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all the wealth and riches of the French Weft-Indies. But, to execute our defign effectually, it is neceffary we should give an account of the commerce of thefe iflands, which we fhall endeavour to do in as few words as poffible, and in fuch a method, as may take in the full extent of their trade, a thing not hitherto attempted, at least in our language.

In the first place then, it is to be confidered, that, though thefe iftands produce fo many rich and valuable commodities, yet they stand in need of very large fupplies of various kinds of neceffaries, without which they could not poffibly fubfift, fuch as horfes, and cattle of all kinds; corn, roots, dry fish, and all forts of lumber, of which they receive confiderable quantities from Canada, and the reft from our northern colonies, in exchange for fugar, tobacco, indigo, and other goods, which are fent to Canada, and for melaffes to our colonies, where it is diftilled into rum. The inha bitants of these islands stand always in want of negroes, with whom they were formerly fupplied by their own African and Senegal companies, which have been long ago united to the French Eaft-India company, by whom this flave trade is now carried on with great regularity, and much profit. The negroes are fent to Martinico, where they are purchased by the inhabitants of the other lands, at a fettled price of fo many hogf heads of fugar a head, as in the Spanish ports they are bought for fo many pieces of eight.

Before we fpeak of the direct trade between those islands and France, it will be proper to give a short account of the quantities of fugar, that, according to the beft computations, are raised in them; because, this being the ftaple commodity, it will enable us to form fome fort of notion of the whole extent and value of their exports. In Martinico it is computed, that they make, one year with another, ten thousand hogfheads of fugar, each of about fix hundred weight; in Guardaloupe, about four thoufand hogfheads; and in the other iflands, about one thousand hogfheads all together. The French employ in this trade annually between two and three hundred fhips, from the burden of one hundred to three hundred tons. The time in which they fail from France is between September and February, that they may avoid as much as poffible the hurricanes, and arrive in a fit feafon for completing their cargoes.

The veffels from Rochelle and Bourdeaux are, generally speaking, laden with falt beef and pork, flour, brandy, all forts of wines of the growth of that part of France,

and alfo Madeira, which they take in at that ifland; dried cod, pickled herrings, oil, cheese, butter, tallow, iron, linen, and moft forts of mercery goods. The hips from Rouen feldom carry provifions, but are freighted with woollen and linen goods, filk, ribbons, fhoes, ftockings of all forts, hats, tin, copper, and brass ware; smallarms and fword-blades; pewter, pins, nee dles, paper, pens, cards, and an infinite number of other things of the fame kind. The fhips from Marfeilles and Toulon are freighted with oils, dried fruit, wines, and feveral forts of light ftuffs, that are manufactured in Provence. Thus we see what prodigious advantages these fettlements bring to France, by encouraging industry, employing a large number of fhips, and, confequently, railing and maintaining many hundreds of feamen. It is no wonder, therefore, that the French Government pay fo much attention to this important branch of their traffic, and are fo careful in taking every poffible method to encourage thefe colonies, and to protect their trade, which, however, fuffered confiderably in the three last wars, and, it is to be hoped, will suffer ftill more confiderably in this, as under Providence, by the wife measures of his Majefty's Councils, and the bravery of our troops, we have already, in these parts, retaliated French injuries and incroachments, in the taking of Guardaloupe, and the defcent made on Martinico.

As to the general amount of their trade, it is a very difficult thing to make so much as a probable calculation; but, if we may depend upon that of Mr. Savary, who was allowed to understand these matters as well as any man in France, the goods exported from that country rife to the value of about four millions of livres, or two hundred thousand pounds of our money, annually; for which, he computes, they bring home very near double the value in Welt-India commodities; and, if we take in the other branches of trade beforementioned, we may fairly compute the profits of these islands at half a million fterling, provided the foregoing calculations are tolerably exact.

