of Perfia. In this he laid the plan which was car ried into execution by his fon.

THE Romans, become the mafter of Italy, and the conquerors of Carthage, had been alarmed on the fide of Macedon, and were led to cross a new fea in fearch of a new field, on which to exercise their military force. In profecution of their wars, from the earliest to the latest date of their history, without intending the very conquefts they made, perhaps without forefeeing what advantage they were to reap from the fubjection of diftant provinces, or in what manner they were to govern their new acquifitions, they ftill proceeded to feize what came fucceffively within their reach; and, ftimulated by a policy which engaged them in perpetual wars, which led to perpetual victory and acceffions of territory, they extended the frontier of a ftate, which, but a few centuries before, had been confined within the skirts of a village, to the Euphrates, the Danube, the Wefer, the Forth, and the Ocean.

It is vain to affirm, that the genius of any nation is adverse to conqueft. Its real interefts indeed most commonly are fo; but every ftate which is prepared to defend itself, and to obtain victories, is likeways in hazard of being tempted to conquer.

IN Europe, where mercenary and difciplined armies are every where formed, and ready to traverse the earth, where, like a flood pent up by flender

banks,

banks, they are only restrained by political forms, or a temporary balance of power; if the fluices fhould break, what inundations may we not expect to behold? Effeminate kingdoms and empires are fpread from the fea of Corea to the Atlantic ocean. Every ftate, by the defeat of its troops, may be turned into a province; every army opposed in the field to-day may be hired to-morrow; and every victory gained, may give the acceffion of a new military force to the victor.

THE Romans, with inferior arts of communication both by fea and land, maintained their dominion in a confiderable part of Europe, Afia, and Africa, over fierce and intractable nations: What may not the fleets and armies of Europe, with the access they have by commerce to every part of the world, and the facility of their conveyance, effect, if that ruinous maxim fhould prevail, That the grandeur of a nation is to be estimated from the extent of its territory; or, That the intereft of any particular people confifts in reducing their neighbours to fervitude?

F war, either for depredation or defence, were the principal object of nations, every tribe would, from its earliest state, aim at the condition of a Tartar horde; and in all its fucceffes would haften to the grandeur of a Tartar empire. The military leader would fuperfede the civil magistrate; and preparations to fly with all their poffeffions, or to pursue with all their forces, would in every fociety, make the fum of their public arrange

ments.

A

HE who firft on the banks of the Wolga, or the Jenifca, had taught the Scythian to mount the horse, to move his cottage on wheels, to harafs his enemy alike by his attacks and his flights, to handle at full speed the lance and the bow, and when beat from his ground, to leave his arrows in the wind to meet his purfuer; he who had taught his countrymen to use the fame animal for every purpose of the dairy, the fhambles, and the field of battle; would be esteemed the founder of his nation; or like Ceres and Bacchus among the Greeks, would be invested with the honours of a god, as the reward of his ufeful inventions. Amidft fuch inftitutions, the names and atchievements of Hercules and Jafon might have been tranfinitted to posterity, but

176

thofe

those of Lycurgus or Solon, the heroes of political fociety, could have gained no reputation, either fabulous or real, in the records of fame.

EVERY tribe of warlike barbarians may entertain among themselves the strongest fentiments of affection and honour, while they carry to the test of mankind the afpect of banditti and robbers*. They may be indifferent to interest, and superior to danger; but our sense of humanity, our regard to the rights of nations, our admiration of civil wifdom and justice, even our effeminacy itself, make us turn away with contempt, or with horror, from a fcene which exhibits fo few of our good qualities, and which ferves, fo much to reproach our weak nefs.

IT is in conducting the affairs of civil fociety, that mankind find the exercife of their beft talents, as well as the object of their best affections. It is in being grafted on the advantages of civil fociety, that the art of war is brought to perfection; that the refources of armies, and the complicated fprings to be touched in their conduct, are best understood. The most celebrated warriors were alfo citizens: Oppofed to a Roman, or a Greek, the chieftain of Thrace, of Germany, or Gaul, was a novice. The native of Pella learned the principles of his art from Epaminondas, and Pelopidas.

VIF nations, as hath been obferved in the preced ing fection, muft adjust their policy on the pros fpect of war from abroad, they are: equally bound to provide for the attainment of peace at home. But there is no peace in the abfence of justice. It may} fubfift with divifions, difputes, and contrary opinions; but not with the commiffion of wrongs, The injurious, and the injured, are, as implied in the very meaning of the terms, in a state of hoftility.

bonimamos que 29.013 ozitem 19791sdw MUST WHERE men enjoy peace, they owe it either to their mutual regards and affections, or to the reftraints of law. Those are the happiest states which procure peace to their members by the firft of thefe methods: But it is fufficiently uncommon to cure it even by the fecond. The firft would withdonci SiOHLASTED & af and Theq an aun 191 hold the occafions of war and of competition: The SVOD SHE un quad (uchs in no would be fecond adjufts the pretenfions of men by ftipulations and treaties. Sparta taught her citizens not rud jug 1999 at to regard intereft: Other free nations fecure the icon-parto go bello ed VBM intereft of their members, and confider this as a principal part of their rights.

LAW is the treaty to which members of the bust to bas VIISJONS fame community have agreed, and under which the

ad mad to stipra magiftrate and the fubject continue to enjoy their and doinw vd sumisilsy rights, and to maintain the peace of fociety. The defire of lucre is the great at motive to injuries: law and to non therefore has a principal reference to property. It

mixed Sradw sit ei nos

would afcertain the different methods by which prostur iransu citl of nunq92x3 ne tÓN 21 Su

perty