2.78 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



From their union fuch a force refults, that they 

 have ever been enabled to repel all the Powers 

 who prefumed to encroach on their liberties. 



No ufelefs, infolent, difguflful, or terrifying 

 monument, is to be feen in their Country ; no co- 

 lonnades, triumphal arches, hofpitals, or prifons ; 

 no frightful gibbets on the hills, as you enter their 

 towns : but a bridge over a torrent, a well in the 

 midft of an arid plain, a grove of fruit-trees on an 

 uncultivated mountain, round a fmall temple, the 

 periftyle of which ferves.as a place of (helter for 

 travellers, announce, in fituations the mod de- 

 ferted, the humanity of the inhabitants. Simple 

 infcriptions on the bark of a beech-tree, or on a 

 rude unpolifhed rock, perpetuate, to pofterity, the 

 memory of illuftrious citizens, and of great adions. 

 In the midll of manners fo beneficent, Religion 

 fpeaks to all hearts, in a language that knows no 

 change. There is not a fingle mountain, nor a 

 river, but what is confecratcd to fome God, and 

 is called by his name ; not a fountain but what 

 has it*s Naiad ; not a flower, nor a bird, but what 

 is the refult of fome ancient and affeéling meta- 

 morphofis. The whole of Phyfics is there con« 

 veyed in religious fentiments, and all religion in 

 the monuments of Nature. Death itfelf, which 

 empoifons fo many pleafures, there prefents per- 

 fpedives only of confolation. The tombs of an- 



ceflors 



