Ab Jove principium Mufæ, Jovis omnia plena *.

THERE is no property more remarkable in the constitution of Man, than the verfatility of his genius, and the facility with which he accommodates himself to the circumftances of his condition. He is born in a fociety more or less numerous, upon which there is already stamped a certain form. He is not the author or contriver of his own lot. External circumftances exist independently of him: to these he bends his will, or puts in action his arts of contrivance to fashion them to his convenience. In this occupation his inventive powers and various talents are confpicuously displayed. Hence a diversity in fituations and conditions must neceffarily produce a diverfity in manners and customs; and adventitious circumftances of a phyfical nature may justly lay claim to a confi

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derable fhare of influence in the formation of national characters.

THE North-American Indian is a fuperior animal to the Efquimaux. This fuperiority arifes not from any partiality of Nature in favour of the Indian warrior: it must be afcribed to the difference of their condition and mode of fubfiftence, which must affect, if not determine, their manners and characters.

THE Efquimaux differs from the North-American Indian, no less in manners than in fize and fhape. The former is low of ftature, roundfaced, plump, and chubby. The latter is larger in size, straight, thin, and bony. The Efquimaux is fportful, and expreffes a childish joy at new objects. The Indian appears with a grave countenance and ftately deportment: his demeanour is expreffive of dignity and pride. The former feeds upon feal's flesh, fish, and blubber; and although he exhibits great skill

and

and ingenuity in the management of his little vessel at fea, his food is procured without those bodily exertions which qualify him for warlike contention with the latter, who practises a high degree of cunning, addrefs, and manly activity, in destroying the game which is his chief fund of fubfiftence.

THE inhabitants of the colder regions of the globe are found univerfally to be more active beings than those of hot climates. The former are jealous of encroachments on their natural freedom; they are impatient under ufurpation of power: while the latter, naked and improvident, bask in the rays of the fun; or, in the cooler fhade, indulge in indolence and listless inactivity.

THE fpontaneous productions of the earth long furnished the inhabitants of the middle regions of the globe with food in abundance; while the natives of climes fituated nearer the early forced to roam over

polar extremes were

forefts and deferts in purfuit of the means of supplying their daily wants. Such diversity of occupations must neceffarily have produced a variety in the manners and customs of different races of men, and have early ftamped on different tribes or focieties of mankind distinct marks of variety of character.

IN taking a view of the rude tribes of whom either laudable curiofity or prospects of gain have procured information, one general trait may be observed to run throughout the whole of them. The Afiatic, the African, the American, the European barbarian, when not stimulated by appetite for food, or by motives of action which flatter his vanity and pride, difcovers a fondness for idlenefs and repofe. All have their sports, their dances, and their feasts; but no laborious exertion, no enterprize of difficult or dangerous execution, are undertaken, from the abstract confideration, that floth and indolence are vices, or that activity and industry are

virtues.

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virtues. The human race existing in the earliest states of fociety have with reafon been compared to the canine fpecies, who spend their time in fleep and indolence, when not engaged in warfare, in sportive exercise, or in procuring food. To render Man active, his affections muft be touched. He exerts himself, when roused by his defires: while his paffions continue in a state of reft, his excellencies and abilities will remain undifcovered.

THAT idleness constitutes a chief part of the character of a rude people, is a propofition the truth of which is fufficiently confirmed by antient and modern obfervation. "If we contemplate ❝a favage nation," fays Mr. Gibbori, «in any "part of the globe, a fupine indolence and a «careleffness about futurity will be found to "conftitute their general character."

TACITUS, in his character of the antient Germans, obferving their love of idlenefs, won

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