of the rise and progress of the arts and sciences-第3章

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over　human　reason。　In　this　particular；　they　have　the　same

influence；　as　interruptions　in　political　governments　and

societies。　Consider　the　blind　submission　of　the　ancient

philosophers　to　the　several　masters　in　each　school；　and　you　will

be　convinced；　that　little　good　could　be　expected　from　a　hundred

centuries　of　such　a　servile　philosophy。　Even　the　Eclectics；　who

arose　about　the　age　of　Augustus；　notwithstanding　their　professing

to　chuse　freely　what　pleased　them　from　every　different　sect；　were

yet；　in　the　main；　as　slavish　and　dependent　as　any　of　their

brethren　since　they　sought　for　truth　not　in　nature；　but　in　the

several　schools；　where　they　supposed　she　must　necessarily　be

found；　though　not　united　in　a　body；　yet　dispersed　in　parts。　Upon

the　revival　of　learning；　those　sects　of　Stoics　and　Epicureans；

Platonists　and　Pythagoricians；　could　never　regain　any　credit　or

authority；　and；　at　the　same　time；　by　the　example　of　their　fall；

kept　men　from　submitting；　with　such　blind　deference；　to　those　new

sects；　which　have　attempted　to　gain　an　ascendant　over　them。

　　　　　The　　observation；　which　I　shall　form　on　this　head；　of

the　rise　and　progress　of　the　arts　and　sciences；　is；　。

　　　　　To　balance　a　large　state　or　society；　whether　monarchical　or

republican；　on　general　laws；　is　a　work　of　so　great　difficulty；

that　no　human　genius；　however　comprehensive；　is　able；　by　the　mere

dint　of　reason　and　reflection；　to　effect　it。　The　judgments　of

many　must　unite　in　this　work：　Experience　must　guide　their　labour：

Time　must　bring　it　to　perfection：　And　the　feeling　of

inconveniencies　must　correct　the　mistakes；　which　they　inevitably

fall　into；　in　their　first　trials　and　experiments。　Hence　appears

the　impossibility；　that　this　undertaking　should　be　begun　and

carried　on　in　any　monarchy；　since　such　a　form　of　government；　ere

civilized；　knows　no　other　secret　or　policy；　than　that　of

entrusting　unlimited　powers　to　every　governor　or　magistrate；　and

subdividing　the　people　into　so　many　classes　and　orders　of

slavery。　From　such　a　situation；　no　improvement　can　ever　be

expected　in　the　sciences；　in　the　liberal　arts；　in　laws；　and

scarcely　in　the　manual　arts　and　manufactures。　The　same　barbarism

and　ignorance；　with　which　the　government　commences；　is　propagated

to　all　posterity；　and　can　never　come　to　a　period　by　the　efforts

or　ingenuity　of　such　unhappy　slaves。

　　　　　But　though　law；　the　source　of　all　security　and　happiness；

arises　late　in　any　government；　and　is　the　slow　product　of　order

and　of　liberty；　it　is　not　preserved　with　the　same　difficulty　with

which　it　is　produced；　but　when　it　has　once　taken　root；　is　a　hardy

plant；　which　will　scarcely　ever　perish　through　the　ill　culture　of

men；　or　the　rigour　of　the　seasons。　The　arts　of　luxury；　and　much

more　the　liberal　arts；　which　depend　on　a　refined　taste　or

sentiment；　are　easily　lost；　because　they　are　always　relished　by　a

few　only；　whose　leisure；　fortune；　and　genius　fit　them　for　such

amusements。　But　what　is　profitable　to　every　mortal；　and　in　common

life；　when　once　discovered；　can　scarcely　fall　into　oblivion；　but

by　the　total　subversion　of　society；　and　by　such　furious

inundations　of　barbarous　invaders；　as　obliterate　all　memory　of

former　arts　and　civility。　Imitation　also　is　apt　to　transport

these　coarser　and　more　useful　arts　from　one　climate　to　another；

and　make　them　precede　the　refined　arts　in　their　progress；　though

perhaps　they　sprang　after　them　in　their　first　rise　and

propagation。　From　these　causes　proceed　civilized　monarchies；

