a journey to-第24章

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and　whole　neighbourhoods　formed　parties　for　removal；　so　that
departure　from　their　native　country　is　no　longer　exile。　　He　that
goes　thus　accompanied；　carries　with　him　all　that　makes　life
pleasant。　　He　sits　down　in　a　better　climate；　surrounded　by　his
kindred　and　his　friends：　　they　carry　with　them　their　language；
their　opinions；　their　popular　songs；　and　hereditary　merriment：
they　change　nothing　but　the　place　of　their　abode；　and　of　that
change　they　perceive　the　benefit。

This　is　the　real　effect　of　emigration；　if　those　that　go　away
together　settle　on　the　same　spot；　and　preserve　their　ancient　union。
But　some　relate　that　these　adventurous　visitants　of　unknown
regions；　after　a　voyage　passed　in　dreams　of　plenty　and　felicity；
are　dispersed　at　last　upon　a　Sylvan　wilderness；　where　their　first
years　must　be　spent　in　toil；　to　clear　the　ground　which　is
afterwards　to　be　tilled；　and　that　the　whole　effect　of　their
undertakings　is　only　more　fatigue　and　equal　scarcity。

Both　accounts　may　be　suspected。　　Those　who　are　gone　will　endeavour
by　every　art　to　draw　others　after　them；　for　as　their　numbers　are
greater；　they　will　provide　better　for　themselves。　　When　Nova　Scotia
was　first　peopled；　I　remember　a　letter；　published　under　the
character　of　a　New　Planter；　who　related　how　much　the　climate　put
him　in　mind　of　Italy。　　Such　intelligence　the　Hebridians　probably
receive　from　their　transmarine　correspondents。　　But　with　equal
temptations　of　interest；　and　perhaps　with　no　greater　niceness　of
veracity；　the　owners　of　the　Islands　spread　stories　of　American
hardships　to　keep　their　people　content　at　home。

Some　method　to　stop　this　epidemick　desire　of　wandering；　which
spreads　its　contagion　from　valley　to　valley；　deserves　to　be　sought
with　great　diligence。　　In　more　fruitful　countries；　the　removal　of
one　only　makes　room　for　the　succession　of　another：　　but　in　the
Hebrides；　the　loss　of　an　inhabitant　leaves　a　lasting　vacuity；　for
nobody　born　in　any　other　parts　of　the　world　will　choose　this
country　for　his　residence；　and　an　Island　once　depopulated　will
remain　a　desert；　as　long　as　the　present　facility　of　travel　gives
every　one；　who　is　discontented　and　unsettled；　the　choice　of　his
abode。

Let　it　be　inquired；　whether　the　first　intention　of　those　who　are
fluttering　on　the　wing；　and　collecting　a　flock　that　they　may　take
their　flight；　be　to　attain　good；　or　to　avoid　evil。　　If　they　are
dissatisfied　with　that　part　of　the　globe；　which　their　birth　has
allotted　them；　and　resolve　not　to　live　without　the　pleasures　of
happier　climates；　if　they　long　for　bright　suns；　and　calm　skies；　and
flowery　fields；　and　fragrant　gardens；　I　know　not　by　what　eloquence
they　can　be　persuaded；　or　by　what　offers　they　can　be　hired　to　stay。

But　if　they　are　driven　from　their　native　country　by　positive　evils；
and　disgusted　by　ill…treatment；　real　or　imaginary；　it　were　fit　to
remove　their　grievances；　and　quiet　their　resentment；　since；　if　they
have　been　hitherto　undutiful　subjects；　they　will　not　much　mend
their　principles　by　American　conversation。

To　allure　them　into　the　army；　it　was　thought　proper　to　indulge　them
in　the　continuance　of　their　national　dress。　　If　this　concession
could　have　any　effect；　it　might　easily　be　made。　　That　dissimilitude
of　appearance；　which　was　supposed　to　keep　them　distinct　from　the
rest　of　the　nation；　might　disincline　them　from　coalescing　with　the
Pensylvanians；　or　people　of　Connecticut。　　If　the　restitution　of
their　arms　will　reconcile　them　to　their　country；　let　them　have
again　those　weapons；　which　will　not　be　more　mischievous　at　home
than　in　the　Colonies。　　That　they　may　not　fly　from　the　increase　of
rent；　I　know　not　whether　the　general　good　does　not　require　that　the
landlords　be；　for　a　time；　restrained　in　their　demands；　and　kept
quiet　by　pensions　proportionate　to　their　loss。

To　hinder　insurrection；　by　driving　away　the　people；　and　to　govern
peaceably；　by　having　no　subjects；　is　an　expedient　that　argues　no
great　profundity　of　politicks。　　To　soften　the　obdurate；　to　convince
the　mistaken；　to　mollify　the　resentful；　are　worthy　of　a　statesman；
but　it　affords　a　legislator　little　self…applause　to　consider；　that
where　there　was　formerly　an　insurrection；　there　is　now　a
wilderness。