We may venture, before we quit this fubject, to make fome few remarks, for the fervice of our readers: As, for inftance, that it appears clearly, from this account, we were very confiderable gainers, by securing to ourselves that part of the island of St. Chriftopher, which had been almoft one hundred years in the poffeffion of the French, and in their part of which they raised more and better fugars, than in any of the islands they now poffefs, Martinico and Guardaloupe excepted; and, perhaps, we fhould

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not carry the matter too far, if we faid, more fugar than in all their islands, exclufive of those beforementioned. We may likewife obferve, of how great confequence it would be to us to plant the other iflands to which we lay claim; as this would increase our trade and strength in that part of the world at the fame time; and contribute alfo, in the time of a French war, as at prefent, to curb and annoy our enemies. The French themselves do not seem very defirous of extending their plantations, and therefore cannot offer any juft reafons why we fhould be debarred from settling thofe lands that belong to us, and which they do not defire to fettle themselves. We may affo confider it as a thing very practicable,

in any French war, to reduce these islands to the greatest extremity, by the proper dif tribution of our naval force in the WeftIndies; which, in proportion to the value of their commerce, would diftrefs the merchants in France to the laft degree, and give our own colonies vatt advantages, in fupplying thofe markets which are at present fupplied by the French; and there are fome, who are very good judges of our strength and their's, who think these islands might be intirely ruined by us in a few years; or, by being reduced to our obedience, and retained by right of conqueft, might serve us for the fame valuable purposes they now do the French.

A Demonftration of the EXISTENCE of GOD, grounded upon the Knowledge of Nature, and adapted to the meaneft Capacities.

F all the proofs of the existence of Gall, the of evident to thofe which are grounded upon the knowledge of the world, and of man in particular. This demonftration convinced the ancient philofophers, and ought to convince every attentive man. The primitive Chriftian fa thers were fenfible of its ftrength, and took great care to fet it in a full light, being perfuaded that it was fufficient to deftroy impiety.

It was the opinion of the famous Mr. Boyle, that nothing can be more effectual to imprint in our minds a true fenfe of piety and religion, than the study of the works of nature. The knowledge of nature produced this effect upon that great man, that he never mentioned the name of God without a pause, and visible stop in his dif course: Whereas fo many people, destitute of all learning, are not afhamed to swear frequently by that adorable name, and to bring it, at every turn, into their most frivolous converfations.

The providence of God appears in a wonderful manner, in that great luminary of our planetary world, the fun. Befides the conftant course, which forms nights and days, it discovers another, whereby it moves towards one pole during the fpace of fix months, and towards the other in the fame space of time. That beautiful order is the reafon why one fun is fufficient for the whole earth. Were it bigger at the fame diftance, it would fet the whole world on fire, and the earth would fly into duft. Were it leffer at the fame distance, the earth would be frozen up and uninhabited. Were it nearer us with the fame bignefs, it would (corch us. Were it farther from us with the fame bignefs, we could not live upon

the terreftrial globe for want of heat. How fkilful is the hand, which, encompaffing heaven and earth, has taken fuch just meafures! The fun is no lefs beneficial to that part, from which it removes, in order to temperate it, than to that it comes near, to favour it with its beams. That change occafions the viciffitude of feafons, whofe variety is fo pleafing and agreeable. The fpring filences the cold winds, fhews flowers, and promifes fruits. The fummer affords plentiful harvests. The autumn brings forth the fruits, which the fpring promised. The winter, a kind of night, in which men reft from their labours, conceals all the treafures of the earth for no other reason, but that the next spring may display them with all the graces of novelty. Thus nature, differently adorned, affords fucceffively fo many beautiful fpectacles, that men can never grow weary of their prefent enjoy ments. But how can the fun have fuch a regular courfe? That celeftial body is only a globe of very subtile flame, and confequently very fluid. What is it that keeps fuch a moveable and impetuous fame within the bounds of a perfect globe? By what hand is that flame directed in its way, without ever launching out on either fide? That flame adheres to nothing, and nobody can direct, or keep it under fubjection. It would quickly confume any body, that would keep it within its inclofure. Whither does it go? Who taught it to turn round without any intermiffion, and fo regularly, in those spaces where nothing constrains it? Does it not circulate round us, on purpose to do us good? But if that flame does not go round; if, on the contrary, we turn round it, I afk how it comes to he fo well placed in the center of the world, to be the focus, or the

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center of nature? I afk how it comes to pafs that this globe of fuch a fubtile matter never launches out on either fide into thofe immenfe fpaces that furround it, in which all the bodies, that are fluid, must needs yield to the impetuolity of that flame? Laftly, I ask how it comes to pafs that the globe of the earth, which is fo hard, turns fo regularly about that celestial body in a fpace, wherein not one folid body keeps it in fubjection to regulate its courfe? Let us feek out the moft ingenious reafons that natural philofophy can afford to explain that fact: All thofe reafons (fuppofing they are true) will be as many proofs of a Deity.

