in forming some imperfect conception of the divine intelligence and its ends. Let us suppose that a savage has the thought of some good, or some end. Now he must think of this as a particular good or particular end; no man can think of good in general or end in general. Let his thoughts then of good or end be the thought of a house to shelter him, a thought which has not yet occurred to any other of his tribe. This thought is certainly the thought of something good, good for himself, perhaps also good for others. He desires to compass this end. But on consideration he sees that he cannot compass this end without means, means in the shape of wood, stones, and lime. These means then become a new end, an intermediate end, which he must compass before he can attain the ultimate end, the house. But on consideration he sees that he cannot compass this new end without means, means in the shape of tools. These means, the tools, then become a new end, another intermediate end which he must compass. But he sees on consideration that he cannot compass this new end without the aid of mechanical study and the assistance of his fellow-men; mechanical knowledge and human assistance thus become a new and intermediate end. But again, on considering the matter, he sees that he cannot overtake this new and intermediate end, he cannot betake himself to study, or obtain the aid of his fellows, unless he has a store of provisions laid in to support him while he is studying mechanics, and also to support his neighbours while they are assisting him. The acquisition of a stock
