17 



deucy to form and establish a peculiar national character r 

 while they seem to demand, and promote, exclusively, cer- 

 tain forms of intercourse, and states of society, proper to 

 each. This Avill produce, not only a difference in the na- 

 tional character, but Avill, also, greatly affect the charac- 

 ter of individuals, the pursuits and arts of the people. 

 Hence will arise forms of industry, pleasures, and enjoy- 

 ments; to which men will be disposed and guided, by the 

 insensible and necessary operation of the forms of govern- 

 ment under which the-y live. The characters and the ha-, 

 bits of life and society, the artificial wants, the luxury, 

 the pleasures and amusements of men, must all have a 

 most powerful influence, on the prosperity and prevalence 

 of the fine arts. Thus these arts must have a necessary 

 connexion with certain forms of civil government; inas- 

 much as the latter necessaril}' influence the characters, both 

 of the nation and the individual. We shall find this opi- 

 nion full}' supported, by a reference to history. If we turn 

 to trace the progress of the Jine arts, we shall see, that 

 they have uniformly attended in the train of liberty.: and 

 that, although they may have flourished, for a time, un- 

 der the shade of despotism, by extraordinary care, and as 

 exotic plants; yet, under free governments, they have 

 sprung, and flourished indigenous, and found a kindred 

 soil and congenial sky. In Egypt, the dynasty of the Pto- 

 lemies Avere a family of learned princes, in uninterrupted 

 succession ; who, however different from each other in many 

 particulars, all agreed in tlieir admiration and liberal en- 

 voL. X. c couragement 



