BOOK III. CHAP. VI. 59< 



the moll hopeful projeft in the bud, and deter other adventurers from 

 coins: to refide in it; for, if once the chara£ler of any remote fettle- 

 ment is eftabliflied for unhealthinefs, it is always found a very difficult 

 taflc, and a work of long time, to difpel the popular prejudice, and con- 

 vince mankind that luch a place is habitable. Befides, it may happen, 

 that the perfons firft carried off by the attacks of ficknefs in fuch a 

 country, for want of proper medical affiftance, have been the chief 

 promoters or undertakers of the fettlement; they may be men of the 

 moft capacity and ability among the inhabitants ; and, in fuch cafe, the 

 lofs is irreparable. 



But, in a colony already formed and provided with a legiflative 

 power, it is the higheft reproach, it is even an impiety, that a tribe of 

 ^pozems fhould be tamely permitted to over-run and depopulate it, 

 preying on the purfes and lives of Innocent men, with an impudence, 

 ignorance, and rapacity, that is unparalleled. If the woods were pef- 

 tered with tigers or rattle-fnake?, like the forefts on the American con- 

 tinent, with what terrors fliould we not reflcft on the deftnidion they 

 might caufe ! with what zeal and folicitude would not the legiflature 

 promote rewards and encouragements to extirpate them ! Yet, in fome 

 colonies, they have been known to fuffer with impunity a much more 

 lethiferous race of favage animals in hinnan fliape, who have ftifled the 

 emotions of humanity and confcience, whilf^ they polfoned, and tor- 

 tured to death, the bodies of their very friends and benefaiflors. 



The dignity of the fcience of healing (not of murthering) ought 

 furely to be placed on the firmeft bafis in fuch a country ; that, whilft 

 the inhabitants confide their very exigence to the phyficlan's care, he 

 may be enabled, by proper regulations, to affure himfclf, that his pa- 

 tients will not be forced to fwallow any other mixture than what he 

 has prefcribed; and that the varying, or adulterating, his prefcription, 

 will be puni(hed by the laws, in the fevered and moft exemplary man- 

 ner; and furely, if we coniider a moni.'nt, that fuch deceit is no lefs 

 than a clandeftlne attempt againft the lite of one party, and the repu- 

 tation of another, it muft appear an ollence of the moft capital nature, 

 and worthy of capital pimifhment. 



As a foundation for this, we may recommend the plan, which that 

 good man colonel Codrington found means to carry into execution, 

 from the opulence of his fortune, and liberality of his fentjments. He, 



no 



