160 



-to the natural rights, of men, and the number and import- 

 ance of the advantages procured for them by the power of 

 the society. 



With regard to extent, the lowest degree of civiUzation 

 is that in which protection is unequally distributed. Hence 

 those nations in which the rights of women and children, or 

 of any particular class or sect of the society are injured, or 

 not sufficiently protected, even supposing those of the 

 higher classes to be respected, umst be accounted only 

 semi-civilized. 



Again, as to the degree of civilization, that state must be 

 deemed most perfectly civilized, in which the natural rights 

 of the inhabitants are most perfectly secured, from the en- 

 croachments of the sovereign himself, the injustice or illegal 

 aggressions of individuals, and the hostilities of foreign foes, 

 in which every other advantage contributing to the general 

 comfort and ease of the inhabitants obtains. 



The degree of civilization which the greater part of Europe 

 has already attained, is chiefly to be attributed to the benign 

 influence of Christianity. The advantages derived from it are 

 Avell enumerated by the Rev. Mr. Ryan, in a learned work, 

 entitled, aii History of the Effects of Rellgioji on Mankind:^. 



To 



• And Montesquieu, Spirit of Laws, B. 2i. C. ^ 



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