Page:A discourse upon the origin and foundation of the inequality among mankind (IA discourseuponori00rous).pdf/143

 tempted to diobey her weet and gentle Voice: it is this Pity which will always hinder a robut Savage from plundering a feeble Child, or infirm old Man, of the Subitence they have acquired with Pain and Difficulty, if he has but the leat Propect of providing for himelf by any other Means: it is this Pity which, intead of that ublime Maxim of argumentative Jutice, Do to others as you would have others do to you, inpires all Men with that other Maxim of natural Goodnes a great deal les perfect, but perhaps more ueful, Conult your own Happines with as little Prejudice as you can to that of others. It is in a word, in this natural Sentiment, rather than in fine-pun Arguments, that we mut look for the Caue of that Reluctance which every Man would experience to do Evil, even independently of the Maxims of Education. Tho' it may be the peculiar Happines of Socrates and other Geniues of his Stamp,