even in our own day, been advanced, respecting the essentials of national felicity.

At no distant period, a nation's happiness was estimated by the number of its inhabitants. An abundant population was then deemed the most incontestable evidence of increasing prosperity; and, in consequence of this opinion, the benevolence of the politician was exerted in promoting early marriages among the poor. Nothing was then heard of but the happy result of bestowing rewards on the prolific, and making the obstinate bachelor pay, by severe fines, the penalty due to the State, for his sullen indifference to its prosperity. When, lo! the error was detected, and population found to be a nation's ruin! No longer is the

poor man's wedding a legitimate theme of congratulation: No longer is the birth of a child to be considered as an addition to his blessings. It is the solitary bachelor, who denies himself the solace of all domestic ties, and bends his whole atten

tion to the object of accumulating wealth, until his selfish soul becomes incapable of every generous attachment, that is now alone to be approved!

The connexion between national wealth and national happiness, has in all periods seemed so indisputable, that whoever can by his policy augment the national resources, is certain of obtaining the meed of public applause. To what an immense number of schemes, and legislative projects, has the benevolent desire of making a nation rich, in order to make it happy, given birth! In consequence of the direction thus given to attention, what efforts have been made to turn commerce into those channels which were dug for it by political wisdom; and when it obstinately refused to flow in these, what pains have been taken to watch its wanderings, to hem in its banks, and, by artificial means, to accelerate its movements! At length, in consequence of attending to circumstances that had before escaped observa

tion, it was discovered, that all this labour had been better spared, and that commerce never flowed so prosperously as when left to itself. In consequence of this discovery, the Legislature had nothing to do but to break down the mounds it had before built up, and to remove the barriers it had with so much care erected.

When we take a view of these revolutions in opinion, concerning the methods. of promoting national happiness and prosperity, it does not seem chimerical to suppose, that a time may arrive when it shall be discovered, that the most inseparable of all connexions is that between happiness and virtue. National happiness will then be considered to depend on national morals. To guard these morals from corruption, by removing those snares, which, while occupied in watching over the sources of wealth, the law itself may have inadvertently sanctioned, will then become an object of attention to the statesman's

mind. But it is to education, as the fountain from whence all moral improvement emanates, that he will chiefly direct his views: to education; not merely as a means of giving to the state the advantages arising from increasing the number of intelligent beings, but to education, as the means. by which the intellectual powers of individual minds are to be rendered useful to the community: an object that can only be obtained, by rendering education instrumental in the subjugation of the selfish principle, by enlarging the sphere and operation of the benevolent affections.

CHAPTER VI.

Obstacles presented by the operation of the selfish principle to the development of the benevolent affections. Consequent inadequacy of the means provided by nature for their cultivation. Additional means afforded by divine revelation. Illustrations.

CONCERNING the degree in which the benevolent affections contribute to social and individual happiness, there can be but one opinion. They are a branch of the tree of life implanted in the human heart; but, alas, planted near to that tree of death, beneath whose fatal shade they wither and decay. Were it not for this opposing principle, which checks their growth, and prevents their early blossoms from arriving at maturity, the affections would produce fruits of happiness that would make a paradise of the world we inhabit. Such, how