The works of George Berkeley, D.D. late Bishop of Cloyne in Ireland. To which is added, an account of his life [by J. Stock] and several of his letters to Thomas Prior, Esq., Dean Gervais, and Mr. Pope, etc

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WH E Τ H E R the prosperity that preceded, or the calamities that

succeed the South-sea project have most contributed to our undoing, is not se clear a potnt as it is that we are actually undone, and lost to alisense of our true interest ue nothing lesi than this could render it pardonia able, to have recourse to those old-famioned trite maxims concerning religion, industry, frugality, and public spirit, Whicli are now sorgoiten, butis revived and put in practice, may not only prevent our final ruin, butalso render us a more happy and flourishing peopte than ever. Religion hath in former days been cheris hed and reverenced by wise patriois and lawgivers, as knowing it to be impossibie that a nation mould thrive and Bourish without viriue, or that virtve mould subsist without conscience, or conscience without religion: in much that an Athei si or Infidet was looked on with abhorrence, and trealed as an enemy to his country. But in these wiser times, a coid indisserenoe sor the nationalreligion, and indeed sor ait matters of Lith and divine wors hip, is thought good sense. It is even hecome semionabie to decry religion; and that litile talent of ridicule is applied to such wrong purposes, that a good christian can hardly heep himself in countenance.

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Liber ty is the greatest human blesting that a virtuo us man can possess, and is very consistent with the duties of a good subject and a good chri se tiara, but the present age abo unde th with injudicious patrons os liberty, who not distingui ing be tween that and licentiousness, take the larest method to discredit what they would stem to propagate; sor, in effect,

can there be a greater affront offered to that just freedom of thoughtand action, whicli is the prerogative of a rational Creature, or Can any thing recommend it lesse to honest minds, than under colour thereos toobtrude scurrili ty and profanenesi on the worid i But it hath been always observed of weali men, that they know not how to a void one extremewithout running into an Other. Too many of this sori past upon vulgar readers for great authors, and men os pro und thought, not on account of any superiori ty ei ther insense or style, both whicli they possese in a very moderate degree, nor ofany disco veri es they have made in aris or sciences, whicli they seem to belltile acqua in ted with: but purely because they flat ter the passions of corrupi men, Who are pleased to have the clamours of conscience silenced, and those great potnts of the christi an religion made suspected, whichwithheld them frona many vices of pleas ure and interest, or made themuneasy in the commission of them.

In order to promote that laudabie design os es cing ali sense of religionfrom among us, they forin thenaseives into assem biles, and proceed withunited counseis and en de avo tars; with What successi, and with what meritto ards the public, the esse ct too pla in ly me s ; I Will not say, these gentiemen have formod a direct design to ruin their country, or that theyliave the sense to sce half the ili consequences, whicli must necessari lysow frona the sprea ling of their opinions, but the nation feeis them, andit is hi gli time the legisl ture put a sto p to them. I am

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27 II am not sor placing an invidious poWer in the hands of the clergy, orcomplying with the narro nesis of any mis alien gealois, who mouid incline to persecute disienters: but whate ver conduet, common sense, asweli as christian chari ty obligeth us to use, to ards those who disser fromus in some potnts of religion, yet the public sesely requireth, that theavo ed contemners of ali religion mould be severely chasti sed, and per-haps it may be no easy matter to assign a good reason why blasphemyagainst God should not be inqui red into, and punished with the same ri-gΟur as treason against the Ling. For though we may attempt to patch up our affairs, yet it Will be tono purpose, the finger of God will unra vel ali our valia projecis, and maliethem mares to dra us into greater calamities, is we do not reform that scandalous libertinita which whate ver se me mallo men may thin k is our Horst symptom and the larest prognostic of our ruin. Industry is the natural sure way to wealth ; this is se true, that it is impossibie an industrious seee peopte smould want the necessaries and com- foris of lila, or an idie e oy them under any form of go verrament. Money is so sar usesul to the public, as it promoteth industry, and credithaving the fame essedi, is of the fame value with money; but money orcredit circulating thorough a nation Dom hand to hand without produc ing labour and industry in the inhabitanis, is direct gam ing. It is not impossibie ser cunning men to mal e soch plausibie schemes,as may dra w those who a re lese si illat into their own and the public ruin. But surely, there is no man os sense and honesty, but must see and own whether he understands the game or not, that it is an evident folly forany people, instead of prosecuting the old honest methods of industry and frugali ty, to sit down to a public gam ing-table, and play ois their money

one to an Other.

