114 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



the place was polluted j they fell upon the poor 

 ftore-keeper, with loud exclamations, bound him 

 faft, and delivered him over to the executioner, 

 who would have immediately hanged him, unlefs 

 the Captain of the veflel, feconded by a Portu- 

 gueze BiQiop and the King's brother, had haf- 

 tened to interpofe in his behalf, and favcd him 

 from the gallows. From that moment, the failors 

 confidered their countryman as degraded, from 

 having paffed, as they alleged, through the hands 

 of the hangman. 



This prejudice did not exid among either the 

 Greeks or Romans, There are no traces of it 

 among the Turks, the Ruffian?, and the Chinefe. 

 It does not proceed from a fenfe of honour, nor 

 even from the Ihame of guilt ; it is attached only 

 to the Ipecies of punilhment. The decapitation 

 of a man for the crimes of treafon and perfidy, or 

 being fliot for defertion, are confidered as no 

 ftigma on the family of the perfon thus puniihed. 

 The people, funk below their level, defpife that 

 only which is peculiar to themfelves, and fhevv no 

 pity in their decifions, becaufe they are miferable. 



The wretchednefs of the lower orders is, therefore, 

 the principal fource of our phyfical and moral ma- 

 ladies. There is another, no lefs fertile in mifchief, 

 I mean the education of children. This branch of 



political 



