Chap.V. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 36.1 



It may be thought that it is derogatory from the providence and 

 goodnefs of God, to fuppoie that he lliould have confined the in- 

 vention of arts and faiences, which are of ahfolute neceffity, for re- 

 ftoring man from his fallen ftate, to one country only. But I an- 

 fwer this objection, in the fame mrnner as Ariftotle has anfwrered 

 many others of the fame kind ; — That providence, as it leaves no- 

 thing undone that is neceffary or proper, fo it does nothing that is 

 unneceffary or fuperfluous. That the country of Egypt was fufEci- 

 ent for the invention of arts, and propagating them all over the 

 earth, the event has fliown. But, befides, as the univerfe is a fyf- 

 tem, Vand the mod perfedl of all fyfteras, and as in every fyftem 

 there muft be variety as well as order and uniformity, it was im- 

 poffible, that every country fhould be as well fitted by its fituation, 

 its climate and foil, and the genius of its inhabitants, for the inven- 

 tion and propagation of civility and arts, as Egypt. It was, there- 

 fore, perfedly agreeable to the wifdom and goodnefs of the great 

 author of nature, that this country fhould be feledted for that pur- 

 pofe, and that a race of Kings fhould be given them of intelligence 

 fuperior to men, (without which, all the advantages of nature I have 

 mentioned, would not, in my opinion, have availed), fuch a race 

 as is not, nor ever was to be found, in any other nation. 



That all nations fhould have made the fame progrefs In arts and 

 fciences thrl the Egyptians did, would have been inconfiftent with 

 the difference we find among men as well as among other animals, 

 and with the variety of fituations and circumflances, which muft 

 neceffarily be. It may be objected, that fome people have not 

 yet got the ufe of fpeech, fuch as the Orang Outangs ; fo that 

 they can neither invent nor learn any art or fcience, nor even 

 live in civil fociety. But my anfvver is, that, though the Orang 

 Outang has not hitherto learned to fpeak, he may ftill learn it in 

 fome future time. The favage people in Ethiopia, who, in the 



Vol. IV. Z z time 



