would have been great lofers. The Spanish merchants, though no way concerned or anfwerable for the fraud, voluntarily took the whole of the lofs upon themselves, in order to prevent the national character fuffering any reproach. Perhaps the ftately pride and haughtiness, fo effential to the Spanish character, may have been of fervice in preferving them from this fraudulent difpofition, which is always connected with meannefs and cowardice. Perhaps this pride may have been partly infpired by the peculiar fituation and circumftances that have attended the Spanish monarchy, the subjects of which have been always led to depend upon their perfonal qualifications, efpecially thofe of a military kind, and to difregard the importance produced by trade and commerce. But I offer this only as a conjecture: if, however, it be true, it furnishes an obvious caufe for the difference of manners. SECT. XI. Idlenefs. This prevails in a great degree in hot climates. The people of Achim + are proud and lazy; those who have no flaves, hire one, if it be only to carry a quart of rice an hundred paces; they would be dishonoured if they carried it themselves. In many places, people let their nails grow, that all men may fee that they do not work. A fimilar difpofition prevails throughout all the Eaft. But idleness is not only a vice itself, but ftill more mifchievous as an incentive, or at least as affording an opportunity for others: it is indeed a preli minary to every vice; nor is floth ever unaccompanied with fome wickedness or other. What must then be the state of morality § in a country where the greatest part of the people have no work, employment, or calling, to occupy their thoughts; and no idea of intellectual entertainment? The reverfe is no lefs true: "Oblige men to work," fays the elegant and fpirited commentator on the Marquis Beccaria," and you certainly make them honeft." It is well known, that atrocious crimes are not committed in the country, unless when there is too much holiday, and confequently too much idleness; and, of course, too much debauchery. This, therefore, is no small caufe of the general depravity of manners in warm climates. SECT. XII. Luxury. Luxury likewife, and effeminacy, the children of fenfibility and indolence, are carried to a high degree in hot climates. This was obferved of them from the earliest times, and is the cafe at prefent. XIII. Excefs in diet. • SECT. There are however fome, though but few, inftances in point of morals, in which the warmer climates are fuperior to the cold. Thus the vice of drunkennefs ¶ is far lefs common among them; and, of * Vide Robertfon's America. + Dampier's Voyages, vol. iii. 1 Ulloa's Travels, book v. chap. 5. § Vide alfo an excellent paper on the tendency of idleness to produce vice, in the Rambler, No. 85. | Vide the account of Tyre, by the Prophet Ezekiel.-Xenophon's Cyropædia, bock vii. Strong liquors, even at this day, are not drank among the Arabs. Irwin's Voyage up the Red Sea, p. 285. confequence, confequence, the violence and disturbance which it fo often occafions, are not fo frequent; nor is, I believe (hough of this I am not certain), the luxury of eating cultivated as among us. The heat requires the diet to be mostly fimple, and compofed in a great measure of vegetables; and of confequence cuts off many of the ftimulant provocatives to appetite; a large proportion of which are of the animal kind, which compofe the catalogue of thofe * articles that minifter to this mean and defpicable paffion. SECT. XIV. Gaming. I am likewife inclined to think, (though of this alfo I am doubtful) that the ruinous and deftructive vice of gaming, is lefs prevalent in warm than in cold climates. In the former of thefe, the people are more pleafed with what directly produces fome pofitive fenfual pleafure, than with what pleafes merely by interefting the mind, and putting it into a ftate of agitation. The latter of thefe would be too violent and robust an exercife for a hot climate, where any conüderable degree of even mental employment is a fatigue. But in northern countries, a machine, coarfe and heavy, finds a pleasure in whatever is apt to rouse and agitate the fpirits; fuch as hunting, travelling, war, and wine: and it will not be denied, that gaming is at least as likely to produce this effect as any of the foregoing. Experience feems to countenance this theory. Tacitus + informs us, that the ancient Germans were pafionately addicted to this vice, which is ftill, indeed, very prevalent among their modern fucceffors. The Canadian favage is equally fond of it, as it affords an interefting occupation to him in the intervals of war and hunting, and ferves to difpel that fluggishness and inactivity, which the ufual affairs and tranfactions of life have not fufficient ftimulus to effect. Warm cli mates, on the contrary, are but little addicted to this vice; it is with them a matter of diverfion merely; whereas, among the people of cold climates, it is a bufinefs, and one of the moft ferious nature, Thus the Turks, although fond of fome kinds of play, chefs and draughts for inftance, make it a rule not to play for money ||, but pfe it merely to confume an idle portion of time in an indolent amusement, which the climate would prevent being employed in an active Occupation.' Dr. Falconer's remarks on the influence of fituation, extent, and nature of country, are brief, and contain little that merits particular notice. The d fferent effects of great and small population he has clearly marked out, and fupported his ob Salluft fays, that the people of Africa, and the Numid ans especially, were neither fond of fait, or any other of the ftimulants to appetite. Bell. Jugurthin. † Aleam (quod mirere) fobri inter feria exercent tanta lucrandi perdendive temeritate et cum omnia defecerunt extremo & noviJimo jactu de libertate & de corpore contendunt. Tacitus de morib, German. cap. xxiv. Lafiteu Meurs de Savages. Charlevoix Hift. of Canada.