Page:A discourse upon the origin and foundation of the inequality among mankind (IA discourseuponori00rous).pdf/273

 having caued a Workman to be punihed, who, elling his Coffins very dear, was a great Gainer by the Deaths of his Fellow Citizens: But Montaigne's Reaon being, that by the ame Rule every Man hould be punihed, it is plain that it confirms my Argument. Let us therefore look thro' our frivolous Demontrations of Benevolence at what paes in the inmot Recees of the Heart, and reflect on what mut be that State of Things, in which Men are forced with the ame Breath to cares and cure each other, and in which they are born, Enemies by Duty, and Knaves by Interet. Perhaps omebody will object that Society is o formed, that every Man gains by erving the ret. It may be o, but does he not gain till more by injuring them? There is no lawful Profit but what is greatly exceeded by what may be unlawfully made, and we always gain more by hurting our Neighbours than by doing them good. The only Objection therefore, that now remains, is the Difficulty which Malefactors find in creening themelves from Punihment, and it is to accomplih this, that the Powerful employ all their Strength, and the Weak all their Cunning.