COULD we recall the fpirit that was exerted, or enter into the views that were entertained, by our anceflors, when they burit like a deluge, from their ancient feats, and poured into the Roman empire, we fhould probably, after their firft fucceffes, at leaft, find a ferment in the minds of men, for which no attempt was too arduous, no difficulties infurmountable. THE fubfequent ages of enterprife in Europe, were thofe in which the alarm of enthufiafm was rung, and the followers of the crofs invaded the Eaft, to plunder a country, and to recover a fepulchre; thofe in which the people in different ftates contended for freedom, and affaulted the fabric of civil or religious ufurpation; that in which having found means to cross the Atlantic, and to double the cape of Good Hope, the inhabitants of one half the world were let loofe on the other, and partics from every quarter, wading in blood, and at the expence of every crime, and of every danger, traversed the earth in search of gold. EVEN the weak and the remifs are roufed to enterprife, by the contagion of fuch remarkable ages; and ftates which have not in their form the principles of a continucd exertion, either favourable or adverfe to the welfare of mankind, may have paroxyfms of ardour, and a temporary appearance of national vigour. In the cafe of fuch nations, indeed, the returns of moderation are but a relapse to obfcurity, and the prefumption of one age is turnedto dejection in that which fucceeds. BUT BUT in the cafe of ftates that are fortunate in their domeftic policy, even madness itself may, in the refult of violent convulfions, fubfide into wifdom; and a people return to their ordinary mood, cured of their follies, and wifer by experience: or, with talents improved, in conducting the very fcenes which frenzy had opened, they may then appear beft qualified to purfue with fuccefs the object of nations. Like the ancient republics, immediately after fome alarming fedition, or like the kingdom of Great Britain, at the clofe of its civil wars, they retain the fpirit. of activity, which was recently awakened, and are equally vigorous in every pursuit, whether of policy, learning, or arts. From having appeared on the brink of ruin, they pass to the greatest prosperity. MEN engage in purfuits with degrees of ardour not proportioned to the importance of their object. When: they are flated in opposition, or joined in confederacy, they only wish for pretences to act. They forget, in the heat of their animofities, the fubject of their controversy; or they feck in their formal reasonings concerning it, only a disguise for their paffions. When the heart is inflamed, no confideration can reprefs its ardour; when its fervour fubfides, no reasoning can excite, and no eloquence awaken, its former emotions.. THE Continuance, of emulation among flates, muft depend on the degree of equality by which their forces are balanced; or on the incentives by which either party, or all, all, are urged to continue their struggles. Long intermiffions of war, suffer, equally in every period of civil society, the military spirit to languish. The reduction of Athens by Lyfander, ftruck a fatal blow at the inftitutions of Lycurgus; and the quiet poffeffion of Italy, happily, perhaps, for mankind, had almoft put an end to the military progrefs of the Romans. After fome years of repose, Hannibal found Italy unprepared for his onset, and the Romans in a disposition likely to drop, on the banks of the Po, that martial ambition, which, being roufed by the fenfe of a new danger, afterwards carried them to the Euphrates and the Rhine. STATES even distinguished for military prowess, sometimes lay down their arms from laffitude, and are weary of fruitless contentions: but if they maintain the station of independent communities, they will have frequent occafions to recall, and to exert their vigour. Even under popular governments, men fometimes drop the confideration of their political rights, and appear at times remifs or fupine; but if they have reserved the power to defend themselves, the intermiffion of its exercise cannot be of long duration. Political rights, when neglected, are always invaded; and alarms from this quarter must frequently come to renew the attention of parties. The love of learning, and of arts, may change its purfuits, or droop for a season; but while men are poffeffed of freedom, and while the exercises of ingenuity are not fuperfeded, the public may proceed, at different times, with unequal fervour; but its progrefs progrefs is feldom altogether discontinued, or the advantages gained in one age are feldom entirely loft to the following. If we could find the causes of final corruption, we must examine those revolutions of ftate that remove or withhold the objects of every ingenious ftudy, or liberal pursuit; that deprive the citizen of occafions to act as the member of a public; that crush his fpirit; that debase his fentiments, and disqualify his mind for affairs. SECT. SE C T. III. Of Relaxations in the National Spirit incident to Polished IMI Nations. MPROVING nations, in the courfe of their advancement, have to fruggle with foreign enemies, to whom they bear an extreme animofity, and with whom, in many conflicts, they contend for their existence as a people. In certain periods too, they feel in their domeftic policy inconveniencies and grievances, which beget an eager impatience; and they apprehend reformations and new establishments, from which they have fanguine hopes of national happiness. In early ages, every art is imperfect, and susceptible of many improvements. The first principles of every fcience are yet fecrets to be difcovered, and to be fucceffively published with applaufe and triumph. We may fancy to ourselves, that in ages of progress, the human race, like fcouts gone abroad on the difcovery of fertile lands, having the world open before them, are prefented at every ftep with the appearance of novelty. They enter on every new ground with expectation and joy: They engage in every enterprife with the ardour of men, who believe they are going to arrive at national |