OF NAtURAL HISTORY. 277 



go the kbours of life. Nature firft chaftifes, and at laft ex- 

 tirpates, all thofe who act contrary to her eftablifhed laws. 



Befide the pleafares refulting from fociety, and from mu- 

 tual attachment in man, and in pairing animals, the natural 

 love of offspring is a foUrce of the moft engaging endear- 

 ments. The innocence and helplefs condition of infants call 

 forth our pity and protedlion. When a little farther ad- 

 vancedj their beauty, their fmiles, and their fprightlinefs, ex- 

 cite the moft agreeable emotions. In their progrefs from 

 infancy to manhood, we obferve with pleafure the unfolding 

 of their mental powers. They imitate our adlions long be- 

 fore they can exprefs their defires, or their wants, by lan- 

 guage. Their attempts in the acquifitiou of language are 

 extremely curious and amufing. Their firft fyftem of gram- 

 mar conlifts entirely of fubftantive nouns. It is long before 

 they learn the ufe of adjectives or of copulatives, and ftill 

 longer before they employ the verb. Their fpeeches are 

 fliort, aukward, and blundering ; but they are animated, 

 and uttered with aftonifhing force and vivacity of expreffion 

 in their eyes, and in the geftures of their bodies. At this 

 period of life, children are folely adluated by Nature and 

 imitation. After they acquire words fufficient for convey- 

 ing the few ideas they poiTefs, they begin to reafon, or rath- 

 er to employ the language of reafoning ; for, at this period 

 of life, children, when they mean to give a reafon why they 

 fhould have any indulgence or gratification, almoft univer- 

 fally argue againft themfelves, and employ a reafon why 

 their denres Ihould not be granted. This ridiculous mode 

 of reafoning excites laughter, and affords pleafure and amufe- 

 ment to the parents. It likewife fliows, that our firft at- 

 tempt toward reafoning is principally, if not folely, the effe<5l 

 of imitation ; for the reafoning power, at this period, is not 

 fully unfolded, becaufe many human inftindls, or mental 

 qualities, have not vet been called forth into aflion. But 



L L 



