having entirely extinguiſhed the tafte for piracy, and thus reftored to the land one half of its inhabitants, laid them under a neceffity of deriving from thence all their fubfiftence. But the other arts were ftill depreffed under the influence of this prejudice, and were for a long time confidered as abject occupations befitting none but flaves; which not only difhonoured the prefent profeffors, but even fixed a ftain on all their pofterity*. The Gauls, the Germans, and the Scandinavians never employed in any of their domeftic and handicraft trades other than flaves, freed-men, women or fuch miferable old men as preferred a dif- honourable life to death. They were of courfe ignorant of all the pleafing conve- niences and ornaments of life, excepting fuch as they either acquired by violence in their piratical excurfions, or gained to them- felves by foreign fervice. Their wives- fpun themfelves the wool which made one part of their cloathing, and fkins fupplied
- The Greeks and Ro-
mans did not think more philofophically on this fubject than thefe rude uncivilized nations: if indeed it can be called Philofophy, and not ra- Chap. XIII. ther Common Senfe, to eftimate things in pro- portion to their utility, and to be fenfible that we owe to the Arts moft of the comforts we enjoy. First Edit. the
