For those vast migrations of brave vet barbarous na tions, by which the Roman empire was overwhelmed, we may assign very natural causes. The Romans had become a wealthy and a dissipated, and they were there fore a degenerated people. Their luxury and weak ness at once tempted and encouraged their invaders, who emigrated in great multitudes, hoping to obtain at one time the glory of conquest, and settlements in a and better country.
Accident seems to have sometimes opened a way for emigration. The occasional passage of some river or sea, of some forest or desert, or chain of mountains, which had served as a barrier, has opened a way at one time to the noble spirit of discovery, and the insatiable spirit of cupidity and ambition. Exaggerated reports have commonly been made of the new discovered coun try, and if these have been employed in artful hands, in order to excite emigration, great effects have taken place.
Savage tribes have often been driven to emigrate by war. Jealous of their liberty, and wanting only a suit able extent of territol y in which they may live by the chase, they can readily remove out of a land in which they possess no cultivated fields, and no dwellings but such as are slight and temporary. This view of things furnishes an explanation of the numerous, extensive, and yet seldom recorded migrations which have taken place among the tribes of North and South America.
The spirit of colonization was nearly as ardent among the commercial and powerful cities of antiquity, as it is in modern times; hut the means of gratifying that spi rit were more limited. If the use of the mariner's com pass had been known, discovery and colonization must have extended themselves much earlier over the world. lt is rather to be wondered at, that occasional stonns and other accidents had not earlier and more widely con veyed tilt Iviowledge of nations to each other; but while the ocean intervened, and seamen durst not venture to sail much bey ond the sight of land, extensile ra lions to remote parts were not practicable.
That considerable migrations, notwithstanding those difficulties, have occasionally taken place, is believ ed on grounds apparently good. Whatever it may be that has impressed a strong and easily discriminated character on the different races of mankind, it seems undeniable that some of those races which belong to one quarter of the globe have found their way.into ano
ther. History does not record the time, nor the means of these migrations; but an established resemblance in features, in stature, and complexion ; in habits also, and even in language, appears demonstrative of the fact.
Few subjects of disquisition can be more interesting than it would be to trace the causes an.1 means of such migrations; but as neither the moral, nor the natural, or political causes of such events can now be certainly ascertained, it seems better to restrain curiosity within due bounds, and to attend particularly to events which cannot fail to be interesting in this kingdom, especially to those parts of it from which emigration has most fre quently and extensively drained away the inhabitants.
Very discordant and even opposite opinions are held by different persons, with respect to the causes and the consequences of emigration from the Highlands of Scotland. The author of this article has long attended to the subject; and having no passion in these matters to gratify, no interest to promote, and no end to accom plish, the views that he submits he conceives to have been fairly and impartially formed.
Many of the Scotish highlanders resort to the diffe rent colonies of Great Britain, with a view to employ ment or fortune; and many betake themselves to the lower districts of Scotland, or to England, and reside mostly in the chief towns, or cities, with similar views.
It is not to these persons, however numerous, that this article is intended to apply : They have migrated as individuals for private objects; and their choice of a place of residence, or mode of employment, is not an object of public attention. In respects, their mi gration has been productive not only of private but of public advantage.
But when vessels are hired and chartered, for the pur pose of conveying great bodies of emigrants from a country but thinly peopled; and when the destination of these is to remote countries, to which it is often difficult for them to procure a passage, and from which there is no prospect of their returning,—the matter becomes, in no slight degree, interesting to the public.