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bears　them　a　strong　resemblance；　can　force　its　way　through　all

obstacles；　and　unite　the　most　rival　nations　into　an　esteem　and

admiration　of　it。

　　　　　Greece　was　a　cluster　of　little　principalities；　which　soon

became　republics；　and　being　united　both　by　their　near

neighbourhood；　and　by　the　ties　of　the　same　language　and　interest；

they　entered　into　the　closest　intercourse　of　commerce　and

learning。　There　concurred　a　happy　climate；　a　soil　not　unfertile；

and　a　most　harmonious　and　comprehensive　language；　so　that　every

circumstance　among　that　people　seemed　to　favour　the　rise　of　the

arts　and　sciences。　Each　city　produced　its　several　artists　and

philosophers；　who　refused　to　yield　the　preference　to　those　of　the

neighbouring　republics：　Their　contention　and　debates　sharpened

the　wits　of　men：　A　variety　of　objects　was　presented　to　the

judgment；　while　each　challenged　the　preference　to　the　rest：　and

the　sciences；　not　being　dwarfed　by　the　restraint　of　authority；

were　enabled　to　make　such　considerable　shoots；　as　are；　even　at

this　time；　the　objects　of　our　admiration。　After　the　Roman

；　or　　church　had　spread　itself　over　the

civilized　world；　and　had　engrossed　all　the　learning　of　the　times；

being　really　one　large　state　within　itself；　and　united　under　one

head；　this　variety　of　sects　immediately　disappeared；　and　the

Peripatetic　philosophy　was　alone　admitted　into　all　the　schools；

to　the　utter　depravation　of　every　kind　of　learning。　But　mankind；

having　at　length　thrown　off　this　yoke；　affairs　are　now　returned

nearly　to　the　same　situation　as　before；　and　Europe　is　at　present

a　copy　at　large；　of　what　Greece　was　formerly　a　pattern　in

miniature。　We　have　seen　the　advantage　of　this　situation　in

several　instances。　What　checked　the　progress　of　the　Cartesian

philosophy；　to　which　the　French　nation　shewed　such　a　strong

propensity　towards　the　end　of　the　last　century；　but　the

opposition　made　to　it　by　the　other　nations　of　Europe；　who　soon

discovered　the　weak　sides　of　that　philosophy？　The　severest

scrutiny；　which　Newton's　theory　has　undergone；　proceeded　not　from

his　own　countrymen；　but　from　foreigners；　and　if　it　can　overcome

the　obstacles；　which　it　meets　with　at　present　in　all　parts　of

Europe；　it　will　probably　go　down　triumphant　to　the　latest

posterity。　The　English　are　become　sensible　of　the　scandalous

licentiousness　of　their　stage；　from　the　example　of　the　French

decency　and　morals。　The　French　are　convinced；　that　their　theatre

has　become　somewhat　effeminate；　by　too　much　love　and　gallantry；

and　begin　to　approve　of　the　more　masculine　taste　of　some

neighbouring　nations。

　　　　　In　China；　there　seems　to　be　a　pretty　considerable　stock　of

politeness　and　science；　which；　in　the　course　of　so　many

centuries；　might　naturally　be　expected　to　ripen　into　some　thing

more　perfect　and　finished；　than　what　has　yet　arisen　from　them。

But　China　is　one　vast　empire；　speaking　one　language；　governed　by

one　law；　and　sympathizing　in　the　same　manners。　The　authority　of

any　teacher；　such　as　Confucius；　was　propagated　easily　from　one

corner　of　the　empire　to　the　other。　None　had　courage　to　resist　the

torrent　of　popular　opinion。　And　posterity　was　not　bold　enough　to

dispute　what　had　been　universally　received　by　their　ancestors。

This　seems　to　be　one　natural　reason；　why　the　sciences　have　made

so　slow　a　progress　in　that　mighty　empire。＇4＇

　　　　　If　we　consider　the　face　of　the　globe；　Europe；　of　all　the

four　parts　of　the　world；　is　the　most　broken　by　seas；　rivers；　and

mountains；　and　Greece　of　all　countries　of　Europe。　Hence　these

regions　were　naturally　divided　into　several　distinct　governments。

And　hence　the　sciences　arose　in　Greece；　and　Europe　has　been

hitherto　the　most　constant　habitation　of　them。

　　　　　I　have　sometimes　been　inclined　to　think；　that　interruptions

in　the　periods　of　learning；　were　they　not　attended　with　such　a

destruction　of　ancient　books；　and　the　records　of　history；　would

be　rather　favourable　to　the　arts　and　sciences；　by　breaking　the

progress　of　authority；　and　dethroning　the　tyrannical　usurpers

over　human　reason。　In　this　particular；　they　have　the　same

influence；　as　interruptions　in　political　governments　and

societies。　Consider　the　blind　submission　of　the　ancient

philosophers　to　the　several　masters　in　each　school；　and　you　will

be　convinced；　that　little　good　could　be　expected　from　a　hundred

