r 
 

 THE 
 
 LAW OF NATURE, 
 
 O R, 
 
 PRINCIPLES OF MOR4LITT, 
 
 DEDUCED FROM THE 
 
 PHYSICAL CONSTITUTION 
 
 O F 
 
 MANKIND AND THE UNIVERSE. 
 
 BvC F. VOLLEY. 
 
 ' For modes of faith, let gracelefs zealots fight ; 
 ' His can't be wrong, whofe life is in the right.*' 
 
 POPE. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA : 
 
 PRINTED FOR. T. STEPHENS BV 
 F. 3* R. BAILEY, 
 
 .179$. 
 
ADVERTISEMENT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 EDITOR. 
 
 IF looks are to be eflimated by their . 
 bulk, this 'will have but a very Jlendcr 
 claim upon the public ; but if they are 
 to be appreciated by their intrinftc con- 
 tents, this will probably rank among 
 feme of the mojl important. 
 
 As nothing, in general, is of more real 
 utility than a good elementary treatife, 
 fo nothing is attended 'with greater dif- 
 ficulty In the compnfition, and even in 
 
IV ADVERTISEMENT* 
 
 the perufal of it ; becaufe, in fuch a 
 one, there is nothing but analyfis and 
 definition, and an exhibition of truth 
 with all the Jimplicity of precifion. If 
 the work be deficient in truth and pre- 
 cifion, its object is totally defeated , and 
 if it has to boafl of both, it is liable to 
 become abflrufe, even by dint of its 
 
 All the treatifes on ethics that have 
 hitherto appeared, evidently labour un- 
 der the former of thefe defects, being 
 only a confufed mafs. of detached and 
 unconnected maxims, of precepts with- 
 out ofienfible caufes, and of actions with- 
 out pre-exlftent motives. The pedantic 
 race of morall-zers, that have addref- 
 fed themfelves to mankind on this topic 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. V 
 
 lave treated them like fo many babies > 
 And have kept them in awe by terrifying 
 them with invrfible ghojls and hobgob- 
 lins ; but now when thejlature of man's 
 mind is more advanced in growth, if is 
 time that itjhould hear the language of 
 reafon. The period is arrived, when, 
 men Jhould be taught by the conviftion 
 of their own fenfes, that the radical 
 fource of their melioration and moral 
 improvement is to be looked for, in their 
 organization, in the direction and in- 
 terejl of their paj/ions, and in the very 
 cotiftituetit elements of their exigence. 
 Such is the advantage of the fyjlem ex~ 
 Ixlitedin the prefent work, that mora- 
 lity, by deriving its fundamental prin- 
 ciples from the very nature of things 
 
 a 1 
 
VI ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 becomes Me them fixed and immutable : 
 ivhilft, on the contrary, in all the theo- 
 logical fyjlems, ly being built upon ar- 
 bitrary opinions, indemonjlrable in them- 
 felves, and frequently abfurd, it fluc- 
 tuates, declines, andperifhes with them 9 
 having, mankind in a flate of abfolute 
 depravity. It is high time to prove, 
 that morality is a phyjical and geometri- 
 al fcience, and, as fuch, fufceptible, 
 like the reft, of calculation and mathe- 
 matical demonflration. But, fince a 
 feal fyjlem of ethics mufl be founded on 
 totlual fatls, and not on the romantic 
 dreams of a fanciful imagination, it 
 may, it is true, have more obflacles, on 
 that account, to combat with, before its 
 principles canbecome general and popular 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. Vll 
 
 Tet it has one confolation to fupport it* 
 that it will gain Jrrength even by the op" 
 pofition that is made againft it ; and the 
 sternal religion of nature will eventually 
 learfway and overturn all the tranfi- 
 tory religions of human fabrication. 
 
 'The French treatife, of which the 
 prefent is a tranflation, was publi/hed in 
 I 793> an d appears from its title of 
 " Catechifm of a French Citizen," 
 to be intended as a national manual of 
 ethics ; but, as it may equally be entit- 
 led, The Catechifm of good fenfe 
 and good people, we judge, that it 
 may be naturalized and adopted, in that 
 view, in the United States of America. * 
 Thejimple and pointed Jllle in which it 
 is written, can hardly fail to be agree" 
 
Till ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 able to thofe who are fond of that kind 
 ef eowpojition which characierifes the 
 works of FRANKLIN. And? if it does 
 not become a clafficai author in the plan 
 of education already projefted, it may 
 at any rate afford fome materials for 
 the conjtruclion of a letter ont* 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 I. OF the -Law of Nature. I 
 