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If we contemplate man, what an amazing prodigy is the fubftance of his brain, which preferves with great order fuch genuine representations of fo many objects! We admire, not without reafon, the invention of books, which preferve the hiftory of fo many facts, and a collection of fo many thoughts. But can there be any comparifon between the finest book and the brain of a learned man? Doubtless that brain is a collection infinitely more precious, and of a finer invention than the book. It is in that small receptacle that a man finds exactly all the images he wants. When he calls them, they come: When he difmiffes them, they fiak again I know not where, and disappear to make room for others. A man opens and shuts his imagination like a book. He turns over the leaves of it, if I may fay fo: He fuddenly goes from one end to the other. That admirable book is only a foft fubftance, or a kind of clue, confifting of tender and interwoven fila ments. How fkilful is that hand, which has been able to conceal in a kind of unformed mud fuch precious images, and fuch representations fo artfully difpofed?

With regard to thought in man, no phi`lofopher can avoid chufing one of these two propofitions. Either matter may acquire the faculty of thinking: Or, matter cannot think; and what thinks within us is a diftinct being united to it. If matter may acquire the faculty of thinking, it must be confeffed at leaft that all matter does not think, and that the very matter which thinks now, did not think fifty years ago: For inftance, the matter of the body of a young man did not think ten years before he was born. Wherefore we must say, that matter may acquire thought by a certain di pofition and motion of its parts. Let us take, for example, the matter of a stone, or of a heap of land: This portion of matter does not think at all: That it may begin to think, all its parts must be figured, difpofed, 3

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and moved in a certain fense, and to a certain degree. Who has found out with fo much juftnefs that proportion, that difpofition, that motion, in fuch a fenfe, and not in another, and to such a degree, under and above which, matter would never think? Who has beftowed all those just and precife modifications upon a vile and unformed matter, to frame the body of a child, and make it rational by degrees? On the contrary, if it be faid, that matter cannot think, and that a thinking being must be united to it: I ask what is that other being which thinks, whilft matter to which it is united, does only move. Those two fubftances are very different. We know one of them only by figures and local motions; and the other only by perceptions and reasonings. The one does not give an idea of the other, and their ideas have nothing common to both of them. What power, fuperior to thofe two beings, has been able to unite them together?

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The providence of God is remarkable in every species of living creatures, and in a very particular manner, in what we call the inftinet of animals, both to come near those objects that may be beneficial, and to fhun thofe that may be hurtful to them. need not inquire wherein that instinct confifts: Let us be contented with the bare fact without arguing about it. A young lamb smells out its mother, and runs to her. A sheep is ftruck with horror at the coming of a wolf, and runs away before it can perceive him. A hunting dog will almost infallibly difcover the way of a stag by the bare fmell. There is in each animal an impetuous fpring, which reunites the spirits all of a fadden, which bends all the nerves, make all the joints more pliant, and increafes, upon fudden danger, strength, nimbleness, fwiftnefs, and fhifts to avoid the object that threatens it with deftruction. We need not inquire here, whether beafts have any knowledge. The motions I am difcourfing of, are altogether fpontaneous, even in a human machine. Should a ropedancer argue about the rules of equilibri um, reasoning would make him lose the æquilibrium, which he keeps to a wonder without arguing. Thus it is with beasts. Say, if you will, that they argue as well as men. By faying fo, you will never weaken my argument. Their faculty of reasoning can be of no ufe to explain thofe motions which are most admirable in them. Will any one fay they know the nicest rules of mechanics, which they observe with such a wonderful exactness, when they muft run, leap, fwim, hide themselves, or make use

