16 Si/stems of Equality. Bk. iii. 



of their race by prudent marriages, particularly 

 by that very judicious cross with Maud the milk- 

 maid, by which some capital defects in the con- 

 stitutions of the family were corrected. 



It will not be necessary, I think, in order more 

 completely to shew the improbability of any ap- 

 proach in man towards immortality on earth, to 

 urge the very great additional weight, that an 

 increase in the duration of life would give to the 

 argument of population. 



M. Condorcet's book may be considered not 

 only as a sketch of the opinions of a celebrated 

 individual, but of many of the literary men in 

 France at the beginning of the revolution. As 

 such, though merely a sketch, it seems worthy 

 of attention. 



Many, I doubt not, will think that the attempt- 

 ing gravely to controvert so absurd a paradox, 

 as the immortality of man on earth, or, indeed, 

 even the perfectibility of man and society, is a 

 waste of time and words ; and that such un- 

 founded conjectures are best answered by neglect. 

 I profess, however, to be of a different opinion. 

 When paradoxes of this kind are advanced by in- 

 genious and able men, neglect has no tendency 

 to convince them of their mistakes. Priding 

 themselves on what they conceive to be a mark 

 of the reach and size of their own understandings, 

 of the extent and comprehensiveness of their 

 views, they will look upon this neglect merely as 

 an indication of poverty and narrowness in the 

 mental exertions of their contemporaries, and only 



