2So STUDIES OF NATURE. 



ought not to be deemed fufficient, that the model 

 of an ingenious machine was preferved in the coî- 

 le6lion of an Artift, and approved by the Academy 

 of Sciences ; it fliould be required to have the 

 machine itfelf in the hands of the People, and con- 

 verted to their ufe. It ought by no means to fuf- 

 fice, in order to eftablilh the claim of a literary 

 Work, that the prize had been adjudged to it by 

 the French Academy ; but that it fliould be read 

 by that cLifs of men for whofe ufe it was defigned. 

 Thus, for example, a patriotic Ode fliould be ac- 

 counted good for nothing, unlefs it were fung about • 

 the ftreets by the common people. The merit of 

 a naval or military Commander fhould be afcer- 

 tained, not by the report of Gazettes, but by the 

 luffrages of the failors or foldiery. 



The People, in truth, diftinguifh hardly any 

 other virtue in the citizen except beneficence : 

 they confult only their own leading want ; but 

 their inftindl, on this article, is conformable to the 

 divine Law : for all the virtues terminate in that, 

 even thofe which appear the moft remote from it^ 

 and fuppofing there were rich men who meant to 

 captivate their affections, by doing them good, 

 that is precifely the feeling with which we propofe 

 to infpire them. They would fulfil their duties, 

 and the lofty and the low conditions of humanity 

 would be reduced to a (late o^ï approximation. 



Fr«tu, 



