OF THE HISTORY OF MAN. воок III. Progrefs of SCIENCES. SKETCH II. Principles and Progrefs of Morality. T HE principles of morality are little understood among favages: and if they arrive at maturity among enlightened nations, it is by flow degrees. This progrefs points out the historical part, as first in order: but as that history would give little fatisfaction, without a rule for comparing the morals of different ages, and of different nations, VOL. IV. A I I begin with the principles of morality, fuch as ought to govern at all times, and in all nations. The prefent sketch accordingly is divided into two parts. In the first, the principles are unfolded; and the fecond is altogether historical. PART I Principles of Morality. SECT. I. Human Actions analyfed. HE hand of God is no where more TH visible, than in the nice adjustment of our internal frame to our fituation in this world. An animal is endued with a power of self-motion; and in performing animal functions, requires no external aid. This in particular is the cafe of man, the nobleft of terreftrial beings. His heart beats, his blood circulates, his ftomach digefts, &c. &c. By what means? Not furely furely by the laws of mechanism, which are far from being adequate to fuch operations. They are effects of an internal power, bestow'd on man for preferving life. The power is exerted uniformly, and without interruption, independent of will, and without consciousness. Man is a being fufceptible of pleasure and pain: these generate defire to attain what is agreeable, and to fhun what is difagreeable; and he is poffeffed of other powers which enable him to gratify his defires. One power, termed inftinct, is exerted indeed with confcioufnefs; but without will, and confequently without defiring or intending to produce any effect. Brute animals act for the most part by inftinct: hunger prompts them to eat, and cold to take fhelter; knowingly indeed, but without exerting any act of will, and without forefight of what will happen. Infants of the human fpecies are, like brutes, governed by instinct: they apply to the nipple, without knowing that fucking will fatisfy their hunger; and they weep when pained, without any view of relief. But men commonly are governed by defire and intention. In the progrefs from infancy |