Page:An Essay on the Principle of Population (1798).djvu/294

 following upon the dice. The great variety of combinations upon the dice in a repeated succession of throws, appears to me not inaptly to represent the great variety of character that must necessarily exist in the world, supposing every individual to be formed what he is, by that combination of impressions which he has received since his first existence. And this comparison will, in some measure, shew the absurdity of supposing, that exceptions will ever become general rules; that extraordinary and unusual combinations will be frequent; or that the individual instances of great virtue which have appeared in all ages of the world will ever prevail universally.

I am aware that Mr. Godwin might say, that the comparison is in one respect inaccurate; that in the case of the