It　has　been　a　question　often　agitated　without　solution；　why　those
northern　regions　are　now　so　thinly　peopled；　which　formerly
overwhelmed　with　their　armies　the　Roman　empire。　　The　question
supposes　what　I　believe　is　not　true；　that　they　had　once　more
inhabitants　than　they　could　maintain；　and　overflowed　only　because
they　were　full。

This　is　to　estimate　the　manners　of　all　countries　and　ages　by　our
own。　　Migration；　while　the　state　of　life　was　unsettled；　and　there
was　little　communication　of　intelligence　between　distant　places；
was　among　the　wilder　nations　of　Europe；　capricious　and　casual。　　An
adventurous　projector　heard　of　a　fertile　coast　unoccupied；　and　led
out　a　colony；　a　chief　of　renown　for　bravery；　called　the　young　men
together；　and　led　them　out　to　try　what　fortune　would　present。　　When
Caesar　was　in　Gaul；　he　found　the　Helvetians　preparing　to　go　they
knew　not　whither；　and　put　a　stop　to　their　motions。　　They　settled
again　in　their　own　country；　where　they　were　so　far　from　wanting
room；　that　they　had　accumulated　three　years　provision　for　their
march。

The　religion　of　the　North　was　military；　if　they　could　not　find
enemies；　it　was　their　duty　to　make　them：　　they　travelled　in　quest
of　danger；　and　willingly　took　the　chance　of　Empire　or　Death。　　If
their　troops　were　numerous；　the　countries　from　which　they　were
collected　are　of　vast　extent；　and　without　much　exuberance　of　people
great　armies　may　be　raised　where　every　man　is　a　soldier。　　But　their
true　numbers　were　never　known。　　Those　who　were　conquered　by　them
are　their　historians；　and　shame　may　have　excited　them　to　say；　that
they　were　overwhelmed　with　multitudes。　　To　count　is　a　modern
practice；　the　ancient　method　was　to　guess；　and　when　numbers　are
guessed　they　are　always　magnified。

Thus　England　has　for　several　years　been　filled　with　the
atchievements　of　seventy　thousand　Highlanders　employed　in　America。
I　have　heard　from　an　English　officer；　not　much　inclined　to　favour
them；　that　their　behaviour　deserved　a　very　high　degree　of　military
praise；　but　their　number　has　been　much　exaggerated。　　One　of　the
ministers　told　me；　that　seventy　thousand　men　could　not　have　been
found　in　all　the　Highlands；　and　that　more　than　twelve　thousand
never　took　the　field。　　Those　that　went　to　the　American　war；　went　to
destruction。　　Of　the　old　Highland　regiment；　consisting　of　twelve
hundred；　only　seventy…six　survived　to　see　their　country　again。

The　Gothick　swarms　have　at　least　been　multiplied　with　equal
liberality。　　That　they　bore　no　great　proportion　to　the　inhabitants；
in　whose　countries　they　settled；　is　plain　from　the　paucity　of
northern　words　now　found　in　the　provincial　languages。　　Their
country　was　not　deserted　for　want　of　room；　because　it　was　covered
with　forests　of　vast　extent；　and　the　first　effect　of　plenitude　of
inhabitants　is　the　destruction　of　wood。　　As　the　Europeans　spread
over　America　the　lands　are　gradually　laid　naked。

I　would　not　be　understood　to　say；　that　necessity　had　never　any　part
in　their　expeditions。　　A　nation；　whose　agriculture　is　scanty　or
unskilful；　may　be　driven　out　by　famine。　　A　nation　of　hunters　may
have　exhausted　their　game。　　I　only　affirm　that　the　northern　regions
were　not；　when　their　irruptions　subdued　the　Romans；　overpeopled
with　regard　to　their　real　extent　of　territory；　and　power　of
fertility。　　In　a　country　fully　inhabited；　however　afterward　laid
waste；　evident　marks　will　remain　of　its　former　populousness。　　But
of　Scandinavia　and　Germany；　nothing　is　known　but　that　as　we　trace
their　state　upwards　into　antiquity；　their　woods　were　greater；　and
their　cultivated　ground　was　less。

That　causes　were　different　from　want　of　room　may　produce　a　general
disposition　to　seek　another　country　is　apparent　from　the　present
conduct　of　the　Highlanders；　who　are　in　some　places　ready　to
threaten　a　total　secession。　　The　numbers　which　have　already　gone；
though　like　other　numbers　they　may　be　magnified；　are　very　great；
and　such　as　if　they　had　gone　together　and　agreed　upon　any　c