read it much, and can by memory repeat many passages; which yet I
could not discover that they understood the beauties of. Is it not a
little singular to see these books in the hands of fishermen, who
are perfect strangers almost to any other? Josephus's history is
indeed intelligible, and much fitter for their modes of education
and taste; as it describes the history of a people from whom we have
received the prophecies which we believe, and the religious laws
which we follow.

Learned travellers, returned from seeing the paintings and
antiquities of Rome and Italy, still filled with the admiration and
reverence they inspire, would hardly be persuaded that so
contemptible a spot, which contains nothing remarkable but the
genius and the industry of its inhabitants, could ever be an object
worthy attention. But I, having never seen the beauties which Europe
contains, cheerfully satisfy myself with attentively examining what
my native country exhibits: if we have neither ancient
amphitheatres, gilded palaces, nor elevated spires; we enjoy in our
woods a substantial happiness which the wonders of art cannot
communicate. None among us suffer oppression either from government
or religion; there are very few poor except the idle, and
fortunately the force of example, and the most ample encouragement,
soon create a new principle of activity, which had been extinguished
perhaps in their native country, for want of those opportunities
which so often compel honest Europeans to seek shelter among us. The
means of procuring subsistence in Europe are limited; the army may
be full, the navy may abound with seamen, the land perhaps wants no
additional labourers, the manufacturer is overcharged with
supernumerary hands; what then must become of the unemployed? Here,
on the contrary, human industry has acquired a boundless field to