REPLY OF THE PROJECTOR.

As soon as the foregoing epistle had been read in Council by the Secretary, the Projector rose and begged permission to answer it. As he could have no doubt, he said, of the identity of person between Jeremy and the author of the account; he should prevent trouble and confusion by writing at once to Jeremy himself. Leave was obtained, and he wrote the following reply:

To Jeremy the Schemer, the Projector of the Council of Ten, greeting.

My dear Jeremy,

You have been a great booby through life. You have begun and ended with equal folly. You set out with thinking that you could do every thing; and you conclude with believing that nothing is to be done. This may be very natural, my dear Jeremy; but it is very, very wrong. Listen, most mighty schemer, to a short apologue. There was a little river which flowed, as most little rivers do, in a narrow stream. It ran on, however, in clearness and in beauty, and fertilized the fields around it. But the little river was discontented because its stream was narrow, and it could not diffuse fertility over the whole country. And the little river prayed that it might leave its banks, and be spread over a wide space. And the prayer of the little river was granted; and it left its banks, and was spread over a wide space; and then the little river partly was dried up and vanished, and partly became an unwholesome and pestilential marsh. You, my dear Jeremy, are like the little river. But we, the Council of Ten, are like a multitude of large rivers, which can diffuse their mighty branches in all directions, without danger of being lost, or becoming stagnant. Moreover, Jeremy, you must be told, that, to imagine that no great projects should be formed, because your schemes have been impracticable or such as you were unable to accomplish, is just as rational, as to argue that no companies should enter into trade, because many foolish individuals have made themselves bankrupts. Thirdly, Jeremy, you should know, that your first wild and extravagant expectations were far more honourable to your heart and

understanding than your last unmanly and spiritless despair. A visionary philanthropy is better, in every point of view, than a cold desponding short-sightedness, which hopes nothing for the future destinies of man. It is a mark of the true philosopher that

his ardent mind

Shapes goodliest plans of happiness on earth
And peace, and liberty.

All great men have been enthusiasts: and while enthusiasm is at all checked by reason, enthusiasm is good. It is good to have "immensum aliquid infinitumque ever passing over the soul. That for improving the condition of mankind, all which can be done, ought to be done, you, Jeremy, will allow, and that much improvement is possible, we, Jeremy, may demonstrate before the Council of Ten has much longer pursued its operations. Thus replieth to Jeremy the Schemer,

THE PROJEctor of the COUNCIL OF TEN.

A COMPARATIVE VIEW OF LIFE AND HAPPINESS, AS EXISTING IN EUROPE AND IN THE EAST.

No. I.

BY THE TRAveller.

INTRODUCTION.

To devote many of our pages to social philosophy, was a principal feature in our design at the formation of the Council. Many reasons, which it is unnecessary to state, have hitherto concurred in preventing us from paying to the subject that attention which we could wish. Yet we have uniformly felt, that no study can be more interesting, no occupation can be more worthy of a man, who desires either to cultivate his reason, or to exert his philanthropy, than the examination of human society in all its gradations and under all its aspects. Heaven knows, that in every stage of civilization, in every class of mankind, and in every form of social life, there is ample scope for the labours of a practical and beneficent philosophy: there is an infinity of unhappiness which it were well, if it were possible, to remove; an infinity of prejudices, which it were well, if it

were possible, to eradicate. That, however, either the one can be entirely removed, or the other entirely eradicated, we are not rash and visionary enough to imagine: at the same time, the hopelessness of arriving at perfection is no reason why we should not aim at amelioration. We look forward, therefore, to an early opportunity of entering systematically upon the vast and instructive field of investigation, which social philosophy presents. We shall enter upon it at least with good intentions: and we trust that our deficiencies in sagacity and knowledge may be in some measure compensated by our zeal and perseverance.

As a preparatory step to more particular details, we have considered that a general survey of society, as it exists in the different divisions of the globe, would be at once useful and acceptable to our readers. Such a survey may appear, perhaps, on a superficial view to be connected rather with speculative than practical philosophy: but it will surely add something to our actual knowledge, and furnish matter for practical deductions. We have begun therefore with a comparative estimate of life and happiness in the east and in the west. For this purpose the assistance of our traveller has been in peculiar request: and we have availed ourselves with pleasure both of his literary researches and his personal experience. The following is the first portion of the results to which they have conducted him.