centuries　of　such　a　servile　philosophy。　Even　the　Eclectics；　who

arose　about　the　age　of　Augustus；　notwithstanding　their　professing

to　chuse　freely　what　pleased　them　from　every　different　sect；　were

yet；　in　the　main；　as　slavish　and　dependent　as　any　of　their

brethren　since　they　sought　for　truth　not　in　nature；　but　in　the

several　schools；　where　they　supposed　she　must　necessarily　be

found；　though　not　united　in　a　body；　yet　dispersed　in　parts。　Upon

the　revival　of　learning；　those　sects　of　Stoics　and　Epicureans；

Platonists　and　Pythagoricians；　could　never　regain　any　credit　or

authority；　and；　at　the　same　time；　by　the　example　of　their　fall；

kept　men　from　submitting；　with　such　blind　deference；　to　those　new

sects；　which　have　attempted　to　gain　an　ascendant　over　them。

　　　　　The　　observation；　which　I　shall　form　on　this　head；　of

the　rise　and　progress　of　the　arts　and　sciences；　is；　。

　　　　　To　balance　a　large　state　or　society；　whether　monarchical　or

republican；　on　general　laws；　is　a　work　of　so　great　difficulty；

that　no　human　genius；　however　comprehensive；　is　able；　by　the　mere

dint　of　reason　and　reflection；　to　effect　it。　The　judgments　of

many　must　unite　in　this　work：　Experience　must　guide　their　labour：

Time　must　bring　it　to　perfection：　And　the　feeling　of

inconveniencies　must　correct　the　mistakes；　which　they　inevitably

fall　into；　in　their　first　trials　and　experiments。　Hence　appears

the　impossibility；　that　this　undertaking　should　be　begun　and

carried　on　in　any　monarchy；　since　such　a　form　of　government；　ere

civilized；　knows　no　other　secret　or　policy；　than　that　of

entrusting　unlimited　powers　to　every　governor　or　magistrate；　and

subdividing　the　people　into　so　many　classes　and　orders　of

slavery。　From　such　a　situation；　no　improvement　can　ever　be

expected　in　the　sciences；　in　the　liberal　arts；　in　laws；　and

scarcely　in　the　manual　arts　and　manufactures。　The　same　barbarism

and　ignorance；　with　which　the　government　commences；　is　propagated

to　all　posterity；　and　can　never　come　to　a　period　by　the　efforts

or　ingenuity　of　such　unhappy　slaves。

　　　　　But　though　law；　the　source　of　all　security　and　happiness；

arises　late　in　any　government；　and　is　the　slow　product　of　order

and　of　liberty；　it　is　not　preserved　with　the　same　difficulty　with

which　it　is　produced；　but　when　it　has　once　taken　root；　is　a　hardy

plant；　which　will　scarcely　ever　perish　through　the　ill　culture　of

men；　or　the　rigour　of　the　seasons。　The　arts　of　luxury；　and　much

more　the　liberal　arts；　which　depend　on　a　refined　taste　or

sentiment；　are　easily　lost；　because　they　are　always　relished　by　a

few　only；　whose　leisure；　fortune；　and　genius　fit　them　for　such

amusements。　But　what　is　profitable　to　every　mortal；　and　in　common

life；　when　once　discovered；　can　scarcely　fall　into　oblivion；　but

by　the　total　subversion　of　society；　and　by　such　furious

inundations　of　barbarous　invaders；　as　obliterate　all　memory　of

former　arts　and　civility。　Imitation　also　is　apt　to　transport

these　coarser　and　more　useful　arts　from　one　climate　to　another；

and　make　them　precede　the　refined　arts　in　their　progress；　though

perhaps　they　sprang　after　them　in　their　first　rise　and

propagation。　From　these　causes　proceed　civilized　monarchies；

where　the　arts　of　government；　first　invented　in　free　states；　are

preserved　to　the　mutual　advantage　and　security　of　sovereign　and

subject。

　　　　　However　perfect；　therefore；　the　monarchical　form　may　appear

to　some　politicians；　it　owes　all　its　perfection　to　the

republican；　nor　is　it　possible；　that　a　pure　despotism；

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　institutions；　and　consequently　its

stability　and　order；　from　free　governments。　These　advantages　are

the　sole　growth　of　republics。　The　extensive　despotism　of　a

barbarous　monarchy；　by　entering　into　the　detail　of　the

government；　as　well　as　into　the　principal　points　of

administration；　for　ever　prevents　all　such　improvement。

　　　　　In　a　civilized　monarchy；　the　prince　alone　is　unrestrained　in

the　exercise　of　his　authority；　and　possesses　alone　a　power；　which

is　not　bounded　by　any　thing　but　custom；　example；　and　the　sense　of

his　own　interest。　Every　minister　or　magistrate；　however　eminent；

must　submit　to　the　general　laws；　which　govern　the　whole　society；

and　must　exert　the　authority　delegated　to　him　after　the　manner；

which　is　prescribed。　The　people　depend　on　none　but　their

sovereign；　for　the　security　of　their　property。　He　is　so　far

remo