Chap. VI. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. j-, 



is made fubfervient to what is more excellent, therefore our iiuellea 

 grows up, and is nourifhed, at the expence of our animal nature • 

 for it Ihall be fliown, in the fequel, that the invention of arts, which 

 has improved fo much, and, indeed, may be faid to have created our 

 mtellea, muft, of necelTity, have injured our bodies very much ; and 

 It fometimes happens, that our nobler part requires the facrifiJe of 

 the Body altogether. In the preceding chapter, I think, I have Ihown, 

 from fads that cannot be controverted, that the natural. powers of 

 the human body are much greater in the natural ftate than in the 

 civil or artificial ; and, from thefe fads, I think the reafons may 

 be colleded why it is {o. But, as I have promifed to prove the 

 thing Hkewife from its caufes, I will beftow this chapter upon 

 that fubjed. 



And there is one general caufe why all the improvements of art 

 can be no improvements of the body, but the contrary : And it 

 is this, that, in the courfe of the human progrefs, we are animals 

 before we are men, beginning our progrefs in that way. Now, it 

 is impoffible to fuppofe that an all-wife and an all-good Being would 

 have fet us down on this earth, not provided with every thino- that 

 is neceffary, both for our being and well being. That he has 

 done fo with refpect to other animals is moil certain ; for it is a fadt 

 that cannot be difputed, that all thofe animals are, in every refped, 

 better in their wild and natural ftate, than when they are tamed 

 and houfed : And it cannot be fuppofed that the great and good 

 Creator would have made fo invidious a diftindion betwixt us and 

 other animals, as to have left man, the chief animal here below 

 even confidercd as an animal merely, deftitute of what is neceffa- 

 ry- or proper for him, while other animals are fo amply provided 

 for. 



Further, 



