Page:A discourse upon the origin and foundation of the inequality among mankind (IA discourseuponori00rous).pdf/254

drupeds, and the Induction drawn from their Manner of walking, might have given Occaſion to ſome Doubts concerning that which muſt be moſt natural to us. Children begin by walking upon all Fours, and ſtand in need of both Precept and Example to hold themſelves upright. There are even ſome ſavage Nations, for Inſtance, the Hottentots, who being very careleſs of their Children permit them to walk so long upon their Hands, that it is with great Difficulty they afterwards bring them to an erect Poſture; this is too the Caſe with the Children of the West-India Savages. I could produce ſeveral Inſtances of Quadruped Men; among others that of the Child, which was found in 1344 in the Neighbourhood of Heſſe, where he had been ſuckled by Wolves, and who uſed afterwards to ſay at the Court of Prince Henry, that had he his Choice, he would much rather take up with their Company again than live among Men. He had contracted the Habit of walking like thoſe Animals to ſuch a Degree, that it was found requiſite to load him with Logs of Wood to oblige him to ſtand upright, and poiſe