The lowest and rudest state in which the human race are found to exist, may, in a certain general way, be described as the hunter state. That of the rehepherd is the next stage in the progress toward the advantages of civilized life. The agricultural state succeeds ; when men begin to cultivate the • ground for the means of subsistence, and experience • the benefit of fixedimbitations.
So long as they continue in the condition of hun ters or of shepherds, the division of labour is un known, and all the multitude of blessings which it • brings. Every family is itself the author of all the - simple accommodations which it knows. The tent • or hovel, the waggon or cart, is constructed by the men ; the coarse garment is spun and even woven by the women.
In this situation of things, the accommodations with which it is possible for human beings to supply - themselves are few and imperfect ; and life is a scene of privation.
When has so far multiplied as to ren der the p uce of flocks and herds insufficient for the means of subsistence, and the cultivation of the • land has become necessary, the inconveniences aris ing from the want of the division of labour becomes still more sensible and oppressive. The labours of •the field are neglected while the family are engaged at the loom, or repelling the incursions of an enemy. The accommodations of lodging, of clothing, of taste, and fancy, are wretchedly supplied, when the busi ness of extracting the means of subsistence ftom the soil, exacts the greater part of their time and attention.
The progress, however, of human improvement, though not necessarily, is commonly, in point of fact, at least in the more uncultivated ages, exceed ingly slow. Men continue to suffer under the in conveniences which their present condition imposes upon them, complaining of their miseries, but unable to form a clear conception of tile means of exemp tion, and doubtful of all the remedies which are pointed out to their attention. In the mean time, as the human mind is essentially progressive, and, unless in very extraordinary circumstances, never fails to make progression, the uneasiness which is felt under the inconveniences of a state to which the mind has become -superior, and above which it is rising higher and higher every day, is conti nually increasing ; and at last rises to such a height that some change is unavoidable ; and the society are prepared to welcome the most plausible of the schemes which are proposed to them.
The grand steps which are made in improving the condition of mankind, though essentially the result of a progression in the minds of the society taken as a whole, are commonly the immediate suggestion of some one individual, or small number of individuals, whose conception of the necessity of a change, and of the means of relief, is more clear and determi nate than that of the rest of the community.
• In the earliest stages, when the huinan mind is weak and prone to superstition, the individuals who project the great improvements in the state of so ciety, endeavour to accelerate the consent of the people, and overcome their reluctance to innovation, by giving to their projects the character of a divine revelation and command. The first legislators of almost every country, we find to have represented themselves as depositaries of the divine will, and en trusted with a revelation from heaven.
If we take the Hindoos as a model, the people di vided into castes with whom our acquaintance is the most complete, we shall conclude, that some indivi dual, wise enough to perceive the cause of the in conveniences under which men suffer while the divi sion of labour is unknown, and placed in circum stances which enabled him to clothe himself with a divine authority, overcame in most places the reluc tance of the people to so great a change of their manners and habits, and accelerated the date of their improvement, by persuading the that the di vine power, or &win' e powers, now commanded them to be divided into classes for the performance of pertain offices. . _ • In the early stages of society, however the wants of men are few; and the ideas of the legislator him self are incapable of extending. to a great variety of cases. In such periods, the power of superstition is always exceedingly great. Unacquainted with the laws of nature and exposed to the most dreadful vi• cissitudes, which they are altogether/ unable to fore see, human life appears to men in that situation to hang altogether upon invisible powers. The human mind is incessantly occupied with conjectures re. specting what those unknown powers will produce and with tormenting apprehensions that they will produce evil rather than good. The persons who; to this state of things, are skilful enough to create a persuasion that they are better acquainted than others with the will of these powers, more especially if accompanied with a persuasion that they have all influence over that will, and can turn it more or less whichever way they please, become an object of supreme regard. Nothing can be done . without them. They are the most important class in the community. When society is first divided into classes, for the sake of the division of labour, the priests, therefore, are alwitys a separate class, and always in the place of highest distinction.