H 



U M 



A 



N 



S 



P E 



C 



I 



E 



S. 



K^ 



as the vafl monuments and ftupendous buildings of thefe nations princi- 

 ples OF 



/ 



are ftill fubfiiling, and witnefs the truth of their hiftorians^ 

 . In climates nearly approaching the mild temperature of the for- 

 mer, the inhabitants are bleffed with an organization proportioned 

 to the foftnefs of their climate,, though probably defcended from., 

 tribes that came from more rigid climates, and had been lefs happy, 

 in the prefervation of the original fyilems of education ; among^ 

 thefe, national felicity could not be brought about with fuccefs,. 

 without the affiftance of art. Ceerops, Triptolemus, Thefeus,. 

 Solon, Pififtratus, Miltiades and Ariftides, were the men, who,, by 

 art, affifted nature in Attica, and it required the efforts of the befb 



--- 



and wifefl men, during a fpaceof 1 130 years, before, the Athenians 



> 



could attain that pitch of happinefs under Pericles, which made 

 their empire the moft refpedable and happy in the cotemporary 



^ 



civilized part of the. world.. 



In climates, ftill. more unfavourable and rigid, not only the aflifl-' 

 ance of art, but that of creative phyfical power, as well as 

 that or creative genius, is required to infure the happinefs of 

 the inhabitants, whofe fibres had contraded a- congenial rqughnefs 

 and rigidity, and who are continually fubjed- to numberlefs checks 

 and hindrances, to every improvement leading to national felicity^ 



8-ocie 

 ties 



/ 



wh 



Such was the power and genius of Peter the Great; 



+ 



a centuiy, raifed his nation from indolence, barbarifm 



in half 



S.i 



and 



