one after another, it was not formed all at once in the Human Mind: Men muſt have made a great Progreſs; they muſt have acquired a great ſtock of Induſtry and Knowledge, and tranſmitted and increaſed it from Age to Age before they could arrive at this laſt Term of the State of Nature. Let us therefore take up things a little higher, and collect into one Point of View, and in their moſt natural Order, this ſlow Succeſſion of Events and mental Improvements.
The firſt Sentiment of Man was that of his Exiſtence, his firſt Care that of preſerving it. The Productions of the Earth yielded him all the Aſſiſtance he required, Inſtinct prompted him to make uſe of them. Among the various Appetites, which made him at different Times experience different Modes of Exiſtence, there was one that excited him to perpetuate his Species; and this blind