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The more methods there a re in a state sor acquiring riches Without industry or merit, the lest there will be os ei ther in that state ι this is asevident as the ruin that attentis it. Besides, when money is miseed Domhand to hand in such a blind fortuitous manner, that seme men mali stomnothing in an instant acquire vast e states, without the least deseri; Whileothers are as suddenly stript of plenti fui fortunes, and lest on the parissa

In mori, ali projects for gro ing rich by sudden and extraordinarymethods, as they operate violently on the passions of men, and encourage them to despi se the now moderate gains that are to be made by an honestindustry, must be ruinous to the public, and even the winners themselves will at longili be involved in the public ruin. It is an east matter to contrive projecis for the encouragement of industry ; I wim it were as east to persuade men to put them in practice. There is no country in Europe where there is so much chari ty collected sor the poor, and none where it is se ili managed. Is the poor-tax was fixed at a medium in every parim, talien Dom a calculation of the last

ten years, and rai sed sor seven years by act of partia ment, that sum is the common estimate be not very wrong) frugalty and prudently laid out

in morkhouses, would sor ever Dee the nation fio m the care of provid-ing for the poor, and at the fame time considerably improve our manufactu res. We might by these means rid our streets of beggars, even the

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smali ad vantage Dom the industry of those, Who a re noN great a burthen and expence to it. The same tax, continued three years longer, might be very usesullyemployed in mali inglii gli roads, and rendering ri vers navigabie, t o things of so much profit and ornament to a nation, that we stem the only peopte in Europe who have neglected them '. So that in the space of tenyears the public may be for e ver freed Dorn a heavy tax, industry encou-raged, commerce facilitated, and the whole country improved, and allthis only by a frugal honest management, Without raising One penny ex

traordinary.

The number of peopte is both means and motives to industry; it should there re bo os great use to enco urage propagation, by allo ing me re-ward or privilege to those who have a certa in number of children; andon the other harad, en acting that the public mali inherit half the unintail-ed estates of ait who die uia married os ei ther sex. Ecfides the immediate en d propo sed by the so rego ing methods, theyfurnis si laxes upon pasicngers, and dead batchelors, whicli are in no sortgrievous to the subjeci, and may be applied towards Clearing the publicdebi, whicli, ali manlii nil agree, hi ghly concerneth the nation in generat both couri and country. Caesar indoed, mentions it as a plece of poticy, that he borrowed money seo in his ossicers to bestow it on the soldiers, whicli fixed both to his intercst, and though something like this may passsor si ill at certain junctures in civit go vertament, yet is carried too far, it

ill prove a dan gerous CXPerim Cnt. There is stili room sor invention or improvement in most trades and manufactu res, and it is probabie, that praemiums gi ven On that account

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to ingenious artists, would on be repaid an hundred sold to the public. No colour is se much wore in Ital , Spam, and Porrugal as blach; hutour blach cloth is neither so lasting, .nor of so good a dye as the Dufo whicli is the rea n of their engrossing the profit os that trade , this is se triae, that I have linown E=glim merclianis abroad wear blach cloth of Eand thenaseives, and seli and recommend it as beller than that ostheir own country. It is commonly se id the water of Loden hath a peculiar property for colouring blach, but it hath been also se id and passedcurrent, that good glasses may be made no where but at Venire, and thereonly in the litile issand of Murano: which was attributed to seme peculiar properi y in the air; and we may possibiy find other opinions of that sori to he as groundlesi, mouid the legislature thinli it worth while to pro- pose praemiums in the foregoing, or in the like cases of generat benesitto the public ; but Ι remember to have sten, about seVen years ago, aman potnted at in a cossee-house, who they said) had first introduced theright scarlet dye among us, by whicli the nation in generat, as weli asmany private persons, have since been great gainers though he was him self a beggar, who, is this be true, deserved an honourabie maintenance from the public

There a re also severat manufactu res Which we have hom abroad, that may be carried on to as great perfection here as else here. Is it he co sidered that more fine lincia is wore in Goat Britain than in any othercountry of Europe, it will he dissiculi to assign a rea n why paper maynot be made here as good, and in the fame quantity, as in Hollan France, or Genoa. This is a manufactare of great consumption, and

would save much to the publici The like may be said of tapestry, iace,

and other manufactu res, whicli is set on ot in cheap paris of the coun- try, Would employ many hands, and sive money to the nation, as wellas bring it frona abroad. Projects for improving old manufacturos, or

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sition. As industry dependeth upon trade, and this, as weli as the public securi ty, upon our navigation, it concerneth the legislature to provide, that the number of our fallors do not decrease, to whicli it would very much conduce, is a law were made prohibiting the payment of fallors in foreignparis , for it is usual with those on board merclianimen as seon as theyset ot on stiore to receive their pay, whicli is seon spent in riolous living ; and when they have emptied their pocheis, the temptation os a piptole present money, ne ver falleth to draw them into any reign service. To this sis I may credit the insormation I have had Dom me Engli factors abroad) it is chiefly owing, that the Venetians, Spaniatas, and others, have so many Engli on board their stips; some merclianis in-deed and masters of vesseis may mahe a profit in defrauding those poOrWretches, when they pay them in strange coin whicli I have been assured osten amounts to t et vepence in the crown as weli as in ridding them- scives of the charge of heeping them when they seli their ships, or st aylong in port, but the public lose both the money and the men ; who, is

