As A Nation, They Are Much More
Disposed To Be Content With A Little, And To Enjoy What They Possess
Without Risk, Anxiety, Or Further Labour, Than To Increase Their Wealth At
Such A Price.
The principal commercial ports of France on the Atlantic are Havre, St.
Maloes, Nantes, Bourdeaux, and Bayonne:
Marseilles is the only commercial
port of consequence in the Mediterranean. The principal exports of France
are wines, brandy, vinegar, fruit, oil, woollen cloth of a very fine
quality, silk, perfumery, &c.: the imports are Baltic produce, the
manufactures of England; fruits, drugs, raw wool, leather, &c. from Spain,
Italy, and the Mediterranean states.
3. The next division of Europe comprehends Spain, Portugal, Italy, and
Greece.
Spain, a country highly favoured by nature, and at one period surpassed by
no other kingdom in Europe in civilization, knowledge, industry, and power,
exhibits an instructive and striking instance of the melancholy effects of
political degradation. Under the power of the Arabians, she flourished
exceedingly; and even for a short period after their expulsion, she
retained a high rank in the scale of European kingdoms. The acquisition of
her East Indian and American territories, and the high eminence to which
she was raised during the dominion of Charles V. and his immediate
successors, - events that to a superficial view of things would have
appeared of the greatest advantage to her, - proved, in fact, in their real
and permanent operation, prejudicial to her industry, knowledge, and power.
It would seem that the acquisition of the more precious metals, which may
be likened to the power of converting every thing that is touched into
gold, is to nations what it was to Midas, - a source of evil instead of
good.
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