The recorder. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1802-1803, 1803-04-20

general object and importance OF the
ieveral queries be conndered, in relation
to their different fubie6ts, the iimi)itude
becomes more lively and furprizing>
The twenty-three queries have for their
iubJe6t the Philosophical and moral
hiltory of a great fate the fnbiect
OF the twenty-five queries is, the pny
iical and moral hifory of a great pelcn-
age, oHe Of t6s organs Of tie pnbAc q0iA.
&c. &c.
Having traced and efabllhed the re-
Tendance, between the queries put by
you to the Calcutta POLICEMAN, and thofe
addreHed 60 the author Of the Notes BY
a diltlnguiihed foreigner it would be
higly 'lnbecoming the dignity and cha
racter of philoiophy, 20 pats over in
iiiencc phenomenon, in It's air and
impreGion 10 Itriking and ingular, with
out an attempt even to explore the ope-
rating caur which has produced it.
In accounting for the refemblanct
Uncovered between the initirutions of
the four preceding luxurious law divers
various philosophers of equal celebrity,
have deduced it from different caufcs.
Some philosophers have begun bv pro
wing an affinity between the various races
OF men in their original itate. This Do
iition being ellablihed, it follows, that
when they were leparated, no n1arrer
when or in what way, each party or
tribe carried wieh ;r, the ,tz5ftion of
their common, though ifnali Rock Of
LOCAL inftitutlons, jult as our ancefors
brought with them the common law
from the mother country, as it is per
verlely called, byfome ltiff- necked ar;(.
tocrats ; and, as in the original fate, ali
the regulations which they had, werr
formed upon the itnrimrnts and ideas
chat arofc in rheir minds, from their
wants, their concentrates, or their flfe-
~ 10, IN their new condition, in pro
portion as they advanced in improve
ments or proVIhons foY either. The
traditional notions of the regulations,
which had held them together in the fate,
from which they had been di(united,
would taiinion the principles, and model
the forms OF all future inltirutions. And
thus they account for the ffrono marks
OF family likenels, which you have Oh
ierved between the focal innitrri0ns Of
the tour famous law givcrs. Bur this
expedition of the caule viii afford ,ne
no altiitance in The ioIution Of the pro.
Diem, which, from the high and imperi-
Gus Claims Of philoiophy, have felt
myielf called upon TO relolvc, Gnce rh4
arguments which iuitain the petition of
original affinity lnrhe FOREGOING explica.
uon, are drawn from the resemblance
thar IS ob1ervabje between the manners.
forms, ceremonies, cultoms, habits.
uiages and propcnfities, arifing out Of
rfeie particulars, in the leYeraI tribes
ana narons OF men, ftuated On differ
ehr Quarters OF the globe, after they
have arrived TO a refined and poli!hed
ltate OF toclety. And when we are told
Shat the foreigner Of diltin6ion was a.
fFenchman, and you a Scotchman, all
Pr"tPect Of drawing any arguments in
fuPPort OF IN original affinity between
you, from any resemblance between
your manners, habits and propenGties
IN your Pollihed fate, is at an end, Fer
II we coniult the reports which the an
cients have made Of the manners end
chara5fors OF your TWO nations, at the
mott remote periods of antiquity fror,
which we have any accounts ~ tradition
or otherwlie, we find they all agreed
70 conildeT you as di!tinct races of men.
ana IN tracing thealrerations and chanoes
which the manners, characters, tenn
PerS and diiPolitions Of your nations,
nave ieverally undergone fnce, ii would