Frugali ty of manners is the nourishment and strength of bodies politic. It is that by whicli they grow and subsist untii they a re corrupted by

luxury; the natural cause of their decay and ruin. of this we have ex- amples in the Persans, Lacedaemonios, and Romans: not to mention many later govern ments which have sprung up, continued a While, and thenperis hed by the fame natural causes. But these a re, it seems, Os no Uscio us; and , in spite of them we a re in a fair way os becoming ourseives,another uolesi example to future ages. 'Is n a Men

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Alen. are apt to meature national prosperity by riches, it would berighter to meas ure it by the use that is made of them. Where they promote an honest commerce among men, and are motives to industry and virtve, they are Without doubt of great ad vantage ; but where they arem ade as too osten happens) an instrument to luxury, they enervate and dispirit the bravest people. So just is that remark of Machiavet, that thereis no truth in thc common saying, money is the nerves of war ; and though we may subsist tolerably for a time among corrupi neigh bours, yet is e ver we have to do with a hardy, temperate, religious sori of men, Se strali finit to our cost, that ait our riches are but a Poor exchange forthat simplicity of mariners ri ch we despise in Our ancestors. This sole ad vantage hath been the main suppori os ali the republics that have made

to forna itself opon the manners of a republic. Simplici ty of manners may be more easiily preserved in a republic thana monarchy; hut is once lost, may be seoner recovered in a monarchy, the example os a court being of great essicacy, et ther to reform orito corrupi a people; that alone were sussicient to discolantenance the wearing of gold or silver, ei ther in cloaths or equipage, and is the same were prohibited by law, the saving so much bullion would be the smallest benefit os suci, an institution; there being nothing more apt to debase the virtve and good sense of our gentry of both sexes, than the trifling vani ty os apparet, Which we have learned frona France, and which hath had such visibie ill consequences ora the genius of that People. Wisernations have made it their care to sit ut out this folly by severe laws and penalties, and iis spreading among us cari sorebo te no good, is there beany truth in the observation of one of the ancients, that the direct Wayto ruin a mari is to dress him up in sine cloaths.

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women, Which may passi for a smali ostence, because it is a common one. but is in truth the fource of great corruptions. For this very offence thoprophei LGaiah denounced a severe judgment against the ladies of his

the bravery of their tintiling ornaments abo ut their se et, and their cauis , and their round tires like the moon, the chains, and the braceleis, and the mufilers, the bonne is, and the ornaments of the lcgs, and the head-bands, and the tableis, and the ear-rings, the rings and no - jeweis, the changeable suits of apparet, and the maniles, and the wim-

' Ples, and the crisping pins, the glasses, and the sane linen, and the hoods and the vatis. And it mali come to past that inflead os a Meet smeli there si, ait be a se in k, and inste ad of a girdie a rent; and in si ead of weli set hair, bald ne se; and instead os a stomacher, a girding of sackcloth ; and burning instead of heauty The scab, the stench, and theburning are terribi e pestilentiat symptoms, and our ladies would do wellio consider, they may chance to resemble those of Zion, in their punish

But dre si is not the only thing to be reformed, sumptuary laws areusesul in many other po inis. In former times the natural plainnesis an good sense of the Engli made them test necessary. But e ver since theluxurious reign of King Charies the second, we have been doing violen ceto Our natures, and a re by this time so much altered for the worse, that/t is to be Pared, the very fame dispositions that malle them necessary, Willitor evor hinder them frona being enae ed or put in execution.

A private

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A private family in dissiculi circumstances, ali men agree, ought to meli

versions; and why not the public t Had any thing like this been done,

Our taxes had been test, or whicli is the fame thing, we mould have sellthem test. But it is very remari able, that luxury was never at se greata height, nor spread se generalty through the nation, as during the expetice of the late wars, and the heavy debl that stili lyeth upon us. This vice draweth after it a train of evils whicli crueily infest the public; faction, ambition, en vy, avarice, and that of the worst hind, heing much more hurtii in iis consequences, though not so infamous as penury. It was the great art os cardinal Rictetisti, by encouraging luxuryand expence to impo verim the Franci nobili ty, and render them altogether dependent on the crown, which hath been siince very successiallyeffected. These and many more considerations mew the necessity thereis for sumptuary laws, nor can any thing be se id against them in thisisland, whicli might not with equat sorce be objected in other countries, which have neverthelest judged the public benefit os such institutions, tobe os far greater importance than the mori sufferings of a se , who subsist by the luxury of OtherS.It is evident, that old taxes may be better born, as weli as new ones rat sed by sumptuary laws judicio usty framed, not to da mage OUr trade, hut retrench our luxury. It is evident, that sor Gant of these, luxury which like the other fami ons, ne ver falleth to descend) hath infected aliranks of people, and that this enableth the Dulch and French to underselltis, to the great prejudice of our trassic. We cannot but know that in our present circumflances, it mould be our care, as it is our interest, tomahe poveri y tolerable ; in mori, we have the experie iace of many agesto con Vince uS, that a corrupi lugurious peopte must of thenaseives fall. into