Volume 1

The origin of laws, arts, and sciences, and their progress among the most ancient nations / Translated from the French, vol. III by R. or A. Spearman. Of the President de Gouguet ... Adorned with cuts.

  • Goguet, Antoine-Yves, 1716-1758.
Date:
1761
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The origin of laws, arts, and sciences, and their progress among the most ancient nations / Translated from the French, vol. III by R. or A. Spearman. Of the President de Gouguet ... Adorned with cuts. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    fforians relate of the miferies which afflicted the firIh ages of the world. All ancient traditions declare that the firff men led a life very little different from that of beaffs e. We fhall find no difficulty in believing thefe relations, if we caff our eyes on what ancient authors tell us of the {fate of teveiai countries even in their own times f, a ffate the reality of which is confirmed by modern relations s. Travellers in¬ form us, that even at this day, in fome parts of the world, they meet with men who are Grangers to all focial inter- courfe, of a character fo cruel and ferocious, that they live in perpetual war, deflroying, and even devouring each other. Thefe wretched people, void of all the principles of humanity, without laws, polity, or government, live in dens and caverns, and differ but very little from the brute creation. Their rood conjifts of fome rruits and roots with which the woods fupply them ; for want of fkill and induff ry they can feldorn procure more folid nourifhment. In a word, not having even themoff common and obvious notions, they have nothing of humanity but the external fip-ure >>. O Theie favage people exactly anfwer the defcription piven us by hiflorians of the ancient flate of mankind. We fee even ftom îcripture, that, (bon after the difperfion, the pre¬ cepts and example of Noah were lo generally forgotten, that e Plato/# Protag p. 224. F. de leg. 1. 3. p. 804. &c. ; Arid, de rep l.i.c.2. p. 297. E.; Eunpid. apud. Plut, de placit. philof. 1 1. c. 7.; Berof. apud Syncel. p. 28. C.; Sailuft. de bel. Jug. c. 2\. ; Cic. pro P. Sedtio. n. 42. de in¬ vent. 1. 1. n. 2. ; Diod.l. i.p.11. 12. 52. 190. 1. 5.p. 387. ; Strab. 1. 4. p. 306. 1. n. p. 787. 1. 13, p.885.; Horat. ferm. 1. 1. fat. 3, v. 99. & feq. ; Hygin. fab. 143.y Juv. fat. 15. v. t 51. &c. ; Stob. eel. phyf. 1.1. p. 18. ; Macrob. in fomn. Scip. 1. 2. c, 10. p. 153* > Martini bid. delà Chine, 1. r. p. i8 19. ; Let. edif. t. 26. p. 64. 65. ; Lid. des Incas, t. r. p. 12. 8cc. p. 189. & 197. Acoft*. ;)id. des Ind. 1. ]. c, 2. See alfo les mem. de Pacad. des infeript t 9. mem p. 203. f Herod. I.4. n. 18. 102.-106. ; Arid, de rep. 1. 8. c. 4. ; Diod 1. 5. p. 355. ; Strab. I.5. p.458.; Arrian, perip. mar. eryth. p. 177.; pjin ] 4. feed 26 p. 21S. 1. 6. feed. 26,8c 35. 1. 7. feet 2. fait. Pauf. 1.10. c. 22. ; Sext. Empiric’ Pyrrhon. Hyp. 1. 3. n. 24. p. 178.179. 8 Voyage de V. le Blanc, p. 144.145. 157 ; Hid. nat. de Pfland. t. 2. p. 21. 2^6. 244* 252. 266. ; Hid. des ides Marianes, p. 44. 31 • 53., Lcttr. edif. t. 2, p. 177. b 5- P1 2;f'- f- to. p. 193. t. 23. p. 3-4-8-77-251. ; N. relat. de la France equinox, p. 235. ; Hid. gen. des voyages, t. i.p.170. & 197. t. 2. p. 308. Voyage de rieziei, p. 54. &66. ; Rec. des voyages au Kordt, t. 8. p. 403. even