69 



but a child of yesterday, has ah'eady given hopeful 

 proofs of ^eniuis, ns well of tlie nobler kinds, which 

 arouse the best feelin^^s of man, which call him into ac- 

 tion, which substantiate his freedom, and conduct him 

 to happiness, as of the subordinate, which serve to 

 amuse liim only. We therefore suppose, tliat this re- 

 proach is as unjust as it is unkind ; and that, of the ge- 

 niuses which adorn the present age, America contri- 

 butes its full share. For conjparing it with those coun- 

 tries, where genius is most cultivated, where are the 

 most excellent models for art, anrl scaffoldings for the 

 attainment of science, as France and England for in- 

 stance, we calculate thus: The United States contain 

 three millions of inhabitajUs ; France twenty millions; 

 and the British islands ten. We produce a VVashing- 

 ton, a Franklin, a Riitenhonse. France then shoidd 

 have half a dozen in eaidi of these lines, and Great Bri- 

 tain half that nund)er, equally eminent. It may be true, 

 that France has : we are but just becoming acquainted 

 with her, aiwl our acquaintance so far gives us high 

 ideas of the genius of her inhabitants. It would be in- 

 juring too many of them to name p.-irticularly a Vol- 

 taire, a Bnffon, the constellation of Encyclopedists, the 

 Abbe Raynal himself, &.c. &c We therefore have rea- 

 son to believe she can produce her full quota of gefiius. 

 The present war ha\iiiL' so long cut off ail conununica- 

 tion with Great Britain, we are not able to make a fair 

 estimate of the state of scien<-e in that country. The 

 spirit in which she wages war, is the only sample be- 

 fore our eyes, and that does not seem the legitimate off- 

 spring either of science or of civilizntion. 'I'he sui of 

 her glory is fast descending to the horizon. Her phi- 

 losophy has crossed the channel, her freedom the At- 

 lantic, and herself seems passing to that avvfid dissolu- 

 tion, whose issue is not given human foresight to scan.* 



♦ In a later edition of the Abbe Raynal's work, he has with- 

 drawn his censure from that part of the new world inhnbiled by 

 the Federo-Auiericans ; but lias left it siill on the other parts. 

 North America has always been more accessible to strangers 



