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HUMAN SPECIES. 319 



tliemlelves with greater eafe, and making Yi^q fomewhat more origin 

 comfortable j they endeavour to extend their dominion, and every r-'m. 

 fiiccefs e nables them to emerge more and more from that ilate of 

 debafement in which they were plunged; or if they fhould be 

 oppofed, checked, and even routed in the attempt, they will 

 certainly be prompted to exert themfelves again, tliat they may not 

 lofe that fuperiority which they had once attained; or they will 

 fludy to make the misfortunes which their ambition had drawn 

 upon them, lefs confequential, and to avert the miferies which 



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otherwife would fall upon them. All thia of courfe roufes their 



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minds from that indolence and inactivity with v/hich they were 

 opprefTed, and they in every refpe6t conquer fomewhat of that 



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degeneracy to which they were reduced: for the human. mind, 

 \^it to itfelf in a continued courfe of uniformity either in happinefs 



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or wretchednefs> has very little exertion ;, but add to it the fprings 

 of paffions, which are mojft powerful in fuch tribes as are leaft 

 improved in their mental faculties, and we fliall find it amazing 

 to what length they may carry a fet of men, who lend, no ear to 



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any principles of morality, andvvrho adjuft their notions of red:i- 

 tude by the extent of power only. Though naturally this princi- 

 pie cannot carry them very far, becaufe they muft fooner or later 

 meet with a powerful oppofition,, from the united efforts of 



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fuch tribes as will not lofe their liberty -, it has however,, in gene^ 



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ral 



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