70 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book I. 



deftlned, by God and nature, only to eat and drink in this world, 

 and to enjoy other fenfual pleafures, but for a much more noble end ; 

 — To contemplate the feveral fyftems of which this univerfe is com- 

 pofed, and the univerfe itfelf and its Great Author, the contempla- 

 tion of which may be called the Beatific Vifton^ being the greateft 

 happinefs of which our nature is capable. 



This world of ideas, upon which I have enlarged fo much, and. 

 which may be called the intelle^ual ivorld of our microcq/in, could 

 never have been formed without the ufe of language : For, in the 

 firft place, we muft have had certain figns or marks of our ideas, 

 which would be abfolutely necefTary for our own ufe, as without 

 them we could not retain them in our memories, or put them toge- 

 ther in propofitions. And, Jecondly^ we could not otherwife have 

 communicated them to one another. Now it is by communication,, 

 in the way of difcourfe, that all arts and fciences have been invent- 

 ed and cultivated, and regular forms of government framed, under 

 which men might live in peace and good order, and be fupplied with 

 all the neceflaries of life, fo that they might have time to apply to 

 arts and fciences. Language, therefore, may be faid to be the parent 

 of all arts and fciences, and to be the firft ftep of that ladder, by 

 which we are to afcend from this earth to that flate from which we 

 are fallen. 



CHAP. 