 H. Characters of the Law 
 of Nature. - * * 
 
 in. Ttf Principles of the 
 Law of Nature, as 
 they relate to Man. - 29 
 
 IV. Of the Bafts of Mo- 
 ralityOf Good Of 
 Evil Of Sin Of 
 Crimes Of Vice and 
 
 - - 48 
 
Page, 
 
 CONTENTS, 
 V. Of Individual Virtues 
 
 Of Knowledge. 57 
 
 VI. Of Temperance. - 66 
 
 VII. Of Continence. - 77 
 
 VIII. Of Courage and Activity. 88 
 
 IX. Of Cleanlinefs. - loo 
 
 X. Of Domejlic Virtues. 107 
 
 XI. Of /< ***/ Virtues, 
 
 and of Juftice. - 1 23 
 XII. Developement of tie So- 
 cial Virtues. - 12 
 
THE 
 
 LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Of the Law of Nature. 
 
 CV WHAT is tie law of nature? 
 
 A. It is the regular and con- 
 
 ftant order of events according 
 
 to which God rules the univerfe ; 
 
 the order which his wifdom pre- 
 
 fents to the fenfes and reafon of 
 
 mankind, to ferve them as an 
 
 A 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 equal and general rule of adHon, 
 and to conduct them, without 
 diftinction of country or fet, 
 towards happinefs and perfection. 
 Q^ Give me a clear definition of 
 the ivor d LAW? 
 
 A. The word law, taken in 
 its literal fenfe, fignifies reading ; 
 becaufe, in early times ordinances 
 and regulations principally corn- 
 pofed the readings delivered to 
 the people ; which were mad~ 
 in order that they might obferve 
 them, and not incur the penal- 
 ties attached to their infraction : 
 whence it follows, that the ori~ 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 3 
 
 ginal ufage explaining the true 
 idea, a law may be defined to be> 
 " A command or a prohibi- 
 " tion of an action, with the 
 " exprefled claufe of a penalty 
 " attached to the infraction $ or 
 " a reward annexed to the ob- 
 " fervation of the order." 
 
 Q.^ Are there fuch orders in na- 
 ture ? 
 
 A. Yes. 
 
 Q^ What means the word NA- 
 TURE ? 
 
 A. The word nature compre- 
 hends three different fignifica- 
 tions. 
 
 A *M& 44*469* pwuj&t 9 
 
4 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 1. It means the univerfe, or 
 material world : we fay, accord- 
 ing to this fignification, the beau- 
 ties of nature , the riches of nature : 
 that is, of the objects in heaven 
 and on earth prefented to our 
 contemplation. 
 
 2. It means the power which 
 animates and moves the univerfe, 
 confidering this power as a dif- 
 tint being, fuch as^ the foul is 
 fuppofed to be with refpecl: to 
 the body. In this fecond fenfe 
 we fay, the intentions of nature^ 
 the incomprehenfible fecrets of 
 
 nature* 
 
 t X,/**^ -^ *~z * 
 
 >f 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 5 
 
 3. It means the partial opera- 
 tion of this power, as exerted in 
 each individual being, or in any 
 clafs of beings : and we fay, in 
 this third fenfe, the nature of 
 man is an enigma ; every being 
 afts according to its nature. 
 
 Now, fmce the aUons of each 
 individual, or of each clafs of 
 beings, are fubjefted to conftant 
 and general rules 4 which cannot 
 be departed from without chang- 
 ing and difturbing feme general 
 or particular order of things, to 
 thefe rules of adion and motion, 
 
 A 2 
 
6 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 is given the name of natural laws, 
 or taius of nature. 
 
 Q^ Give me examples of thefe 
 laws ? 
 
 A. It is a law of nature that 
 the fun -enlightens in fucceflion 
 every part of the furface of the 
 terreilrial globe : that his pre- 
 fence excites light and heat : that 
 heat acting on the waters pro- 
 duces vapours : that thefe va- 
 pours raifed in clouds into the 
 higher regions of the atmofphere, 
 form themfelves into rain or mow, 
 andfupply, without ceafmg, the 
 water of fprings and rivers. 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 7 
 
 It is a law of nature that wa- 
 ter flows from an upper to a lower 
 Iituation ; that it feeks its level ; 
 that it is heavier than air ; that 
 all bodies tend towards the earth ; 
 that flame rifes towards the fky ; 
 that it deflroys the organization 
 of vegetables and animals ; that 
 air is effential to the life of cer- 
 tain animals ; that in certain cafes 
 water fuffocates and kills them ; 
 that certain juices of plants, and 
 certain minerals attack their or- 
 gans, and deftroy their life ; and 
 the fame of a variety of facts. 
 
