APPENDIX A. 211 



the delicate to a thousand forms of destruction. 

 This is what occurs among animals and savage 

 men. Only the most robust attain the adult age, 

 and these only reproduce the species. Medicine 

 and the aids of the social state prolong the lives of 

 feeble creatures whose posterity is usually equally 

 feeble. Among the Spartans, barbarous regula- 

 tions put an end to the existence of mal-formed 

 infants, that the strength and beauty of the race 

 might be preserved. Such regulations are anti- 

 pathetic to our customs; nevertheless it might be 

 desirable that we should devote ourselves to the 

 preservation of the human race from the causes of 

 weakness and degeneracy/' 



" The decadence of the Greeks and Eomans 

 without change of race proves the influence of in- 

 stitutions upon customs." 



We will give here a fragment on political econ- 

 omy, to show the variety contained in the pages on 

 which we draw : 



" According to the system of modern economists, 

 it would be desirable that the government should 

 interfere as little as possible in the commerce and 

 industry of the country. Nevertheless we cannot 

 deny that in certain circumstances this interven- 

 tion is very useful." 



