BARON CUVIER. 87 



)urs, a natural disposition to love our fellow-creatures, to 

 ijoice in their joy, and weep for their sorrows. This sym- 

 ithy, this soothing feeling, which religion calls charity, is 

 ) be found in all pure and unperverted hearts, though it 

 i not equally developed, equally energetic in all. We feel 

 hat which we owe to each other, not only justice, but suc- 

 our to the extent of our ability. Do not to others that 

 vhich you would not they should do unto you ; and do to 

 >thers as you would they should do unto you. These are 

 /ery simple rules, to be comprehended even by children, 

 ind recognized by them as equitable and necessary ; they 

 are the foundation of all morality, and why are they not 

 always followed ? It is because we are blinded by our pas- 

 sions, our inclinations, and our interests. We have just 

 said that God has given us the feeling of love towards 

 our neighbours, but he has also given us a love for our- 

 selves, for our own preservation ; this sentiment is not less 

 natural than the other, and is not wrong, because it is ne- 

 cessary ; it even teaches us several virtues, such as tempe- 

 rance for the sake of health, prudence to avoid danger, and 

 courage for the means of extricating ourselves from diffi- 

 culty. God tells us to love our neighbour as ourselves, that 

 is, to tell us to love ourselves ; but when this love of self is 

 carried to excess, then it is that it merits the odious appella- 

 tion of egotism ; then it prompts us to sacrifice others to 

 ourselves, to wish to enrich ourselves by their losses, to 

 reckon others as nothing when our own satisfaction is con- 

 cerned ; then does it become a guilty feeling ; then does it 

 lead us to-injustice and crime. It is even sad and foolish 

 to love ourselves only ; and if we have never done any 

 thing for others, how can we expect gratitude and help 

 from them 1 ' C'est n'etre bon a rien, de n'etre bon qu'a 

 soi.'* He who stifles in himself the feeling of compassion, 

 and only obeys the dictates of self-love, is a dangerous be- 

 ing in society, and who ought to be reproved and punished 

 in society at least by contempt. We may say, that almost 

 all the evil we commit arises from egotism ; whilst the 

 greater part of our good actions is inspired by love for 

 our fellow-creatures. Therefore, the best system of educa- 



* It is to be good for nothing to be only good to one's self. 