8 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 Now, fince thefe fafts, and 
 many fimilar ones are conftant, 
 regular, and immutable, they be- 
 come fo many real and poiitive 
 commands to which man is bound 
 to conform, under the exprefs 
 penalty of punifhment attached 
 to their infraction, or well-being 
 connected with their obfervance. 
 So that if a man were to pretend 
 to fee clearly in the dark, or is 
 regardlefs of the progrefs of the 
 feafons, or the action of the ele- 
 ments : if he pretends to exift 
 under water without drowning ; 
 to handle fire without burning 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. p 
 
 himfelf ; to deprive himfelf of 
 air without fuffocating ; or to 
 drink poifon without deftroying 
 himfelf, he receives from each 
 infraction of the law of nature, 
 a corporal punimment propor- 
 tioned to his tranfgreffion. If, 
 on the contrary, he obferves thefe 
 laws, and founds his practice on 
 the precife and regular relation 
 which they bear to him, he pre- 
 ferves his exiilence and renders 
 it as happy as it is capable of be- 
 ing rendered ; and (ince all thefe 
 laws, coniidered in relation to 
 the human fpecies, have in view 
 
10 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 only one common end, that of 
 their prefervaticn and their hap- 
 pinefs 3 whence it has been agreed 
 ta afiemble together the differ- 
 ent ideas, and exprefs them by a 
 lingle word, and call them col- 
 Jetively by the name of the 
 law of nature, 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Characters of the Law of Nature* 
 
 Q^WHATarethe characters of 
 the laiv of nature ? 
 
 A. We may reckon ten prin- 
 cipal ones. 
 
 Q^ What is thefirft ? 
 
 A. To be inherent in, and v ef- 
 fential to the exiltence of things ; 
 confequently to be primitive and 
 anterior to every other law, fo 
 that all thofe which men have 
 adopted from time to time, are 
 
12 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 only imitations of this ; the per- 
 fection of which laws is to be 
 meafured by their refemblance 
 with this primordial model. 
 Q^ What is thefecond ? 
 A. It is to emanate immedi- 
 ately from God, and to be by 
 him offered to the contemplation 
 of every man, while others are 
 prefented to us by men only, who 
 may happen to be either deceivers 
 or deceived. 
 
 Q^ What is the third ? 
 A. It is to be common to 
 every time and country ; that is, 
 to be one and univerfal. 
 
*THfc LAW OF NATURE, 13 
 Q^ Is there no other law which 
 is univerfal ? 
 
 A. No 5 for no other is fuit- 
 ed, and applicable to every people 
 upon earth ; all are local and ac- 
 cidental, fprung from the differ- 
 ing circumftances of places and 
 perfons ; fo that if a given man, 
 or a given event had not exifted, 
 a given law would not have taken 
 place. 
 
 Q^ What is the fourth charac- 
 ter ? 
 
 A. That of being uniform and 
 invariable, 
 
 B 
 
14 THE LAW OF NATURE* 
 
 Q^ Is there no other law which 
 is uniform and invariable ? 
 
 A. No ; for that which ac- 
 cording to one is good and vir- 
 tuous, is evil and vicious accord- 
 ing to another ; aiad what is at 
 one time approved, is often con- 
 demned at another by the fame 
 law. 
 
 Q^ What is the fifth character? 
 
 A. To be evident and palpable, 
 fince it confifts wholly of fa6ts 
 ever prefent to our fenfes, and 
 capable of demonftration. 
 
 Q^ Are not other laws evident ? 
 
 A. No , for they are founded 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 15 
 on paft and doubtful facts j on 
 equivocal and fufpicious teilimo- 
 ny ; and on proofs which can- 
 not be prefented to the fenfes. 
 
 Q^ What is thefatb character? 
 
 A. To be reafonable 5 becaufe 
 its precepts, and its whole doc- 
 trine, are conformable to reafon, 
 and agreeable to the human un- 
 derflanding. 
 
 Q^ Is no other law reafonable ? 
 
 A. No ; for they all contradict 
 the reafon and underflanding of 
 man, and impofe upon him, ty- 
 rannically, a blind and imprac- 
 ticable belkf. 
 
1 6 THE LAW OF NATURE, 
 
 Q^ What is the feventh charac* 
 ter? 
 
 A. To be juft, becaufe in this 
 law the puniihment is proportion- 
 ed to the tranfgreffion. 
 
 Q.^ Are not other laws jiift ? 
 
 A. No; for they frequently 
 attach to merit or to criminality, 
 difproportionate pumfhment or re- 
 ward, and impute merit and cri- 
 minality to actions which are null 
 or indifferent. 
 
 Q.^ What is the eighth charac- 
 ter ? 
 
 A. To be pacific and tolerant \ 
 becaufe according to the law of 
 
nature, all men being brethren, 
 and equal in rights, it advifes all 
 to peace and toleration, even for 
 their errors. 
 
