feparation, and the manners of polished and commercial nations. The fifth part is employed upon confiderations on the decline of nations. In this are included ftritures upon national eminence and the viciffitudes of human affairs, the temporary efforts and relaxations of national fpirît; nor can we present our readers with a more pleafing entertainment than our author's thoughts on that subject.

"Of the temporary efforts and relaxations of the national spirit.

From what we have already observed on the general charateristics of human nature, it has appeared, that man is not' made for repofe. In him, every amiable and refpectable quality is an active power, and every fubject of commendation an effort. If his errors and his crimes are the movements of an' active being, his virtues and his happiness confist likewise in the' employment of his mind; and all the luftre which he cafts around him, to captivate or engage the attention of his fellow-' creatures, like the flame of a meteor, fhines only while his motion continues: the moments of rest and of obfcurity are the fame. We know, that the tasks affigned him frequently may exceed, as well as come fhort of his powers; that he may be agitated too much, as well as too little; but cannot ascertain a precife medium between the fituations in which he would be harraffed, and those in which he would fall into languor. We' know, that we may be employed on a great variety of subjects, which occupy different paffions: and that, in confequence of habit, he becomes reconciled to very different scenes. All we can determine in general is, that whatever be the subjects with which he is engaged, the frame of his nature requires him to be occupied, and his happiness requires him to be juft.

We are now to inquire, why nations ceafe to be eminent; and why focieties which have drawn the attention of mankind' by great examples of magnanimity, conduct, and national fuccess, should fink from the height of their honours, and yield, in one age, the palm which they had won in a former. Many reafons will probably occur. One may be taken from the fickleness and inconftancy of mankind, who become tired of their pursuits and exertions, even while the occafions that gave rife to those pursuits, in fome measure continue: another," from the change of fituations, and the removal of objects which served to excite their fpirit.

The public fafety, and the relative interefts of states; political establishments, the pretenfions of party, commerce,' and arts, are fubjects which engage the attention of nations. The advantages gained in fome of thefe particulars, determine N 4

the

the degree of national profperity. The ardour and vigour with which they are at any one time purfued, is the measure of a national fpirit. When thofe objects ceafe to animate, nations. may be faid to languifh; when they are during any confiderable time neglected, ftates muft decline, and their people dege

nerate.

In the moft forward, enterprifing, inventive, and industrious nations, this fpirit is fluctuating; and they who continue longeft to gain advantages, or to preferve them, have periods of remiffness, as well as of ardour. The defire of public safety, is, at all times, a powerful motive of conduct; but it operates moft, when combined with occafional paffions, when provocations inflame, when fucceffes encourage, or mortifications exafperate.

A whole people, like the individuals of whom they are compofed, act under the influence of temporary humours, fanguine hopes, or vehement animofities. They are difpofed, at one time, to enter on national ftruggles with vehemence; at another, to drop them from mere laffitude and difguft. In their civil debates and contentions at home, they are occafionally ardent or remifs. Epidemical paffions arife or fubfide, on trivial, as well as important, grounds. Parties are ready, at one time, to take their names, and the pretence of their oppolitions, from mere caprice or accident; at another time, they fuffer the most serious occafions to pafs in filence. If a vein of literary genius be cafually opened, or a new fubject of difquifition be started, real or pretended discoveries fuddenly multiply, and every converfation is inquifitive and animated. If a new fource of wealth be found, or a profpect of conqueft be. offered, the imaginations of men are inflamed, and the whole quarters of the globe are fuddenly engaged in ruinous or in fuccefsful adventures.

Could we recall the spirit that was exerted, or enter into the views that were entertained, by our ancestors, when they burft, like a deluge, from their ancient feats, and poured into the Roman empire, we fhould probably, after their first fucceffes, at leaft, find a ferment in the minds of men, for which no attempt was too arduous, no difficulties infurmountable.

The fubfequent ages of enterprife in Europe, were those in which the alarm of enthusiasm was rung, and the followers of the cross invaded the Eaft, to plunder a country, and to recover a fepulchre; thofe in which the people in different states contended for freedom, and affaulted the fabric of civil or religious ufurpation; that in which having found means to cross the Atlantic, and to double the cape of Good Hope, the inhabitants

3

bitants of one half the world were let loofe on the other, and parties from every quarter, wading in blood, and at the expence of every crime, and of every danger, traverfed the earth in fearch of gold.

Even the weak and the remifs are roufed to enterprise, by the contagion of such remarkable ages; and ftates which have not in their form the principles of a continued exertion, either favourable or adverfe to the welfare of mankind, may have paroxyfms of ardour, and a temporary appearance of national vigour. In the case of such nations, indeed, the returns of moderation are but a relapse to obfcurity, and the prefumption of one age is turned to dejection in that which fucceeds.

But in the cafe of ftates that are fortunate in their domestic policy, even madness itself may, in the result of violent convulfions, fubfide into wisdom; and a people return to their ordinary mood, cured of their follies, and wifer by experience: or, with talents improved, in conducting the very scenes which frenzy had opened, they may then appear beft qualified to purfue with fuccefs the object of nations. Like the ancient republics, immediately after fome alarming fedition, or like the kingdom of Great Britain, at the close of its civil wars, they retain the fpirit of activity, which was recently awakened, and are equally vigorous in every purfuit, whether of policy, learning, From having appeared on the brink of ruin, they pafs to the greateft profperity.

or arts.

