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the large pot-bellied Hollander; the short squat figure of the Samoiede with the tall and well-proportioned form of the Sclavonian and the Greek; the greasy and woolly black hair of the Negro with the silky golden locks of the Dane; the flat-faced Calmuc, with his goatlike eyes, and his nose crushed, to the oval and projecting visage, the large blue eyes, and the aquiline nose of the Circassian and the Abyssinian. I contrasted the printed cloths of the Indian, the well-wrought manufactures of the European, the rich furs of the Siberians, with the clothing of savage nations, composed of the platted bark of trees, rushes, leaves, and feathers, together with the blue figures of serpents, stars, and flowers, with which their skin is stained. Sometimes, the variegated appearance of this multitude, reminded me of the enamelled meads of the Nile and the Euphrates, when, after rains and inundations, millions of flowers every where unfold themselves; and, sometimes, it brought to my recollection, by its buzzing noise and busy motion, the innumerable swarms of locusts, which alight in the spring, like a cloud, upon the plains of Hauran.

At the sight of so many living and intelligent beings, I could not help reflecting on the immense multitude of thoughts and sensations which were crowded into this space, and on the consequent opposition that must prevail amid the clash of such a number of different opinions, prejudices and passions of men so whimsically capricious; and, in this train of meditation, my mind was fluctuating in sus

pense betwixt astonishment, admiration, and fearful apprehension.... When the legislators, enjoining silence, diverted the current of my attention wholly to themselves.

"Inhabitants of the earth," said they, " a free and powerful nation addresses you in the name of justice and of peace, and voluntarily offers, as a security and pledge of its sincerity, the fruits of its experience and conviction. Afflicted for a long time with the same grievances as yourselves, it at length enquired into their origin, and found them to be derived from violence and injustice erected into laws through the inexperience of past generations, and perpetuated by the prejudices of the present age. Accordingly, abolishing every usurped and arbitrary establishment, and going back to the genuine source of reason and of right, it perceived that there existed in the regular order of the universe, and in the physical constitution of man, eternal and immutable laws, which only required his observance, in order to render him abundantly happy. O men! only open your eyes, and survey the heavens that afford you light, and the earth that gives you nourishment! Do they not dispense to all of you the same beneficent gifts? and since the Power that directs their motions has bestowed on all of you the self-same life, the self-same organs, and the self-same wants, has it not also given you the same right to the use of its favours? Has it not hereby declared you to be all equal and free? What mortal then shall dare refuse to his fellow-creature, the benefit of that which is granted him by

nature? O ye fellow-nations of the earth! let us banish from us every kind of tyranny, every unsocial cause of dissension; let us form one individual society, one grand family; and, since all mankind are identified by one species of constitution, let there henceforth exist but one law, that of nature; but one code, that of reason; but one throne, that of justice; but one altar, that of union."

Thus spoke the legislators:—when the multitude rent the very skies with shouts of applause; and, in the midst of this popular transport, a thousand benedictions were heard, and the whole atmosphere resounded with the words, equality, justice, union. But different feelings presently succeeded to this first emotion. The chiefs and teachers of the people soon after began to excite a spirit of disputation among them, when there arose a kind of murmur, which, spreading from groupe to groupe, was converted into clamour, and from clamour into uproar and disorder of the first magnitude: Every nation assuming exclusive pretensions, and claiming a preference in favour of its own opinions and code.

"Ye are totally lost in error," said the parties, pointing at each other; "we alone are the persons, who are in actual possession. of reason and truth: ours is the only true law, the genuine rule of right and of justice, the sole means of happiness and perfection; all other men are either intellectually blind, or downright rebels in opinion." ... And the agitation became extreme...

But the legislators, having proclaimed si

lence, thus addressed them: People," said they, "by what strange emotion, by what hurricane of passion is it that ye are agitated? What is the meaning of this storm of words, of this boisterous affray of yours, and to what extremities will ye suffer it to lead you? What advantage do ye expect to derive from all this strife and contention? For ages has the earth been a field of litigious altercation, and torrents of blood have been shed in order to decide the controversies of mankind: and what benefit have you reaped from so many wars and lamentable contests? When the strong has subjected the weak to his opinion, has he thereby furthered the cause of evidence and truth? O nations! let your own wisdom be your guide and counselor! When disputes arise between families or individuals, what steps do you take to reconcile the parties? Do you not appoint arbitrators?"" Yes, yes," exclaimed the multitude with one unanimous voice: "Treat then the authors of your present contrariety of sentiment in a similar manner. Command those who call themselves your instructors, and who impose on you their creed, to discuss in your presence the ground and arguments on which it is founded. Since they appeal to your interests, know in what manner your interests are treated by them.Again, ye chiefs and preceptors of the people, before ye involve and embroil them in the verbal warfare and jarring hostilities of your rival doctrines, let the reasons for and against your respective opinions be fairly confronted and seriously cavassed. Let us establish a

rational and solemn competition, a public investigation of truth, not before the tribunal of a frail individual or a prejudiced party, but before a court composed of the collective information and united interests of the species at large; and let the natural sense of the whole human race be our arbitrator and judge."

CHAP. XX.

INVESTIGATION OF TRUTH.

AND the people having shouted their assent, the legislators said: "In order that we may proceed in this grand work methodically and without confusion, let a spacious amphitheatre be formed in the vacant space before the altar of union and of peace; let each system of religion and each particular sect erect its own appropriate and distinctive standard along the circumference; let its chiefs and its ministers place themselves around it, and let their followers be ranged in succession in one and the same line."

And the amphitheatre being traced out, and order proclaimed, an immense number of standards of almost every colour and figure were instantly raised, analogous to what is seen in a commercial port, frequented by a hundred nations, when, on public days of festivity, thousands of flags and pendants stream from a forest of masts. And, at the sight of this astonishing diversity, I turned round and addressing myself to the Genius: "I had no

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