 Q^ Are not other laius pacific ? 
 A. No ; for they all breath 
 diflenfion, difcord, and war, and 
 divide men among each other by 
 means of exclufive pretenfions to 
 truth and power. 
 
 Q^ What Is the ninth character 
 of this law ? 
 
 A. To be equally beneficent to 
 all men, and to teach them all the 
 true method of being better and 
 happier. 
 
 B 2 
 
I 8 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 Q^ Are not the re/1 likeivife be* 
 neficent ? 
 
 A. No , for none teach the 
 true road to happinefs ; they all 
 really amount to nothing but per- 
 nicious or futile performances : 
 and this is proved by facts, fince 
 after fo many laws, religions, le- 
 giflators, and prophets, Men re- 
 main ftill as unhappy and as ig- 
 norant as they were five thou- 
 fand years ago. 
 
 Q.^ What is the loft character of 
 the law of nature ? 
 
 A. It is its being of itfelf fuffi- 
 dent to render Men happier and 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 10 
 
 better, becaufe it includes what- 
 ever is good and ufeful in every 
 other law, civil or religious : that 
 is, it is in its eflence the moral 
 part of them all ; fo that were 
 they diverted of it, they would 
 be reduced to the ftate of chime- 
 rical and imaginary opinions, and 
 be of no practical utility. 
 
 Q.^ Recapitulate all thefc cha~ 
 rafters ? 
 
 A. I have faid that the law of 
 nature is, 
 
 Primitive ; 
 
 Immediate s or of original ema* 
 nation j 
 
'20 'THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 Univerfal ; 
 
 Invariable ; 
 
 Evident; 
 
 Reafonable ; 
 
 Juft; 
 
 Pacific ; 
 
 ^Beneficent ; 
 
 And_of itfelf jfufficient ^ 
 
 And it is becaufe it unites in 
 itfelf all thefe attributes of per- 
 feftion and of truth, that there 
 has always exiiled in the human 
 heart, an involuntary and fecret 
 inclination to regard it, as in a pe- 
 culiar fenfe, the true religion , the 
 only one adapted to the nature of 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 21 
 
 man, and the only one worthy of 
 God, from whom it emanates. 
 
 Q^ If, as you afferty it ema- 
 nates immediately from God, does it 
 teach us his exiftence ? 
 
 A. Yes ; very poiitively ; for 
 every man, who obferves with 
 attention, the aftonifhing fcene 
 of the univerfe, the more he me- 
 ditates on the properties and at- 
 tributes of ' each exiftence, and 
 on the admirable order and har- 
 mony of their motions, the more 
 will he be convinced that there 
 is a fupreme agent, a univerfal 
 identical mover, defigned'by 
 
22 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 'the name God : and it is fo true 
 that the law of nature is fuffici- 
 ent to raife us to the knowledge 
 of God, that whatever men have 
 pretended to know of him by 
 other means, has been conftant- 
 ly found to be ridiculous and 
 abfurd ; and they have been ob- 
 liged to return to the unchange- 
 able notions of natural reafon. 
 
 Q^ Is it not true then that the 
 followers of the law of nature are 
 atheifts. ? 
 
 A. No : it is not true. On 
 the contrary, they have ftronger 
 and more noble ideas of the 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 23 
 
 nity than the greater part of man- 
 kind ; for they do not defile it 
 by the addition of the weaknefles 
 and paffions of human nature. 
 
 Q^ What is the ivorjhip 'which 
 they render him ? 
 
 A. A worfhip which confiils 
 entirely in aftion ; in the obferva- 
 tion and practice of all the rules 
 which the fupreme wifdom has 
 impofed upon the motions of 
 each being ; eternal and inalter- 
 able rules which maintain the or- 
 der and harmony of the univerfe, 
 and which, confidered in relar 
 
24 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 tion to man, compofe the law of 
 nature. 
 
 Q^ Was the law of tiature ever 
 known before the prefent day? 
 
 A. It has been fpoken of in eve- 
 ry age. The greater part of law- 
 givers have pretended to make it 
 the bafis of their laws ^ but they 
 have brought forward only a few 
 of its precepts, and have had but 
 vague ideas of it as a whole. 
 
 Q^ Why has this happened ? 
 
 A. Becaufe, though it is fimplc 
 in its bafis, it forks in its deve- 
 lopement and its confequences, 
 a complicated aggregate which 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 2 
 requires the knowledge of a num- 
 ber of fafts, and the whole fa- 
 gacity of reafon, in order to be 
 underftood. 
 
 Q.^ Does not inJllnEl alone in- 
 Jlruffi us in the law of nature ? 
 
