7$ EXCURSION TO THE REALMS BELOW. 



I. And why ? 



Menipp. I thought that was fufficiently apparent. 

 For being a good man it muft be natural to him to 

 conlider all other men as his equals ; he muft not af- 

 fume too much from his fuperiority, muft refpecl: the 

 natural rights of each, muft never forget that poverty,, 

 pain, contempt, coercion, oppreffion, ilavery, is as 

 fenlibly felt and detefted by the meaneft among them 

 as by himfelf, and he muft uniformly conduct himfelf 

 by thefe principles. — Where was there ever a king 

 who did fo, who has conftantly acted in this manner, 

 who could and might at all times do fo ? In Ihort, I 

 can allow no man to pafs for a good man, who carries 

 on a profeffion, whereby he is ready at every inftant, 

 and muft be ready, to render thoufands and hun Ireds 

 of thoufands of his fpecies wretched. 



/. 1 might anfwer, that his profeffion is not much 

 to the purpofe : but if this profeffion be once become 

 indifpenfable, and he be born to this profeffion ; then, 

 whether he will or not, he muft do all the harm that is 

 indifpenfably neceffary to the prevention of an incom- 

 parably greater evil, or to the prefervation of a good 

 far overbalancing this evil. 



Menipp. It cofts me a victory over myfelf not to in- 

 terrupt thee — but proceed in thy fpeech — I fee that 

 thou mighteft fay much more. 



/. I lhall foon have done. All I have to fay, is, 

 that a king who would perform his part well, cannot 

 poffibly always act like a good man ; and contrariwife, 

 that the king who has made it a law to himfelf always 

 to act like a good man, will precifely therefore, do far 

 more harm than the other. 



Menipp^ 



