In the disorder of corrupted societies， the scene has been frequently changed from democracy to despotism， and from the last too， in its turn， to the first. From amidst the democracy of corrupt men， and from a scene of lawless confusion， the tyrant ascends a throne with arms reeking in blood. But his abuses， or his weaknesses， in the station which he has gained， in their turn， awaken and give way to the spirit of mutiny and revenge.
The cries of murder and desolation， which in the ordinary course of military government terrified the subject in his private retreat， are carried through the vaults， and made to pierce the grates and iron doors of the seraglio. Democracy seems to revive in a scene of wild disorder and tumult： but both the extremes are but the transient fits of paroxysm or languor in a distempered state.
If men be any where arrived at this measure of depravity， there appears no immediate hope of redress. Neither the ascendency of the multitude， nor that of the tyrant， will secure the administration of justice： neither the licence of mere tumult， nor the calm of dejection and servitude， will teach the citizen that he was born for candour and affection to his fellow-creatures. And if the speculative would find that habitual state of war which they are sometimes pleased to honour with the name of the state of nature， they will find it in the contest that subsists between the despotical prince and his subjects， not in the first approaches of a rude and simple tribe to the condition and the domestic arrangement of nations.
NOTES：
1. Rousseau， sur l'origine de l'in間alit？parmi les hommes.
2. Trait？de l'esprit.
3. Lafitau， Moeurs des sauvages.
4. Abulgaze Bhadur Chan， History of the Tartars.
5. Collection of Dutch Voyages.
6. Charlevoix， History of Canada.
7. See Charlevoix's History of Canada.
8. Mandeville.
9. Mankind， we are told， are devoted to interest； and this， in all commercial nations， is undoubtedly true： but it does not follow， that they are， by their natural dispositions， averse to society and mutual affection： proofs of the contrary remain， even where interest triumphs most. What must we think of the force of that disposition to compassion， to candour， and goodwill， which， notwithstanding the prevailing opinion that the happiness of a man consists in possessing the greatest possible share of riches， preferments， and honours， still keeps the parties who are in competition for those objects， on a tolerable footing of amity， and leads them to abstain even from their own supposed good， when their seizing it appears in the light of a detriment to others？
What might we not expect from the human heart in circumstance which prevented this apprehension on the subject of fortune， or under the influence of an opinion as steady and general as the former， that human felicity does not consist in the indulgences of animal appetite， but in those of a benevolent heart； not in fortune or interest， but in the contempt of this very object， in the courage and freedom which arise from this contempt， joined to a resolute choice of conduct， directed to the good of mankind， or to the good of that particular society to which the party belongs？
10. Persian Letters.
11. Maupertuis， Essai de Morale.
12. Life of Lord Herbert.
13. Letters of the Right Honourable Lady M--y W---y M---e.
14. The same maxim will apply throughout every part of nature. To love， is to enjoy pleasures： To hate， is to be in pain.
15. Mrs. Carter's translation of the works of Epictetus.
