to which we are approaching, if no unfortunate event arrives to cut off our golden hopes.* Το There is no determinate point in which one Age ends, and another begins; the former takes by degrees the colour and caft of that which is to fuccced, and the latter Age for fome time may preferve part of the barbarism and prejudices of the preceding. Thus fome circumstances in the Iron and Brazen-Age may belong to either-the end, also, of the Brazen, and the beginning of the Silver Age, may intermix with each other. Perhaps, the Silver-Age fhewed fome faint beginnings in England, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth-it continued to make a progress until the civil wars, when the times had quite the character of the Brazen-Age, or worfe. Upon the restoration we advanced again, and have fince been increasing in velocity towards perfection, like a comet as it approaches the fun. This image is rather too fublime for my purpose. The motion of a comet is regular and uninterrupted; but there are many circumstances perpetually in the way of improvement, by which it is retarded partially, tho' it cannot be altogether obftructed. I have elsewhere touched on this fubject. To form a proper idea of man in his primitive state, it is neceffary to throw off all the refinements that the invention and cultivation of the arts and fciences have bestowed on society, and shew what beings we are in a state of nature.* And this is different according to the climate and productions of the country in which we live. Thus, in the Tropical Isles, tho' the natural state is ignorant and bar barous, *If this were the ftate of our first parents, it could not be a very defirable one, according to the poet, Quand la Nature étoit dans fon enfance Nos bons aïeux vivoient dans l'ignorance Mon cher Adam, mon gourmand, mon bon Pere, Le teint bruni, la peau bise et tannèe, &c. VOLTAIRE. barous, yet the people seem to be happy: but in Staten-land and Terra del fuego, ignorance and barbarism take a savage cast, and the inhabitants have an appearance of wretchedness and want, which is unknown in happier climates. But there is even yet a lower state of human life—that of the folitary savage, (for fociety in its worst state is better than none)-a few fuch beings have been known to us: within this century a lad was caught in Germany, and a girl in France, both of whom had run wild from their infancy. These are scarce worthy of any rank even in the Iron-age, and were fome degrees below a domesticated dog or cat. The characteristics of the Iron-Age feem to be these : Violence As there is no principle to restrain the first impulse of defire, whether it be to eat, If eat, or kill, or to attain any other purpofe, a man in this Age must naturally rush on to the point proposed, regardless of impediments or confequences. food be in his reach, he eats voraciously; if the enemy be in his power, he gluts his vengeance by every circumftance of cruelty. The customs of the NorthAmerican favages are well known, and too horrid for quotation, I will therefore give an instance from another people, of that violence which is the prominent characteristic of favage life. "The more important the cause that calls them to arms, the more greedy they are of death. Neither the bravery, nor the number of their adverfaries can at all intimidate them: it is then they fwear to deftroy the Jun. They discharge this terrible oath by cutting the throats of their wives and children, burning all their poffeffions, and rushing madly into the midst of their enemies!" Said of the Koriacs by De Leffeps. A A want of great focieties The inhabitants even of a finall island are feldom under one chief-their first step towards the Brazen-Age, is the melting down of many little states to make a large one. An ignorance of all the arts and fci ences Except those which are immediately neceffary for ornamenting the perfon*— procuring food-covering-and weapons for each individual. An absence of all religious ideas Of * People in this state of fociety confider ornament as of the firft confequence.-Nothing can fhew the esteem in which it is held more, than the great bodily pain they endure in order to be beautiful.-Boring of nofes, ears, lips, &c.-puncturing the fkin to make flourishes on it, and other cuftoms of this fort, are more or lefs practifed by all unformed people in every country and cli mate. |