on on the constitution. Sune 2476 
{the grand Lama.) In this respect we do well ; but 
in looking back to'the whole series of past ages, cam 
we fix upon a single country, or a patticular period 
of time, when the human mind was not, from educa- 
tion, imitation, or other circumstances, led astray’ 
from the truth, and idolatrous of some favourite error? 
If we must admit that such a period cannot be found, 
we {hall be forced to own that human reasonis a weak 
and fallible guide; and that, while we think we 
are following its dictates, we may, perhaps, be only 
adopting a fathionable phrenzy, which has been caught 
by infection from’ those around us. Since we see 
that others have gone into the most extravagant ex- 
‘cefses from the influence of such kinds of phrenzy, 
“ought we not to moderate our ideas, when we feel a 
contagious zeal taking pofsefsion of our soul, lest 
our posterity, in their turn, fhould find no other mode 
of palliating our crimes, but that of attributing ‘them! 
to a temporary insanity ? , 
If ‘* all mankind are born equal,” a doctrine which 
in the serise of it above given, I wifh to be univer~ 
sally admitted, we must then allow that national cha~ 
racters are merely the productions of chance; that 
contrary systems: of religion, where revelation is out 
of the question, are to be ascribed to accident ; that 
religious or political zeal, is error; that all man- 
kind are brethren engaged in one common career 3 
that if they were capable of perceiving the truth, 
there would be an end to animosities and contentions 
for ever; that therefore war and wrangling, are on- 
ly the ebulitions of madnefs and folly ; and that be- 
neficence and philanthropy alone are true wisdom. 
