68 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



are obliged to facrifice themfelves in battle, or on 

 the death of their kings. They are the vidims of 

 their unjuft honour, as the Bramins are of their 

 inhuman religion. Their courage, which is merely 

 profeffional fpirit^ far from being beneficial to their 

 Country, is frequently fatal to it. From time im- 

 memorial, it has been defolated by their inteftine 

 wars ; and it is fo feeble externally, that handfuls 

 of Europeans have made fettlements in it, where- 

 ever they pleafed. At the clofe of the war in 1762, 

 a propofition was made in the Parliament of Great 

 Britain, to make the complete conqueft of it, and 

 to pay off the national debt, with the riches which 

 might have been extra6led out of it j and this the 

 Propofer undertook to eflfeft, if he was landed in 

 India with an army of five thoufand Europeans. 

 The boldnefs of the enterprize afloniflied no one 

 of his compatriots, who were acquainted with the 

 weaknefs of that Country, and it was laid afide, 

 as is alleged, merely from the injuftice of it. 



In France, the People never acquire any (hare 

 in the Government, from Julius Cefar, who is the 

 firft Writer that has made this obfervation, and 

 who is not the lafl politician that has availed him- 

 felf of it, to render himfelf eafily it's mafter, down 

 to Cardinal Ricblieu, who levelled the feudal 

 power. During this long interval, our Hillory 

 prefents nothing but a feries of diflentions, of civil 



wars. 



