Page:A discourse upon the origin and foundation of the inequality among mankind (IA discourseuponori00rous).pdf/271

 we cannot help being amazed at the vat Diproportion obervable between thee Things, and deplore the Blindnes of Man, which, to feed his foolih Pride and I don't know what vain Self-Admiration, makes him eagerly court and purue all the Mieries he is capable of feeling, and which beneficent Nature had taken Care to keep at a Ditance from him.

Civilized Man is a michievous Being; a lamentable and contant Experience renders the Proof of it unneceary; Man, however, is naturally good; I think I have demontrated it; what then could have depraved him to uch a Degree, unles the Changes that have happened in his Contitution, his Improvements, and the Lights he has acquired. Let us cry up Human Society as much as we pleae, it will not be the les true that it necearily engages Men to hate each in proportion as their Interets clah; to do each other apparent Services, and in fact heap upon each other every imaginable Michief. What are we to think of a Commerce, in which the Interet of every Individual dictates to him Maxims diametrically oppoite to thoe which the Interet of the Community recommends to the Body of Society; a