been produced. The character of the celebrated Marquis Beccaria in Italy is an inftance.

• SECT. IV. Pride.

• Pride also appears to be a vice of hot climates, derived from the fame fource. This we fee in almost every people in fuch a fituation, Numberless inftances of this are to be found in the circumftances attending the eastern monarchs. Herodotus tells us, that the Perfians efteem them felves much more worthy in every thing than the reft of men; and others to participate of virtue only in proportion to their nearness of fituation, always accounting thofe the worst and the most base who inhabit farthest from them." The term of barbarian was formerly bestowed, even by the Greeks and Romans, on all na. tions except their own: and what is more remarkable, and which thews how deep this idea was rooted, no lefs a man than Aristotle imbibed a prejudice of this kind fo ftrongly, as to lay it down in his works, that his countrymen were originally formed by nature to be fuperior, and command the rest of mankind. The map of the world in China, was a fquare plate, the greater part of which was occupied by the provinces of this vaft empire, leaving on its skirts a few obfcure corners, into which the wretched remains of mankind were supposed to be driven. If you have not the knowledge of our books, or the use of our letters, faid the learned Chinese to the European mifionary, what literature or what fcience can you have? The pride of the Spaniards in Europe has alfo been long known.-E have taken thefe inftances of national pride from improved and polifhed nations, that it might not be afcribed to ignorance, which, independently of climate, produces the fame effects. Thus the Ruffians, when in a barbarous state, called all other people by the name of Nemei, or dumb nations; and held them in a proportionable share of contempt. But when improvements prevailed among them, this difpofition vanished; and at prefent, foreigners are no where better received or respected than in Ruffia.

As the heat of the climate diminishes, as in France, this pride is changed into vanity. This I take to be owing to a decrease of the fenfibility: where this is very great, every man has, or pretends to have, fuch an idea of his own importance, as to ftand in no need of the applause of others; but when the feelings are not fo quick, this felf-estimation is not fufficient, and the praise of others becomes requifite, and forms the object of defire. Strabo defcribes the vanity of the French nation, and its effects on their conduct, in terms that exactly fuit their prefent character. They have, fays that writer, added to their ignorance and ferocity, a great degree of arrogance and folly, and affectation of ornament. They wear golden chains about their necks, and bracelets about their arms and wrifts; and those who are in honourable stations, wear garments dyed and variegated with gold. In confequence of this levity of difpofition, they are, when fuperior in war, extremely infolent and overbearing; but when defeated, ftupid and helplefs. Strabon. lib. iv. Thus the Frenchman afpires with eagerness after what the Spaniard would efleem a derogation.

Lib. 1.

Oa Rhetoric.

C4

† Du Halde, vol. i. p. 95.
• SECTA

SECT. V. Gallantry and intrigue.

From the fame fenfibility arifes the excefs of those paffions that are connected with love. Thus intrigue and debauchery with women, are well known to be carried to a high degree in warm climates. Even marriage is held but as a flight bar, and often confidered, where the women are at liberty, rather as a pretence for greater freedom of behaviour, than as a restraint.

SECT. VI. Jealousy.

From the fame caufe arifes jealousy, which in fuch a country, efpecially where pride predominates, is carried to a great height. The glory of ancient defcent and great family are fenfibly injured by infidelity of this kind, and therefore against fuch difhonour the guard is ftrict. But in France, where vanity prevails, and the paffion of of love is not quite fo powerful, jealoufy has little place. Were a fine woman to be confined there, as formerly in Spain, or in the Eaft, her husband would lofe the gratification of his vanity, in being known to poflefs a woman endowed with fuch qualities. The admiration paid to her, is to him a fource of pleasure, and enhances his confequence by the respect paid to him on her account.

SECT. VII. Cowardice.

Cowardice too, as before has been remarked, is owing in a great measure to the fenfibility of the people, and is one of the vices of hot climates. It may appear ftrange, to rank timidity, which may be fuppofed not to be in our power to prevent, in the list of crimes. It is, however, in fome circumftances undoubtedly criminal, and was efte med as fuch by the ancient + Germans, who punished it with death, inflicted in the most ignominious manner.

SECT. VIII. Sufpicion.

Sufpicion, too, which almost naturally attends a great degree of fenfibility, joined to timidity of difpofition, is obferved very frequently in hot climates. The profligacy of manners in fuch fituations, contributes greatly to encourage fuch a temper of mind, every one fuppofing his neighbour under little if any refraint from principles of morality.

SECT. IX. Fraud and knavery.

It is likewife remarked, that in hot climates there is much less probity and honefty in the common dealings of life; the prefent object is there fo much attended to, that fcarcely any confideration is paid to future confequences, as there is but little reflection. Every one, therefore, is anxious to make what advantage he can of the prefent moment; and no regard is paid to the difcredit or lofs that may enfue.

