"conspire to heighten their distress; and the "world, instead of remaining the mansion of "wisdom and happiness, become the scene of "vice and confusion, Force and fraud must

prevail, and mankind be reduced to the same "calamitous condition as at present,

"Such a melancholy situation in consequence "merely of the want of provisions, is in truth "more unnatural than all their present cala"mities. Supposing men to have abused their "liberty, by which abuse, vice has once been "introduced into the world; and that wrong

notions, a bad taste, and vicious habits, have "been strengthened by the defects of education "and government, our present distresses may be "easily explained. They may even be called "natural, being the natural consequences of our depravity. They may be supposed to be "the means by which providence punishes vice; "and by setting bounds to the increase of man"kind, prevents the earth's being overstocked, "and men being laid under the cruel necessity "of killing one another. But to suppose that "in the course of a favourable providence, a "perfect government had been established,

Yet it is extraordinary that with all their wisdom and virtue they would not be able to take any steps to prevent this distress. This is a species of fascination, of which it is difficult to form any conception.

"under which the disorders of human passions " had been powerfully corrected and restrained; "poverty, idleness, and war banished; the "earth made a paradise; universal friend"ship and concord established, and human so"ciety rendered flourishing in all respects; and "that such a lovely constitution should be over"turned, not by the vices of men, or their abuse "of liberty, but by the order of nature itself, seems wholly unnatural, and altogether disa"greeable to the methods of providence.

By reasoning in this manner, it is not pre"tended that 'tis unnatural to set bounds to "human knowledge and happiness, or to the "grandeur of society, and to confine what is "finite to proper limits. It is certainly fit to "set just bounds to every thing according to its "nature, and to adjust all things in due pro"portion to one another, Undoubtedly, such "an excellent order, is actually established

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throughout all the works of God, in his wide "dominions. But there are certain primary de"terminations in nature, to which all other "things of a subordinate kind must be adjusted. "A limited earth, a limited degree of fertility "and the continual increase of mankind are "three of these original constitutions. To these "determinations, human affairs, and the circum

"stances of all other animals, must be adapted. "In which view, it is unsuitable to our ideas of

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order, that while the earth is only capable of "maintaining a determined number, the human "race should increase without end. This would "be the necessary consequence of a perfect go"vernment and education. On which account "it is more contrary to just proportion, to sup46 pose that such a perfect government should be “established in such circumstances, than that

by permitting vice, or the abuse of liberty in "the wisdom of providence, mankind should "never be able to multiply so as to be able to "overstock the earth.

"From this view of the circumstances of the "world, notwithstanding the high opinion we "have of the merits of Sir Thomas More, and "other admired projectors of perfect govern"ments in ancient or modern times, we may "discern how little can be expected from their "most perfect systems.

"As for these worthy philosophers, patriots, "and law-givers, who have employed their "talents in framing such excellent models, we "ought to do justice to their characters, and "gratefully to acknowledge their generous "efforts to rescue the world out of that distress

"into which it has fallen, through the imperfecs "tion of government. Sincere, and ardent in "their love of virtue, enamoured of its lovely "form, deeply interested for the happiness of "mankind, to the best of their skill, and with "hearts full of zeal, they have strenuously en"deavoured to advance human society to per"fection. For this, their memory ought to be "sacred to posterity. But if they expected "their beautiful systems actually to take place, "their hopes were ill founded, and they were "not sufficiently aware of the consequences.

"The speculations of such ingenious authors

enlarge our views, and amuse our fancies. "They are useful for directing us to correct "certain errors at particular times. Able legis"lators ought to consider them as models, and "honest patriots ought never to lose sight of "them, or any proper opportunity of trans

planting the wisest of their maxims into their "own governments, as far as they are adapted to "their particular circumstances, and will give "no occasion to dangerous convulsions. But "this is all that can be expected. Though "such ingenious romances should chance to be "read and admired, jealous and selfish politi "cians need not be alarmed. Such statesmen "need not fear that ever such airy systems

"shall be able to destroy their craft, or disap

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point them of their intention to sacrifice the "interests of mankind to their own avarice or "ambition. There is too powerful a charm "which works secretly in favor of such poli"ticians, which will for ever defeat all attempts "to establish a perfect government. There is "no need of miracles for this purpose. The "vices of mankind are sufficient. And we "need not doubt but providence will make use "of them, for preventing the establishment of governments which are by no means suitable "to the present circumstances of the earth." See Various Prospects of mankind, nature and providence. Chap. iv. p. 113.

Here then we have not only the same argument stated; but stated in the same connection and brought to bear on the very same subject to which it is applied by the author of the Essay. The principle and the consequences deduced from it are exactly the same. It often happens that one man is the first to make a particular discovery or observation, and that another draws from it an important inference of which the former was not at all aware. But this is not the case in the present instance. As far as general reasoning will go, it is impossible that any thing should be stated more clearly, more fully and