Page:A discourse upon the origin and foundation of the inequality among mankind (IA discourseuponori00rous).pdf/110

mere Senſation and the moſt ſimple Knowledge become in our Eyes; and it is impoſſible to conceive how Man, by his own Powers alone, without the Aſſiſtance of Communication, and the Spur of Neceſſity, could have got over ſo great an Interval. How many Ages perhaps revolved, before Men beheld any other Fire but that of the Heavens? How many different Accidents muſt have concurred to make them acquainted with the moſt common Uſes of this Element? How often have they let it go out, before they knew the Art of reproducing it? And how often perhaps has not every one of theſe Secrets periſhed with the Diſcoverer? What ſhall we ſay of Agriculture, an Art which requires ſo much Labour and Foreſight; which depends upon other Arts; which, it is very evident, cannot be practiſed but in a Society, if not a formed one, at leaſt one of ſome ſtanding, and which does not ſo much ſerve to draw