226 STUDIJES OF NATURE. 



It would be much to the honour of his humanity, 

 if fome great Prince would propofe this queilion 

 to the difcuffion of Europe : Whether the happi- 

 nefs of a People did not depend upon that of it's 

 neighbours ? The affirmative, clearly demon- 

 ftrated, would level with the duft the contrary 

 maxim, that oï Machiavel, which has too long go- 

 verned our European politics. It would be very 

 cafy to prove, in the firft; place, that a good under- 

 ftanding with her neighbours would enable her 

 confidently to difband thofe land and naval forces, 

 which are fo burdenfome to a Nation. It might 

 be demonflrated, fecondly, that every people has 

 been a partaker in the bleflings and the calamities 

 of their neighbours, from the example of the Spa- 

 niards, who made the difcovery of America, and 

 have fcattered the advantages, and the evils of it, 

 over all the reft of Europe. This truth may be 

 iariher confirmed, from the profperity and great- 

 nefs attained by thofe Nations, who were at pains 

 to conciliate the good-will of their neighbours, as 

 the Romans did, who extended farther and farther 

 the privileges of citizenOiip, and thereby, in pro- 

 cefs of time, confolidated all the Nations of Italy 

 into one fmgle State. They would, undoubtedly, 

 have formed but one (ingle People of the whole 

 Human Race, had not their barbarous cuftom of 

 exadling the fervice of foreign (laves, counteraded 

 a policy fo humane- It might, finally, be made 



apparent, 