-Carver's Travels, P. 2:4. The Arabs never game for money, or any thing valuable. Adventures in the courfe of a Voyage up the Red Sea, by Eyles Irwin, Esq; p. 285.—It is forbid in Japan, on pain of death. servations fervations by many well chofen quotations. On the next topic, the nature of food, it will be expected that his medical knowledge and experience fhould enable him to speak with particular advantage. We fhall therefore lay before cur Readers his remarks on the effects of liquid food : 'Liquid food may be confidered as fermented or unfermented. Of the latter of these I shall take water as an infance, as being the liquor moftly used as drink, either fimple, or at least with fuch admixture only, as does not materially alter its properties in the light I mean to confider it. 'SECT. I. Water. Water, as it poffeffes no timulant quality, is not fubject to produce any irregular irritation of the paffions; and hence, I believe, the drinking of it has a tendency to render the temper even and regular. Likewife, as water has no tendency to put people off their guard, by exhilarating their fpirits above the natural pitch, or by disordering the understanding, thofe who drink it are apt to acquire a habit of fecrecy and referve. This may, perhaps, be one caufe why the Turks are fo referved and filent, and perhaps of the fame qualities of the Spaniards, who, it is faid, drink very little wine. The drinking of water is alfo, in fome refpe&s, favourable to morality, by preventing the outrages which intoxication is fo apt to occafion. With regard to the intellects, it is obferved, that water-drinkers moftly preferve their † fenfes and faculties to a late period of life; and are alfo more calm, prudent, and confiderate, than those who ufe fermented liquors. As for the laws and cuftoms, both civil and religious, regarding the drinking of water, as they are mostly derived from the climate, I have spoken of them under that head. SECT. II. Fermented liquors. I fhall next speak of fermented liquors: which, though of feveral forts, I fhall confider collectively as to their general qualities; adding, however, a few remarks, occafionally, on fome peculiar qualities of the different kinds. Fermented or fpirituous liquors have univerfally the effect of enlivening and exhilarating the fpirits. • Hence Shakespeare oblerves, apparently in a ludicrous manner, the tendency of waterdrinking to increafe the generation of females. (See Falftaff's fpeech in the second part of Henry the Fourth.) But the fame obfervation is to be found in Hippocrates, Treatife on Diet (lib. i. § 20.), and it is obferved in many parts of the Eaft Indies, at this day, where they drink no wine, that the number of women exceeds that of men very confiderably. Aquæ puræ quæ ab anno ætatis octodecimo folâ utor tribuo, quod poft tot in fulgido folo fufceptos microfcopicos labores omnibus fenfibus et oculis potiffimum non minus valeam quam puer valui.-Halleri Phys. 1. xix. § 3. A very accurate account of the effets of wine, and their progreffive order in which they a upon the mind, is given by Ariftotle :-" When a fober, moderate, and filent man, drinks wine in a quantity rather more liberal than ordinary, it has the effect of cherishing and rousing his fpirits and genius, and rendering him more communicative; if taken ftill more freely, it renders him more talkative, eloquent, and confident Hence those who use them are subject to a greater flow of spirits than those who do not, though, at the fame time, they are lefs equable and regular. Fermented liquors have also the effect of opening the mind, and rendering focial intercourfe more free and cheerful, and individuals more communicative. Thus it is obferved by Tacitus, that the ancient Germans, whofe fondness for ftrong liquors he particularly mentions, ufed the time of drinking for that of public bufinefs, on account of the effect of the liquor in producing an elevation of mind, and a freedom of debate and communication of fentiment, • Perhaps the greater use of these liquors may account, in general, for the greater opennefs and † franknefs of the northern nations; and alfo for the great degree of hospitality practised by them. Fermented liquors have been thought by fome writers to have a tendency to corrupt the morals of mankind. Thus, fome nations have prohibited the planting of vines, and the ufe of wine, upon that account; and I Livy tells us, that it was the tradition, that wine was introduced into Gauf for the purpose of debauching the manners of the people. Cæfar alfo gives a fimilar account of the opinion of that people concerning its effects. When taken to excess, this opision of the effects of intoxicating liquors is undoubtedly juft, as we found by experience in this country, before the law was made for reftraining the inordinate use of spirituous liquors; which were found to be no lefs ruinous to the morals than the health of the people, Undoubtedly they thould be taken very fparingly in hot climates ; but the moderate ufe of them in cold countries appears natural, and well adapted to counteract the effects of the climate. 