114 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



of Siberia. Did men live in peace, every Sea 

 would be navigated, every region would be ex- 

 plored, all their productions would be colle6led. 

 What a gratification of curiofity would it be to 

 liften to the adventures of thefe foreign travellers, 

 attraded to us by the gentlenefs of our manners ! 

 They would not be flow in communicating, to 

 our hofpitality, the fecrets of their plants, of their 

 induflry, and of their traditions, which they will 

 for ever conceal from our ambitious commerce. 



It is among the members of the vaft family of 

 Mankind that the fragments of their Hiftory are 

 fcattered. How interefting would it be to learn 

 that of our ancient feparation, the motives which 

 determined each tribe to choofe a feparate habita- 

 tion, on an unknown Globe; and to traverfe, as 

 Chance direded, mountains which prefented no 

 path; and rivers which had not yet received a 

 name ? 



What pidures would be prefented to us in the 

 defcriptions of thofe countries, decorated with a 

 pompous magnificence, as they proceeded from 

 the hands of Nature, but wild, and unadapted to 

 the neceffities of Man deftitute of experience ! 

 They would paint to us the allonilhment of their 

 forefathers, at light of the new plants which every 



new 



