imagining that the revival of learning would be the most effectual means of preventing its return, he established several schools, which he put under the direction of fome of his most learned followers 24. But the history of these new establishments falls more properly within the fucceeding period, and will make a part of the fourth chapter of the fecond book of this work. 214 Leland's Collectanea, v. 2. p. 42. The biftory of the arts in Great Britain, from the A body ance of the arts. S artists of various kinds conftitute a great Importbody of the citizens of every civilized nation, and by their skill and industry contribute not a little to the wealth and prosperity of the state, as well as to the happiness of all its members, it cannot be inconfiftent with the dignity or ends of history to record the invention and progrefs of the most useful arts, and to preferve the memory of the most ingenious artifts. Befides this, a careful investigation of the state of the arts among any people, in any period of their history, is one of the beft means of discovering VOL. II. H their Division of the arts into neceffary and pleafing. Neceffary arts. their genius, manners, and circumftances in that period. For thefe reafons, and others which need not be particularly mentioned, the fifth chapter of every book of this work is to contain a brief delineation of the ftate of the arts in this ifland, in the period which is the fubject of that book. The defign of all the arts being either to fupply the neceffities or promote the pleasures of mankind, they may not improperly be divided into two claffes; the one of which may be called that of the neceffary, and the other that of the pleafing arts. The neceffary arts are thofe which are employed in providing food, lodging, clothing, and defence, which are neceffary to the fuftenance and prefervation of human life. The pleafing arts are thofe which cannot be faid to be neceffary to the fupport of life, but contribute very much to its happiness, by charming the fenfes, delighting the imagination, and filling the mind with agreeable feelings of various kinds. Nothing is fo neceffary to the preservation of life as a fufficient quantity of food, and therefore the procuring of this hath always been the first object of the art and industry of mankind in all countries. It is indeed true, that there are very few countries in which a fmall number of human creatures may not fuftain a wretched life, without either art or industry, by eating without dreffing what the earth produceth without cultivation; and it is not improbable that the first favage inhabitants of this inland, as well as of many other countries, fubfifted for fome time in this miferable manner '." &c. But as the fpontaneous productions of the Hunting, earth in this climate, which are fuited to the fuftenance of the human body, are not very plentiful, and are in a great measure deftroyed in the winter feafon, the firft inhabitants of Britain would foon be under a neceffity of looking out for fome more abundant and permanent means of fubfiftence; and could not fail to caft their eyes on the prodigious number of animals of various kinds with which they were furrounded on all hands. Some of thefe animals excelling men in fwiftnefs, others exceeding them in ftrength and fiercenefs; fome concealing themselves under water, and others flying up into the air, far beyond their reach; it became neceffary to invent a multitude of arts, to get thefe animals into their poffeffion, in order to feed upon them. This gave rife to the arts of hunting, fowling, and fishing, which are, and always have been the moft ferious employments of favage nations, and the chief means of their fubfiftence. The ancient Germans, when they were not engaged in war, fpent a great part of their time in hunting; and fo, no doubt, did the most ancient Britons. Even in the beginning of the third century, all the unconquered Origin of Laws, Arts, &c. v. 1. p. 76, 77. • Cæfar de Bel. Gal. 1. 4. c. 1. |
