the grafiers are most at their ease of all those who cultivate the land. The reafon is ftill the fame. Men must have profits proportionable to their expence and hazard. Where fo con-fiderable a number of labouring poor as the peasants and farmers are in very low circumftances, all the rest must partake of their poverty whether the government of that nation be monar➡ chical or republican..

We may form a fimilar remark with regard to the general history of mankind. What is the reason, why no people living between the tropics could ever yet attain to any art or civility, or reach even any police in their government, and any military difcipline; while few nations in the temperate climates have been altogether deprived of these advantages? "Tis probable, that one cause of this phænomenon is the warmth and equality of weather in the torrid zone, which render cloaths and houses: lefs requifite for the inhabitants, and thereby remove, in part, that neceffity, which is the great spur to industry and inven-tion. Curis acuens mortalia corda. Not to mention, that the fewer goods or poffeffions of this kind any people enjoy, the fewer quarrels are likely to arise amongst them, and the less: neceffity will there be for a fettled police or regular authority to protect and defend them from foreign enemies, or from each. other.

ESSAY II.

OF REFINEMENT IN THE ARTS.

L

UXURY is a word of a very uncertain fignification, and

may be taken in a good as well as in a bad fenfe. In general, it means great refinement in the gratification of the fenses; and any degree of it may be innocent or blameable, according to the age, or country, or condition of the perfon. The bounds between the virtue and the vice cannot here be fixed exactly, more than in other moral subjects. To imagine, that the gratifying any of the fenfes, or the indulging any delicacy in meats, drinks, or apparel, is in itself a vice, can never enter into a head, that is not disordered by the frenzies of enthusiasm. I have, indeed, heard of a monk abroad, who, because the windows of his cell opened upon a very noble prospect, made a covenant with his eyes never to turn that way, or receive fo sensual a gratification. And fuch is the crime of drinking CHAMPAGNE or BURGUNDY, preferably to small beer or por

ter.

These indulgences are only vices, when they are pursued at the expence of fome virtue, as liberality or charity; in like manner as they are follies, when for them a man ruins his fortune, and reduces himself to want and beggary. Where they entrench upon no virtue, but leave ample subject whence to provide for friends, family, and every proper object of gene

rofity or compaffion, they are intirely innocent, and have in every age been acknowledged fuch by almoft all moralifts. To be intirely occupied with the luxury of the table, for inftance, without any relifh for the pleasures of ambition, study, or conversation, is a mark of grofs stupidity, and is incompatible with any vigour of temper or genius. To confine one's expencé intirely to fuch a gratification, without regard to friends or fámily, is an indication of a heart intirely devoid of humanity or benevolence. But if a man referve time fufficient for all laudable pursuits, and money fufficient for all generous purposes, he is free from every fhadow of blame or reproach.

Since luxury may be confidered either as innocent or blameable, one may be furprized at those prepofterous opinions which have been entertained concerning it; while men of libertine principles bestow praises even on vicious luxury, and represent it as highly advantageous to fociety; and on the other hand, men of severe morals blame even the most innocent luxury, and regard it as the fource of all the corruptions, diforders, and factions, incident to civil government. We fhall here endeavour to correct both these extremes, by proving, first, that the ages of refinement are both the happiest and most virtuous; Secondly, that wherever luxury ceases to be innocent, it also ceafes to be beneficial; and when carried a degree too far, is a quality pernicious, though perhaps not the most pernicious, to political fociety.

To prove the first point, we need but confider the effects of refinement both on private and on public life. Human happinefs, according to the most received notions, feems to confift in three ingredients; action, pleasure, and indolence: And though

thefe

these ingredients ought to be mixed in different proportions, according to the particular difpofitions of the perfon; yet no one ingredient can be entirely wanting, without deftroying, in fome measure, the relish of the whole compofition. Indolence or repose, indeed, seems not of itself to contribute much to our enjoyment; but, like fleep, is requifite as an indulgence to the weakness of human nature, which cannot fupport an uninterrupted course of business or pleasure. That quick march of the spirits, which takes a man from himself, and chiefly gives fatisfaction, does in the end exhaust the mind, and requires fome intervals of repose, which, though agreeable for a moment, yet, if prolonged, beget a languor and lethargy, that destroy all enjoyment. Education, cuftom, and example, have a mighty influence in turning the mind to any of these pursuits; and it must be owned, that where they promote a relish for action and pleasure, they are so far favourable to human happinefs. In times when industry and arts flourish, men are kept in perpetual occupation, and enjoy, as their reward, the occupation itself, as well as thofe pleasures which are the fruits of their labour. The mind acquires new vigour; enlarges its powers and faculties; and by an affiduity in honeft industry, both fatisfies its natural appetites, and prevents the growth of unnatural ones, which commonly spring up, when nourished with ease and idleness. Banish those arts from society, you deprive men both of action and of pleasure; and leaving nothing but indolence in their place, you even deftroy the relish of indolence, which never is agreeable, but when it fucceeds to labour, and recruits the spirits, exhausted by too much application and fatigue.

Another advantage of industry and of refinements in the me«chanical arts, is, that they commonly produce fome refinements in the liberal; nor can the one be carried to perfection, without being accompanied, in fome degree, with the other. The fame age which produces great philofophers and politicians, renowned generals and poets, ufually abounds with skilful weavers and ship-carpenters. We cannot reasonably expect, that a piece of woollen cloth will be wrought to perfection in a nation which is ignorant of aftronomy, or where ethics are neglected. The spirit of the age affects all the arts; and the minds of men, being once roufed from their lethargy, and put into a fermentation, turn themselves on all fides, and carry improvements into every art and science. Profound ignorance is totally banished, and men enjoy the privilege of rational creatures, to think as well as to act, to cultivate the pleasures of the mind as well as thofe of the body.

The more these refined arts advance, the more fociable do men become; nor is it poffible, that, when inriched with science, and poffeffed of a fund of converfation, they should be contented to remain in folitude, or live with their fellow-citizens in that distant manner, which is peculiar to ignorant and barbarous nations. They flock into cities; love to receive and communicate knowlege; to show their wit or their breeding; their taste in converfation or living, in cloaths or furniture. Curiofity allures the wife; vanity the foolish; and pleasure both. Particular clubs and focieties are every where formed: Both sexes meet in an eafy and fociable manner; and the tempers of men, as well as their behaviour, refine apace. So that, befide the improve, ments which they receive from knowlege and the liberal arts, 'tis impoffible but they must feel an increase of humanity, from VOL. I.

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