LETTER XXXIX. 



selves a profound peace always subsists, however nu- 

 merous may be the inhabitants of their colony, which 

 sometimes amount to three or four hundred. A com- 

 mon series of toil strengthens their union: the convc- 

 niencies which their joint efforts have procured, and 

 the abundance of provisions which they have amass- 

 ed, render them easy and happy in their respective 

 families. Having moderate appetites, and entertain- 

 ing an aversion to blood and carnage, th'ey have nei- 

 ther inducements nor inclination to hostility and ra- 

 pine; but enjoy a tranquillity which it is a pity that 

 human rapaciousness should ever disturb. This, how- 

 ever, is frequently done for the sake of their skins, 

 and the drug called castorum, which is produced from 

 this animal, and is found in a liquid state, in bags of 

 skin about the size of an egg. This matter, when 

 dried, is capable of pulverization. It is of an oily 

 nature, of a pungent bitter taste, and of a disagree- 

 able smell, but of considerable use and efficacy in 

 medicine. 



The skins of these animals vary in colour : in ge- 

 neral they are of a chesnut brown, more or less dark> 

 h*U- the most valuable are black. These furs consti- 

 tute a valuable article of commerce. Many thou- 

 sands are annually imported into Europe from Ame- 

 rica. In 1763, the Hudson-bay Company sold 

 M, 670 beaver skins at one sale. 



The Indian hunters, lured by European commodi- 

 ties, explore the inmost recesses of the American con- 

 tinent in order to discover the retreats of these ino'f- 

 fensive animals, and procure as great a number of 

 skins as possible, which they barter chiefly for the 

 noxious articles of spirituous liquors and tobacco. 



Commerce, my dear Sir, like every thing else in 

 this world, is productive of a mixture of good and 

 evil. This is the case with ail things here below. 

 The ways of Divine Providence are inscrutable; 

 but, in all probability, this mysterious dispensa- 

 tion is designed to teach us that our present life is no 

 more than a state of probation, and to prevent our too 

 ardent attachment to its temporary comforts and 

 pleasures. 