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of the strongest part of their body in their own defence? Will any one affirm, that they are endowed with reafon in thofe very motions, which a man does certainly per form without the ufe of it? Beasts, fome will fay, are directed by an inftin&t. Let it be fo: And indeed it is a real inftinct. But that inftinct is an admirable fagacity and dexterity, not in beafts, which neither argue, nor have time to argue; but in the fupreme Wildom, by which they are directed. That inftinct, or that wisdom, which directs a beaft, upon those occafions where in it could not direct itself, were it as rational as men, can be nothing elfe but the wisdom of the artist who made that machine. What should we think of a watch, that should run away when there is occafion for it, defend itself, and make its efcape to prevent any one from breaking it? Should we not admire the art of the workman ? Could any one believe the springs of that watch would have been formed, proportioned, difpofed, and united, by mere chance? Could any one believe he had fully explained thofe induftrious operations, by mentioning the instinct and nature of the watch? In another point of view, is not the balance of the animal world, throughout all ages kept even, manifeftly a work of the divine Wisdom and Providence? By a curious harmony and just proportion between the increase of all animals, and the length of their lives, the world is never over-ftored. One generation paffeth away, and another generation cometh, fo equally in its room, to balance the stock of the terraqueous globe in all ages and places, and among all creatures, that it is an actual demonftration of our Saviour's affertion, that the most inconfiderable creature, even a sparrow, doth not fall on the ground without our heavenly Father. The whole furface of our globe can only afford room and fupport for a certain number of animals; and if they should fo far increase, as to double and treble that number, they muft ftarve or devour one another. To keep therefore the balance even, the Creator has determined the life of all creatures to such a length, and their increase to fuch a number, proportioned to their use in the world. The life of fome animals is long, and their increase but fmall; and by that means they do not overftock the world. The fame benefit is effected, when the increase is great, by the brevity of the lives of fuch creatures, and the frequent occafions there are of them for food to men, or other animals. It is a very remarkable inftance of a divine Providence, that useful creatures are more plentiful than others; and it is obfervable, that

thofe animals which are less useful, or pernicious by reafon of their voracity, have commonly fewer young, or do not bring forth fo often as others: Of which many inftances might be given in the voracious beafts and birds.

But the wife management of the recruits and decays of mankind deferves a particular obfervation. In the beginning of the world, and after the deluge, as the long life of men was of abfolute neceffity to the more speedy peopling of the new world, fo it is a remarkable inftance of the divine Providence. The fame Providence appears in the following ages, when the world was pretty well peopled, by reducing the com-, mon age then of man to 120 years, in proportion to the occafions of the world at that time. Laftly, when the world was fully peopled after the flood, as it was in the age of Mofes, and fo down to our present time, the leffening the common age of men to 70 or 80 years, the age mentioned by Mofes, Pfalm XC. 10, is manifeftly an appointment of the fame infinite Lord who rules the world. By this means the peopled world is kept at a convenient ftay, neither too full, nor too empty. For if the generality of men were to live now to Methufelah's age of 969 years, or only to 175 years, which was the age of Abraham, long after the flood, the world would be too full. Or if the age of man was limited to that of divers other animals, to 10, 20, or 30 years only, the decays of mankind would be too faft. But, at the middle rate, the balance is nearly even, and life and death keep an equal pace.

It appears from our best accounts of these matters, that in our European parts (and very probably it is the fame all over the world) there is a certain proportion in the propagation of mankind. Such a number marry, fo many are born, fuch a number die, in proportion to the number of perfons in every nation, country, or parish. As to births, two things are very confiderable : One is the proportion of males and females, not a wide and uncertain proportion, but nearly equal. Another thing is, that a few more are born than appear to die, in any certain place; which is an admirable provifion for the emergencies and occafions of the world; to fupply unhealthful places, where death out-runs life; to make up the ravages of great plagues and difeafes, and the depredations of war and the feas; and to afford a fufficient number for colonies in the unpeopled parts of the world.

