?gZ STUDIES OF NATURE. 



'mife himfelf from his labours ? In many cafes, a 

 precarious fubfiftence at mod ! Befides, fuppofing 

 him to have acquired weahh, he cannot tranfmit 

 it to his defcendants, He beholds all his temporal 

 hopes ready to expire with him. What indemni-^ 

 fication does he receive frorn men ? To be called 

 upon, many a time, to adminifter the confolations; 

 of Religion, to perfons who do not believe it ; to 

 be the refuge of the poor, with nothing to give 

 them ; to be fometimes perfecuted for his very 

 virtues ; to fee his conflids treated with contempt, 

 his beft-intentioned adions mif-interpreted intq 

 artifice, his virtues transformed into vices, his re- 

 ligion turned into ridicule. Such are the duties 

 impofed, and fuch the recompenfe which the 

 World beftows on the men whofe lot it envies. 



This is what I have affumed the courage to pro- 

 pofe, for the happir^efs of the People, and of the 

 principal orders of the State, in fo far as I have 

 been permitted to fubrpit my ideas to the public 

 eye. Many Philofophers and Politicians have de-j 

 claimed againft the diforders of Society, without 

 troubling themfelves to enquire into their caufes, 

 and flill lefs into the remedies which might be ap- 

 plied. Thofe of the greateft ability have viewed 

 Qur evils only in detail, and have recommended 

 palliatives merely. Some have profcribed luxury; 

 orliers- gjyç no quarter to celibacy, and would load 



with 



