410. STRENGTH AND. WEAKNESS OE HUMAN REASON. thefts to belawful. And Diti:lorus Siculus mentions a law among them, that the thief -must bring what he stole to the priest, who was to divide the booty, viz. one quarter to the thief, and three to the owner. Even the Lacedemoniaus, who dwelt in Greece, a polite country, publicly encouraged artful thievery; but your chumsey hitchers, that were catched in the fact, were given . up to some punishment : And there are few ofthe unpolished regions of the world where falsehood, lyin , and cheating are not practis- ed, by all that are able to do it with impunity. And even robbery and plunder in great bodies and commu- nities of men has been esteemed a virtue rather than acrime. how many kings and people do we read of in ancient history, how many captains and-large armies, who thought it sufficient reason to invade the properties, and destroy the lives of their neighbours, merely to gain a hider dominion, and to make them- selves great and rich by the spoilsofthose that dwelt around them ? Reflect a little, whence did the Roman empire rise to its gran- deur ? Was it not by such public injuries and.rapines, robberies, and murders ? And who among them questioned the lawfulness of this ? Whence sprang the fame of sar, and Alexander, and other barbarous and brutal creatures, that were called heroes ? Was it not from this acknowledged principle that they might destroy their fellow-princes and their, armies, if they would not pay tribute to them, or might do any mischief to their neighbours, who had done none to them, ifthey would not submit to their dominion ? What are many of the bloody wars that are carried on among the petty princes of Africa and America ? Are they owing to any better principle than this, that if they have power enough, they may take occasion to make captives and slaves of theirfellow-nations, if they please, in order to sell them to merchants in a way of trade, or to make breakfasts and dinners of them ? Is this that native reason, Logisto, which you would teach Men to rely upon, without any aids from heaven, for their safe 'Conduct in the paths of virtue, to obtain the favour of God, and eternal felicity ? Is this that innate principle, whichyou would have mankind entirely depend upon, to teach the rules and prac- tices of morality, and justice, and goodness, which is so easilyper- suaded to let them call vice virtue, and virtue vice ? Which suffers whole nations, both kings and people, to be so shamefully led astray into the practice of constant andpublic villainies, with- out any remorse or regret ? Is this wretched degenerate and perverse power of re.soning fit to Le their only guide, while it permits them to work up these public robberies, and- murders; and spreading desolations intothe notionsof honour, virtue, anddigni. ty ? But I read your generous conviction in your countenance, and am silent. Let us proceed to the next general head, au
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