SKETCHES OF THE HISTORY OF MAN. THE 1 HE Human Species is in every view an interesting subject, and has been in every age the chief inquiry of philofophers. The faculties of the mind have been explored, and the affections of the heart; but there is ftill wanting a hiftory of the fpecies, in its progrefs from the favage ftate to its highest civilization and improvement. Above thirty years ago, the author began to collect materials for that hiftory; and, in the vigour of youth, did not think the undertaking too bold even for a fingle hand but, in the progrefs of the work, he found his abilities no more than fufficient for profecuting a few imperfect Sketches. These are brought under the following heads. 1. Progrefs of Men independent of Society. 2. Progrefs of Men in So ciety. 3. Progrefs of the Sciences. To explain thefe heads, a preliminary difcourfe is neceffary; which is, to examine, Whether all men be of one lineage, defcended from a fingle pair, or whether there be different races originally liftinct. PRE PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE, concerning the Origin of MEN and of LANGUAGES. HETHER there are different races of men, or whether all men are of one race without any difference but what proceeds from climate or other external caufe, is a queftion which philofophers differ widely about. As the question is of moment in tracing the history of man, I purpose to contribute my mite. And, in order to admit all the light poffible, a view of brute animals as divided into different races or kinds, will make a proper introduction. As many animals contribute to our well-being, and as many are noxious, man would be a being not a little imperfect, were he provided with no means but experience for diftinguishing the one fort from the other. Did every animal make a fpecies by itself (indulging the expreffion) differing from all others, a man would finish his courfe without acquiring as much knowledge of animals as is neceffary even for felf-preservation: be would be abfolutely at a lofs with respect to unknown individuals. The Deity has left none of his works imperfect. Animals are formed of different kinds; refemblance prevailing among animals of the fame kind, diffimilitude among animals of different kinds. And, to prevent confufion, A 2 fion, kinds are diftinguished externally by figure, air, manner, fo clearly as not to escape even a child. Nor does Divine Wisdom ftop here: to complete the fyftem, we are endued with an innate conviction, that each kind has properties peculiar to itself; and that these properties belong to every individual of the kind t. Our road to the knowledge of animals is thus wonderfully fhortened the experience we have of the difpofition and properties of any animal, is applied without hesitation to every one of the kind. By that conviction, a child, familiar with one dog, is fond of others that refemble it: An European, upon the firft fight of a cow in Africa, ftrokes it as gentle and innocent and an African avoids a tiger in Hindoftan as át home. If the foregoing theory be well founded, neither experience nor argument is required to prove, that a horfe is not an ass, or that a monkey is not a man. In fome individuals indeed, there is fuch a mixture of refemblance and diffimilitude, as to render it uncertain to what species they belong. But fuch inftances are rare, and impinge not on the general law. Such queftions may be curious, but they are of little ufe. Whether * "And out of the ground the Lord God formed every "beaft of the field, and every fowl of the air, and brought "them unto Adam to see what he would call them. And "Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, ❝and to every beast of the field." Gen. ii. 19. See Elements of Criticism, vol. 2. p. 490. edit. 5. See M. Buffon's Natural History. Whether man be provided by nature with a faculty to distinguish innocent animals from what are noxious, seems not a clear point: fuch a faculty may be thought unneceffary to man, being supplied by reafon and experience. But as reafon and experience have little influence on brute animals, they undoubtedly poffefs that faculty *. A beast of prey would be ill fitted for its station, if nature did not teach it what creatures to attack, what to avoid. A rabbit is the prey of the ferret. Present a rabbit, even dead, to a young ferret that never had feen a rabbit: it throws itself upon the body, and bites it with fury. A hound has the fame faculty with respect to a hare; and most dogs have it. Unless directed by nature, innocent animals would not know their enemy till they were in its clutches. A hare flies with precipitation from the first dog it ever faw; and a chicken, upon the fight of a kite, cowers under its dam. Social animals, without fcruple, connect with their own kind, and as readily avoid others †. Birds * Brute animals have many instincts that are denied to man, because the want of them can be supplied by education An infant must be taught to walk; and it is long before it acquires the art in perfection. Brutes have no teacher but nature. A foal, the moment it fees the light, walks no lefs perfectly than its parents. And fo does a partridge, lapwing, &c. Dente lupus, cornu taurus petit; unde nifi intus Monftratum. HORACE. †The populace about Smyrna have a cruel amusement. They lay the eggs of a hen in a ftork's neft. Upon seeing the chickens, |