 No : for inftinft fignifies only 
 that blind fentiment which leads 
 us, without difcrimmation, to- 
 wards whatever pleafes our fen- 
 fes. 
 
 Q^ Why then is it faid that the 
 law of nature is engraven on the 
 hearts of all men ? 
 
 A. It is laid, for two reafons, 
 
 T/?, Becaufe it has been remarked 
 C 
 
 ** + 
 
26 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 that there are actions and fenti- 
 ments common to all mankind, 
 arifing from their fimilar organi- 
 zation. 2<9j Becaufe it was an 
 opinion of the ancient philofo- 
 phers, that men were born into 
 the world with innate or ready 
 formed ideas ; an opinion which 
 is now demonftrated to be an er- 
 ror. 
 
 Q^ Do philofophers then deceive 
 themfelves ? 
 
 A. Yes ; they do. 
 
 Q.^ How happens this ? 
 
 A. i/?, From their nature as 
 men. 2^/, Becaufe ignorant per- 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 27 
 
 fons call every man who reafons 
 a philofopher, whether he rea- 
 fon well or ill. 3^, Eecaufe thofe 
 who reafon on a variety of fub- 
 jects, and are the firft to reafon 
 on them, are liable to deceive 
 themfelves. 
 
 Q^ Since the law of nature is 
 not written^ may it not be conjlder- 
 ed as arbitrary and ideal ? 
 
 A. No ; becaufe it confifts al- 
 together in facts, whofe demon- 
 ilration may be at any time re- 
 called before the fenfes, and form 
 a fcience as precife and exact as 
 thofe of geometry and mathe- 
 
28 THE LAW OF NATURE* 
 
 inatics : and this very circum- 
 ftance, that the law of nature 
 forms an exaft fcience, is the 
 reafon why men, who are born 
 in ignorance, and live in carelefs- 
 nefs, have, till this day, known 
 it only fuperficially. 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 29 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Tie Principles of the Law of Na- 
 ture as they relate to Man. 
 
 <^JjNFOLD the principles of the 
 laiv of nature as they relate to 
 man ? 
 
 A. They are (imple^ and re- 
 ducible to fingie fundamental pre- 
 cept. 
 
 Q.^ What is this precept f 
 
 A. Se'f-prefervation. 
 
30 THE LAW OF NATURE* 
 
 Q.^ Is not happmefs likewjfe a 
 precept of the laiu of nature ? 
 
 A. Yes ; but as happinefs is 
 an accidental circumftance which 
 taikes place, only in confequence 
 of the unfolding of the facul- 
 ties of man, and the develope- 
 ment of the focial fyftem, it is 
 not the primary and direft end 
 propofed by nature. It is an ob- 
 jeft of luxury fuperaddcd to the 
 neceflary and fundamental objecl; 
 of felf-prefervation. 
 
 Q.^ In what manner does nature 
 ecmmand felf-prefervation. ? 
 
 A. By two powerful and in- 
 voluntary fenfations \vhich ftie has 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 3! 
 
 attached as two guides or guar- 
 dian genii to all our adtions : 
 one, the fenfation of pain, by 
 which (lie informs us of, and 
 turns us from whatever tends to 
 our definition. 
 
 The other, the fenfation of 
 pleafure, by which me attracts 
 and leads us towards every thing 
 that tends to our prefervation, 
 and the unfolding of our faculties. 
 
 Q^ Pleafure then is not an evil or 
 n fifty as the cafuifts have pretended ? 
 
 A. No ; it is of that clafs 
 only when it tends to the deftruc- 
 tion of life and health, which, 
 
32 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 as the cafuifts themfelves confefs, 
 are derived to us from God. 
 
 Q^ Is pleafure the principal ob~ 
 jeEl of our ex'iftence as feme philo- 
 fophers have ajjerted ? 
 
 A. No ; no more than pain is : 
 by pleafure nature encourages us to 
 live , by pain, it makes us fhrink 
 from death. 
 
 Q^ How do you prove this offer- 
 tion ? 
 
 A. By two palpable fadls ; the 
 one, the pleafure carried too far, 
 condufts into deftrudlion , for 
 inftance, a man who abufes the 
 pleafure of eating and drinking, 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 33 
 
 attacks his health, and injures 
 his exiflence. The other, that 
 pain fometimes tends to our pre- 
 fervation ; for inftance, a man 
 who orders his mortified limb to 
 be amputated, fuffers pain, but 
 it is in order that he may not 
 perifh altogether* 
 
 Q.^ But does not this prove that 
 our fenfes may deceive us 'with re- 
 fpeEl to this end of f elf -prefer vation ? 
 
 A. Yes ; they may for a time. 
 
 Q^ How do our fenfations de- 
 ceive us ? 
 
