BOOK first adventurers with every mark of kindness and hofpitality. IV. THE adventurers, indeed, who formed fome of the later establishments, joined, to the chimerical project of finding gold and filver mines, other motives more reasonable and more laudable; but even these motives do very little honour to the policy of Europe. THE English puritans, reftrained at home, fled for freedom to America, and established there the four governments of New England. The English catholics, treated catholics, treated with much greater injustice, established that of Maryland; the Quakers, that of Pennsylvania. The Portuguese Jews, perfecuted by the inquifition, stript of their fortunes, and banished to Brazil, introduced, by their example, fome fort of order and industry among the tranfported felons and ftrumpets, by whom that colony was originally peopled, and taught them the culture of the fugar-cane. Upon all these different occafions it was, not the wisdom and policy, but the dif order and injuftice of the European governments, which peopled and cultivated America. IN effectuating fome of the most important of these establishments, the different governments of Europe had as little merit as in projecting them. The conqueft of Mexico was the project, not of the council of Spain, but of a governor of Cuba; and it was effectuated by the fpirit of the bold adventurer to whom it was entrusted, in fpite of every thing which that governor, who foon VII. foon repented of having trufted fuch a perfon, c HAP. could do to thwart it. The conquerors of Chili and Peru, and of almost all the other Spanish fettlements upon the continent of America, carried out with them no other public encouragement, but a general permiffion to make fettlements and conquefts in the name of the king of Spain. Thofe adventures were all at the private risk and expence of the adventurers. The government of Spain contributed fearce any thing to any of them. That of England contributed as little towards effectuating the establishment of some of its most important colonies in North America. WHEN those establishments were effectuated, and had become fo confiderable as to attract the attention of the mother country, the firft regulations which fhe made with regard to them had always in view to fecure to herself the monopoly of their commerce; to confine their market, and to enlarge her own at their expence, and, consequently, rather to damp and discourage, than to quicken and forward the course of their prosperity. In the different ways in which this monopoly has been exercised, confifts one of the most effential differences in the policy of the different European nations with regard to their colonies. The best of them all, that of England, is only somewhat lefs illiberal and oppreffive than that of any of the rest. In what way, therefore, has the policy of Europe contributed either to the first establishment, or to the prefent grandeur of the colonies of 400 BOOK of America? In one way, and in one way only, IV. it has contributed a good deal. Magna virúm Mater! It bred and formed the men who were capable of atchieving fuch great actions, and of laying the foundation of fo great an empire; and there is no other quarter of the world of which the policy is capable of forming, or has ever actually and in fact formed fuch men. The colonies owe to the policy of Europe the education and great views of their active and enterprising founders; and fome of the greatest and most important of them, fo far as concerns their internal government, owe to it scarce any thing else. PART THIRD. Of the Advantages which Europe has derived from SUCH UCH are the advantages which the colonies of America have derived from the policy of Europe. WHAT are those which Europe has derived from the discovery and colonization of America? THOSE advantages may be divided, first, into the general advantages which Europe, confidered as one great country, has derived from those great events; and, fecondly, into the particular advantages which each colonizing country has derived from the colonies which particularly be long long to it, in confequence of the authority or CHA P. dominion which it exercifes over them. THE general advantages which Europe, confidered as one great country, has derived from the discovery and colonization of America, confist, first, in the increase of its enjoyments; and fecondly, in the augmentation of its industry. THE furplus produce of America, imported into Europe, furnishes the inhabitants of this great continent with a variety of commodities which they could not otherwife have poffeffed, some for conveniency and use, fome for pleasure, and fome for ornament, and thereby contributes to increase their enjoyments. THE discovery and colonization of America, it will readily be allowed, have contributed to augment the industry, first, of all the countries which trade to it directly; fuch as Spain, Portugal, France, and England; and, fecondly, of all those which, without trading to it directly, fend, through the medium of other countries, goods to it of their own produce; fuch as Auftrian Flanders, and fome provinces of Germany, which, through the medium of the countries before mentioned, send to it a confiderable quantity of linen and other goods. All fuch countries have evidently gained a more extenfive market for their furplus produce, and must confequently have been encouraged to increase its quantity. BUT, that thofe great events fhould likewise have contributed to encourage the induftry of countries, fuch as Hungary and Poland, which VOL. II. Dd may VII. BOOK may never, perhaps, have fent a fingle commoIV. dity of their own produce to America, is not, perhaps, altogether fo evident. That thofe events have done fo, however, cannot be doubted. Some part of the produce of America is confumed in Hungary and Poland, and there is fome demand there for the fugar, chocolate, and tobacco, of that new quarter of the world. But thofe commodities muft be purchased with fomething which is either the produce of the industry of Hungary and Poland, or with fomething which had been purchased with some part of that produce. Thofe commodities of America are new values, new equivalents, introduced into Hungary and Poland to be exchanged there for the furplus produce of those countries. By being carried thither they create a new and more extenfive market for that furplus produce. They raise its value, and thereby contribute to encourage its increase. Though no part of it may ever be carried to America, it may be carried to other countries which purchafe it with a part of their fhare of the furplus produce of America; and it may find a market by means of the circulation of that trade which was originally put into motion by the furplus produce of America. THOSE great events may even have contributed to increase the enjoyments, and to augment the industry of countries which, not only never fent any commodities to America, but never received any from it. Even fuch countries may have received a greater abundance of other commodities from countries of which the furplus |