ing foreign Habits, and Manners, and Gestures. In these the English need not be beholden to others; but in their Fruits, in their Manufactures, in their Engines, in their Works in Gold, and Silver, and Brass, and Iron, we may follow their Practice, and emulate their Curiosities without Affectation.
There is one Instance which will shew how our Respect to outlandish Things is to be regulated. To depend on the French for every little Fashion of Cloaths, and to equal their Nobility in their way of Life, is neither for our Honour nor Profit. For the difference between their Gentry and ours, and their Commonalty and ours, is so great, that the same Manners will not be decent in us, which become them well enough. But to learn from them their Skill in Horsemanship and Arms, their Building, their Cultivation of Fruits, the Parsimony and Industry of their Tradesmen, is commendable; for in these Things we are defective, and they excel. It is therefore the Admiration of foreign Extravagancies, and not the Imitation of their Excellencies that is to be condemn'd. If we will rather obstinately be content with our own Store, than borrow what is good from Abroad; we flatter our selves with the same foolish Imaginations, that all Countries had, while they were barbarous. To them their Acorns and their Cottages were at first the utmost Ends of their Ambition. They knew no more, nor aspir'd to any farther Addition; but as soon as a new Light sprung forth amongst them, they despis'd themselves and their former Condition; and then they first began to understand their Wants, when they perceiv'd how they might be supply'd. As long as we find that all parts of our Country are not Ingenious, Inventive, and Industrious alike, we cannot presume that we
