OCR Text |
Show !l ON THE SLAVERY AND CoMMERCII: vi tude? It remains only now to obferve, in Jhewing this cuil:om to have been univerfal, that all thofe nations which affiil:ed in over~ turning the Roman Empire, though many and various, adopted the fame meafures ; for we find it a general maxim in their polity, that whoever lhould fall into their hands as a prifoner of war, lhould imme~ diately be reduced to the condition of a flave. It may here, perhaps, be not unworthy of remark, that the involuntary were of greater antiquity than the voluntary flaves. The latter are firil: mentioned in the time of Pharaoh: they could have arifen only in a frate of fociety; when property, after its clivi/ion, had become Co unequal, as to mul~ tiply the wants of individuals; and when government, after its efl:ablilhment, had given fecurity to the polleifor by the punilh~ . ment of crimes. Whereas the former feem, to be dated with more propriety from the days of Nimrod; who gave rife probably to that infeparable idea of 'hitlory and firvitude, which we find among the nations of anti~ 'luit:y, and which has exiil:ed qniforml:y fince, in OF THE HUMAN SPECIES. 9 in one country or another, to the pre!ent day.* Add to this, that they might have arifen even in a fl:ate of nature, and have been coevalwith the quarrels of mankind. C H A P. III. But it was not victory alone, or any pre~ ftippofed right, founded in the damages of war, that afforded a pretence for invading the liberties of mankind : the honourable light, in which piracy was conlidered in the uncivilized ages of the world, contributed not a little to the jlavery of the human fpe~ cies. Piracy had a very early beginning. " The Grecians," t fays Thucydides, " in '' their primitive fl:ate, as well as the con~ " temporary barbarians, who inhabited the " fea coa!ts anq iflands, gave themfelves " wholly to it; it was, in lhort, their only '' profeffion and fupport," The writings • " Proud Nimrod firft: the bloody chace began, " A mighty hunter, and his prey was man."' PoeE. t Thqcydides. L. •· fub initiq. of |