HISTORY OF VERMONT. 575 



state of man. By making; men very unequal iil 

 their powers and capacities, nature has efftctu- 

 all) prevented this. The whole race resen,b!e 

 one another in the make and form of their bod- 

 ies ; in their original appetites, passions^ and 

 inclinations ; in reason, understanding;, and the 

 moral sense, &c. But in these respects it is 

 similitude, not equality, which nature has pro- 

 duced. To some, the author of nature has as- 

 signed superior powers of the mind, a strength 

 of reason and discernment, a capacity of judg- 

 ing, and a genius for invention, which are not 

 given to others. " To others, the deity has as- 

 signed a strength, vigor, and firmness of con- 

 stitution, by which the bodily powers are more 

 favored in one, than in another. Causes thus 

 natural and orig-inal, will be followed with their 

 natural and proper effects. Superior wisdom 

 and abihties, will have superior infiuencc and 

 effect in society. Superior strength and activi- 

 ty of body, will also have advantages peculiar 

 to themselves. In making these natural dis- 

 tinctions, nature evidently designed to qualify 

 men for ditFerent attainments, and employments-, 

 And w^hiie she gave to all the nature and the 

 rights of man, she assigned to some a capacity 

 and a power, to make a much more useful im- 

 provement and exercise of that nature, and of 

 those rights, than she has given to others. Thus 

 a state of nature is itself a state of society, or at 

 least naturally tends to produce it. And in the 

 earliest stages of society, all that equality will 

 take place among mankind, which is consistent 

 w^ith it. Placed in a situation nearly similar, 

 the employments, views, and pursuits of iha 



