the work, I found my abilities no more than fufficient for executing a few Sketch

These are brought under the following heads. 1. Progress of Men independent of Society. 2. Progrefs of Men in Society. 3. Progrefs of Sciences. To explain these heads a preliminary discourse is neceffary; which is, to examine, Whether all men be of one lineage, defcended from a single pair, or whether there be different races originally diftinct.

PRE

PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE, Concerning the Origin of MEN and of LANGUAGES.

WH

HETHER there be different races of men, or whether all men be of one race without any difference but what proceeds from climate or other external cause, is a question that philofophers differ widely about. As the question is of moment in tracing the hiftory 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 wellbeing, 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

he

as much knowledge of animals as is neceffary even for felf-prefervation: 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, each kind having a figure and a temper peculiar to itself great uniformity is difcovered among animals of the fame kind; great variety among animals of different kinds. And to prevent confufion, kindṣ are diftinguished externally by figure, air, manner, fo clearly as not to escape even a child *Nor does divine wisdom stop 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 (a). Our road to the

* " And out of the ground the Lord God form"ed every beaft of the field, and every fowl of the ❝air, and brought them unto Adam to fee what he "would call them. And Adam gave names to all "cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every "beaft of the field." Gen. ii. 19.

(a) See Elements of Criticifm, vol. 2. p. 490. edit. 5.

knowledge

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 first fight of a cow in Africa, ftrokes it as gentle and innocent; and an African avoids a tiger in Hindoftan as at 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 (a). Some animals indeed are fo fimilar, as to render it uncertain whether they be not radically of the fame kind. But in fuch inftances we need not to be folicitous; for I venture to affirm, that both will be found gentle or fierce, wholesome food or unwholefome. Such questions may be curious, but they are of little use.

Whether man be provided by nature with a faculty to distinguish innocent animals from what are noxious, feems not a clear point: fuch a faculty may be

(a) See M. Buffon's natural hiftory.

thought

thought unneceffary to man, being fupplied 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 itfelf upon the body, and bites it with fury. A hound has the fame faculty with refpect 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 firft fight of a kite,

* Brute animals have many instincts that are denied to man; becaufe the want of them can be fupplied 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. foal, the moment it fees the light, walks no lefs perfectly than its parents. And fo does a partridge, lapwing, &c.

A

Dente lupus, cornu taurus petit; unde nifi intus Monftratum? HORACE.

cowers