138 VOYAGE TO MABAGASCAtt. 



economy in your labours, Subftitute the 

 ftrength of animals for that of men ; em^- 

 ploy currents of air, and falls of water: 

 negled none of thofe moving forces dif- 

 perfed with fo much profufion over the 

 face of the earth. Notwithftanding the in- 

 difference and dildain which mod people 

 aSedt to fhew for the mechanical arts, that 

 fcience which ferves as the bafis of them is 

 at once necefTary and fublime. Can we prefer 

 to it the vain declamations and idle chimeras 

 of the man, who, through pride, lofea him- 

 felf in refearches ufelefs to his wants, and 

 above the reach of his w^eak conception ? 



If the utility of the mechanical arts cannot 

 be contefted ; if the ufe of thofe ingenious 

 machines, which fave much labour in molt 

 manufadures, be a fertile fource of riclies 

 and profperity, why do people, in fome 

 civilized countries, overlook the advan- 

 tages which may be derived from them ? 



Does 



