ACCOUNT OF BOOKS. 
on aceount of the inequality of the 
country, than as a precaution for 
self-defence, are prohibited in these 
wakes. Men dances are forbidden ; 
those of women must close early 
in the evening; and the wakes 
themselves, the sole diversion of 
these innocent and laborious vil- 
lagers, must break up at the hour 
of evening prayer. How can they 
reconcile themselves with any cheer- 
fuluess to such vexatious interfe- 
rence? It may indeed be said ‘* they 
bear it all.” Yes, it is true, they 
do bear it all; but they bear it 
with an ill will; and who is blind 
to the consequences of long and 
reluctant submission? ‘The state of 
freedom is a state of peace and 
cheerfulness ; a state of subjection 
is a state of uneasiness and discon- 
tent. The former then is perma. 
nent and durable, the latter unsta- 
ble and changeable. 
All, therefore, is not accom- 
plished when the people are quiet ; 
they should also be contented ; and 
it is only a heart devoid of feeling, 
or a head unacquainted with the 
principles of government, that can 
harbour a notion of securing the 
first of these objects without obtain- 
ing thesecond, They who disregard 
it, either do not see the necessary 
connexion between liberty and pros- 
perity; or, if they see it, they 
neglect it. The error in either 
‘case is equally mischievous. For 
surely this connexion deserves the 
attention of every just and mild 
government, A free and cheerful 
people are always active and labo- 
rious; and an active and laborious 
people arealways attentive to morals, 
and observant of the laws. The 
greater their enjoyments, the more 
they love the government under 
which they live, the better they obey 
1095 
it, and the more cheerfully and wil* 
lingly do they contribute to its 
maintenance and support. The 
greater their enjoyments, the more 
they have to lose; and the more 
therefore they fear any disturbance, 
and the more they respect the au. 
thorities. intended to repress it. 
Such a people ‘sel more anxiety to 
enrich themselve}, because they 
must be conscious that the in- 
crease of their pleasures will keep 
pace with the improvement of their 
fortunes. In a word, they strive 
more ardently to better their cone 
‘dition, because they are certain of 
enjoying the fruits of their exertion 
If such then be one of the chief 
objects of a good government, why 
is itso disregarded among us? Even 
public prosperity, as it is called, if 
it beany thing but the aggregate of 
individual happiness, depends upon 
the attainment of the object in ques. 
tion? for the power and strengthofa 
state do not consist entirely in multie 
tudes or riches, but in the moral chae 
racter of itsinhabitants. In point of 
act, can any nation be strong whose 
subjects are weak, corrupt, harsh, 
unfeeling, and strangers to all sens 
timents of public spirit and patriot- 
ism? On the other hand, a people 
who meet often, and in security, in 
public, for the purposes of diversion, 
must neccssarily become an united 
and affectionate people; they can 
feel what a common interest is, and 
are consequently less likely to sacri. 
fice it to their own personal views 
and individual advantage. They 
have a higher spirit, because they 
are freer ; a consciousness of which 
improves their notions of rectitude, 
and exalts their sentiments of hoe 
nour and courage. Every individual 
respects his own class in such a 
society, because he respects himself = 
4A4 and 
