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THE NATUUE AND CAUSES OI'

come so considerable as to attract the attention of the mothercountry, the hrst regulations which she made with regard tothem had always in view to secure to herself the monopolyof their commerce ; to confine their market, and to enlargeher own at their expense, and, consequently, rather to dampand discourage, than to quicken and forward the course oftheir prosperity. In the different ways in which this mono-poly has been exercised, consists one of the most essentialdifferences in the policy of the different European nationswith regard to their colonies. The best of them all, that ofEngland, is only somewhat less illiberal and oppressive thanthat of any of the rest.

In what way, therefore, has the policy of Europe contri-buted either to the first establishment, or to the present gran-deur of the colonies of America ? In one way, and in one wayonly, it has contributed a good deal. Magna virum mater !It bred and formed the men who were capable of achievingsuch great actions, and of laying the foundation of so greatan empire; and there is no 'other quarter of the world ofwhich the policy is capable of forming, or has ever actuallyand in fact formed such men. The colonies owe to thepolicy of Europe the education and great views of their ac-tive and enterprising founders ; and some of the greatest andmost important of them, so far as concerns their internal go-vernment, owe to it scarce any thing else.

PART THIRD.

Of the Advantages which Europe has derived from the Dis-covery of America and from that of a Passage to theEast Indies by the Cape of Good Hope .

Such are the advantages which the colonies of America have derived from the policy of Europe .

What are those which Europe has derived from the dis-covery and colonization of America ?

Those advantages may be divided, first, into the generaladvantages which Europe , considered as one great country,has derived from those great events; and, secondly, into theparticular advantages which each colonizing country hasderived from the colonies which particularly belong to it, inconsequence of the authority or dominion which it exercisesover them.