The most formidable antagonist remains still on hand, the celebrated Montefquieu, who is a great champion for the climate; obferving, that in hot climates people are timid like old men, and in cold climates bold like young men. This in effect is to maintain, that the torrid zone is an unfit habitation for men; that they degenerate in it, lofe their natural vigour, and even in youth become like old men.

That au

truth. I will make an attempt: it may amuse the
reader. And to avoid difputing about facts, I fhall
fuppofe the foggynefs of the fens of Lincoln and Effex
to be general, which he erroneously feems to believe.
"The foggy-
From that fuppofition I reason thus:
"ness of the English air makes the people dull and
languid. They fuffer under a conftant depreffion
"of fpirits; and scarce know what it is to joke, or
" even to laugh at a joke. They loiter away their
"time without feeling either pleasure or pain; and yet
"have not refolution to put an end to an infipid exift-
* encé. It cannot be said that they are content with
"their lot, because there is pleasure in content; but
"they never think of a change. Being reduced to a
"paffive nature from the influence of climate, they are
"fitted for being flaves; nor would they have cou.

86

rage to rebel, were they even inclined." Were the character here delineated that of the English nation, inftead of the oppofite, the argument would at least be plaufible. But superficial reasoners will plunge into the depth of philosophy, without ever thinking it ne ceffary to ferve an apprenticeship.

thor

thor certainly intended not any imputation on Providence; and yet, doth it not look like an imputation, to maintain, that fo large a portion of the globe is fit for beafts only, not for men? Some men are naturally fitted for a temperate or for a cold climate: he ought to have explained, why other men may not be fitted for a hot climate. There does not appear any oppofition between heat and courage, more than between cold and courage: on the contrary, courage feems more connected with the former than with the latter. fierceft and boldeft animals, the lion, for The example, the tiger, the panther, thrive beft in the hotteft climates. The great condor of Peru, in the torrid zone, is a bird not a little fierce and rapacious. A lion visibly degenerates in a temperate climate. The lions of Mount Atlas, which is fometimes crowned with fnow, have not the boldness, nor the force, nor the ferocity of fuch as tread the burning fands of Zaara and Biledulgerid. This refpectable author, it is true, endeavours to fupport his opinion from natural caufes. Thefe are ingenious and plausible; but unluckily they are contradicted by ftubborn facts; which will ap

pear

!

pear upon a very flight furvey of this globe. The Samoides and Laplanders are living inftances of uncommon pufillanimity in the inhabitants of a cold climate; and inftances, not few in number, have been mentioned of warlike people in a hot climate. To thefe I add the Hindows, whom our author will not admit to have any degree of courage; though he acknowledges, that, prompted by religion, the men voluntarily fubmit to dreadful tortures, and that even women are ambitious to burn themfelves alive with their deceáfed hufbands. In vain does he endeavour to account for fuch extraordinary exertions of fortitude, active as well as paffive, from the power of imagination; as if imagination could operate more forcibly in a woman to burn herself alive, than on a man to meet his enemy in battle. The Malayans and Scandinavians live in oppofite climates, and yet are equally courageous. Providence has placed thefe nations, each of them, in its proper climate cold would benumb a Malayan in Sweden, heat would enervate a Swede in Malacca; and both would be rendered cowards. I ftop here; for to enter the lifts against an antagonist of fo

great

great fame, gives me a feeling as if I were treading on forbidden ground.

It is my firm opinion, that neither temper nor talents have much dependence on climate. I cannot difcover any probable exception, if it be not a tafte for the fine arts. Where the influence of the fun is great, people are enervated with heat: where little, they are benumbed with cold. A clear sky, with moderate heat, exhibit a very different scene: the chearfulness they produce difpofes men to enjoyment of every kind. Greece, Italy, and the Leffer Afia, are delicious countries, affording variety of natural beauties to feaft every fense: and men accustomed to enjoyment, fearch for it in art as well as in nature; the paffage from the one to the other being eafy and inviting. Hence the origin and progrefs of ftatuary and of painting, in the countries mentioned. It has not escaped obfervation, that the rude manners of favages are partly owing to the roughness and barrennefs of uncultivated land. England has few natural beauties to boast of: even high mountains, deep valleys, impetuous torrents, and fuch other wild and awful beauties, are rare. But of late years,

that

that country has received manifold embellishments from its induftrious inhabitants ; and in many of its scenes may now compare with countries that are more favoured by the fun or by nature. Its foil has become fertile, its verdure enlivening, and its gardens the finest in the world. The consequence is what might have been forefeen the fine arts are gaining ground daily. May it not be expected, that the genius and fenfibility of the inhabitants, will in time produce other works of art, to rival their gardens? How delightful to a true-hearted Briton is the profpect, that London, instead of Rome, may become the centre of the fine arts!

Sir William Temple is of opinion, that courage depends much on animal food. He remarks, that the horfe and the cock are the only animals of courage that live on vegetables. Provided the body be kept in good plight, I am apt to think, that the difference of food can have little influence on the mind. Nor is Sir William's remark fupported by experience. Several small birds, whofe only food is grain, have no less courage than the cock. The wolf, the fox, the vulture, on the other hand, are

not