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bitrary contribution. The moil induftrious man, 

 as well as the raoft indolent, is almoft certain 

 that they will hardly leave him any thing to iub- 

 fift on ; and indeed the greater part of them are 

 contented to fubfitl on articles of eafy culture, 

 pacing in idlenefs a time which, under another 

 iyflem, they might employ in procuring a certain 

 independence. 



The Fifcal completes the opprefiion of the in- 

 habitants: he has the direction of the police, 

 and has a right to impofe, for his own emolu- 

 ment, the pecuniary penalties, which 1 he fixes 

 in proportion to his avidity, and the fortune 

 of the natives, whom it is often his pleafure 

 to find guilty, without their having committed 

 the (mailed: offence. It was M. Mackay who 

 then exercifed this employment. He was very 

 different from the greater part of his predcccl- 

 fors ; the inhabitants of the ifland had reafon to 

 be well latched with his humanity, and he had 

 the more merit in doing good, as his place ena- 

 bled him to do them, with impunity, all poflible 

 harm. This worthy man was inceffantly repeat- 

 ing to us, that he preferred living in mediocrity, 

 to enriching himfclfby adopting fuch methods. 

 When M. Mackay was one day explaining to 

 us all the privileges of his place, he informed us 

 that fome tailors belonging to our fhips had oc- 

 cafioned a riot, at an unfcafonablc hour of the 



night, 