Now, what is all this but an admirable and plain management? What can the maintaining, throughout all ages and places,

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thefe proportions of mankind, and all other creatures, this harmony in the generations of men, be, but the work of one that ruleth the world? Is it poffible that every fpecies of animals fhould fo evenly be preferved, proportionate to the occafions of the world? That they fhould be fo well balanced in all ages and places, without the help of almighty Wisdom and Power? How is it poffible, by the bare rules and blind acts of Nature, that there fhould be any tolerable proportion, for inftance, between males and females, either of mankind, or of any other creature, especially fuch as are of a ferine, not a domeftic nature, and confequently out of the command and management of man? How could life and death keep fuch an even pace through all the animal world? If we fhould take it for granted, that, according to the Scripture hiftory, the world had a beginning (and who can deny it?) or if we hould fuppofe the deftruction thereof by Noah's flood; how was it poffible, after the world was replenished, that, in a certain number of years, by the greater increafes and doublings of each fpecies of animals ; that, I fay, this rate of doubling should cease, or that it should be compenfated by fome other means? That the world fhould be as well, or better stocked than now it is, in 1656 years (the time between the creation and the flood) this, we will fuppofe, may be done by the natural methods of each fpecies' doubling or increase: But, in double that number of years, or at this distance from the flood, of 4000 years, that the world should not be overstocked, can never be made out, without allowing an infinite Providence.

Upon the whole, what lefs can be concluded, than that there is a Being infinitely wife, potent, and kind, able to contrive and make this glorious fcene of things, which I have only given a glance of? For what lefs than infinite could stock fo vaft a globe with fuch a noble set of animals? All fo contrived, as to minister to one another's help fome way or other, and most of them ferviceable to man peculiarly, the top of this lower world, made, as it were, on purpose to obferve, and furvey, and fet forth the glory of the infinite Creator, manifefted in his works? Who? What, but the great God, could fo admirably provide for the

whole animal world every thing serviceable to it, or that can be wished for, either to preferve its fpecies, or to minister to the be ing or well-being of individuals? Particularly, who could feed fo fpacious a world? Who could please fo large a number of palates, or fuit fo many palates to fo great a variety of food, but the infinite Confervator of the world? And who, but the fame great He, could provide fuch commodious cloathing for every animal; fuch proper houses, nefts, and habitations; fuch fuitable armature and weapons; such subtlety, artifice, and fagacity, every creature is more or lefs furnished with, to fence off the injuries of the weather, to rescue itself from dangers, to preferve itself from the annoyances of its enemies; and, in a word, to preferve itfelf and its fpecies? Who, but the infinitely wife Lord of the world, could allot every creature its moft fuitable place to live in, the most suitable element to breathe, and move, and act in? And who, but He, could make fo admirable a set of organs, as thofe of respiration are, both in land and water animals? Who could contrive fo curious a set of limbs, joints, bones, mufcles, and nerves, to give every animal the most commodious motion to its state and occafions? And, to name no more ; what anatomist, mathematician, workman, yea, angel, could contrive and make fo curious, fo commodious, and every way fo exquifite a set of senses, as the five fenfes of animals are; whofe organs are fo dexteroufly contrived, fo conveniently placed in the body, fo neatly adjufted, fo firmly guarded, and fo completely fuited to every occafion, that they plainly fet forth the agency of the infinite Creator and Confervater of the world? So that here, upon a tranfient view of the animal world, we have fuch a throng of glories, fuch an enravishing fcene of things, as may excite us to admire, praise, and adore the infinitely wife, powerful, and kind Creator; to condemn all atheistical principles; and, with holy David, Pfal. XIV. 1, to conclude, that he is in good earnest a fool, that dares to say there is no God, when we are every-where furrounded with such manifeft characters, and plain demonftrations of that infinite Being.

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A COMPARISON between the British and French Dominions. Written by the late George Burrington, Efq; in 1743.

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It must be allowed France is larger than

Britain and Ireland, but it is difputable whether it contains more inhabitants; and it is fo fituated with regard to Spain, Hol

band, Chanders formidable on the continent

be much more formidable on the continent than we are: But even this advantage is purchased at a price far beyond its value:

For

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