334 On. National Character. 
form of civil government ? At a period but 
little removed from the present, the spirit of the 
laws, and even the form of worship of all the 
great states of the continent of Europe were 
the same. But these strong conspiring causes 
did not produce an uniformity of character. 
The French were gay, the Germans grave, 
the Spaniards dignified, the Portuguese mean, 
and the Italians base; we must therefore look 
for some other cause of this contrariety of cha- 
racter. 
Small states, by being less secure, are 
supposed to be mean, cringing and national ; 
and large states, feeling their security, to be 
oppressive and violent. Should this remark 
be admitted ‘as correct, it by no means relieves 
the subject of its difficulties ; because there is 
not a similarity of character in states of the 
same size, although under the same laws, and 
observing the same form of religious worship. 
But before we pursue the subject further, let 
us consider the extent of the influence ps in- 
dustry on character. 
In nations, as well as in individuals, in- 
dustry appears to be the effect of a previ- 
ously acquired character, not the origin of 
it. Rude and uncivilised people are never 
industrious; industry is the effect, not ‘the 
cause, of civilization. Industry © supposes 
energy, frugality, and security ; it supposes a 
