finuating; in defpotifm, imperious with refpect to inferiors, and humble with refpect to fuperiors. The government of the Greek empire is well reprefented in Juftinian's edicts, termed Novelle Conftitutiones; the ftyle of which is ftiff, formal, and affectedly stately; but deftitute of order, of force, and of ligament. About three centuries ago, Tufcany was filled with small republics, whose dialect was manly and plain. Its rough tones were purged off by their union under the Great Duke of Tuscany; and the Tufcan dialect has arrived nearer to perfection than any other in Italy. The tone of the French language is well fuited to the nature of its government: every man is politely fubmiffive to thofe above him; and this tone forms the character of the language in general, fo as even to regulate the tone of the few who have occafion to fpeak with authority. The freedom of the English government forms the manners of the people the English language is accordingly more manly and nervous than the French, and abounds more with rough founds. The Lacedemonians of old, a proud and austere people, affected to talk with brevity, in the tone of command more than of advice; and hence the Laconic style, dry but mafculine, The Attic style is more difficult to be accounted for it is fweet and copious; and had a remarkable delicacy above the ftyle of any other nation. And yet the democracy of Athens produced rough manners; witnefs the comedies of Ariftophanes, and the orations of Efchines and Demofthenes. .. We are not fo intimately acquainted with the Athenians, as to account for the difference between their language and their manners. We are equally at a loss about the Ruffian tongue, which, notwithstanding the barbarity of the people, is smooth and fonorous: and tho' the Malayans are the fierceft people in the universe, their language is the foftest of all that are spoken in Afia. All that can be faid is, that the operation of a general caufe may be difturbed by particular circumstances. Languages refemble tides: the influence of the moon, which is the general caufe of tides, is in feveral instances overbalanced by particular caufes acting in oppofition. There may be obferved in fome favage tribes, a certain refinement of language that 335 that might do honour to a polished people. The Canadians never give a man his proper name, in fpeaking to him. If he be a relation, he is addreffed to in that quality: if a stranger, the speaker gives him fome appellation that marks affection ; fuch as, brother, coufin, friend. In early times, people lived in a very fimple manner, ignorant of fuch habitual wants as are commonly termed luxury, Rebecca, Rachel, and the daughters of Jethro, tended their fathers flocks: they were really fhepherdeffes. Young women of fashion drew water from the well with their own hands. The joiner who made the bridal bed of Ulyffes, was Ulyffes. himself (a). The Princefs Nauficaa wafhesthe family-cloaths; and the Princes her brothers, upon her return, unyoke the car, and carry in the cloaths (b). Queens, and even female deities, are employ'd in fpinning (c). Is it from this fashion that young women in England are denominated Spinflers? Telemachus goes to council with no attendants but two dogs: (a) Odyffey, book 23. (b) Book 6. & 7. "Soon "Soon as in folemn form th' affembly fat, Priam's car is yoked by his own fons, when he goes to redeem from Achilles the body of his fon Hector. Telemachus yokes his own car (a). Homer's heroes kill and drefs their own victuals (b). Achilles entertaining Priam, flew a fnowwhite sheep; and his two friends flea'd and dreffed it. Achilles himself divided the roasted meat among his guests *. The ftory of Ruth is a pleasing inftance of fimplicity in antient times; and her laying herself down to fleep at the feet of Boaz, a no lefs pleafing inftance of innocence in these times. No people lived more innocently than the antient Germans, tho' men and women lived together without referve. They flept promifcuously round * Pope judging it below the dignity of Achilles to act the butcher, fuppreffes that article, impofing the talk upon his two friends. Pope did not confider, that from a lively picture of ancient manners, proceeds one of the capital pleasures we have in perufing Homer. (a) Odyffey, book 15. (6) Odyffey, book 19. & 20. the walls of their houses; and yet we never read of adultery among them. The Scotch Highlanders to this day live in the men lived familiarly together: public baths were common to both; and in certain games, they danced and combated together naked as when born. In a later period, the Spartan dames were much corrupted; occafioned, as authors fay, by a fhameful freedom of intercourse between the fexes. But remark, that corruption was not confined to the female fex, men having degenerated as much from their original manhood as women from their original chastity; and I have no difficulty to maintain, that gold and filver, admitted contrary to the laws of Lycurgus, were what corrupted both fexes. Opulence could not fail to have the fame effect there that it has every where; which is to excite luxury and fenfuality. The Spartans accordingly, fhaking off aufterity of manners, abandoned themselves to pleafure the most expenfive furniture, the fofteft beds, fuperb tapestry, precious vafes, exquifite wines, delicious viands, were not now too delicate for an effemiVOL. I. U ou nate |