*Country naturally rich and fertile, but which, "for want of civilization, is destitute of the greater part of those things which minister to happiness. "Let us go and carry thither the arts, and the use

ful plants of Egypt; a humane Religion and "social Laws: we may perhaps bring back some "commodities useful to your own country. There "does not exist a Nation, however savage it may

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be, that does not possess some ingenuity, from "which a polished People may derive, benefit; some ancient tradition, some rare production, "which is peculiar to it's own climate. It is thus "that Jupiter, the Father of Mankind, was de"sirous of uniting, by a reciprocal interchange of "benefits, all the Nations of the Earth; poor or "rich, barbarian or civilized. Even if we should ❝be unable to find in Gaul any thing that can be

used in Egypt, or were we, by some accident, to "lose the fruit of our voyage, still there will re"main for us one thing of which neither death nor "tempests can deprive us; I mean the satisfaction "of having done good."

This discourse suddenly illuminated my mind with a ray of divine light. I embraced Cephas, with tears in my eyes: "Let us depart," said I to him, let us do good to Mankind, and imitate the "Gods!"

My father approved of our project. When I took my leave of him, he folded me in his arms, saying: My son, you are going to undertake the most "difficult task in the World; for you are going to engage in labour for the benefit of Mankind. But

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"if you can by such means, promote your own happiness, rest assured that you will render "mine complete."

After having taken leave of our friends, Cephas and I embarked at Canopus, on board a Phenician vessel which was going to Gaul for a cargo of furs, and for pewter to the British Islands. We carried with us linen-cloths, models of waggons, of ploughs, and of various looms; pitchers of wine, musical instruments, and grains of different species; among others, those of hemp and flax. We caused to be fastened in chests, round the poop of the ship, on the deck, and even along the cordage, slips of the vine, which were in blossom, and fruit-trees of various sorts. You might have taken our vessel, covered with vine-branches and foliage, for that of Bacchus setting out on the conquest of the Indies.

We anchored, first, on the coast of the Island of Crete, to take in some plants which were suitable to the climate of Gaul., This island produces a greater quantity of vegetables than Egypt, in the vicinity of which it is situated, from the variety of it's temperatures, extending from the burning sands of it's shores, up to the snowy region of Mount Ida, the summit of which is lost in the clouds. But what ought to render it still more valuable to it's inhabitants, is it's having been governed by the sage laws of Minos.

A favourable wind afterwards drove us from Crete to the heights of Melita.* This is a small island, the hills of which being formed of white stone, appear at a distance on the Sea, like cloth spread out to

*This is the Island now called Malta,

bleach in the Sun. We cast anchor here, to lay in water, which is preserved in great purity, in cisterns. In vain should we have sought, in this place, for any other species of supply: the island is destitute of every thing, though from it's situation between Sicilly and Africa, and from the vast extent of it's port, which is divided into several arms, it ought to be the centre of commerce for all the Nations of Europe, of Africa, and even of Asia. It's inhabitants subsist entirely by plunder. We presented them with some seeds of the melon, and of the xylon.* This is an herb which thrives in the driest places, and the wool which serves for the manufacture of cloths, extremely white and delicate. Though Melita, which is an entire rock, produces almost nothing fit for the subsistence of men and animals, yet there is taken annually about the autumnal Equinox, a prodigious quantity of quails, which repose there, on their

pas

sage

This is the cotton on a herb: it is originally a native of Egypt They now manufacture at Malta very beautiful stuff of it, which is the principal source of support to the commonalty of that island, who are 'miserably indigent. There is a second species produced on a shrub which is cultivated in Asia and the West-India islands. Nay, I believe there is a third species that grows in America on a tall prickly tree; such care has Nature taken to diffuse a vegetable so useful over all the warm regions of the Globe! This, much is certain, that the Savages of the parts of America which are situated between the Tropics, made for themselves garments and hammocks of cotton when Columbus landed on that Continent.

The quails still take Malta in their way, and appear on a day named and marked in the almanacks of the country. The customs of the animal creation do not vary; but those of the human species have

undergone

sage from Europe to Africa. It is an amusing spectacle to see them, fastened as they are, cross the Sea in quantities incredible. They wait till the wind blows from the North, when, raising one of their wings in the air like a sail, and beating with the other like an oar, they graze along the waves, having their rumps loaded with fat. When they arrive at this island, they are so fatigued that they might be caught with the hand. A man can gather more in one day than he can make use of in a year.

From Melita, we were wafted by the gale as far as the Isles of Enosis,* which are situated at the southern extremity of Sardinia. There the winds became contrary and obliged us to anchor. These islands consist of sandy rocks, which produce nothing; but by a wonderful interposition of the providence of the Gods, who in places the most unproductive find the means of supporting Man in a thousand different ways; tunnies are given to these islands, as quails are to the rock of Melita. In Spring, the tunnies, which make their way from the Ocean into the Mediterranean, pass in such great quantities between Sardinia and the islands of Enosis, that their inha

undergone considerable changes in that island. Some Grand-Masters of the Order of St. John, to whom the island belongs, have there engaged in projects of public utility; among others, they have conveyed the water of a rivulet into the very harbour. Many other undertakings are still behind undoubtedly, which concern the Happiness of the Human Race.

*These are at this time called the islands of Saint Peter and of St. Antiochus. They are very small; but they have a great fishery for tunpies, and they manufacture great quantities of salt.

bitants

bitants are occupied, night and day, in fishing for them, in salting them, and in extracting their oil. I have seen upon their shores heaps of the burnt bones of these fishes, which were higher than this house. But this gift of Nature does not render the inhabitants affluent. They fish for the benefit of the inhabitants of Sardinia. Thus, we saw slaves only in the Island of Enosis, and tyrants alone at Melita.

The wind becoming favourable, we departed, after having presented the inhabitants with some slips of the vine, and received from them some young plants of the chestnut-tree, which they im port from Sardinia, where the fruit of these trees grows to a considerable size.

During the voyage, Cephas pointed out to me the variegated aspects of the land, not one of which Nature has made similar to another, in quality and in form; in order that divers plants and animals may find, in the same climate, different temperatures. When nothing was to be perceived but the Heavens and the Water, he called my attention to men. "Observe," said he to me, "these sea-faring people, how robust they are!

you might take them for tritons. Bodily exer"cise is the aliment of health. It dissipates an

* Certain Philosophers have carried matters much farther. They Lave pretended that bodily exercise was the aliment of the soul. Exer cise of body is good only for the preservation of health; the soul has it's own apart. Nothing is more common than to see men of delicate health possessed of exalted virtue, and robust persons very defective there. Virtue is no more the result of physical qualities, than strength of body is the effect of moral qualities. All temperaments are equally predisposed to vice and to virtue.

"infinite