Iron-Age, or with a generofity of manners belonging to a later period. Yet each Age has its fixed character from barbarity to humanity; and war, in fome shape or other, muft exift in every stage of fociety, but the last. Nothing but that rectitude of intention and action which belongs to times of the greatest degree of refinement, can annihilate war. It will by degrees be perceived, that wars do not often produce the end for which they are undertaken; and when they do, the purpose attained is not equal to the coft and mischief. Thus, experience, co-operating with the progrefs of reason, will at last overcome that appetite for mutual destruction by which the nature of mankind is difgraced and the world defolated. The next great business of mankind is commerce, which, founded on the fupply of mutual wants, will be free and unfhackled G 3 fhackled with any restraints, except such as reafon and convenience dictate for mutual advantage. Nature has difpenfed different gifts to different regions, and as art has taken directions in fome countries which are impracticable in others, it will, by degrees, be perceived that it is for the benefit of mankind rather to remove the various productions of nature and art from one country to another, than endeavour to force productions contrary to climate or the genius of the people. By this interchange of good offices, countries become connected not only by interest but by mutual esteem. All vain unprofitable studies will ceafe to be purfued. This end is already partly attained. What was esteemed learning in the Brazen-Age, is confidered as ignorance in the Silver-Age. School-divinity was once held to be the height of human wisdom, and it is now thought the depth of folly. Falfe learning, in all its various forms, forms, will gradually cease to exist, and no ftudies will be confidered as worthy attention, but those which contribute to our pleasure, inftruction, or advantage. As nothing is more fimple, and at the fame time more comprehensive, than the ideas of protection and obedience, probably our present perplexed, myfterious fyftems of divinity, will be reduced to a very small compafs, and, by degrees, meet with the fame fate that school-divinity has already experienced. Moral philofophy will also be much compressed, and our golden fucceffors will be aftonished at the number and bulk of the volumes which have been written on a sub ject, which, for every practical purpose, is fo foon exhausted; a few plain maxims, whose truth is univerfally acknowledged, being sufficient to guide us through the paths of life with ease and security. If we trace the art of physic from the Iron-Age to the prefent, we fhall fee G 4 with with pleasure how the progress of reason and truth have put prejudice and falfity to flight "As fteals the morn upon the night Perhaps, in the Golden-Age, the care to prevent diseases may, in great measure, fuperfede the use of a physician; for as Iago well obferves," it is in ourselves that we are thus, or thus." Diseases are created by misconduct and intemperance, but in the days of perfection, (and not 'till then) there will be no misconduct nor intemperance. If accidents require affiftar.ce, and art is found neceffary, it will be confidered not as a director of nature, but an humble affistant only-this is almost the case at present, as was obferved in the Silver-Age. "To chastise, fo as to prevent crimes by the influence of example, and to reftore the culprit to fociety by restoring him to virtue; these are the principles which ought to direct the legislature in its establishment of penal laws"-says M. Jallet. At prefent, the legislature feeks no more than to prevent crimes in general, by the punishment of individuals, but we may suppose that the progrefs of virtue will at last make penal laws unnecessary; for man fins only when reafon ceases to govern, and we are fuppofing a state when it reigns unfettered by custom, and unopposed by folly or vice. As fcience is an accumulation of acquirements by a long fucceffion of individuals, given to the world, and preferved throughout all ages by the art of writing, and more perfectly by that of printing; one man poffeffing former difcoveries, begins where his predeceffors ceased, and after extending the line of knowledge, leaves it to be farther extended by his fucceffors. If science were not in its nature infinite, we muft, according to our plan, |