the fenfes, for example, inftincts, powers and faculties, principles and propenfities: thefe are coeval with the individual, and are gradually unfolded, fome early, fome late. The external fenfes, being neceffary for felf-prefervation, foon arrive at maturity. Some internal fenfes, of order for example, of propriety, of dignity, of grace, being of no ufe during infancy, are not only flow in their progress toward maturity, but require much culture. Among favages they are scarce perceptible.

The moral sense, in its progress, differs from those last mentioned; being frequently discovered, even in childhood. It is however flow of growth, and feldom arrives at perfection without culture and experience.

The moral fenfe not only ripens gradually with the other internal fenfes mentioned, but from them acquires force and additional authority: a favage makes no difficulty to kill an enemy in cold blood: bloody fcenes are familiar to him, and his moral fenfe is not fufficiently vigorous to give him compunction. The action appears in a different light to a person of delicate feelings; and accordingly, the moral

fenfe

fenfe has much more authority over those who have received a refined education, than over favages.

It is pleasant to trace the progrefs of morality in members of a polished nation. Objects of external fense make the first impreffions; and from them are derived a ftock of fimple ideas. Affection, accompanying ideas, is first directed to particular objects, fuch as my father, my brother, my companion. The mind, opening by degrees, takes in complex objects, fuch as my country, my religion, the government under which I live; and thefe alfo become objects of affection. Our connections multiply; and the moral fenfe, acquiring ftrength as the mind opens, regulates our duty to every connected object. Objects of hatred multiply as well as objects of affection, and give full scope to diffocial paffions, the most formidable antagonists that morality has to encounter. But nature hath provided a remedy: the perfon who indulges malice or revenge, is commonly the greatest fufferer by the indulgence: men become wife by experience, and have more peace and fatisfaction in fostering kindly affection: ftormy pafVOL. IV. fions

R

fions are fubdued, or brought under rigid difcipline; and benevolence triumphs over selfishness. We refine upon the pleafures of fociety: we learn to fubmit our opinions: we affect to give preference to others; and readily fall in with whatever fweetens focial intercourfe: we carefully avoid caufes of difcord; and overlooking trivial offences, we are fatisfied with moderate reparation, even for grofs injuries.

But

A nation from its original favage ftate, grows to maturity like the individuals above defcribed, and the progrefs of morality is the fame in both. The savage ftate is the infancy of a nation, during which the moral fenfe is feeble, yielding to custom, to imitation, to paffion, a nation, like a member of a polished society, ripens gradually, and acquires a taste in the fine arts, with acuteness of fense in matters of right and wrong. Hatred and revenge, the great obftacles to moral duty, raged without control, while the privilege of avenging wrongs was permitted to individuals (a). But hatred and revenge yielded gradually to the pleasures of fociety, and to the growing authority.

(a) See Hiftorical Law tracts. tract 1.

of

of the moral fenfe; and benevolent affections prevailed over diffocial paffions. In that comfortable period, we hear no more of cruelty as a national character: on the contrary, the averfion we have to an ene my, is even in war exercised with moderation. Nor do the ftormy paffions ever again revive; for after a nation begins to decline from its meridian height, the paffions that prevail are not of the violent kind, but felfish, timorous, and deceitful.

Morality however has not to this day arrived to fuch maturity, as to operate between nations with equal fteadiness and vigour, as between individuals, Ought this to be regretted as an imperfection in our nature? I think not: had we the fame compunction of heart for injuring a nation as for injuring an individual, and were injuftice equally blameable as to both; war would ceafe, and a golden age enfue, than which a greater misfortune could not befal the human race (a).

In the progress from maturity to a declining state, a nation differs widely from an individual. Old age puts an end to (a) Book 2. fketch 1.

the latter: there are many causes that weaken the former; but old age is none of them, if it be not in a metaphorical fenfe. Riches, felfithness, and luxury, are the diseases that weaken profperous nations: these difeafes, following each other in a train, corrupt the heart, dethrone the moral fenfe, and make an anarchy in the foul: men ftick at no expence to purchase pleasure; and they stick at no vice to fupply that expence.

Such are the outlines of morality in its progrefs from birth to burial; and these outlines I purpose to fill up with an induction of particulars. Looking back to the commencement of civil fociety, when no wants were known but thofe of nature, and when fuch wants were amply provided for; we find individuals of the fame tribe living innocently and cordially together: they had no irregular appetites, nor any ground for ftrife. In that state, mo→ ral principles joined their influence with that of national affection, to fecure individuals from harm. Savages accordingly, who have plenty of food and are fimple in habitation and cloathing, feldom tranfgrefs the rules of morality within their