PART

FIFTH.

OF THE

tot arw y d

DECLINE OF NATIONS.

SECTION Í.

Of fuppofed National Eminence, and of the Viciffitudes of Human Affairs.

O nation is fo unfortunate as to think itself

No

inferior to the rest of mankind: Few are even willing to put up with the claim to equality. The greater part having chofen themselves, as at once, the judges and the models of what is excellent in their kind, are first in their own opinion, and give to others confideration or eminence, fo far only as they approach to their own condition. One nation is vain of the perfonal character, or of the learning of a few of its members; another of its policy, its wealth, its tradefmen, its gardens, and its buildings; and they who have nothing to boast,

are

are vain, because they are ignorant. The Ruffians, before the reign of Peter the Great, thought themfelves poffeffed of every national honour, and held the Nemei, or dumb națions, (the name which they bestowed on their western neighbours of Europe,) in a proportional degree of contempt *. The map of the world, in China, was a fquare plate, the greater part of which was occupied by the provinces of this great empire, leaving on its fkirts a few obfcure corners, into which the wretched remainder of mankind were fuppofed to be driven. If you. "have not the use of our letters, nor the knowledge of our books," faid the learned Chinese to the European miffionary, "what literature, or what science can you have?"

THE term polished, if we may judge from its etymology, originally referred to the state of nations in refpect to their laws and government; and men eivilized were men practifed in the duty of citizens. In its later applications, it refers no lefs to the proficiency of nations in the liberal and mechanical arts, in literature, and in commerce, and men civilized are fcholars, men of fashion and traders. But whatever may be its application, it appears, that if there were a name ftill more refpectable than this, every nation, even the moft barbarous, or the moft corrupted, would affume it; and beftow its reverfe where they conceived a diflike, or apprehended a difference. The names of alien or fo

Strahlenberg. it

+ Gemelli Carceri,

1

reigner,

reigner, are feldom pronounced without fome degree of intended reproach. That of barbarian, in ufe with one arrogant people, and that of gentil, with another, only ferved to diftinguish the ftranger, whofe language and pedigree differed from theirs.

EVEN where we pretend to found our opinions on reafon, and to justify our preference of one nation to another, we frequently beftow our esteem on circumstances which do not relate to national character, and which have little tendency to promote the welfare of mankind. Conqueft, or great extent of territory, however peopled, and great wealth, however diftributed or employed, are titles upon which we indulge our own, and the vanity of other nations, as we do that of private men on the fcore of their fortunes and honours. We even fometimes contend, whofe capital is the most overgrown; whofe king has the most abfolute powers; and at whofe court the bread of the fubject is confumed in the moft fenfelefs riot. Thefe indeed are the notions of vulgar minds; but it is impoffible to determine, how far the notions of vulgar minds may lead mankind.

THERE have certainly been very few examples of ftates, who have, by arts or policy, improved. the original difpofitions of human nature, or endeavoured, by wife and effectual precautions, to prevent its corruption. Affection, and force of mind,

which are the band and the ftrength of communities, were the infpiration of God, and original atributes in the nature of man. The wifest policy of nations, except in a very few inftances, has tended, we may fufpect, rather to maintain the peace of fociety, and to repress the external effects of bad paffions, than to ftrengthen the difpofition of the heart itself to justice and goodness. It has tended, by introducing a variety of arts, to exercife the ingenuity of men, and by engaging them in a variety of pursuits, inquiries, and studies, to inform, but frequently to corrupt the mind. It has tended to furnish matter of diftinction and vanity; and by incumbring the individual with new fubjects of perfonal care, to fubftitute the anxiety he entertains for a separate fortune, instead of the confidence and the affection with which he should unite with his fellow-creatures, for their joint prefer

vation.

WHETHER this fufpicion be juft or no, we are come to point at circumstances tending to verify, or to difprove it and if to understand the real felicity of nations be of importance, it is certainly fo like. wife, to know what are those weaknesses, and those vices, by which men not only mar this felicity, but in one age forfeit all the external advantages they had gained in a former.

THE wealth, the aggrandizement and power of nations, are commonly the effects of virtue; the

lofs

lofs of these advantages, is often a consequence of vice. Were we to fuppofe men to have fucceeded in the discovery and application of every art by which ftates are preferved, and governed; to have attained, by efforts of wisdom and magnanimity, the admired eftablishments and advantanges of a civilized and flourishing people; the fubfequent part of their hif tory, containing, according to vulgar apprehenfion, a full difplay of those fruits in maturity, of which they had till then carried only the bloffom, and the first formation, fhould, ftill more than the former, merit our attention, and excite our admira tion.

THE event, however, has not corresponded to this expectation. The virtues of men have fhone moft during their ftruggles, not after the attainment of their ends. Those ends themselves, though attained by virtue, are frequently the causes of corruption and vice. Mankind, in aspiring to national felicity, have fubftituted arts which increase their riches, instead of those which improve their nature. They have entertained admiration of themselves, under the titles of civilized and of polished, where they should have been affected with fhame; and even where they have for a while acted on maxims tending to raife, to invigorate, and to preferve the national character, they have, fooner or later, been diverted from their object, and fallen a prey to mif fortune, or to the neglects which profperity itself had encouraged.