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As 'tis usual, in forming a notion of our species, to compare it with the other fpecies above or below it, or to compare the individuals of the fpecies among themfelves; fo we often compare together the different motives or actuating principles of human nature, in order to regulate our judgment concerning it. And indeed, this is the only kind of comparison which is worth our attention, or decides any thing in the present question. Were our selfish and vicious principles fo much predominant above our focial and virtuous, as is afferted by fome philofophers, we ought undoubtedly to entertain a contemptible notion of human nature.

There is much of a difpute of words in all this controversy. When a man denies the fincerity of all public spirit or affection to a country and community, I am at, a lofs what to think of him. Perhaps he never felt this paffion in fo clear and distinct a manner as to remove all his doubts concerning its force and reality. But when he proceeds afterwards to reject all private friendship, if no intereft or self-love intermixes itself; I am then confident that he abuses terms, and confounds the ideas of things; fince it is impoffible for any one to be so selfish, or rather so stupid, as to make no difference between one man and another, and give no preference to qualities, which engage his approbation and efteem. Is he also, say I, as insensible to anger as he pretends to be to friendship? And does injury and wrong no more affect him than kindness or benefits? Impoffible: He does not know himself: He has forgot the movements of his mind; or rather he makes use of a different language from the rest of his countrymen, and calls not things by their proper What say you of natural affection? (I subjoin) Is that also a species of felf-love? Yes. All is felf-love. Your chil

names.

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dren are loved only because they are yours: Your friend for a like reafon: And your country engages you only fo far as it has a connexion with yourself: Were the idea of self removed, nothing would affect you: You would be altogether inactive and insensible: Or if you ever gave yourself any movement, it would only be from vanity, and a defire of fame and reputation to this fame felf. I am willing, reply I, to receive your interpretation of human actions, provided you admit the facts. That fpecies of felf-love, which displays itself in kindness to others, you must allow to have great influence, and even greater, on many occafions, than that which remains in its original shape and form. For how few are there, who, having a family, children, and relations, do not spend more on the maintenance and education of these than on their own pleafures? This, indeed, you justly obferve, may proceed from their self-love, fince the profperity of their family and friends is one, or the chief of their pleasures, as well as their chief honour. Be you alfo one of these selfish men, and you are fure of every one's good opinion and good will; or not to fhock your nice ears with thefe expreffions, the felf-love of every one, and mine amongst the rest, will then incline us to serve you, and speak well of you.

In my opinion, there are two things which have led astray those philosophers, who have insisted so much on the selfishness of man. In the first place, they found, that every act of virtue or friendship was attended with a fecret pleasure: from whence they concluded, that friendship and virtue could not be difinterested. But the fallacy of this is obvious. The vir tuous fentiment or paffion produces the pleasure, and does not arife from it. I feel a pleasure in doing good to my friend,

because

because I love him; but do not love him for the fake of that pleasure.

In the fecond place, it has always been found, that the virtuous are far from being indifferent to praise; and therefore they have been represented as a set of vain-glorious men, who had: nothing in view but the applauses of others. But this also is a fallacy. "Tis very unjust in the world, when they find any tincture of vanity in a laudable action, to depreciate it upon. that account, or ascribe it entirely to that motive. The cafe is not the fame with vanity, as with other paffions. Where avarice or revenge enters into any feemingly virtuous action 'tis difficult for us to determine how far it enters, and 'tis natural to suppose it the fole actuating principle. But vanity is so closely allied to virtue, and to love the fame of laudable actions approaches so near the love of laudable actions for their own fake, that these paffions are more capable of mixture, than any other kinds of affection; and 'tis almoft impoffible to have the latter without fome degree of the former. Accordingly we find, that this paffion for glory is always warped and varied according to the particular taste or fentiment of the mind on which it falls. NERO had the fame vanity in driving a chariot, that TRAJANhad in governing the empire with justice and ability. To love the glory of virtuous actions is a fure proof of the love of vir tuous actions.

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HOSE who employ their pens on political fubjects, free

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from party-rage, and party-prejudices, cultivate a fscience, which, of all others, contributes moft to public utility, and even to the private fatisfaction of those who addict themfelves to the study of it. I am apt, however, to entertain a suspicion, that the world is ftill too young to fix many general truths in politics, which will remain true to the latest pofterity. We have not as yet had experience of three thousand years; fo that not only the art of reafoning is ftill defective in this fcience, as in all others, but we even want fufficient materials upon which we can reason. 'Tis not fully known, what degrees of refinement, either in virtue or vice, human nature is fufceptible of; nor what may be expected of mankind from any great revolution in their education, cuftoms or principles. MACHIAVEL was certainly a great genius; but having confined his study to the furious and tyrannical governments of ancient times, or to the little disorderly principalities of ITALY, his reafonings, efpecially upon monarchical government, have been found extremely defective; and there scarce is any maxim in his prince, which fubfequent experience has not entirely refuted. A weak prince, fays he, is incapable of receiving good counfel; for if he

confult

confult with feveral, he will not be able to choose among their different counfels. If he abandon himself to one, that minifter may, perhaps, have capacity; but he will not be long a minifter : He will be fure to difpoffefs his mafter, and place himself and his family upon the throne. I mention this, among innumerable instances of the errors of that politician, proceeding, in a great measure, from his having lived in too early an age of the world, to be a good judge of political truth. Almost all the princes of EUROPE are at present governed by their ministers; and have been so for near two centuries; and yet no fuch event has ever happened, or can poffibly happen. SEJANUS might project dethroning the CÆSARS; but FLEURY, though ever fo vicious, could not, while in his fenfes, entertain the leaft hopes of difpoffeffing the BOURBONS..

Trade was never esteemed an affair of ftate, 'till the laft century; and there scarcely is any ancient writer on politics, who has made mention of itt. Even the ITALIANS have kept a profound filence with regard to it; though it has now excited the chief attention, as well of minifters of state, as of speculative reafoners. The great opulence, grandeur, and military at- chievements of the two maritime powers, seem first to have instructed mankind in the vast importance of an extenfive

commerce.

Having, therefore, intended in this effay to have made a full : comparison of civil liberty and abfolute government, and to have fhewn the great advantages of the former above the latter; I

XENOPHON mentions it; but with a doubt if it be of any advantage to a flate. Εἶδε καὶ ἐμπορία οφὲ εἰ τι πόλιν, &c. ΧEN. HIERO, PLATO totally excludes it from his imaginary republic. De legibus, lib. 4.

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