 A. In two ways; through our 
 ignorance and our paflions, 
 
34 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 Q^ When do they deceive us 
 through our ignorance ? 
 
 A: When we adt without 
 knowing the ation and effel of 
 objels on our fenfes ; for in- 
 ftance, when a man handles net- 
 tles without knowing their qua- 
 lity of flinging , or when he 
 chews opium in ignorance of its 
 foporific properties. 
 
 Q.^ When do they deceive us 
 through our pajpons. ? 
 
 A. When, though we are ac- 
 quainted with the hurtful afcion 
 of objels 3 we, notwithflanding, 
 give way to the violence of our 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 35 
 
 defires and our appetites \ for 
 inftance, when a man who knows 
 that wine inebriates, drinks, not- 
 withilandmg, to excefs. 
 
 Q^What refultsfrom thefefaEls ? 
 
 A. The refult is, that the ig- 
 norance in which we enter the 
 world, and the inordinate appe- 
 tites to which we give ourfelves 
 up, are oppofed to our felf-pre- 
 fervation \ that in confequence, 
 the inftruciiion of our minds, and 
 the moderation of our paflions, 
 are two obligations, or two laws, 
 immediately derived from the firft 
 law of prefervation. 
 
36 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 Q.^ But if we are born ignorant^ 
 Is not ignorance a part of the law 
 of nature ? 
 
 A. No more than it is for us 
 to remain in the naked and feeble 
 ftate of infancy : far from its be- 
 ing a law of nature, ignorance is 
 an obflacle in the way of all her 
 laws. It is the true original fin. 
 
 Q^ Whence then has it happened 
 
 that moralifts have exifted ivho con- 
 j j , 
 
 ftdered it as a virtue and y perfec- 
 tion ? 
 
 A. Becaufe, through caprice, 
 or mifanthropy, they have con- 
 founded the abufe of our know- 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 37 
 ledge itfelf ; as though becaufc 
 men mifemploy the faculty of 
 fpeaking, it were neceflary to 
 cut out their tongue ; as though 
 perfection and virtue confided 
 in the annihilation, and not in 
 the unfolding and proper em- 
 ployment of our faculties. 
 
 Q^ Is injlrucllon then neceffarily 
 indifperifiUe for marl's exiftcnce ? 
 
 A. Yes ; fo indifpenfible, that 
 without it, he mufl be every in- * 
 ftant ftruck and wounded by all 
 the beings which furround him ; 
 for if he did not know the ef~ 
 fefts of fire, he would burn him- 
 D 
 
38 THE LAW OF NATURE* 
 
 felf; of water, he would be 
 drowned , of opium, he would 
 be poifoned. If in the favage 
 {late he is unacquainted with the 
 cunning and fubterfuges of ani- 
 mals, and the art of procuring 
 game, he perifhes with hunger : 
 if in a (late of fociety, he does 
 not know the progrefs of the 
 feafons, he can neither cultivate 
 the earth, nor provide himfelf 
 with food : and the like may be 
 faid of all his aftions arifmg from 
 all his wants. 
 
 Q^ But can man y *in a Jlate of 
 folltude^ acquire all thefe ideas n&~ 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 39 
 eeffary to his exiftence and the un- 
 folding of his faculties. 
 
 A. No ; he cannot do it but 
 by the afliftance of his fellows ^ 
 living with hirrL a ftate of fociety. L 1 
 
 Q^ But is not a Jlate of fociety 
 a Jlate unnatural to man ? 
 
 A. No j it is, en the contrary, a 
 neceffity, a law impofed upon 
 him by his very organization ; for, 
 i/?, Nature has fo conftituted 
 the human being, that he^ctoes 
 not behold his likenefs of another 
 fex without experiencing emo- 
 tions, and' an atfcraftion inducing 
 him to live in a domefiic .{late, , 
 
40 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 which is already a ftate of fo- 
 ciety : id. In rendering him fen- 
 fible, fhe has fo organized him, 
 that the fenfations of others are 
 refiefted into himfelf, and excite 
 in him co-fentiments of plea- 
 fure or pain, which become the 
 attractive force and indiiToluble 
 bond of focial life : 3^, In 
 fine, the ftate of fociety eftab- 
 lifhed on the wants of man, is 
 nothing more than an addition- 
 al means of fulfilling the law of 
 prefervation : and to fay, that 
 fuch a ftate is unnatural, becaufe 
 it is more advanced towards 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 4! 
 
 perfection, is to fay that a fruitj 
 which in the woods is bitter and 
 wild, is no longer a production 
 of nature, after having become 
 fweet and delicious in the garden 
 in which it has been cultivated. 
 