SECT. X. Perfidy and inconftancy.

The levity likewife of the people of warm climates, which is ultimately derived from their fenfibility, is productive of feveral vices. Thus they are remarkable for their perfidy and inconftancy, even to a proverb. Livy 1 fays, that the people of Africa are inconstant in

* Vide the Life of Petrar-h, and the Lives of the Troubadours, elegantly trans lated by Mrs. Dobfon: whe e it appears, that addreffes of love to married women were as common at that time, in France and Italy, as at prefent. † Tacių Germania. ‡ Livii, lib. iii. § 5. Lib, xxxvi, § 17.

their

their expectations, and faithlefs in their difpofitions. A fimilar character of them is given by Virgil + and Cicero ; to which Salluft § adds, that they were not to be kept in order by either hope or fear. A fimilar character of the Syrians and Afiatic Greeks, is given in another place by Livy, and confirmed by + Vopifcus. It might, perhaps, be imagined, as indeed Mr. Montefquieu has done, that this character of the people of Africa was exaggerated by the Roman hiftorians, from the hereditary antipathy between that people and the Carthaginians; and that it was victory alone that caufed the proverb to be the Punic, rather than the Roman faith. This I believe to be in fome measure true; but it is certain alfo, that the Phoenicians had a character of this kind afcribed to them, long before the Roman period. Homer, who we have no reafon to think lay under any temptation to give them a worse character than they merited **, fpeaks of them in fimilar terms. The crooked and intriguing politics of Italy have, as well as thofe of Carthage, formerly been notorious through the whole course of modern hiftory; nor were they different in former periods. The Romans ++ were scarcely lefs perfidious and dishonourable than those whom they reproached with thofe vices; and it was as much owing to their deep and infidious I policy, as to their arms, that they acquired the fovereignty of the world.

But in what manner fhall we account for the punctilious honour of the Spaniards, who live in the fame latitude with the Italians, and nearly in the fame manner; and who have, in all ages, been famous for their honefty? Juftin mentions their fidelity in keeping whatever was intrufted to their care; they have frequently fuffered death rather than reveal a fecret. They have ftill the fame fidelity for which they were formerly diftinguished. All the nations who trade to Cadiz, truft their fortunes to the Spaniards, and have never yet repented it. A notable inftance of this quality in that people occurred not many years fince, when the filver which was returned from America by their plate fleet, was debafed by one of the Governors, by which the European traders, who fent goods to South America,

+ Virgil Æneid, lib. i.

Carthaginenfes fraudulenti et mendaces. Cicero.

Salluft. Bell. Jugurth, de Numidia loquens.—Modern writers give the fame account of them.

"The craft and deceit of these people are equally great and inexplicable. To lie for the fake of falfhood, and to over-reach in matters of no moment, are paradoxes peculiar to the Arabians.", Adventures in the Course of a Voyage up the Red Sea, &c. by Eyles Irwin, Efq; 4to. 1780, p. 54. See alfo Shaw's Travels to the Levant and Barbary, where a fimilar character is given of them. Ingratitude and treachery, fays Le Brun, are fo common among the Perfians, that children make no fcruple to cut off the ears, flit the nose, and cut the throat of their parents, if the King requires it, in order to procure what places or fortune they died potleffed of. Le Brun's Travels, vol. iv. p. 143, 4to ed. 1725.

Hic Syri & Ahatici Græci funt; leviffima genera hominum, Livii, lib. xxxv, 17.

+ Rarum eft ut fidem fervent Syri; imo difficile. Aurelian. Vopifci.

** Homer's Odyffey, lib. xiv.

tt The fimilarity of the ancient Romans to the modern Italians, has been remarked by Mr. Ferguson, in his moft ingenious and elegant, as well as learned, tiy on Civil Society.

Montesquieu, Grandeur and Decline of the Roman Empire, chap. vi.

would

would have been great lofers. The Spanish merchants, though ne way concerned or answerable for the fraud, voluntarily took the whole of the lofs upon themselves, in order to prevent the national character fuffering any reproach. Perhaps the ftately pride and haughtiness, fo effential to the Spanish character, may have been of fervice in preferving them from this fraudulent difpofition, which is always connected with meannefs and cowardice. Perhaps this pride may have been partly infpired by the peculiar fituation and circumftances that have attended the Spanish monarchy, the fubjects of which have been always led to depend upon their perfonal qualifications, especially thofe of a military kind, and to difregard the importance produced by trade and commerce. But I offer this only as a conjecture: if, however, it be true, it furnishes an obvious caufe for the difference of manners.

SECT. XI. Idleness.