COMPARATIVE VIEW.

ONE of the most distinguished and most adventurous of our countrymen, who has hitherto devoted himself to the ungrateful cause of oriental discovery, after a residence of several years in the East, a great proportion of which were passed in confinement among the savages of Dar-fûr, returned to his country with an evident impression, that with all our boasted advantages of knowledge and industry and religion, we have no cause to presume that we are one iota happier than those, whom in the insolence of civilization we despise or pity. He has given, in a dissertation at the end of his travels, the reasons, which, acting evidently

* Browne's Travels in Africa, Egypt and Syria.

in conjunction with a melancholy and discontented mind, had betrayed him into such an opinion. It is singular, indeed, but not unnatural, that with his admiration of the patience and tranquillity of the East, he united a restless ambitious spirit, and possessed himself a character in almost every respect the opposite to that which he has held up to our envy.

His reasons, however, are not on that account less worthy of our examination, and if I should differ with him on many points, it may, perhaps, be because a shorter residence among the nations in question has presented me with fewer opportunities of forming a correct estimate of their "Life and Happiness.”

Such a discussion may lead to no practical good, but it is not on that account without interest. Governments and nations may hate and destroy one another; yet there are links in the chain of philanthropy, which our crimes have no power to break; and though we may be indifferent to the virtues or the vices, to the joys or the miseries of a Turk, a Persian, or an Arab, we have that in our nature which obliges us to sympathize with all nations as men.

I foresee one objection which may be started in the outset to the very possibility of such a comparison as that which I am wishing to institute-Oriental governments are despotic-despotism is incompatible with happiness social or individual—" to live by one man's will is all men's misery." A moment's consideration will suffice to convince us that such remarks are only partially applicable to the insolent and impotent government of the Sublime Porte, though as far as they are applicable they are of course conclusive. The tyranny of "the brother to the sun and moon" is intense, but not generally felt; it is, indeed, nearly confined to the focus of despotism. The idol of Islamism, glutted with the heads of beys, of pachas, and of viziers, demands no meaner sacrifice, and the great mass of the worshippers are untouched by the flame which consumes those only who venture to approach the altar. It is a fact, indeed, now I believe sufficiently notorious, that the lower orders of Turks, forming the body of the people, are subjected to no species of civil injustice. In peace they are

protected by respectable laws; and in their ordinary wars, they enroll themselves when and for as long as they choose, without any fear of press-gang or conscription. If, indeed, the empire be in danger from the infidels, their laws oblige them to take arms; but the obligation is sacred and the call is readily obeyed; the voice of religion is never mistaken for the raving of tyranny.

The very imbecility of Turkish despotism prevents its pressure from being heavily or universally felt. A better form of government would, in time, create a greater and a better people, but they would not be proportionably happier.

But, at last, the great majority of the population of the East is either wholly independent, or acknowledges only a nominal submission to the sceptre of Stambool. Persia is in arms. The Druses, the Turcomans, and the numerous tribes of Syrian Arabs are very slightly restrained by Turkish authority; the Bedouins, who people the Asiatic and African deserts, are of all men the most free, and the voice of the sultan is but faintly heard by the warriors of Arabia. The government of Egypt is, indeed, a deplorable instance of the perfection of despotism, but the boor of Russia presents a fairer specimen of the civilization of Europe, than does the wretchedly servile fellah, of the general character and happiness of Orientals.

To keep up some appearance of order in the present inquiry, I shall profess to distribute it under the heads of Character, Manners, Customs, Religion, and Society; without being ignorant how some of these subjects influence each other, and how the last receives its form, if not its existence, from the combination of the rest. My shackles, however, are light and self-imposed-so that I shall retain both the power and the liberty of occasionally escaping from them.

The most striking features of Oriental CHARACTER are justly remarked by Browne to be " indolence, gravity, and patience:"-not, however, that Turks, on better acquaintance, are at all remarkable for the last of these qualities;

* By its subjects, I mean, not its slaves; an Asiatic Turk had little reason to complain of the rod, which has now ceased, I trust, for ever to torture the Greeks.