'Another effect afcribed to fermented liquors by fome writers, is that of inspiring § genius and fentiment, efpecially of the poeticaf confident of his powers and abilities; if taken in till larger quantity, it makes him bold and daring, and defirous to exert himself in action; if taken still more largely, it renders him petulant and contumelious; the next step renders him mad and outrageous; and if he proceeds farther fill, he becomes ftupid and fenfelefs."-Problemat. $30 Tanquam nullo tempore magis aut ad fimplices cogitationes pateat animus aut ad magnas incalefcat.-Tacit. Germania. The Perfans likewife, according to Herodotus (lib. i.) and Strabo (lib. xv.) debated on the most important affairs over their cups, and esteemed the refolutions taken by them in that flate, as more respectable and sacred than those taken in a state of fobriety. A fimilar account is given in the book of Esther, where the divorce of a Queen is debated over cups. † Athenæus remarks the effects of wine in making people fpeak truth.-Lib. ii. I invexile in Galliam vinum illiciendæ gentis caufa Aruntem Clufinum i corruptæ uxoris a Lucumone.-Livii, lib. v. Cæfar fays, that the Suevi do not allow any wine to be imported among them, left it fhould make them lazy and effeminate.-Comm. book iv. ch. 1. The Nervi never drank wine, nor fuffered it to be brought amongst them, for the fame reasons.-Cæfar's Comm. book ii. ch. 8. Shakespeare, although the introduces it in a manner apparently burlesque, appears to have been aware of the effect of wine in exciting genius and quickening the underStanding: A good fherris fack hath a twofold operation in it; it afcends me into the brain; dries me there all the foolish, dull, and crudy vapours, which environ it ; makes it apprehenfive, quick, forgetive, full of nimble, fiery, and delectable apes, cal kind. This, at firft fight, might feem ludicrous, but is ferioufly afferted by feveral very grave and eminent writers, and is, I believe, in fome degree, founded upon truth. Many of the ancient poets fpeak of the connection between wine and genius; and although we should not believe all thefe expreflions to be meant to be underflood liferally; yet it may still be inferred, that fome connection between them was fuppofed. Our own Milton, whole temperance was remarkable in every period of his life, has expreffed the fame † fentiment, and enlarged confiderably upon it. Malt-liquor poffeffes, in many refpects, the fame qualities with wine, but has not the fame reputation for infpiring genius, and improving the intellects. This may be ascribed to several caufes: first, the vifcidity of malt-liquor is fuch, as to prevent the effects of the fpirituous part upon the nervous fyftem, by invifcating and entangling it in its fubftance; fecondly, malt-liquor is very nutritious, and apt to encrease corpulency, a circumftance by no means favourable to mental exertions; latly, malt-liquors have but little of the acid which accompanies wine, which is of great efficacy in caufing the latter to pafs off quickly by the fecretions, and prevents its loading the body, and powers of digeftion; whereas malt-liquors, for want of fome ftimulus of this kind, are nearly equally oppreffive with animal food. Distilled fpirits might appear to have nearly the fame effects which, delivered over to the voice, the tongue, which is the birth, becomes excellent wit." Second Part of Henry IV. A&t iv.Athenæus makes a fimijar observation, lib. ii. Haller makes the fame remark. Omni vino commune eft calefacere: vires ingenii et corporis augere -Halleri Phyfiol. lib. xix. fect. 3. Halleri Phyfiolog. lib. xvii. fe&t. 1. § 13..-Ingenium quod excitet vinum, ex eo clariffimè intelligitur, quod ad poëfin, quæ res ingenii eft, mirificè cifponat. Perpetuò ab antiquitate creditum eft, et ipfa res docet, vini calorem poëtarum furorem et impetum excitare, et Bacchi et Apollinis furorem unum effe eundemque; quamobrem Ovidius vino carens in exilio de fe conqueritur. Hoffman. to Apollo. Impetus ille facer, qui vatum pectora nutrit, Qui prius in nobis effe folebat, abeft." -One of the fummits of Parnaffus was fubject to Bacchus, the other Jam obfervamus omnes hos populos qui vino utuntur, longè ingeniofiores esse reliquis omnibus. Nullibi enim artes liberales, et difciplinarum ftudia, melius floruerunt et forent, quam dictis in locis: vina enim fovent vires, pituitam attenuant, mordaces curas humanis mentibus infeftas abftergunt, vim animo reddunt, fpirituafcentiam fanguinis promovent, ingeniumque acuunt: unde non ineptè vinum poëtarum equus dictus eft.-Hoffman De Temperamento, Fundamento, &c. &c. † Quid quereris refugam vino, dapibufque prëfin? Nafo Corallæis mala carmina mifit ab agris, Pindaricofque inftat numeros Teumefius Evan, Et redolet fumptum pagina quæque merum. Elegia fexta Miltoni ad Carolum Deo datur ruri commorantem. Athenæus remarks, that wine taken too freely caused the head to be more painful, but does not render people Yo heavy and lethargic as malt-liquor.—Lib. i. að finem. |