Men engage in pursuits with degrees of ardour not proportioned to the importance of their object. When they are ftated in oppofition, or joined in confederacy, they only wish for pretences to act. They forget, in the heat of their animofities, the fubject of their controverfy; or they feek, in their formal reafonings concerning it, only a disguise for their paffions. When the heart is inflamed, no confideration can reprefs its ardour; when its fervour fubfides, no reasoning can excite, and no eloquence awaken, its former emotions.

The continuance of emulation among ftates, must depend on the degree of equality by which their forces are balanced; or on the incentives by which either party, or all, are urged to continue their struggles. Long intermiffions of war, suffer, equally in every period of civil fociety, the military fpirit to languish. The reduction of Athens by Lyfander, ftruck a fatal blow at the inftitutions of Lycurgus; and the quiet poffeffion of Italy, happily, perhaps, for mankind, had almost put an end to the military progrefs of the Romans. After fome years of repofe, Hannibal found Italy unprepared for his onset, and the Romans in a difpofition likely to drop, on the banks of the

Po,

Po, that martial ambition, which, being roufed by the fenfe of a new danger, afterwards carried them to the Euphrates and the Rhine.

⚫ States even diftinguished for military prowefs, fometimes lay down their arms from laffitude, and are weary of fruitless contentions but if they maintain the ftation of independent communities, they will have frequent occafions to recall, and exert their vigour. Even under popular governments, men fometimes drop the confideration of their political rights, and appear at times remifs or fupine; but if they have reserved the power to defend themselves, the intermiffion of its exercise cannot be of long duration. Political rights, when neglected, are always invaded; and alarms from this quarter must fre-quently come to renew the attention of parties. The love of learning. and of arts, may change its purfuits, or droop for a feason, but while men are poffeffed of freedom, and while the exercises of ingenuity are not fuperfeded, the public may proceed, at different times, with unequal fervour; but its progrefs is feldom altogether discontinued, or the advantages gained in one age are feldom entirely loft to the following.

If we would find the causes of final corruption, we must examine those revolutions of state that remove or with hold the objects of every ingenious ftudy, or liberal purfuit; that deprive the citizen of occafions to act as the member of a public; that crush his fpirit; that debase his fentiments, and disqualify his' mind for affairs.'

Our author next treats of national wealth; and his last part contains a kind of hiftory of corruption and political slavery.

The fentiments of philanthropy with which this effay abounds, are as diftinguished as the writer's learning and judgment in arranging his facts and ftating his arguments. His work, in short, exhibits a plan of national policy upon folid, that is, virtuous, principles; and we hope will be confidered as fuch by the rulers and minifters of a people who, having reached the fummit.of glory, have nothing now fo much to apprehend as that very attainment, becaufe, in the course of earthly things, it leads to a decadence. Its utility to readers of every other denomination is fo perceptible, that we will venture' to say, none can fit down to the perufal of it without rising a' better man and citizen, or without finding himfelf improved in' fenfe, fentiment, and ftile.

IV: The

IV. The Sick Man's Companion: or, the Clergyman's Affifiant in Vifiting the Sick. With a Preliminary Differtation on Prayer. By William Dodwell, D. D. Archdeacon of Berks. 8vo. Pr. 35. 6d.

White.

THUS, the author has obviated all the moft maHIS performance is introduced by an excellent Differta

terial objections which have been urged against prayer; and has clearly evinced the obligations of this duty, and the wisdom of its appointment.

The effect, he says, of habitual prayer upon ourselves is great and evident, and an undoubted proof of the obligation and advantage of it. This is the great method of keeping up in ourselves a sense of duty and of the object of it; the only means of promoting both our piety and our fatisfaction in this world. It reminds us daily of our obligations to our Maker, of our tranfgreflions against Him, of the importance of our return to Him, and of the neceffity of his gracious affistance to enable us to return to Him in the ways of holiness and virtue. It is a continual call to religious meditations, to serious recollections of the perfections of the Creator and the imperfections of all his creatures; and it fixes in our hearts a stronger impreffion of these momentous truths, than any other method that can be devised.

And of what great importance is even this circumstance? If men continually remembered what they habitually believe, concerning their dependence upon Providence, the means of fecuring the divine favour, and the infinite confequences of it, would it be poffible that they should live, as too many of them do? Would not fuch recollection either preserve them uni formly in a regular course, or recover them speedily to it? And is not this the happy tendency and immediate influence of frequent devotion? Are not those who are most punctual in their prayers, in general, the moft exemplary in their lives? and are not the open contemners of this holy exercife ufually found to be as diffolute in their morals, as they are irreligious in their profeffions? Is not this the plain and well-known effect of attendance on publick and private worship amongst the general profeffors of our religion? and may we not farther appeal to the experience of the moft pious amongst them, whether they have not felt, very rationally felt, an immediate good effect from a serious and attentive application to devotion? Have not their hearts burned within them with divine love and gratitude, whilft they have been pouring them out to their great Friend and Benefactor? and have they not risen from their prayers better difpofed, and even more confirmed in their good

refolutions,