VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR. 75 



At the end of the laft century, the French 

 wifhed at any event to people their colonies. 

 Refped:ing the means of doing this, they 

 were far from being fcrtipulous or deUcate* 

 They often hurried away by ftratagem, and 

 oftener by violence, young men accufed of 

 mifcondud. Seldom did they enquire tho- 

 roughly into the accufation brought againft 

 them i and many, without doubt, were made 

 vidims to this fecret kind of inquifition. 

 The greater part of our colonies, however, 

 have received benefit from thefe forced emi- 

 grations. The exiles feem to have forfaken 

 their vices when they changed their climate j 

 but this effed can appear furprifing only to 

 thofe who are little accuftomed to refle<Jlion. 

 It may be readily perceived, that eafe and 

 liberty muft have produced this change. In 

 civilized countries, the paffions are inflamed 

 by reftraint i but in free and fertile coun- 

 tries 



