THE RURAL SOCRATES. 191 



' in any controverfy, pafTes in general, with the pea- 

 *■ fants, for an infallible decree." 



I cannot (fays the French Tranflatoi) forbear com- 

 municating the judicious reflexions of my journaliftjWith 

 which I (hall conclude. — " We (liould accufe our- 

 *' felves/' fays he, " if we neglected to recommend to 

 " obfervation, thefe folid efFc(ri:3 of economy and order : 

 '' fuch as the plenty it procures, the concord it main- 

 '' tains, the tranquillity it beftows ! By its influence, 

 " labor h foftened, jealonfy extinguifned, equality rei- 

 ^^ tored 1 What extraordinary bleflings may we not 

 ^' hope from it, in intelligent and enlightened perfons 

 -'united upon the fame principles 3 prodiu^ive of fo 

 ^' much good even amongfi fimple peafants 1 What an 

 ^' acceflion of opulence and flrenglh to a :Rate, to have 

 '* a colleclion of thefe fmall republics formed wittiiw 

 ^* itfelf ! A manly and fublime fimplicity would fucceed 

 *' to effeminate luxury : moderation, the daughter of 

 ^* indufliry, would treafure the riches thus acquired ; 

 *' and mankind would at lafi: be convinced, that the 

 *' mod infallible means to defy poverty is to renounce 

 ^' opulence, and to fly from the immoderate ufe of 

 *' what we pofTefs. Children educated in thefe max- 

 " ims, would renew that purity of manners, of whicl! 

 *' the lofs is more to be regretted every day ; \yhU{t the 

 *' earth cultivated by their innocent hands,! would no 

 *' longer difappoint chimerical expeiTcations by its (ic- 

 *' rility. Surely we have better motives than the 

 ^' terrible confequences of a revolution, to bring vv, 

 ^^ back to nature i'*' 



Anecdotes 



