VOL. III. BOOK II. Continued. 9. Military branch of government, 10. Public police with respect to the poor, D URING the infancy of a nation, every member depends on his own industry for procuring the neceffaries of life: he is his own mafon, his own tailor, his own physician; and on himself he chiefly relies for offence as well as defence. Every favage can say, what few beggars among us can fay, Omnia mea mecum porto; and hence the aptiVOL. III. A tude tude of a favage for war, which makes little alteration in his manner of living. In early times accordingly, the men were all warriors, and every known art was exercifed by women; which continues to be the cafe of American favages. And even after arts were fo much improved as to be exercised by men, none who could bear arms were exempted from war. In feudal governments,, the military fpirit was carried to a great height: all gentlemen were faldiers by profeffion; and every other art was defpifed, as low, if not contemptible. Even in the unnatural state of the feudal fyftem, arts made fome progress, not excepting those for amusement; and many conveniencies, formerly unknown, became neceffary to comfortable living. A man accustomed to manifold conveniencies, cannot bear with patience to be deprived. of them; he hates war, and clings to the fweets of peace. Hence the neceffity of a military establishment, hardening men by ftrict difcipline to endure the fatigues of war. By a ftanding army, war is carried on more regularly and fcientifically than in a feudal government; but as it is carried on with infinitely greater expence, na tions are more referved in declaring war than formerly. Long experience has at the fame time made it evident, that a nation seldom gains by war; and that agriculture, manufactures, and commerce, are the only folid foundations of power and grandeur. Thefe arts accordingly have become the chief objects of European governments, and the only rational caufes of war. Among the warlike nations of Greece and Italy, how would it have founded, that their effeminate defcendents would employ foldiers by profeffion to fight their battles! And yet this is unavoidable in every country where arts and manufactures flourish; which, requiring little exercise, tend to enervate the body, and of course the mind. Gain, at the fame time, being the fole object of industry, advances felfishness to be the ruling paffion, and brings on a timid anxiety about property and felf-prefervation. Cyrus, tho' enflamed with refentment against the Lydians for revolting, liftened to the following advice, offered by Croefus, their former King. "O Cyrus, destroy not "Sardis, an ancient city, famous for arts "and arms; but, pardoning what is past, "demand A 2 |