which gives the supreme value to this, and to every science. Man it contemplates in his different powers and principles of action, it considers him in his social capacities, as a member of a family, as associated in a political community, as a subject of civil government,—— as a citizen of the world. It unfolds his infinitely important relations to the Deity; and endeavors to open his view on those immortal hopes which give the chief, if not the only value to rational existence, and add the greatest force to the obligations of duty and virtue. The dignity and happiness of individuals, the prosperity of states, and the order and happiness of the world, are intimately connected with the practical knowledge of those truths at the cultivation and improvement of which this science aims. And, from the commencement of learning, it has occupied the profoundest attention and enquiry of the philosophic part of mankind in every age.

At the first view of this subject we are naturally inclined to conceive that the science of morals must be as clear and definite in its principles, and as obvious and certain in its conclusions, as they are important to the best interests of mankind. It seems not unreasonable to expect that the foundations of duty should be laid open even to a slight attention of the inquisitive mind. Yet, it is certain that no science has been embarrassed with greater,

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or more numerous controversies. To this effect various causes have contributed their influence. Not only is it liable to obscurity and doubt, in common with other sciences, arising from the imbecility of human reason, from the love of hypothesis, and the vanity of system, from the difficulty of distinguishing many of the nicer operations of our own minds, and often from defect of patience and attention in examining and discriminating the subjects and the facts presented in it to our observation; but it is exposed to causes of peculiar obscurity and mistake arising from the general depravity and corruption of human nature. To whatever source that corruption may have been imputed by various writers, there can be no doubt of its existence. The disorders of the world attest it; and every man perceives its principles, more or less powerfully, operating in his own heart. When incorporated by habit, into the moral state and affections of the soul, it must necessarily impart, in the same proportion, a false bias in judging of the general principles of the moral law; and especially of those particular details of the law which come most immediately in collision with the passions and manners of the individual.

Perhaps no philosopher has his judgment wholly exempted from some bias to modify the practical precepts of the moral law, according to his own peculiar character and habits, which cannot be done without extending

in the same degree, an oblique influence to the theory of morals. It is, however, the sincere aim, and the gradual tendency of true philosophy to correct the errors of prejudice, and to dissipate the mists that shed themselves over the mind, in consequence of the prevalence of any dominant affection or passion. Much may be effected by candid, patient, and dispassionate enquiry in accomplishing this desirable end. It may be presumption to expect to arrive at truth on all the subjects of our research with complete and unhesitating conviction; on many, perhaps, we ought to rest satisfied with only probable evidence; yet, we ought ever to bear it in mind that, in our philosophical enquiries, we have as much reason to avoid the dangers of a weak and suspicious scepticism, as of a bold and positive dogmatism.

LECTURE II.

CONTENTS.

Topics to be treated of in examining the principles of
human nature. The principal distinctions between the

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form and figure of man and that of other animals.—
The distinctions which subsist between the various
tribes of mankind consistent with the identity of the
species, the ascertaining of which is necessary to a
just philosophy of human nature. The causes of their
varieties reducible to the heads of climate the state
of society and manner of living.-Illustrations of
each of these, particularly in the complexion,—the hair,
-and some peculiarities in the feature, and limbs.--
The effect of moral and intellectual causes, especially
on the form of the bones of the head.

BEFORE we contemplate man as an individual, and
examine the constituent principles of his nature, I shall
first take a comparative view of him in relation to the
other species of animals upon this earth among which he
evidently holds the first rank; and enter on the important
and necessary inquiry concerning the identity of the
human race. I shall next consider his prolific powers;
or his faculties of continuing and multiplying his species;

with some reflections on the best means of augmenting the numbers of mankind, with reference, particularly, to the population of states.—I shall take a view of him, in the third place, as a social being, pointing out the respective forms of association under which the race is disposed to collect itself, so different from those in which other gregarious animals are found to assemble.And, lastly, I shall consider his capacities of improvement, in which he so far transcends every other species of animals; under which head shall be embraced the structure of language, the invention of arts, and the origin and progress of science.

Man is distinguished from all the other inhabitants of this globe by the erectness of his form, by a noble and commanding expression of countenance, and by an infinite number of muscles and articulations in the structure of his limbs, which adapt them to an infinitely greater variety of easy movements, and useful purposes, than those of any other animal, particularly in the nicer operations of the arts, without which they could neither have been practised, nor invented. The erectness of his figure has been supposed, by some philosophers, to be the result of education, and to have grown into fashion in the progress of social refinement, rather than to have been the natural consequence of his original formation. But the whimsical speculations of a few philosophers,