 Q^ Why then have philofophers 
 denominated the favage Jlate of life, 
 a Jlate of perfection ? 
 
 A. Becaufe, as I have before 
 obferved, the vulgar have often- 
 given the appellation of philofo- 
 phers, to capricious perfons, who, 
 through morofenefs, wounded va- 
 nity, or difguft with the vices of 
 D 2 
 
42 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 focial life, have formed a chimeri- 
 cal idea of the favage ftate, con- 
 tradictory to their own fyflem of 
 the perfe&ability of man. 
 
 Q^ What is the true meaning of 
 the ivord philofopher ? 
 
 A. The word philofopher Cg- 
 nifies lover of wifdom : now, 
 fmce wifdom confifls in the prac- 
 tice of the laws of nature, that 
 man is a true philofopher who 
 underftands thefe laws in their 
 full extent, and, with precifion, 
 renders his conduit conformable 
 to them. 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE, 43 
 
 Q^Wkat is man in afavagejlate ? 
 
 A. A Brute and ignorant animal j 
 a mifchievous and ferocious bead, 
 like a bear or an ourang-outang. 
 
 Q^ Is he happy in fuck a ft ate ? 
 
 A. No; for he has but the fen- 
 fations of the moment ; and thefe 
 fenfations are habitually fenti- 
 ments of violent and preffing 
 wants which he cannot gratify ; 
 feeing that he is ignorant by na- 
 ture, and feeble by his ftate of 
 infulation from fociety. 
 
 Q^ Is he free ? 
 
 A. No : he is the moft flavifh 
 of beings ; his life depends on 
 
44 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 all that furrounds him , he has 
 not the power to eat when he is 
 hungry , to reft himfelf when 
 he is weary, or to warm himfelf 
 when he is cold : he is in danger 
 of periihing every inftant. Na- 
 ture, it is true, has exhibited 
 fuch beings only, as it were, 
 by chance : and, it is evident, 
 that the efforts of the human 
 race have, from the beginning, 
 been employed to extricate it 
 from this ftate of violence ; fo 
 ftrong is the defire of preferva- 
 ticn. 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 45 
 Q^ But does not this defire cf 
 f elf -prefers at ion produce in indivi- 
 duals egoifm, that is, the love of t* 
 fe/fy and is not egoifm abhorrent to 
 the facial ft ate. 
 
 A. No , for, if by egoifm is un- t 
 derflood an inclination to injure 
 others, it is no longer the love of 
 felf but the hatred of our neigh- 
 bour. The love of felf, taken 
 in its true fenfe, is not only con- 
 fiilent with a (late of fociety, but 
 is likewife its firmeft fupport ; 
 fince we are under a neceffity of 
 not doing injury to others, left 
 
46 THE LAW OF NATURE.' 
 
 they fhould, in return, do inju- 
 ry to ourfelves. 
 
 Thus the prefervation of man, 
 and the unfolding of his facul- 
 ties, which have in view the fame 
 end, are the true law which na- 
 ture has followed in the produc- 
 tion of the human fpecies : and 
 from this fimple and fruitful prin- 
 ciple, are derived, muft be re- 
 ferred, and ultimately meafured 
 all our ideas of good and evil, 
 vice and virtue, juftice and in- 
 juftice, truth and error, of what 
 is permitted and v/hat .is forbid- 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE* 47 
 
 den 5 the foundation of all moral 
 conduft, whether in the indivi- 
 dual man, or the man of focial 
 life. 
 
48 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Of the Bafts of Morality Of 
 Good Of Evil Of Sin Of 
 Crimes Of Vice and Virtue. 
 
 Q^ WHAT is good) according to 
 the law of nature? 
 
 A. Whatever tends to preferve 
 and ameliorate mankind, 
 
 O. What is evil ? 
 ^>*^ 
 
 A. Whatever tends to the de- 
 finition and deterioration of the 
 human race. 
 
LAW OF NATURE. 49 
 Q c What Is underftood by PHT- 
 SICAL good or evil, and MORAL 
 good or evil ? 
 
 . A. By the word plyfical> is 
 meant whatever afts immediately 
 upon the body ; health is a phyfi- 
 cal good ; ficknefs is a phyfical 
 evil. By moral) is underftood what- 
 ever is effected by confequences 
 more or lefs remote : calumny is 
 a moral evil ; a fair reputation is 
 a moral good, becaufe .both of 
 them are the occafion of certain 
 difpofitions and habits in other 
 men, with refpecl: to ourfdves, 
 which are ufeful or prejudicial to 
 E 
 
50 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 our well-being, and which at- 
 tack or contribute to the means 
 of exigence. 
 
 Q^ IFljatever then tends to pre~ 
 fervatlon or production is good ? 
 
