BIMANA. 41 



The multiplication of the human species, and its improvement in the 

 arts and sciences, have only been carried to a high degree since the inven- 

 tion of agriculture and the division of the soil into hereditary possessions. 

 By means of agriculture, the manual lahour of a portion of society is ade- 

 quate to the maintenance of the whole, and allows the remainder time for 

 less necessary occupations, at the same time that the hope of acquiring, 

 by industry, a comfortable existence for self and posterity, has given a new 

 spring to emulation. The discovery of a representative of property, or a 

 circulating medium, by facilitating exchanges and rendering fortunes more 

 independent and susceptible of being increased, has carried this emulation 

 to its highest degree ; but, by a necessary consequence, it has also equally 

 increased the vices of effeminacy and the furies of ambition. 



The natural propensity to reduce every thing to general principles, and 

 to search for the causes of every phenomenon, has produced reflecting 

 men, in every stage of society, who have added new ideas to those already 

 obtained, nearly all of whom, while knowledge was confined to the few, 

 endeavoured to convert their intellectual superiority into the means of do- 

 mination, by exaggerating their own merit, and disguising the poverty of 

 their knowledge by the propagation of superstitious ideas. 



An evil still more irremediable is the abuse of physical power: now 

 that man only can injure man, he is continually seeking to do so, and is 

 the only animal upon earth that is for ever at war with his own species. 

 Savages fight for a forest, and herdsmen for a pasture, and, as often as they 

 can, break in upon the cultivators of the earth to rob them of the fruits of 

 their long and painful labours. Even civilized nations, far from being 

 contented with their blessings, pour out each other's blood for the prero- 

 gatives of pride, or the monopoly of trade. Hence, the necessity for go- 

 vernments to direct the national wars, and to repress or reduce to regular 

 forms the quarrels of individuals. 



The social condition of man has been restrained, or advanced by circum- 

 stances more or less favourable. 



The glacial climates of the north of both continents, and the impenetra- 

 ble forests of America, are still inhabited by the savage hunter or fisher- 

 man. The immense sandy and salt plains of Central Asia and Africa are 

 covered with a pastoral people and innumerable herds. These half civi- 

 lized hordes assemble at the call of every enthusiastic chief, and rush like 

 a torrent on the cultivated countries that surround them, in which they es- 

 tablish themselves, but to be weakened by luxury, and in their turn to be- 

 come the prey of others. This is the true cause of that despotism which 

 has always crushed and destroyed the industry of Persia, India, and 

 China. 



Mild climates, soils naturally irrigated and rich in vegetables, are the 

 natural cradles of agriculture and civilization ; and when so situated as to 

 be sheltered from the incursions of barbarians, every species of talent is 

 excited; such were (the first in Europe) Greece and Italy, and such is, at 

 present, nearly all that happy portion of the earth. 



There, are, however, certain intrinsic causes which seem to arrest the 

 progress of particular races, although situated amidst the most lavourable 

 circumstances. 



