HISTORY of the SCIENCES. 415 



II. Literary hiftory then informs us of the 

 origin, progrefs, decadence, and re-eftablifh- 

 ment of all the arts and all the fciences, from 

 the beginning of the world to the prefent day. 

 It is either general, and coniiders erudition in 

 its univerfality ^ or particular, and treats of each 

 art or icience feparately. 



III. Whenever we fpeak of mankind, we 

 fpeak of beings endowed with reafon, for where 

 ever there are men, there are intellectual facul- 

 ties. Thus it ever was from the beginning of 

 the world, and thus it will be to the end. The 

 firfl operations of the human mind relate to ob- 

 jects that tend to the prefervation of each indi- 

 vidual, and the next are thole that ferve to iup- 

 ply his wants. When thefe two objects are gra- 

 tified, the mind begins to reafon, it becomes 

 philofophic without knowing it, and without de- 

 firing it ; reafon and experience endow it, by 

 infenfible degrees, with knowledge. The firfl 

 men were naturally occupied in defending them-* 

 felves againft the elements, againft favage beafts, 

 and other men but little lels ferocious , and in 

 procuring the mere necefiaries of life. For 

 this reafon it is, that every favage and uncivi- 

 lized nation, every people who are in continual 

 wars, every people who are in want of thole ob- 

 jects that are efientially necefiary for their fub- 

 fiftencc, ever have been, and will be, it up id, 

 ignorant, and without arts or fcien^ 



IV. The 



