In studying the phenomena of human progress we discover much 
that is of the highest interest to the philosopher, as illustrating 
the manner in which the powers of mind have been turned to 
the investigation of the works of creation, and displaying, at the 
same time, the beautiful reaction of each discovered truth in 
the improvement of man’s social state. 
The past must ever be the teacher of the present, and a 
bright or clouded future is entirely dependent upon our appre- 
ciation of its teachings. 
Man, gifted with exalted powers, is the inhabitant of a most 
wonderfully constituted world, and according to the industry 
with which he exerts his reason he becomes the possessor of its 
wealth. 
The animal necessities of the race are the primary exciters of 
the reasoning powers, and we find uncultivated man exerting 
his intelligence only to snare and destroy beasts, to furnish him 
flesh for food, or skins to shelter him from atmospheric changes. 
From this state he advances to a pastoral one, and studies to 
lessen his toils by domesticating animals, and thus escape from 
the perils and uncertainty of the chase. In the repose of a 
shepherd’s life habits of contemplation appear to have had 
their earliest birth, and the phenomena of nature to have 
interested the human mind. Attention once awakened to the 
ever-changing, still recurring operations of organic life, — to the 
mysteries of alternating light and darkness, — the gradual and 
regular passage of the seasons, — the beauty of the stellar vault, 
and the meteoric displays which are for ever occurring in the 
the earth’s atmosphere, — an imperfect science slowly crept 
into existence, the full development of which was long retarded 
A 2 
