Particularclubsandsocietiesareeverywhereformed:Bothsexesmeetinaneasyandsociablemanner;andthetempersofmen,aswellastheirbehaviour,refineapace.Sothat,besidetheimprovementswhichtheyreceivefromknowledgeandtheliberalarts,itisimpossiblebuttheymustfeelanencreaseofhumanity,fromtheveryhabitofconversingtogether,andcontributingtoeachother'spleasureandentertainment.Thusindustry,knowledge,andhumanity,arelinkedtogetherbyanindissolublechain,andarefound,fromexperienceaswellasreason,tobepeculiartothemorepolished,and,whatarecommonlydenominated,themoreluxuriousages.
Noraretheseadvantagesattendedwithdisadvantages,thatbearanyproportiontothem.Themoremenrefineuponpleasure,thelesswilltheyindulgeinexcessesofanykind;becausenothingismoredestructivetotruepleasurethansuchexcesses.
Onemaysafelyaffirm,thattheTARTARSareoftenerguiltyofbeastlygluttony,whentheyfeastontheirdeadhorses,thanEUROPEANcourtierswithalltheirrefinementsofcookery.Andiflibertinelove,oreveninfidelitytothemarriage—bed,bemorefrequentinpoliteages,whenitisoftenregardedonlyasapieceofgallantry;drunkenness,ontheotherhand,ismuchlesscommon:Avicemoreodious,andmoreperniciousbothtomindandbody.AndinthismatterIwouldappeal,notonlytoanOVIDoraPETRONIUS,buttoaSENECAoraCATO.Weknow,thatCAESAR,duringCATILINE'Sconspiracy,beingnecessitatedtoputintoCATO'Shandsabillet—doux,whichdiscoveredanintriguewithSERVILIA,CATO'Sownsister,thatsternphilosopherthrewitbacktohimwithindignation;andinthebitternessofhiswrath,gavehimtheappellationofdrunkard,asatermmoreopprobriousthanthatwithwhichhecouldmorejustlyhavereproachedhim.
Butindustry,knowledge,andhumanity,arenotadvantageousinprivatelifealone:Theydiffusetheirbeneficialinfluenceonthepublic,andrenderthegovernmentasgreatandflourishingastheymakeindividualshappyandprosperous.Theencreaseandconsumptionofallthecommodities,whichservetotheornamentandpleasureoflife,areadvantageoustosociety;because,atthesametimethattheymultiplythoseinnocentgratificationstoindividuals,theyareakindofstorehouseoflabour,which,intheexigenciesofstate,maybeturnedtothepublicservice.Inanation,wherethereisnodemandforsuchsuperfluities,mensinkintoindolence,loseallenjoymentoflife,andareuselesstothepublic,whichcannotmaintainorsupportitsfleetsandarmies,fromtheindustryofsuchslothfulmembers.
TheboundsofalltheEUROPEANkingdomsare,atpresent,nearlythesametheyweretwohundredyearsago:Butwhatadifferenceisthereinthepowerandgrandeurofthosekingdoms?
Whichcanbeascribedtonothingbuttheencreaseofartandindustry.WhenCHARLESVIIIofFRANCEinvadedITALY,hecarriedwithhimabout20,000men:Yetthisarmamentsoexhaustedthenation,aswelearnfromGUICCIARDIN,thatforsomeyearsitwasnotabletomakesogreataneffort.ThelatekingofFRANCE,intimeofwar,keptinpayabove400,000men;thoughfromMAZARINE'Sdeathtohisown,hewasengagedinacourseofwarsthatlastednearthirtyyears.
Thisindustryismuchpromotedbytheknowledgeinseparablefromagesofartandrefinement;as,ontheotherhand,thisknowledgeenablesthepublictomakethebestadvantageoftheindustryofitssubjects.Laws,order,police,discipline;thesecanneverbecarriedtoanydegreeofperfection,beforehumanreasonhasrefineditselfbyexercise,andbyanapplicationtothemorevulgararts,atleast,ofcommerceandmanufacture.Canweexpect,thatagovernmentwillbewellmodelledbyapeople,whoknownothowtomakeaspinning—wheel,ortoemployaloomtoadvantage?Nottomention,thatallignorantagesareinfestedwithsuperstition,whichthrowsthegovernmentoffitsbias,anddisturbsmeninthepursuitoftheirinterestandhappiness.
Knowledgeintheartsofgovernmentnaturallybegetsmildnessandmoderation,byinstructingmenintheadvantagesofhumanemaximsaboverigourandseverity,whichdrivesubjectsintorebellion,andmakethereturntosubmissionimpracticable,bycuttingoffallhopesofpardon.Whenthetempersofmenaresoftenedaswellastheirknowledgeimproved,thishumanityappearsstillmoreconspicuous,andisthechiefcharacteristicwhichdistinguishesacivilizedagefromtimesofbarbarityandignorance.Factionsarethenlessinveterate,revolutionslesstragical,authoritylesssevere,andseditionslessfrequent.
Evenforeignwarsabateoftheircruelty;andafterthefieldofbattle,wherehonourandintereststeelmenagainstcompassionaswellasfear,thecombatantsdivestthemselvesofthebrute,andresumetheman.
Norneedwefear,thatmen,bylosingtheirferocity,willlosetheirmartialspirit,orbecomelessundauntedandvigorousindefenceoftheircountryortheirliberty.Theartshavenosucheffectinenervatingeitherthemindorbody.Onthecontrary,industry,theirinseparableattendant,addsnewforcetoboth.Andifanger,whichissaidtobethewhetstoneofcourage,losessomewhatofitsasperity,bypolitenessandrefinement;asenseofhonour,whichisastronger,moreconstant,andmoregovernableprinciple,acquiresfreshvigourbythatelevationofgeniuswhicharisesfromknowledgeandagoodeducation.Addtothis,thatcouragecanneitherhaveanyduration,norbeofanyuse,whennotaccompaniedwithdisciplineandmartialskill,whichareseldomfoundamongabarbarouspeople.Theancientsremarked,thatDATAMESwastheonlybarbarianthateverknewtheartofwar.AndPYRRHUS,seeingtheROMANSmarshaltheirarmywithsomeartandskill,saidwithsurprize,Thesebarbarianshavenothingbarbarousintheirdiscipline!Itisobservable,that,astheoldROMANS,byapplyingthemselvessolelytowar,werealmosttheonlyuncivilizedpeoplethateverpossessedmilitarydiscipline;sothemodernITALIANSaretheonlycivilizedpeople,amongEUROPEANS,thateverwantedcourageandamartialspirit.ThosewhowouldascribethiseffeminacyoftheITALIANStotheirluxury,orpoliteness,orapplicationtothearts,needbutconsidertheFRENCHandENGLISH,whosebraveryisasuncontestable,astheirloveforthearts,andtheirassiduityincommerce.TheITALIANhistoriansgiveusamoresatisfactoryreasonforthisdegeneracyoftheircountrymen.TheyshewushowtheswordwasdroppedatoncebyalltheITALIANsovereigns;