and that the whole world, in this high state of improvement, shall go on to make further and still further discoveries, until human society shall attain a degree of perfection of which we have now no conception? Who can tell but the human mind, thus placed in new circumstances, shall exhibit powers which it is not now known to possess, and society shall be advanced as far above its present state of civilization as its present state is superior to that of the savage? Who can say to the human mind-Thus far shalt thou advance, but no farther? Go, arrest the motion of the winds-stop the diurnal revolution of the earth, or stay the planets in their course. Do this, and then-but not till then— hope to arrest the progress of the human mind. Great is truth, and shall prevail. As certain as the laws of nature-as certain as the appearance of Aurora foretells the rising sun-so sure shall the present twilight of knowledge be succeeded by the blazing splendours of meridian day.

LECTURE III.

THE COMMERCE OF TYRE AND CARTHAGE.

Origin of Navigation. Rise of Tyre and Carthage Maritime Power-Influence of Navigation on Commerce-Advantages of an Insular Situation - Ships of the Ancients-Long VoyagesCarrying Trade. Manufactures-WeavingDyeing -Pottery Tanning - Working of Metals. Colonies-Colonial Trade-Rate of Wages-Emigration. Accumulation of Capital

-Credit-Banking-Bottomry-Partnerships -Joint Stock Companies. Commercial Character of the Carthaginians.

IN my first Lecture I laid down some of the elementary principles of commercial science. We stated that the commerce of a country depended on its productions—on its consumption

-on its position-on its means of communication on the state of its arts and sciences-on the nature of its laws, and on the genius and

character of the people. We endeavoured to illustrate these propositions by facts taken from the history of Ancient Egypt. In my last Lecture we traced the progress of society from an uncivilized to a commercial state; we viewed the establishment of the right of private property the administration of justice the

founding of cities-the appointment of markets and fairs—and the introduction of money and bankers. These principles we endeavoured to illustrate by facts taken from the history of Ancient Greece. We now view society arrived at a state of maturity. Property is respected— the laws are enforced-the arts and sciences are cultivated-the necessaries of life are acquired-a taste for luxury has arisen—and the people are looking about in quest of the means to enrich themselves with those productions which their own soil and climate cannot supply.

If we wish to trace the means by which these desires are gratified, how can we do better than to investigate the history of Tyre and of Carthage?

The country called Phoenicia was situated on

THE HISTORY OF TYRE.

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the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, to the north-west of Canaan, and to the south-west of Syria. The territory was but small, and, like most other ancient countries, was at first subdivided into several independent states. The two largest cities were Tyre and Sidon. Old Tyre was situated on the land, and withstood a siege for thirteen years by Nebuchadnezzar. Ultimately it was taken; but the Tyrians having the command of the sea, removed themselves, their families, and their property, before Nebuchadnezzar could take possession of the place. The Tyrians afterwards returned, and built New Tyre, which was at a little distance from the land, and was founded on a rock about three miles in circumference. This new city was besieged by Alexander the Great, and taken, with great slaughter, after a siege of seven months. Tyre is thus described in the Holy Scriptures:-"A joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth."-"Tyrus did build herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver as the dust,

and fine gold as the mire of the street. When the waves went forth out of the seas, thou filledst many people; thou didst enrich the kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy merchandize." Tyre carried on a considerable traffic with the adjacent country of Judea. Solomon, king of Israel, made a treaty with Hiram, king of Tyre, by virtue of which the Tyrians hewed timber in the forest of Lebanon, and brought it down in fleets to Joppa, from whence it was carried to Jerusalem, to construct the Temple, and other public buildings, and in return Solomon supplied Hiram annually with wheat and barley, and wine and oil, all of which Judea produced in abundance. Afterwards, when Solomon fitted out a fleet at Eziongeber to go to Tarshish, Hiram furnished him with sailors, as the Tyrians understood maritime affairs much better than the Israelites. In a subsequent period, after the division of the ten tribes, Ahab, the king of Israel, married Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon, and introduced the worship of Baal, the god of the Sidonians; and