umphed over the subtlety of the cunning, the swiftness of the fleet, and the force of the strong. He is the only animal, that has found out the use of fire, a most important acquisition!

C. I have read of some large apes, that will come and sit round a fire in the woods, when men have left it, but have not the sense to keep it alive, by throwing on sticks.

F. Still less then could they light a fire. In consequence of this discovery, man cooks his food, which no other animal does. He, alone, guards against the cold, by clothing, as well as by fire. He alone, cultivates the earth, and keeps living animals for future uses.

C. But have not there been wild men, bred in the woods, that could do none of these things?

F. Some instances of this kind are recorded, and they are not to be wondered at; for man was meant to be a gregarious animal, or one living in society, in which, alone, his faculties have full scope, and especially his power of improving by the use of speech. These poor solitary creatures, brought up with the brutes, were in a state entirely unnatural to them. A solitary bee, ant, or beaver, would have none of the skill and sagacity of those animals in their proper social condition. Society sharpens all the faculties, and gives ideas and views which never could have been entertained by an individual.

C. But some men, that live in society, seem to be little above the brutes, at least when com

What is a Hottentot, in

pared to other men. comparison to one of us.

F. The difference, indeed, is great; but we agree in the most essential characters of man, and perhaps the advantage is not all on our side. The Hottentot cultivates the earth, and rears cattle. He not only herds with his fellows, but he has instituted some sort of government for the protection of the weak against the strong. He has a notion of right and wrong, and is sensible of the necessity of controlling present appetites and passions for the sake of a future good. He has therefore morals. He is possessed of weapons, tools, clothing, and furniture, of his own making. In agility of body, and the knowledge of various circumstances relative to the nature of animals, he surpasses us. His inferiority, lies in those things, in which many of the lowest class among us, are almost equally inferior to the instructed.

C. But Hottentots have no notion of a God, or a future state.

F. I am not certain how far that is true; but, alas! how many among us have no knowledge, at all, on those subjects, or only some vague notions, full of absurdity and superstition! People, far advanced in civilization, have entertained the grossest errors on those subjects, which are only to be corrected by the serious application of reason, or by a direct revelation from heaven.

C. You said man was an improvable creature ; -but have not many nations been a long time in a savage state, without improvement ?

F. Man is always capable of improvement; but he may exist a long time, even in society, without actually improving beyond a certain point. There is little improvement among nations who have not the art of writing; for tradition is not capable of preserving very accurate or extensive knowledge; and many arts and sciences, after flourishing greatly, have been entirely lost, in countries which have been overrun by barbarous and illiterate nations. Then there is a principle, which I might have mentioned as one of those that distinguished man from brutes, but it as much distinguishes some men from others. This is curiosity, or the love of knowledge for its own sake. Most savages have little or nothing of this; but without it, we should want one inducements to exert our faculties. ty, that impels us to search into the properties of every part of Nature, to try all sorts of experiments, to visit distant regions, and even to examine the appearances and motions of the heavenly bodies. Every fact, thus discovered, leads to other facts; and there is no limit to be set to this progress. The time may come, when what we now know, may seem as much ignorance, to future ages, as the knowledge of early times, does

to us.

of the chief It is curiosi

C. What nations know the most, at present ? F. The Europeans have long been distinguished for superior ardor after knowledge, and they possess, beyond all comparison, the greatest share of it, whereby they have been enabled to com

mand the rest of the world. The countries in which the arts and sciences most flourish, at present, are the northern and middle parts of Europe, and also [our own country] North America, or the United States, which, you know, is inhabited by descendants of Europeans. In these countries, man may be said to be most man; and they may apply to themselves, the poet's boast,

Man is the nobler growth these realms supply,
And souls are ripened in our northern sky.

THE LITTLE PHILOSOPHER.

At

MR. L. was one morning riding by himself, when, dismounting to gather a plant in the hedge, his horse got loose and galloped away before him. He followed, calling the horse by his name, which stopped, but on his approach set off again. length a little boy in the neighboring field, seeing the affair, ran across where the road made a turn, and getting before the horse, took him by the bridle, and held him till his owner came up. L. looked at the boy, and admired his ruddy cheerful countenance. Thank you, my good lad! (said he,) you have caught my horse very cleverly. What shall I give you for your trouble? (putting his hand into his pocket.)

I want nothing, sir, said the boy.

Mr.

Mr. L. Don't you? so much the better for

you. Few men can say as much. what were you doing in the field?

But pray,

B. I was rooting up weeds, and tending the sheep that are feeding on the turnips.

Mr. L. And do you like this employment ? B. Yes, very well, this fine weather.

Mr. L. But would you not rather play? B. This is not hard work; it is almost as good as play.

Mr. L. Who set you to work?

B. My father, sir.

Mr. L. Where does he live?

B. Just by, among the trees, there.
Mr. L. What is his name?

B. Thomas Hurdle.

Mr. L. And what is

B. Peter, sir.

yours ?

Mr. L. How old are you ?

B. I shall be eight, at Michaelmas.*

Mr. L. How long have you been out, in this field?

B. Ever since six in the morning.

Mr. L. And are you not hungry?

B. Yes; I shall go to my dinner soon. Mr. L. If you had sixpence now, what would you do with it?

B. I don't know. I never had so much in

my life.

Mr. L. Have you no playthings?

*[The feast of St. Michael, which is celebrated the 29th of September.-Aм. ED.]