/ 



-^ 



342 



K 



MARKS 



O N 



THE 



j'RTNci- ilupidity, to that degree of happlncfs and grandeur, which it now 



enjoys under the mild and benevolent leglflation of Catharine 



PLES OF 

 SOCIE- 

 TIES. 



y 



THE Great. 



> 



\ 



Such like wife are the various gradations of the happinefs of the 

 inhabitants of the South- Sea Iflands ; fome have attained, in the 

 courfe of nature, a degree of felicity, v^hich is proportioned to their 



■-■ 



iituation and condition -, others are behind-hand in improvements 



- 



i\nd happinefs, and can never attain it, unlefs nature be aflifled by 

 human art , in others, again, a whole new creation is required, to 

 procure and to infure them that happinefs which would fet them 

 upon a level with the firil mentioned happy tribes. There are be- 

 fides, fo many concurring circumflances, that either promote or re- 

 itard national felicity, that it is impoffible, either to emimerate them 

 ajl, or to defcribe the various hues of happinefs ariiing from their 

 different combinations. This, however, may be added to the for- 

 mer obfervations, that too great irritability, or too great rigidity 



I 



of the human organization, equally oppofe the progrefs of improve- 



F 



ments and focial felicity ; the one caufes a reftiefs, paffionate tem- 

 per, in a fervent climate ; the other creates ftupidity, dullnefs and 



rigid and cold regions, found at the two polar 



y 



indolence 



the 



•extremities of our glbbe4 and how difficult it \^ to conquer ci- 

 ther the one or -the other, may be ealily proved from the hitherto 



fruitlefs attempts in civilizing the negroes of our plantations, or 



^ 



the 



V 



