L VI. CHA P. which they are entitled. If I be not much mistaken, there has been a little blameable neglect in this particular. I have not lived in the world without obfervation; and I know liberal physicians will excuse me for venturing to hint, that the practice of some of their body appears to be formed upon a theory which individuals have avowed, and which, therefore, we may conclude others fecretly entertain, namely, that all the faculties of man owe their origin to causes merely material. These gentlemen seem to proceed, as if their patients were composed entirely of mechanical powers and chemical properties, combined, in some unaccountable way, with a certain mysterious, but material, principle, called life. Their language, at least seems to indicate, that they consider sick men as little or nothing more than modifications of matter and motion-a fort of chymico-mechanical automata. They clear the primæ viæ, empty the bowels, brace up the nerves, &c. relax the contracted fibres, expel wind, correct acidities, and bring about digeftions, and derivations, and revulfions of various kinds of matter. I am far from faying that these terms are improper; although I fear I may have used them improperly. I only mean to remark, that terms taken from matter and it's properties abound much more in the medical nomenclature, than fuch as relate to mind and it's operations. For aught I know, this may be neceffary and unavoidable; yet I cannot help suspecting that the more frequent use of such terms betrays a degree of indifference to the mind, as combined with, and influencing the body, in the human system. If we except the general terms " paffions of the mind," depreffing paffions," and a few others, phyficians feldom use words that imply man to be a being, composed of a body, reafon and affections, diverfified and modified, and act 66 ing on one another, in a variety of ways. Hence moft of CHA P. their prescriptions relate almost exclusively to the body. 93. There is indeed an old book, formerly of fome authority in Europe, which prescribes many admirable medicines for a "wounded fpirit." But our prefent race of physicians seem to difregard this antiquated volume, as quite foreign to modern practice. 94. Be this as it may, I believe it will be allowed that, in some diseases, the symptoms of the mind are as much to be attended to, as those of the body. I farther believe, that the exhibition of a deep tragedy, a humorous comedy, a concert of music, according to the mood of the patient, or any spectacle which would engage the attention and interest the paffions, without agitating them too much, would be of use in more cafes than are generally imagined. 95. It has been observed that boys, girls, women, and old men, stand a transition from a cold to a hot climate, better than men in the prime of life. These laft, it is true, are more exposed to the causes of disease than girls, women, and old men; but, I believe, upon the whole, not more than boys. May not one reason of this be, that men of mature age are more thoughtful than women by nature, than boys and girls, who have not yet arrived at the season for anxious reflection, and than old men who have paffed beyond it? Yet I am not sure that the answer to this query would be in the affirmative. For it feems to be certain that perfons of a slender habit are generally more healthy in hot climates than those who are inclined to corpulency; though it is commonly thought, that the minds of the latter are more placid and tranquil than those of the former. It is also observed, that men above forty ftand the climate of Africa better than those who have not reached that age. I 2 96. I VI. women, flen Children, der perfons, and men above forty ftand the cli mate best. CHA P. Apology to 96. I fhould tremble for the incurfion I have made into the domains of the faculty, did I not believe that liberal the faculty. phyficians will pardon a few good natured remarks, made with a view to awaken their attention to the influence of mind in very many diseases, where a proper attention to the powerful causes, lodged in it, might have the most beneficial confequences. Utility of these hints. 97. To fuch physicians, I would refpectfully fubmit the foregoing hints, which being chiefly preventive, do not, like curative prescriptions, require any great knowledge of medicine. I must confess, however, that obfervation and experience have rendered me not a little confident of the utility of these hints, in guarding against the effects of a fudden change of climate. By observing them, the constitution can scarcely fail to accomodate itself to it's new fituation. And this happy confequence will be experienced fooner or later, according to the original strength or weaknefs of the stranger's frame; the more or less manly education he may have received, or the early habits he may have formed. For the effects of the climate muft of course be different on different conftitutions. The foregoing rules are general, and the application of them must be left to the good fenfe and prudence of individuals. For my own part, although I arrived on the coaft, in the most unhealthful feafon of the year, I efcaped all the difeafes of the country. This I ascribe entirely to a cautious obfervance of the preMortality at ventives above recited. During a mortality, which raged at fcaped by the Senegal, while I was there, fix out of eleven failors, belonging to the veffel in which I returned to Europe, were carried off in a month; but not a fingle gentleman or officer on shore was so much as attacked, owing no doubt, to the temperance and regularity, which their fituations enabled Senegal, e temperate. them VII. them to observe. Thus, having both feen and experienced, CHA P. the good effects of the foregoing rules, I may hope to be indulged in recommending them fo warmly to others. CHA P. VII. GENERAL REFLECTIONS ON COLONIES, AND THE MEANS OF PRO 98. MOTING THEM. THE 'HE idea of glory," fays the Abbé Raynal, " is infeparable from that of great difficulty overcome, great utility refulting from fuccefs, and a proportionate increase of the happiness of mankind, or of one's country." -"Glory effentially belongs to God on high. Upon earth it is the portion of virtue, not of genius; of a virtue useful, great, beneficent, fhining, heroic. It is the lot of a monarch who, during the perils of a boisterous reign, labours, and fuccessfully labours, to promote the felicity of his fubjects. It is the lot of a fubject who facrifices his life for the good of the community. It belongs to a nation which nobly refolves to die free, rather than to live in slavery. It is the reward, not of a Cæfar or a Pompey, but of a Regulus or a Cato. It is the just recompense of a Henry IV.” 99. "Thanks to the fpirit of humanity which now begins to inspire all fenfible men; conquerors, both ancient and modern, are finking to the level of the most deteftable of mankind*. And I have not a doubt that posterity, which will pronounce an impartial sentence on our discoveries in the New World, will doom our barbarous navigators to a "Heroes are all the fame, it is agreed, From Macedonia's madman to the Swede;- POPE. lower Definition of Raynal. glory, by VII. CHA P. lower ftate of abasement than even conquerors themfelves. Did the love of mankind, or did fordid avarice, actuate. them? And can enterprizes, even though good in themfelves, be thought deserving of praise, if the motives of them be vicious*. 100. But were navigators alone blameable in this respect? And can we candidly affirm that the governments of the colonizing nations of Europe have seriously laboured, as they ought, to give to the selfishness of their subjects, a direction favourable to the real interests of mankind? I fear not. That enlarged policy which, imitating the source of all perfection, endeavours to extract good out of evil, order out of confusion, seems to have had too little influence on the conduct of those statesmen, who took a part in projecting the modern colonies of Europe. We will fend our fuperfluous people to South America, faid the court of Spain, to explore it's treasures, and, by their means, we will pof fefs ourselves exclufively of the finews of war, and the medium of commerce, and thus render Spain the arbitress of Europe. The court of Portugal held fimilar language.We, faid the Dutch, will get poffeffion of the spices of the Eaft, and not a clove or a nutmeg shall the Europeans receive, except through our hands.-The British, with more good sense, but perhaps not with less selfishness, resolved to form colonies in North America, to ferve as consumers of their manufactures, and providers of raw materials and naval flores, which, from their bulk, might employ a numerous body of mariners, and give to Britain the empire of the ocean.-France, feeing the acceffion of wealth and power, which Britain feemed to derive from her colonies, but Hift. Phil, & Pol. T. VI. p. 285. |