t^U VOYAGE TO MABAGASCAK* 



to fociety ; he knows tbat Jdlcnefs is thte 

 only fource of mifery and Vice j and he la- 

 ments to fee a number of hands kept in a 

 ftate of inadion, by that ridiculous preju- 

 dice which prevents men of a certain cIaJ& 

 from employing their talents and abilities 

 in promoting the wealth and happinefs of 

 tlieir country. But this prejudice^ wbich, 

 in the greater part of civilifed nations, 

 checks the progrefs of commerce, and is, 

 without doubt, the real caufe of all our evils 

 and misfortunes, luckily does notexift in our 

 colonies. We have every reafon, therefore, 

 to exped the higheft advantages, if we can 

 tranfport our knowledge and our arts to 

 thefe diftantc limes. The fertility of Ma* 

 dagafcar, and the valuable produdions con- 

 tained in the bofom of that important 

 iOand, cannot fail of affording induftry the 

 means of eftablifhing a great and extenfive 

 trade. It is under this point of view, ac- 



cording 



/ 



