BIMANA. 39 



The multiplication of the human species, and their improvements in the arts 

 and sciences, have only been carried to a high degree since the invention of 

 agriculture and the division of the soil into hereditary possessions. By means 

 of agriculture, the manual labour of a portion of society is adequate to the 

 maintenance of the whole, which allows the remainder time for less necessary 

 occupations, at the same time that the hope of acquiring, by industry, a 

 comfortable existence for himself and posterity, gives a new spring to emula- 

 tion. 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 domination, by ex- 

 aggerating 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 civilised nations, far from being contented with their 

 blessings, pour out each other's blood for the prerogatives of pride, or the 

 monopoly of trade. Hence, the necessity for governments 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 frozen climates of the north of both continents, and the impenetrable 

 forests of America, are still inhabited by the savage hunter or fisherman. The 

 immense plains of sand and salt found in central Asia and Africa are inhabited 

 by a pastoral people, and innumerable herds. These half-civilised hordes 

 assemble at the call of every enthusiastic chief, and rush like a torrent on the 

 cultivated countries that surround them, in which they establish themselves, to 

 be weakened by luxury, and in their turn to become 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 cradles 

 of agriculture and civilisation, and when so situated as to be sheltered from 

 the incursions of barbarians, every species of talent is excited ; such were 

 Italy and Greece, and such is, at present, nearly all the happy portion of 

 the earth. 



