353 



of jealoufy, envy, and animofity; — by producing ufually a limilarity of 

 natural produdts, and, in confequence, a rivallliip, in commerce and 

 induftry. We find that the very circumftance of neighbourhood, per- 

 petually excites a fecret ill-will, and a latent difpofuion to mutual hof- 

 tilities. The words, natural enemies, — prepofterous phrafe ! as if God 

 and nature ever meant, that any human creatures fliould be enemies 

 of each other. — What do they mean ? — Neighbours — People to whom 

 "uicinity, is likely to furnifla occafions of quarrelling, about their boun- 

 daries, or of rivalling each other, in commerce and manufafture. 



There is another palpable difference between the individual, and the 

 ftate, which will make it very neceffary to diftinguilh between the prin- 

 ciples and maxims of economy, which apply to them refpeftively — the 

 individual is tranjitory — the ftate is fuppofed to be immortal. As the 

 exiftence of the individual is brief, the principles of his economy will 

 be cautious and contrafted. He will confine his views to himfelf, and 

 his family ; vetat fpem inchoare longam. He will grafp more, at im- 

 mediate gain, and prefent favings ; he will trufl: lefs, to fpeculation, and 

 the promifes of futurity. It is not fo with flates. They look to gene- 

 rations yet unborn, and build for eternity. Of courfe, their plans will 

 not only be more extenfive, but alfo on different principles. They 

 will have greater inducements, to embark in fpeculations, to relinquiih 

 certain advantages, for great contingencies in profpedl; to renounce 

 immediate gains, and facrifice the opportunities of prefent faving, to 

 greater advantages in revolving time. Both individuals, in particular 

 focieties, and ftates, in the great fociety of the univerfe, are alike 

 fubjecl to a common head ; • but, the exiftencc of the municipal fupe- 

 rior, is more palpable — his authority is more an object of fenfe — the 



bands of his control are more clofely {trained, his interference to 



maintain his dominion, and punifli any violation of his laws, is more 

 immediate. Hence it happens, in general, that the municipal laws of 

 a nation, are more punctually obferved, by the individuals, in civil 

 fociety, than the laws of nations are, by independent ftates. Nations, 



Vol. IX. ^ ( Y y ) being 



