have produced them, could have altered, all at once and in the ſame manner, all the Individuals of the Species. It ſeems obvious, that while ſome improved or impaired their Condition, or acquired divers good or bad Qualities not inherent in their Nature, the reſt continued a longer time in their primitive Poſture; and ſuch was among Men the firſt Source of Inequality, which it is much eaſier thus to point out in general, than to trace back with Preciſion to its true Cauſes.
Let not then my Readers imagine, that I dare flatter myſelf with having ſeen what I think is ſo difficult to diſcover. I have opened ſome Arguments; I have riſked ſome Conjectures; but not ſo much from any Hopes of being able to ſolve the Queſtion, as with a View of throwing upon it ſome light, and giving a true State of it. Others may with great Facility penetrate further in the ſame Road,
