INTRODUCTION. 'j 



form fome idea. The inftruments originally made ufe of 

 were, undoubtedly, very rude, and fuch as could be managed 

 by the hand only, perhaps fimilar to our fpade and hoe. The 

 want of metals, together with their ignorance of the ufe of 

 them, efpecially iron, would occafion thefe inftruments to be 

 conftru^led of hard wood. Agriculture, under fuch circum- 

 ftances, muft have been attended with a degree of perfonal 

 labour, of which, in our prefeni improved Hate, we can form 

 but a very imperfe£l idea. 



Laborious as thefe operations were, and low and abjecl as 

 the ftate of human nature mult have been, there is a circum- 

 flance, conne6fed with their hillory, ftrongly defcriptive of 

 the benefits arifing from the united powers of men, even in 

 the rudelt ages ; and from which we may date all the advan- 

 tages enjoyed in the moft improved flate of civil fociety. 



We are told, that, in ancient times, (and the example of fe- 

 reral nations, at this day, leaves little roqm to doubt tiie fa61), 

 the whole foil was cultivated for the general benefit, every 

 member of the community being obliged to contribute his 

 perfonal labour and afiiftance during the feed time and har- 

 veft \ in return for which, a due proportion of the produce 

 was afhgned him. Perhaps one caufe of this would arife 

 from the lazy indolent members of the community negledling 

 to cultivate a fufliciency of food for themfelves and families, 

 and by that means becoming a burden upon the induflry of 

 the reft. It is, however, probable that the moil powerful 

 motive for this union was owing to another caufe. 



It requires flender experience to convince men, in any ftage 

 of fociety, that the united (Irength of the whole exceeds, in 

 a very uncommon proportion, the folitary unaffiiled exer- 

 tions of individual labour. The fable of the bundle of rods, 

 fo exprefhve, and now fo familiar, undoubtedly belongs to 

 that period, and muft have forced itlelf upon the notice of 

 every mind capable of obfervation. Without all qucftion, the 

 colle£led talents and exertions of u\c individuals of which 

 any community is compofed, ccuiiitutes a common ftock, 

 from whence the happinefs and comfort of the whole are 

 derived. Any fyftem, therefore, that Vvas calculated to 



A 4 biir.g 



