p r i n c i - ‘Thirdly,, T h e more extenflve.MA general the influence o f ad. the-
P I# E S O F
s o c i e - enjoyment o f a man-or a fociety, is in regard to their phyfical, moral
t i e s . and fecial; felicity, the more their happinefs mult be increafed ; and
on the contrary, i f their enjoyments have no efteft or influence
upon their own. happinefs, or that of others, then indeed it hardly
deferves the name o f happinefs, op it, is at. lead very incon-
fiderable.
By thefe few principles are we enabled to judge, with a toler-
able degree o f precifion, o f the happinefs and civilization o f the nations
we met with in the courfe o f our voyage;. eipecially i f we
have a retrofped to the caufes which'promote felicity, and which
hinder the fame,, or at lead check its progrefs and more rapid in-
creafe.
For when men live in a genial climate, and enjoy the advantages
o f a happy organization, ; n a t u r -e feems to do every thing v i-
gorouily, in promoting their- happinefs. Thus-we fee the early improvements,
grandeur and happinefs o f the Aflyrian and Egyptian
empires j their climate is one o f the milded and- mod: temperate;
its inhabitants, even in their prefent degenerated, barbarous date,
are endowed with a lively temper, and quick parts; nor are they
deditute o f good-nature and, benevolence: no wonder, therefore,,
that ancient hidory is fe copious on the date o f their population,
wealth, opulence, and happinefs, which cannot be controverted,
as
3 4 J.
as t h e v a d m o n u m e n t s a n d d u p e n d o u s b u i l d i n g s o f t h e f e n a t i o n s p r i n c i -
. P L E S O B
a r e dill-fubfiding, and witnefs, the truth o f their hidorians. s o c i e -
In climates nearly approaching the mild, temperature o f the for- t i e s -
me-r, the inhabitants are blefled with-an- organization proportioned
to the foftnefs o f their climate,, though probably defeended from
tribes that came from more rigid climates,..and'had been lefs happy
in the prefervation, o f the original fydems o f education;. among
thefe, national felicity could not, be. brought about with fuccefe,
without the affidance of. a r t t Cecrops, Triptolemus, Thefeus,
Solon, Pifidratus, Miltiades and Aridides, were the men,. who,,by
art, aflided nature in Attica, and it required the..efforts -of the bed
and.wifed men,..during a lp.aceof u.go- years,.before the. Athenians
could attain that, pitch o f happinefs under Pericles, which made
their empire the mod. refpedable and happy in the.cotemporary
civilized part of the-world'..
In climates dill more unfavourable , and rigid; not only the aflifl-
ance o f art, but that, o f - c r e a t i v e phyfical p o w e r , as well as
that of. c r e a t i v e genius,..is required to infure the ..happinefs o f
the inhabitants,. whofe fibres had con traded a congenial roughnefs
and rigidity, and who are continually fubjeft to numberlefs.checks
and hindrances, to. every improvement leading to. national felicity.
Such was the.power and genius o f Peter,the Great; who, in half
a. century, raifed his nation from indolence,, barbaridn,., and
dupidity,,