SKETCHES OF THE HISTORY OF MAN. HE Human Species is in every view an interefting fubject, and TH has been in every age the chief inquiry of philofophers. The faculties of the mind have been explored; and the affections of the heart; but there is fill wanting a history of the fpecies, in its progrefs from the favage ftate to its higheft civilization and improvement. Above thirty years ago, the author began to collect materials for that hiftory; and, in the vigour of youth, did not think the undertaking too bold even for a fingle hand: but, in the progrefs of the work, he found VOL. I. A his his abilities no more than fufficient for executing a few imperfect Sketches. These are brought under the following heads. 1. Progrefs of Men independent of Society. 2. Progrefs of Men in Society. 3. Progress of the Sciences. To explain thefe heads a preliminary difcourfe is neceffary; which is, to examine, Whether all men be of one lineage, defcended from a fingle pair, or whether there be different races originally diftinct. PRE con PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE, cerning the Origin of MEN and of LANGUAGES. HETHER there are different races WHE men, or whether all men are of one race without any difference but what proceeds from climate or other external cause, is a question which philofophers differ widely about. As the question is of moment in tracing the hiftory of man, I purpose to contribute my mite. And, in order to admit all the light poffible, a view of brute animals as divided into different races or kinds, will make a proper introduction. As many animals contribute to our wellbeing, and as many are noxious, man would be a being not a little imperfect, were he provided with no means but experience for diftinguishing the one fort from the other. Did every animal make a fpecies by itself (indulging the expreffion) differing from all others, a man would finish his courfe without acquiring |