8.a ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book IIL 



the more need has he of occupation. — This either of Body or Mind, 

 ^Occupation of the Body neceffary for Health,— Of the employment 

 ofourfrjl Parents in Paradife,--Of the occupation of Farming,— 

 particularly in the manner that Horace Farmed. — Of the plenfures 

 oj Walking and Rt ding, — the exercifes of the Antient Athlets too 

 violent for any other perfons, 



Y what I iiave faid, in the preceding book, of the mifchiefs pro- 

 duced by civil fociety, the reader may imagine that I think it 

 is neceiTarily produdive of mifchief to man ; but, I am fo much of 

 a different opinion, that I think, if properly conduded, it produces 

 the greateft happinefs which man enjoys in this life, and is to enjoy 

 in the next : For it is only by civil fociety that arts and fciences 

 have been introduced among men, by which our underftanding has 

 been fo much cultivated, as to have been made capable of religion 

 and of forming- the idea of a God; for it is only by arts and fciences,. 

 that we are made capable of pradifmg the precept of the Delphic 

 God and of knowing ourfelves, particularly our own minds, of which 

 we have a more certain knowledge than of any thing elfe, as it arifes 

 from confcioufnefs. Now, as man is the image of God upon this 

 earth, it is only by lludying ourfelves that we can have any idea of 

 the Supreme mind. For this reafon it is, that nations, who have 

 not made fuch progrefs in arts and fciences as to have any know- 

 ledge of their own minds, have no religion, fuch as the New Zea- 

 landers and the people of the Pelew Illands *'. It is alfo to the 

 cultivation of arts and fciences that w^e owe Philofophy, the greateft 

 hlc'Jing, Plato fays, ijohich the Gods have beflowed upon mortal men; 

 and, the longer 1 live, the more I am convinced of the truth of this 

 laying. 



But, 



* Vol. 4- P- 153- 



