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10th, He quotes Maupcrtuis' calculation, that the evils of 

 social life are far superior to its enjoyments. This I shall ex- 

 amine in the sequel. 



11th, He insists that there is no proportion, betwixt thd 

 labours men have undertaken, and the happiness of the hu- 

 man species, such as the invention of arts, the acquisition 

 of sciences, levelling of mountains, bursting rocks, rendering 

 rivers navigable, draining morasses, raising enormous build- 

 ings, forming lakes, constructing ships, &c. 



To this assertion, which is glaringly absurd and entirely 

 gratuitous, I nevertheless answer that the inhabitants of the 

 countries wherein those labours were undertaken (if we ex- 

 cept the pyramids of Egypt, the intent of which is not well 

 known) gained advantages fully adequate to their labours. 

 Egypt, for instance, from being a morass, became the most 

 fertile country in the world. So China, Italy, Germany, 

 France, England, &c. Who can deny that the manufactures 

 of leather, woollen, linen, pottery, metallurgy, &c. are 

 useful to the majority of the human species : those Avho ex- 

 ercise those arts are always fully compensated for their 

 trouble. 



12th, The savage when he has dined, is, as our orator sup- 

 poses, in friendship with his fellows ; if any dispute arises, 

 it is terminated by a few blows. 



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