1^6 t H E P H I L O S O P H ITJ 



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Of Infancy, 



Y the term Infancy^ in this chapter, is generally meant that 

 portion of life which commences at birth, and terminates at 

 that period when animals have acquired the power of felf- prefer va- 

 tion, without any affiftance from their parents. This period varies 

 greatly in different animals. Of courfe, when different fpecies are 

 mentioned, the term infancy muft have very different limitations with 

 regard to time. 



The ftate of infancy, in the human fpecies, continues longer than 

 In any other animal. Infants, immediately after birth, are indeed 

 extremely helplefs, and require every affiftance and attention from 

 the mother. Moft writers, however, on this fubje£t feem to have 

 exaggerated not only the imbecillity, but the miferies of the infant 

 ftate. ' An infant,' fays Buffon, * is more helplefs than the young 



• of any other animal : Its uncertain life feems every moment to vi- 



• brate on the borders of death. It can neither move nor fupport 

 ' its body : It has hardly force enough to exift, and to announce, by 

 ' groans, the pain which it fuffers ; as if Nature intended to apprife 

 ' the little innocent, that it is born to mfery^ and that it is to be rank- 

 ' ed among human creatures only to partake of their infirmities and 



• of their afBiaions *.' 



This 



* BufFon, vol. 2. pag. 369. Tranflat. 



