ARCADIA, 411 



" The divifion of languages prevents thefe par- 

 '* ticuiar evils from becoming univerfal ; and if 

 ** they are permanent in a Nation, it is becaufe 

 ** there are ambitious corps who make an advan- 

 " tage of them ; for error and vice are foreign to 

 *' Man. It is the office of virtue to deftroy thofe 

 ** evils. Were it not for vice, there would be little 

 ** room for the exercife of virtue on the Earth. 

 " You are on your way to vifit the Greeks. If 

 ** what is faid of them be tnie, you will find in 

 " their manners a politenefs and an elegance 

 *=* which will delight you. Nothing (hould be 

 ** comparable to the virtue of their heroes, having 

 *' paffed through the teil of long and fevere cala- 

 " mities." 



All T had hitherto exferienced of thebarbarifm 

 of Nations, ftimulated the ardor which I felt to 

 reach Argos, and to fee the mighty Agamemnon 

 happy in the midft of his family. By this time we 

 dclcried the Cape of Tenarus, and had almoft 

 doubled it, when a furious gale of wind, blowiiig 

 from the coaft of Africa, drove us upon the Stro- 

 phadcs. We perceived the Sea breaking againft 

 the rocks which furround thofe Iflands. Some- 

 times, as the billows retired, we had a view of 

 their cavernous foundations : anon, fwelling again, 

 the furge covered them, trcmendoufly roaring, 

 with a vafl (heet of foam. Nevcrthelefs, our mi- 



rincrsj 