This prevails in a great degree in hot climates. The people of Achim + are proud and lazy; those who have no flaves, hire one, if it be only to carry a quart of rice an hundred paces; they would be dishonoured if they carried it themselves. In many places, people let their nails grow, that all men may fee that they do not work. A Similar difpofition prevails throughout all the Eaft. But idleness is not only a vice itself, but ftill more mischievous as an incentive, or at least as affording an opportunity for others: it is indeed a preli minary to every vice; nor is floth ever unaccompanied with fome wickednefs or other. What must then be the state of morality § in a country where the greatest part of the people have no work, employment, or calling, to occupy their thoughts; and no idea of intellectual entertainment? The reverfe is no lefs true: "Oblige men to work," fays the elegant and fpirited commentator on the Marquis Beccaria," and you certainly make them honest." It is well known, that atrocious crimes are not committed in the country, unless when there is too much holiday, and confequently too much idleness; and, of course, too much debauchery. This, therefore, is no fmall caufe of the general depravity of manners in warm climates.

SECT. XII. Luxury.

Luxury likewife, and effeminacy, the children of fenfibility and indolence, are carried to a high degree in hot climates. This was obferved of them from the earliest times, and is the cafe at prefent.

SECT. XIII. Excess in diet.

There are however fome, though but few, inftances in point of morals, in which the warmer climates are fuperior to the cold. Thus the vice of drunkennefs ¶ is far lefs common among them; and, of

* Vide Robertfon's America.

+ Dampier's Voyages, vol. iii.

I Ulloa's Travels, book v. chap. 5.

Vide alfo an excellent paper on the tendency of idleness to produce vice, in thẻ Rambler, No. 85.

Vide the account of Tyre, by the Prophet Ezekiel.-Xenophon's Cyropædia, book vii.

Strong liquors, even at this day, are not drank among the Arabs. Irwin's Voyage up the Red Sea, p. 285.

confequence,

confequence, the violence and disturbance which it so often occafions, are not fo frequent; nor is, I believe (though of this I am not certain), the luxury of eating cultivated as among us. The heat requires the diet to be moftly fimple, and compofed in a great measure of vegetables; and of confequence cuts off many of the ftimulant provo catives to appetite; a large proportion of which are of the animal kind, which compofe the catalogue of thofe articles that minister to this mean and defpicable paffion.

SECT. XIV. Gaming.

'I am likewise inclined to think, (though of this alfo I am doubtful) that the ruinous and deftructive vice of gaming, is lefs prevalent in warm than in cold climates.

In the former of thefe, the people are more pleased with what directly produces fome pofitive fenfual pleafure, than with what pleafes merely by interefting the mind, and putting it into a ftate of agitation. The latter of thefe would be too violent and robuft an exercife for a hot climate, where any confiderable degree of even mental employment is a fatigue. But in northern countries, a machine, coarfe and heavy, finds a pleasure in whatever is apt to rouse and agitate the fpirits; fuch as hunting, travelling, war, and wine; and it will not be denied, that gaming is at least as likely to produce this effect as any of the foregoing.

• Experience feems to countenance this theory. Tacitus + informs us, that the ancient Germans were paffionately addicted to this vice, which is ftill, indeed, very prevalent among their modern fucceffors. The Canadian favage is equally fond of it, as it affords an interesting occupation to him in the intervals of war and hunting, and ferves to difpel that fluggishness and inactivity, which the ufual affairs and. tranfactions of life have not fufficient ftimulus to effect. Warm climates, on the contrary, are but little addicted to this vice; it is with them a matter of diverfion merely; whereas, among the people of cold climates, it is a bufinefs, and one of the most ferious nature, Thas the Turks, although fond of fome kinds of play, chefs and draughts for instance, make it a rule not to play for money ||, but ufe it merely to confume an idle portion of time in an indolent amufement, which the climate would prevent being employed in an active Occupation.'

Dr. Falconer's remarks on the influence of fituation, extent, and nature of country, are brief, and contain little that merits particular notice. The different effects of great and fmall population he has clearly marked out, and fupported his ob

Salluft fays, that the people of Africa, and the Numidians efpecially, were neither fond of falt, or any other of the ftimulants to appetite. Bell. Jugurthin.

+ Aleam (quod mirere) fobrii inter feria exercent tanta lucrandi perdendive teme, ritate ut cum omnia defecerunt extremo & noviffimo jactu de libertate & de corpore contendunt. Tacitus de morib. German. cap. xxiv.

Lafiteu Mœurs de Savages. Charlevoix Hift. of Canada.Carver's Travels,

P. 244.

The Arabs never game for money, or any thing valuable. Adventures in the courfe of a Voyage up the Red Sea, by Eyles Irwin, Esq; p. 285.—It is forbid in Japan, on pain of death.

fervations