INTRODUCTION.

IF a concatenation of events centered in one great action, events which gave birth to the prefent commercial system of the world; if these be of the first importance in the civil history of mankind, the Lufiad, of all other poems, challenges the attention of the Philofopher, the Politician, and the Gentleman.

In contradiftinction to the Iliad and neid, the Paradife Loft has been called the Epic Poem of Religion. In the fame manner may the Lufiad be named the Epic Poem of Commerce. The happy completion of the most important designs of Henry Duke of Vifeo, Prince of Portugal, to whom Europe owes both Gama and Columbus, both the eastern and the western worlds, conftitutes the fubject of that celebrated epic poem (known hitherto in England almost only by name) which is now offered to the English reader. But before we proceed to the hiftorical introduction neceffary to elucidate a poem founded on fuch an important period of history, fome attention is due to the opinion of those theorists in political philofophy, who VOL. I. lament

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lament that either India was ever difcovered, and who affert that the increase of trade is big with the real mifery of mankind, and that commerce is only the parent of degeneracy, and the nurse of every

vice.

Much indeed may be urged on this fide of the question, but much alfo may be urged against every institution relative to man. Imperfection, if not neceffary to humanity, is at least the certain attendant on every thing human. Though fome part of the traffic with many countries resemble Solomon's importation of apes and peacocks; though the fuperfluities of life, the baubles of the opulent, and even the luxuries which enervate the irrefolute and administer disease, are introduced by the intercourfe of navigation; the extent of the benefits which attend it, are alfo to be confidered, ere the man of cool reafon will venture to pronounce that the world is injured, and rendered lefs virtuous and less happy by the increase of commerce.

If a view of the state of mankind, where commerce opens no intercourfe between nation and nation, be neglected, unjuft conclufions will certainly follow. Where the state of barbarians, and of countries under the different degrees of civilization, are candidly weighed, we may reasonably expect a just decision. As evidently as the appointment of Nature gives pafture to the herds, fo evidently is man born for fociety. As every other

animal is in its natural state when in the fituation which its inftinct requires; fo man, when his reafon is cultivated, is then, and only then, in the state proper to his nature. The life of the naked favage, who feeds on acorns, and fleeps like a beast in his den, is commonly called the natural state of man; but if there be any propriety in this affertion, his rational faculties compofe no part of his nature, and were given not to be used. If the favage therefore live in a ftate contrary to the appointment of nature, it must follow that he is not fo happy as nature intended him to be. And a view of his true character will confirm this conclufion. The reveries, the fairy dreams of Rouffeau, may figure the paradifiacal life of a Hottentot, but it is only in fuch dreams that the fuperior happiness of the barbarian exifts. The favage, it is true, is reluctant to leave his manner of life; but unless we allow that he is a proper judge of the modes of living, his attachment to his own by no means proves that he is happier than he might otherwife have been. His attachment only exemplifies the amazing power of habit in reconciling the human breast to the most uncomfortable fituations. If the intercourfe of mankind in fome inftances be introductive of vice, the want of it as certainly excludes the exertion of the nobleft virtues; and if the feeds of virtue are indeed in the heart, they often lie dormant, and even unknown to the favage poffeffor.

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poffeffor. The most beautiful defcription of a tribe of favages, which we may be affured is from real life, occurs in these words: And the five spies of Dan "came to Laifh, and faw the people that were there, how they dwelt careless after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure, and there was no magiftrate in the land that might put them to fhame in any thing.... And the fpies faid to their brethren, Arife, that we may go up against them; for we have feen the land, and behold it is very good.... and they came unto Laish, unto a people that were quiet and fecure, and they fmote them with the edge of the fword, and burnt the city with fire; and there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon, and they had no business with any man."-However the happy fimplicity of this fociety may please the man of fine imagination, the true philosopher will view the men of Laish with other eyes. However virtuous he may fuppofe one generation, it requires an alteration of human nature, to preferve the children of the next in the fame generous eftrangement from the selfish paffions, from those paffions which are the parents of the acts of injuftice. When his wants are easily fupplied, the manners of the favage will be fimple, and often humane, for the human heart is not vicious without objects of temptation. But these will foon occur; he that gathers the greatest quantity of fruit will be envied by the lefs industrious: The uninformed mind feems infenfible of the idea of the