property is requisite. Even those climates which prove fatal to adult strangers, are seldom unsalutary to native constitutions, or to children transplanted into them at an early age. The climate of Norway, and the rude cabin of a Norway peasant, would not readily be conceived favourable to health or longevity. Yet the average duration of life is considerably longer in that country than in any of the more civilized and genial parts of Europe;* and affords a sufficient proof, that those conveniencies are little necessary to health, of which the poor of all countries are in a great measure deprived. A change from the comforts and luxurious indulgences possessed by the rich, would probably be accompanied with disease, and certainly with wretchedness. The consciousness of this has made it appear, that the situations which want those comforts, are posi * The same observation may be extended to Iceland. "A comparison of facts would probably prove, that the longevity of the Icelanders rather exceeds than falls short of the average obtained from the continental nations of Europe." Sir G. Mackenzie, p. 416. tively, not relatively, evil. But "when Providence divided the earth among a few lordly masters, it neither forgot nor abandoned those who seemed to have been left out in the partition. In what constitutes the real happiness of human life, these last are in no respect inferior to those who would seem so much above them. In ease of body and peace of mind, the different ranks of life are nearly upon a level."* It appears from the preceding remarks, that for those evils to which the division of ranks, and tendency to increase among mankind, ex * Smith's Mor. Sent. p. 4, 1. 1. We are assured by Humboldt, that "the mortality among the miners of Mexico is not much greater than what is observed among the other classes. We may be easily convinced of this by examining the bills of mortality in the different parishes." Vol. i. 124. "Avant que le Christianisme eut aboli en Europe la servitude civile, on regardoit les travaux des mines comme si pénibles, qu'on croyoit qu'ils ne pouvoient étre faits que par des esclaves ou par des criminels. Mais on sçait qu'aujourd'hui les hommes qui y sont employés, vivent heureux.' Montesquieu, 1. 15, 68. pose the inferior classes of society, a mitigation is provided by the nature of happiness itself, which is more independent of those advantages to which they are stangers, than might be imagined upon a cursory observation. It is independent of luxurious superfluities, because those superfluities which luxury renders habitual, habit renders unimportant. It is not diminished by laborious occupation, because occupation is one of the necessary ingredients to happiness, which every one either invents for himself, or regrets the want of: and it is only from the turn of mind acquired by education or custom, that one occupation differs materially from another. Health, too, which in itself affords a certain portion of enjoyment, and is indispensably necessary to the enjoyment of any situation, is bestowed in at least an equal degree upon the rich and poor. It is, therefore, an additional testimony to the goodness of the Deity, that where the scheme which his wisdom devised for the furtherance of his plans in exercising and im proving the faculties of mankind, might interfere with individual happiness, he has contrived such mitigations of the inconvenience, as not only to diminish its force, but almost to render its existence questionable. CHAPTER V. On the Capabilities of Improvement in the State of advanced Civilization. Ir may be plausibly argued, that speculations on the nature of happiness, however satisfactory in the closet, are often decisively contradicted by the realities of life; and that the appearance of our own society, which meets every eye, is a standing argument against my conclusions. It furnishes us with an example of great public prosperity; of all the mechanical improvements and refinements of art, which the combination of skill and capital, and an industrious population, can produce: yet what is the result? Indigence and pauperism; and in the very heart of opulence, and industry, and intelligence, considerably more than a tenth part of the population relieved by public charity.* * I have stated the fact much as it appears on the face of the returns. But it is liable to great misapprehension with |