45 * 



common labourers of Europe do not often find 

 their toil interrupted by carrying about them a 

 weighty mafs of idulgence and luxury. 



The fame may be remarked in a great 

 degree with refpe£t to that diftrefling malady 

 the gout. The Indian is not detained from 

 the chafe, the foldier from the march, nor the 

 flave nor the peafant trom his toil in the field, 

 by the gnawings of this painful diforder. It 

 is almoft wholly confined to the rich and lux- 

 urious, and is at once the offspring and punifh- 

 ment of indolence and voluptuoufnefs ; nor 

 would it long remain among the opprobria of 

 medicine, were it polfible to enforce the regi- 

 men prefcribed by phy fi cians : — although it mull 

 continue to prevail fo long as forbearance, from 

 habits of indulgence, fhall be deemed a greater 

 punifhment than the painful tortures of the 

 difeafe. 



But what hath all this to do with our 

 journey upon the Berbifche river ? — methinks 

 I hear you exclaim ! Not much truly — yet I 

 would hope it is not a digreffion beyond the 

 bounds of our preliminaries. 



Q o 2 



