Chap. II. A N T I E N T METAPHYSICS. 203 



that Nature has (o connected our Intelledual with our Animal 

 part, that the former cannot operate till it is roufed and put into 

 Action by the operations of the latter : And, as our Intelleft is in 

 a dormant ftate while we are in the womb, and during the firft 

 years of our infancy, it is of ncceflity tliat our Ideas {hould be fo 

 alfo. - 



I will conclude this Chapter with obferving the wonderful pro- 

 grefs of Man from the rudeft and mort imperfed: ftate to the per- 

 fedion of his Nature in this life, and by what flow degrees the fe- 

 deral ingredients of his wonderful compofitioa difclofe themfelves. 

 At firft, his Vegetable Nature appears to be entirely predominant ; 

 for the Embryo feems to be no more than a mere Vegetable, fo that 

 even the Animal is then latent. It is, however, there ; and fo alfo is 

 the Intelledual. Then, by degrees, the Animal Life appears; but 

 he can hardly be called a Senfitive Being till he is born, and his 

 Animal Powers are difclofed and brought into energy by the Adion 

 of External Objeds upon his Organs of Senfe. But ftill his better 

 part lies buried under the Vegetable and Animal, till it is likewife 

 produced in its \.nvn,frji, by the neceflities of Life, and the Arts in- 

 vented to fupply thofe neceflities ; then, by the Arts of Pleafure and 

 Entertainment, the Fruit of Plenty and Leifure j and, laji of all, 

 by Science and Philofophy. 



This is undoubtedly the progrefs of the Individual, — flow enough in- 

 deed, being from a ftate no better than the mere Vegetable and Animal. 

 But the progrefs of the Species to a ftate of civility and Arts, that is, of 

 Intelligence, is very much flower. For the Individual in the civilized 

 nation learns both by Imitation and Inftrudion : Whereas Savages 

 learn neither way, but muft invent every thing ; fo that their progrefs 

 muft be wonderfully flow, — fo flow, that the Antients thought that the 



C c 2 ' afliftance 



