest esteem; with the other, politeness. The one will diftinguish themselves by good-fense and judgment; the other, by taste and delicacy. The eloquence of the former will fhine moft in the fenate; that of the other, on the theatre.

Thefe, I fay, are the natural effects of fuch cuftoms. For it must be confeffed, that chance has a great influence on national manners; and many events happen in fociety, which are not to be accounted for by general rules. Who could imagine, for inftance, that the ROMANS, who lived freely with their women, fhould be very indifferent about mufic, and esteem

* Quand on le fçait c'eft peu de chofe;

Quand on l'ignore, ce n'eft rien.

+ See NOTE [XX].

The gallantry here meant, is that of amours and attachments, not that of complaifance; which is as much paid to the fair-sex in ENGLAND as in any other country.

esteem dancing infamous: While the GREEKS, who never almost saw a woman but in their own houses, were continually piping, finging, and dancing?

The differences of moral fentiment, which naturally arise from a republican or monarchical government, are also very obvious; as well as thofe which proceed from general riches or poverty, union or faction, ignorance or learning. Ifhall conclude this long discourse with obferving, that different customs and fituations vary not the original ideas of merit (however they may fome confequences) in any very effential point, and prevail chiefly with regard to young men, who can afpire to the agreeable qualities, and may attempt to please. The MANNER, the

ORNAMENTS, the GRACES, which fucceed in this fhape, are more arbitrary and cafual: But the merit of riper years is almost every where the fame; and confifts chiefly in integrity, humanity, ability, knowledge, and the other more folid and ufeful qualities of the human mind.

What you infift on, replied PALAMEDES, may have fome foundation, when you adhere to the maxims of common life and ordinary conduct. Experience and the practice of the world readily correct any great extravagance on either fide. But what fay you to artificial lives and manners? How do you reconcile the maxims on which, in different ages and nations, these are founded?

What do you understand by artificial lives and manners? faid I. I explain myself, replied he. You know, that religion had, in ancient times, very little influence on common life; and that, after men had performed their duty in facrifices and prayers at the temple, they thought, that the gods left the rest of their conduct to themselves, and were little pleased or offended with thofe virtues or vices, which only affected the peace and happiness of human fociety. In those ages, it was the business of philosophy alone to regulate mens ordinary behaviour and deportment;