where　the　arts　of　government；　first　invented　in　free　states；　are

preserved　to　the　mutual　advantage　and　security　of　sovereign　and

subject。

　　　　　However　perfect；　therefore；　the　monarchical　form　may　appear

to　some　politicians；　it　owes　all　its　perfection　to　the

republican；　nor　is　it　possible；　that　a　pure　despotism；

established　among　a　barbarous　people；　can　ever；　by　its　native

force　and　energy；　refine　and　polish　itself。　It　must　borrow　its

laws；　and　methods；　and　institutions；　and　consequently　its

stability　and　order；　from　free　governments。　These　advantages　are

the　sole　growth　of　republics。　The　extensive　despotism　of　a

barbarous　monarchy；　by　entering　into　the　detail　of　the

government；　as　well　as　into　the　principal　points　of

administration；　for　ever　prevents　all　such　improvement。

　　　　　In　a　civilized　monarchy；　the　prince　alone　is　unrestrained　in

the　exercise　of　his　authority；　and　possesses　alone　a　power；　which

is　not　bounded　by　any　thing　but　custom；　example；　and　the　sense　of

his　own　interest。　Every　minister　or　magistrate；　however　eminent；

must　submit　to　the　general　laws；　which　govern　the　whole　society；

and　must　exert　the　authority　delegated　to　him　after　the　manner；

which　is　prescribed。　The　people　depend　on　none　but　their

sovereign；　for　the　security　of　their　property。　He　is　so　far

removed　from　them；　and　is　so　much　exempt　from　private　jealousies

or　interests；　that　this　dependence　is　scarcely　felt。　And　thus　a

species　of　government　arises；　to　which；　in　a　high　political　rant；

we　may　give　the　name　of　；　but　which；　by　a　just　and

prudent　administration；　may　afford　tolerable　security　to　the

people；　and　may　answer　most　of　the　ends　of　political　society。

　　　　　But　though　in　a　civilized　monarchy；　as　well　as　in　a

republic；　the　people　have　security　for　the　enjoyment　of　their

property；　yet　in　both　these　forms　of　government；　those　who

possess　the　supreme　authority　have　the　disposal　of　many　honours

and　advantages；　which　excite　the　ambition　and　avarice　of　mankind。

The　only　difference　is；　that；　in　a　republic；　the　candidates　for

office　must　look　downwards；　to　gain　the　suffrages　of　the　people；

in　a　monarchy；　they　must　turn　their　attention　upwards；　to　court

the　good　graces　and　favour　of　the　great。　To　be　successful　in　the

former　way；　it　is　necessary　for　a　man　to　make　himself　；

by　his　industry；　capacity；　or　knowledge：　To　be　prosperous　in　the

latter　way；　it　is　requisite　for　him　to　render　himself

；　by　his　wit；　complaisance；　or　civility。　A　strong

genius　succeeds　best　in　republics：　A　refined　taste　in　monarchies。

And　consequently　the　sciences　are　the　more　natural　growth　of　the

one；　and　the　polite　arts　of　the　other。

　　　　　Not　to　mention；　that　monarchies；　receiving　their　chief

stability　from　a　superstitious　reverence　to　priests　and　princes；

have　commonly　abridged　the　liberty　of　reasoning；　with　regard　to

religion；　and　politics；　and　consequently　metaphysics　and　morals。

All　these　form　the　most　considerable　branches　of　science。

Mathematics　and　natural　philosophy；　which　only　remain；　are　not

half　so　valuable。

　　　　　Among　the　arts　of　conversation；　no　one　pleases　more　than

mutual　deference　or　civility；　which　leads　us　to　resign　our　own

inclinations　to　those　of　our　companion；　and　to　curb　and　conceal

that　presumption　and　arrogance；　so　natural　to　the　human　mind。　A

good…natured　man；　who　is　well　educated；　practises　this　civility

to　every　mortal；　without　premeditation　or　interest。　But　in　order

to　render　that　valuable　quality　general　among　any　people；　it

seems　necessary　to　assist　the　natural　disposition　by　some　general

