25 



once had their birth, and grew to maturity, under happier 

 forms of government. Far from being friendly to com- 

 merce with the rest of the world, " such a state is hap- 

 " piest, (says Montesquieu,*) when it can look upon itself 

 " as the only one in the world: when it is environed 

 " with deserts, and separated from those people, which it 

 " calls barbarians." Thus, the Turks affect to call other 

 nations swine and dogs; and treat them with contempt, as 

 profane and unhallowed. f 



Despotic governments fear the approach of strangers, who 

 may espy the nakedness of the land; who may contribute 

 to open the eyes of the miserable people to the abuses of 

 government, and awaken them to a sense of their true 

 condition^, who may introduce foreign notions, and a spirit 

 of innovation; all which would be dangerous to the repose 

 of government. We perceive Avhat anxious care and jea- 

 lousy the people of China and Japan display, on this sub- 

 ject; under what close restrictions the intercourse with 

 strangers is laid. Fear is the principle of a despotism; 

 the end, tranquillity. Under such governments there arises 

 a neglect of agriculture, because there is no secure pro- 

 perty in the land, and the prince is general proprietor and 

 heir of his subjects.+ If the prince intermeddles in trade, 

 VOL. X, D all 



* Spirit of Laws, LW. V. cap. xiv. 



t See Sonnini, Denon, Olivier, Walsh, Wittman, Baron Stolberg, &c. See 

 also Eton's Account of the Turkish Empire. 



t See the writers quoted above, and Rycaut's State of the Ottoman Em- 

 pire; Maillet, Volney, and Reynier, in their accounts of Egypt. 



