Î02 STUDIES OF NATURE, 



were the fruit of the age in which they lived, juf^ 

 as bad vegetable fruits are produced by bad trees : 

 they vv'ould not have been tyrants, had they not 

 found among the Romans, informers, fpies, para- 

 fites, poifoners, proftitutes, hangmen, and flat- 

 terers, who told them that every thing went on 

 very well. I do not believe virtue to be the allot- 

 ment of the people, but I confider it as portioned 

 out among all conditions in life, and in very fmall 

 quantities, among the little, among the middling,^ 

 and among the great ; and fo neceflfary to the fup- 

 port of all the orders of Society, that were it en-r 

 tirely deftroyed. Country would crumble to pieces^ 

 like a temple whofe pillars had been undermined. 



But Î am not particularly interefted in the people, 

 either from the hope of their applaufe, or refped to. 

 their virtues, but from the labours in which they are 

 employed. From the people it is that the greateft 

 part of my pleafures, and of my diftrefles, pror 

 cecd ; by the people I am fed, clothed, lodged, 

 and they are frequently employed in procuring fu- 

 perfiuities for me, while neceflaries are fometimes 

 wanting to themfelves ; from them, likewife, iflue 

 epidemic difeafes, robberies, feditions ; and did 

 they prefent nothing to me, but fimply the fpec- 

 tacle of their liapplnefs or mifery, I could not rcr 

 main in a ftate of indifference. Their joy invo- 

 luntarily infpires me with joy, and their mifery 



wrinsis 