motive。　Where　power　rises　upwards　from　the　people　to　the　great；

as　in　all　republics；　such　refinements　of　civility　are　apt　to　be

little　practised；　since　the　whole　state　is；　by　that　means；

brought　near　to　a　level；　and　every　member　of　it　is　rendered；　in　a

great　measure；　independent　of　another。　The　people　have　the

advantage；　by　the　authority　of　their　suffrages：　The　great；　by　the

superiority　of　their　station。　But　in　a　civilized　monarchy；　there

is　a　long　train　of　dependence　from　the　prince　to　the　peasant；

which　is　not　great　enough　to　render　property　precarious；　or

depress　the　minds　of　the　people；　but　is　sufficient　to　beget　in

every　one　an　inclination　to　please　his　superiors；　and　to　form

himself　upon　those　models；　which　are　most　acceptable　to　people　of

condition　and　education。　Politeness　of　manners；　therefore；　arises

most　naturally　in　monarchies　and　courts；　and　where　that

flourishes；　none　of　the　liberal　arts　will　be　altogether　neglected

or　despised。

　　　　　The　republics　in　Europe　are　at　present　noted　for　want　of

politeness。　；＇5＇　is　an　expression　for　rusticity　among　the　French。　The

English；　in　some　degree；　fall　under　the　same　censure；

notwithstanding　their　learning　and　genius。　And　if　the　Venetians

be　an　exception　to　the　rule；　they　owe　it；　perhaps；　to　their

communication　with　the　other　Italians；　most　of　whose　governments

beget　a　dependence　more　than　sufficient　for　civilizing　their

manners。

　　　　　It　is　difficult　to　pronounce　any　judgment　concerning　the

refinements　of　the　ancient　republics　in　this　particular：　But　I　am

apt　to　suspect；　that　the　arts　of　conversation　were　not　brought　so

near　to　perfection　among　them　as　the　arts　of　writing　and

composition。　The　scurrility　of　the　ancient　orators；　in　many

instances；　is　quite　shocking；　and　exceeds　all　belief。　Vanity　too

is　often　not　a　little　offensive　in　authors　of　those　ages；＇6＇　as

well　as　the　common　licentiousness　and　immodesty　of　their　stile；

；　pene；　；　says　Sallust　in　one　of　the　gravest　and　most

moral　passages　of　his　history。　；　is　an　expression　of　Horace；　in　tracing

the　origin　of　moral　good　and　evil。　Ovid　and　Lucretius＇7＇　are

almost　as　licentious　in　their　stile　as　Lord　Rochester；　though　the

former　were　fine　gentlemen　and　delicate　writers；　and　the　latter；

from　the　corruptions　of　that　court；　in　which　he　lived；　seems　to

have　thrown　off　all　regard　to　shame　and　decency。　Juvenal

inculcates　modesty　with　great　zeal；　but　sets　a　very　bad　example

of　it　if　we　consider　the　impudence　of　his　expressions。

　　　　　I　shall　also　be　bold　to　affirm；　that　among　the　ancients；

there　was　not　much　delicacy　of　breeding；　or　that　polite　deference

and　respect；　which　civility　obliges　us　either　to　express　or

counterfeit　towards　the　persons　with　whom　we　converse。　Cicero　was

certainly　one　of　the　finest　gentlemen　of　his　age；　yet　I　must

confess　I　have　frequently　been　shocked　with　the　poor　figure　under

which　he　represents　his　friend　Atticus；　in　those　dialogues；　where

he　himself　is　introduced　as　a　speaker。　That　learned　and　virtuous

Roman；　whose　dignity；　though　he　was　only　a　private　gentleman；　was

inferior　to　that　of　no　one　in　Rome；　is　there　shewn　in　rather　a

more　pitiful　light　than　Philalethe's　friend　in　our　modern

dialogues。　He　is　a　humble　admirer　of　the　orator；　pays　him

frequent　compliments；　and　receives　his　instructions；　with　all　the

deference　which　a　scholar　owes　to　his　master。＇8＇　Even　Cato　is

treated　in　somewhat　of　a　cavalier　manner　in　the　dialogues　。

　　　　　One　of　the　most　particular　details　of　a　real　dialogue；　which

we　meet　with　in　antiquity；　is　related　by　Polybius；＇9＇　when

Philip；