io6 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book IT, 



out which we muft have ftlll continued an animal, only capable of 

 intelled and fcience. 



That language is not natural to man, but an invention of art, I 

 think I have proved fufBciently in what I have written upon the 

 Origin of Language * : Or if the reader fhould have any doubt in the 

 matter, I hope it will be removed by what follows in this chapter, 

 where I am to fhow that it is not only an art, but the greateft of all 

 arts, and of the moft difficult invention. 



That men mud have herded together, before they could have in- 

 vented a language, or indeed any other art, is evident ; for it is only 

 by communication together, in one way or another, that men have 

 made any difcovery in any art or fcience, a folitary Savage being in- 

 capable of inventing any thing of the leaft value. That animals, 

 even fuch as are incapable of intellect and fcience, when they herd 

 together can communicate without language, and can even carry 

 on fome joint work, is alfo evident j for the beavers, who not only 

 have not the ufe of fpeech, but are incapable of acquiring it, can 

 neverthelefs carry on their bufinefs of building and repairing their 

 dams by figns and gedures and inarticulate cries t- And in the 

 fame way the Orang Outang carries on his bufinefs, building huts, 

 arming himfelf with a (lick, and attacking and defending hinifelf 

 againft his enemies :j:. In this kind of fecial intercourfe men continu- 

 ed, I am perfuaded, a very long time, before the)- invented a lan- 

 guage ; which certainly took its rife from animal criei)§, varied per- 

 haps by fome articulation which they may have learned by imita- 

 tion of fuch birds as the Cuckoo or Cochitoo, which they may have 

 heard ; and I am perfuaded that they alio varied it by mufical 

 tones, that is tones differing in gravity and acutenefs ; for though 



Man 

 • Vol. I. 



f Vol. III. of this work, p. 53. 

 if Page 27. and following of this volume. 

 J Origin of Language, vol. I. Book III. Chap. IV. 



