Chap. V. A N T I E N T METAPHYSICS. 131 



arlfe, it is highly probable tli.it, when Nature was young and vigo- 

 rous, greater prodigies ftill, of that kind, were to be feen : But the 

 queflion at prefent, I (ay, is not concerning fuch men, bat concern- 

 ing the ordinary fize of Men in the State of Nature and in the Firft 

 Ages of Society. 



Before we enter upon this inquiry, it is proper to obferve, that, 

 as in other Animals, fo in Man, there is a great variety of fize ; 

 and, indeed, it would be v,^onderful, if, in the moil various of 

 all Animals, there were not the common variety of great and 

 fmall ; and, not only is there this variety among individuals of the 

 fame nation, but the difference is great in different nations. Our 

 philofophers, who would account for every thing from material 

 caufes, afcribe this difference in Nature to climate, foil, air, or I 

 don't know what other material thing. But, how comes it that 

 in the cold climate of Lapland, the Men are very fmall, not exceed- 

 ing five feet, while, in the colder climate flill of Patagonia, the 

 largeft men now known are to be found ? And how fhall we ac- 

 count for the great difference of Men and families of Men, both in 

 Body and Mind, to be found in the fame country, where the cli- 

 mate, the foil, the air, the water, the diet, and whole manner of 

 life, are the fame ? But we are not inquiring about this at pre- 

 fent ; the queftion now is. Whether, in the fame country, and 

 among the fame race of Men, the people are larger and ftronger in 

 the natural flate, or in the firft ages of fociety, than they are in la- 

 ter times ? xA-nd, firft, I will Ihow that they were fo in fact; and 

 then I vv'ill endeavour to prove, from the nature of things, tliat it 

 muft have been fo. 



Before I enter upon the fads, I think it is proper to Inform tlie 

 reader, that I do not judge of fads as many of our modern cri- 

 tics and hiftorlographers, particularly thofe of the French nation, 

 do. In the firft place, I do not think it below me to give the reader 

 the fatisfadion pf knowing my authorities for the fads I advance. In 



K 2 the 



