Ihavefirstofallconsideredmankind；andtheresultofmythoughtshasbeen，thatamidstsuchaninfinitediversityoflawsandmanners，theywerenotsolelyconductedbythecapriceoffancy。
Ihavelaiddownthefirstprinciples，andhavefoundthattheparticularcasesfollownaturallyfromthem；thatthehistoriesofallnationsareonlyconsequencesofthem；andthateveryparticularlawisconnectedwithanotherlaw，ordependsonsomeotherofamoregeneralextent。
WhenIhavebeenobligedtolookbackintoantiquity，Ihaveendeavouredtoassumethespiritoftheancients，lestIshouldconsiderthosethingsasalikewhicharereallydifferent；andlestIshouldmissthedifferenceofthosewhichappeartobealike。
Ihavenotdrawnmyprinciplesfrommyprejudices，butfromthenatureofthings。
Hereagreatmanytruthswillnotappeartillwehaveseenthechainwhichconnectsthemwithothers。Themoreweenterintoparticulars，themoreweshallperceivethecertaintyoftheprinciplesonwhichtheyarefounded。Ihavenotevengivenalltheseparticulars，forwhocouldmentionthemallwithoutamostinsupportablefatigue？