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though his body ftill retained its antient form he "found his appetites and paffions entirely altered. "He firft confidered that it would not only be more "comfortable, but alfo more becoming to wear "cloaths; but unhappily he had no method of "making them himfelf, nor had he the ufe of "fpeech to demand them from others, and this "was the first time he felt real anxiety. He foon "perceived how much more elegantly men were "fed than he, therefore he began to loath his ufual "food and longed for thofe delicacies which adorn "the tables of princes; but here again he found it impoffible to be fatisfied; for though he could eafily obtain fleth, yet he found it impoffible to drefs it in any degree of perfection. In fhort, every pleasure that contributed to the felicity of "mankind, ferved only to render him more mifera"ble, as he found himself utterly deprived of the power of enjoyment. In this manner he led a repining, difcontented life, detefting himself, and difpleafed with his ill-judged ambition, till at last his benefactor Wiftnow, taking compaffion on "his forlorn fituation, reftored him to the ignorance " and the happinefs which he was originally formed "to enjoy."

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No, my friend, to attempt to introduce the fciences into a nation of wandering barbarians, is only to render them more miferable than even Nature defigned they should be. A life of fimplicity is best fitted to a ftate of folitude.

The great law-giver of Ruffia attempted to improve the defolate inhabitants of Siberia, by fending among them fome of the politeft men of Europe. The confequence has fhewn, that the country was as yet unfit to receive them; they languished for a time with a fort of exotic malady, every day degenerated from themfelves, and at laft, instead of ren

dering the country more polite, they conformed to the foil, and put on barbarity.

No, my friend, in order to make the fciences useful in any country, it must first become populous; the inhabitant muft go through the different ftages of hunter, fhepherd, and husbandman: then when property becomes valuable, and confequently gives caufe for injuftice; then when laws are appointed to reprefs injury, and fecure poffeffion, when men, by the fanction of those laws, become poffeffed of fupcrfluity, when luxury is thus introduced and demands its continual fupply, then it is that the fciences become neceffary and ufeful; the ftate then cannot fubfift without them; they must then be introduced, at once to teach men to draw the greateft poffible quantity of pleasure from circumfcribed poffeffion; and to reftrain them within the bounds of moderate enjoyment.

The fciences are not the cause of luxury, but its confequence, and this deftroyer thus brings with it an antidote which refifts the virulence of its own poifon. By afferting that luxury introduces the fciences, we affert a truth; but if with thofe, who reject the utility of learning, we affert that the fciences alfo introduce luxury, we fhall be at once falfe, abfurd, and ridiculous.

Adieu.

LETTER LXXXII.

From Lien Chi Altangi to Hingpo, by the way of Moscow.

YOU are now arrived at an age, my fon, when pleasure diffuades from application; but rob not by prefent gratification all the fucceeding period of life of its happiness. Sacrifice a little pleasure at first to the expectance of greater. The ftudy of a few years will make the reft of life completely eafy.

But instead of continuing the subject myself, take the following inftructions borrowed from a modern philofopher of China *. "He who has begun his fortune by ftudy will certainly confirm it by per"feverance. The love of books damps the paffion "for pleasure, and when this paffion is once ex"tinguifhed, life is then cheaply fupported; thus "a man being poffeffed of more than he wants, can never be fubject to great disappointments, and "avoids all thofe meanneffes which indigence fome"times unavoidably produces.

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"There is unfpeakable pleasure attending the "life of a voluntary ftudent. The first time I read an excellent book, it is to me just as if I had "gained a new friend. When I read over a book "I have perufed before, it resembles the meeting " with an old one. We ought to lay hold of every "incident in life for improvement, the trifling as

* A tranflation of this paffage may also be seen in Du Halde, Vol. II. Fol. p. 47, and 58. This extract will at least serve to fhew that fondness for humcur which appears in the writings of the Chinese.

❝ well

"well as the important. It is not one diamond "alone which gives luftre to another, a common "coarfe ftone is alfo employed for that purpose. "Thus I ought to draw advantage from the infults " and contempt I meet with from a worthlefs fellow. "His brutality ought to induce me to felf-examination, and correct every blemish that may have gi"ven rife to his calumny.

"Yet with all the pleasures and profits which are "generally produced by learning, parents often "find it difficult to induce their children to ftudy. "They often feem dragged to what wears the ap

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pearance of application. Thus being dilatory in "the beginning, all future hopes of eminence are "entirely cut off. If they find themselves obliged 66 to write two lines more polite than ordinary, their "pencil then feems as heavy as a mill-ftone, and "they spend ten years in turning two or three pe"riods with propriety.

"These perfons are moft at a lofs when a banquet " is almoft over; the plate and the dice go round, "that the number of little verfes which each is "obliged to repeat may be determined by chance. "The booby, when it comes to his turn, appears "quite ftupid and infenfible. The company divert "themfelves with his confufion; and fneers, winks, "and whispers are circulated at his expence.

As

"for him, he opens a pair of large heavy eyes, "ftares at all about him, and even offers to join in "the laugh, without ever confidering himself as the "burthen of all their good humour.

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"But it is of no importance to read much, except you be regular in reading. If it be inter"rupted for any confiderable time, it can never be "attended with proper improvement. There are "fome who ftudy for one day with intenfe appli

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cation, and repose themselves for ten days after.

"But

"But wifdom is a coquet, and must be courted with "unabating affiduity.

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"It was a faying of the antients, that a man ne"ver opens a book without reaping fome advantage by it. I fay with them, that every book can "ferve to make us more expert, except romances, "and thefe are no better than the inftruments of "debauchery. They are dangerous fictions, where "love is the ruling paffion..

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"The moft indecent ftrokes there pafs for turns "of wit, intrigue and criminal liberties for gallantry and politenefs. Affignations, and even villainy are put in fuch ftrong lights, as may infpire even grown men with the strongest paffion; "how much more therefore ought the youth of ei"ther fex to dread them, whofe reafon is fo weak, " and whose hearts are fo fufceptible of paffion!

"To flip in by a back-door, or leap a wall are "accomplishments that when handfomely fet off en"chant a young heart. It is true the plot is com"monly wound up by a marriage, concluded with "the confent of parents, and adjusted by every ce"remony prescribed by law. But as in the body of "the work there are many paffages that offend good "morals, overthrow laudable cuftoms, violate the "laws, and deftroy the duties moft effential to fo"ciety, virtue is thereby expofed to the moft dangerous attacks.

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"But, fay fome, the authors of these romances "have nothing in view, but to reprefent vice punished and virtue rewarded. Granted. But "will the greater number of readers take notice of "these punishments and rewards? Are not their

"minds carried to fomething elfe? Can it be ima"gined that the heart with which the author in"fpires the love of virtue, can overcome that "crowd of thoughts which fway them to licentiouf-.

"nefs?