ture of Man, conſidered in itſelf, and from that of the Beings which ſurround him, concerning the Fate of Mankind, had they been left to themſelves. This is then the Queſtion I am to anſwer, the Queſtion I propoſe to examine in the preſent Diſcourſe. As Mankind in general have an Intereſt in my ſubject, I ſhall endeavour to uſe a Language ſuitable to all Nations; or rather, forgetting the Circumſtances of Time and Place in order to think of nothing but the Men I ſpeak to, I ſhall ſuppoſe myſelf in the Lyceum of Athens, repeating the Leſſons of my Maſters before the Platos and the Xenocrateſes of that famous Seat of Philoſophy as my Judges, and in preſence of the whole Human Species as my Audience.
O Man, whatever Country you may belong to, whatever your Opinions may be, attend to my Words; you ſhall hear your Hiſtory ſuch as I think I have
