il6 



THE PHILOSOPHY 



thejr enjoy, facrifice their tafle, their paffion^ and often their 

 happinefs during hfe, at the llirine of Gold. To accompHfti 

 this fordid end, they often embrace deformity^ difeafe, ignor-^ 

 ance, peevillinefs, and every thing that is difgufting to hu- 

 man nature. Let fuch individuals fuffer their punifhment; 

 But what are the confequences to the public ? Men of rank, 

 in all nations and governments, not only regulate, in a great 

 meafure, the manners of their inferiors, but are the natural 

 guardians of the ftate. For thefe important purpofes, their 

 minds fhould be noble, generous, and bold 5 and their bodies 

 fliould be flrong, mafculine, fit to encounter the fatigues of 

 war, and to repel every hoftile aflault that may be made up- 

 on their country. But, when men of this defcription, what- 

 ever be their motives, intermarry with weak, deformed, puny, 

 br difeafed females, their progeny muft of neceffity degen- 

 erate. The ftrength, beauty, and fymmetry of their ancef- 

 tors are, perhaps, for ever loft. What is ftill more to be re- 

 gretted, debility of body is almoft univerfaliy accompanied 

 with weaknefs of mind. Thus, by the avarice, ambition, or 

 inattention, of one individual, a noble and generous race is 

 completely deftroyed. By reverfing this condu(Sl, it is true, 

 the breed may again be mended 5 but, to repair a fingle 

 breach, many generations, endowed with prudence and cir- 

 cuihfpedion, v\^ill be requifite. A fucceffive degeneration, 

 however, is an infallible confequence of imprudent or inter- 

 fefted marriages of this kind. One puny race may for fome 

 time be fucceeded by another, till at lail: their confliitutions 

 become fo feeble that the animals lofe the faculty of multi- 

 plying their fpecies. This gradual degeneration is one 

 great caufe of the total extinction of confpicuous and noble 

 families. That it fhould be fo, is a wile and beneficent infti- 

 tution of Nature ; for, if fuch debilitated races were conti- 

 nued, a univerfal degeneration would foon take place, and 

 mankind would be unable to perform the duties, or to under- 



