Chap. X VIII. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 265 



bv the difForent praclices of nations, which I, have mentioned in the 

 pafTage above referred to, fetting different bounds to this infinity, 

 till at laft they fixed that boundary, which is now ufed by all civi- 

 lized nations, and even by the Hurons, a barbarous people in 

 North America ; I mean the number ten ; for all the arithmetic of 

 civilized nations confifis of that number, multiplied by the units of 

 which it confifts and by itfelf : And thefe multiplications, with the 

 addition of the units under ten, make all the variety of number that 

 can be conceived. But all this is no more than the Notation of 

 numbers : For the operations upon thefe numbers thus formed make 

 a very valuable fcience that we call arithmetic; which is of the 

 greatefl. ufe in all arts and fcicnces, and of abfolute ncccffity in the 

 common affairs of life. 



But it is not the purpofc of this work to give a particular account 

 of any fcience, but only to explain, in general, the nature of them, 

 and to fhow their ufe. I will, therefore, proceed to fpeak of arts 

 Invented by men, beginning with thofe arts, which may be called 

 Mechanical ; and though they may be thought mean arts, they are 

 of abfolute neceffity for carrying on the bufinefs of civil life. And 

 firft I will mention the grand art of Metallurgy, fo neceffary, that it 

 is the foundation of all thofe other arts I am now to mention, and 

 of one art that I have already mentioned, and a mofl neceffary art, 

 I mean Agriculture, which could not be carried on to any purpofe 

 without inftrumcnts made of metal. 



For the difcovery of this art of metallurgy, it was neceffary that 

 the inventive genius of man, not conient with what he could find; 

 in the air, in the water, or on the furface of the earth, fliould dig into 

 the bowels of the earth, and from thence bring out metals, and par- 

 ticidarly iron, which is of more ufe in the practice of all the neeef- 

 jary arts of life, and particularly in agriculture, than all the other 



Vol. VI. L 1 arts 