 A. Yes ; and this is the reafon 
 why fome legiflators have ranked 
 in the clafs of things pleafmg to 
 God, the cultivation of a field> 
 and the fruitfulnefs of a woman* 
 
 Q. Every thing which tends to 
 bring on death is of tonfcquencc 
 evil? 
 
 A. Yes ; and for this reafon, 
 fome legiflators have extended 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 51 
 
 the idea of evil and fin to the 
 killing of any animals. 
 
 Q^ The murder of a man, is it 
 then a crime according to the law 
 of nature ? 
 
 A. Yes ; and the greateil that 
 can be committed ; for all other 
 evils may be repaired ; but mur- 
 der can never be done away. 
 
 Q^What Is a fin according to 
 the la e w of nature ? 
 
 A. Whatever tends to difturb 
 the order eftabliihed by nature, 
 for the prefervation and perfefta- 
 bility of man and of fociety. 
 
$2 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 Q^ Can intention be a merit or 
 a crime ? 
 
 A. No ; for it is only an idea 
 without reality ; but it is a be- 
 ginning of fin and evil, by the 
 inclination to aft, of which it is 
 the caufe. 
 
 Q^ What is virtue according to 
 the law of nature ? 
 
 A. The practice of actions 
 which are ufeful to the individual 
 and to fociety. 
 
 Q.^ What ftgnifies the 'word in- 
 dividual ? , 
 
 A. It fignifies a perfon confider- 
 cd as infulated from every other. 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 53 
 Q^ What is via according to 
 the law of nature ? 
 
 A. It is the praftice of aftions 
 prejudicial to the individual and 
 to fociety. 
 
 Q^ Have not virtue and vice an 
 object purely fpiritual and abflr act- 
 ed from fenfe ? 
 
 A. No -, they are always ulti- 
 mately referable to a phyficalendj 
 and this end is invariably the de- 
 ftru6tion or prefervation of the 
 body. 
 
 Q^Have vice and virtue de~ 
 grees of Jlrength and intenfity ? 
 
 2 
 
54 THE LAW OF NATURE.' 
 
 A. Yes ; according to the im- 
 portance of the faculties which 
 they attack or favour ; and ac- 
 cording to the number of indi- 
 viduals in whom thefe faculties 
 are thus aflifted or injured. 
 ' Q^ Give me an example ? 
 A. The adlion of faving a 
 man's life is more virtuous than 
 that of faving his wealth : the 
 aft of faving the lives of ten 
 men, is more fo than that of fav- 
 ing the life of a fmgle perfon : 
 and an aftion which is ufeful to 
 the whole human race, is more 
 virtuous than an aHon ufefut 
 only to a fingle nation. 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 55- 
 
 Q^ /// what manner does the 
 law of nature prefcribe the prafticc 
 of good and virtue, and forbid 
 that of evil and of vice ? 
 
 A. By the advantages refult- 
 ing from the practice of good 
 and virtue in the prefervatioii of 
 our bodies, and the injuries which 
 our very exiilence receives from 
 the practice of evil and vice. 
 
 Q^ Its precepts then are found in 
 and founded upon action ? 
 
 Q^Yes ; they are action itfelf, 
 confidered in its prefent eiFecl:, 
 and its future confequences. 
 
 Q^ What divifion do you make of 
 the virtues ? 
 
56 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 -A. We divide them into three 
 clafles ; ifi, Private virtues, or 
 thofe which refer to fmgle and 
 infulated perfons ; id y Domeilic 
 virtues, of thofe which relate to 
 families ; 3^, Social virtues, or 
 thofe which refpecT; fociety at 
 large. 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Of Individual or Private Virtues* 
 Of Knowledge. 
 
 are tie private vir- 
 tues ? 
 
 A. There are five principal 
 ones : namely, knowledge ; which 
 comprehends prudence and wif- 
 dom. 
 
 zd. Temperance j which in* 
 eludes fobriety and chaltity. 
 
5 3 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 %d. Courage ; or ftrength of 
 body and mind. 
 
 4**. Adivity ; that is, the 
 love of labour, and a proper em- 
 ployment of our time. 
 
 $th. Laftly ; cleanlinefs, or 
 purity of body, as well in our 
 cloathing, as in our dwellings. 
 
 Q.^ Ho<w does the law of nature 
 prescribe to its the poffe/fion of know- 
 ledge ? 
 
 A. In this way : The man who 
 is acquainted with the caufes and 
 effeis of things, provides in a 
 very extenfive and certain manner 
 for his own preservation, and the 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE* 59 . 
 
 developement of his faculties* 
 Knowledge is for him, as it were 
 light aling upon its appropriate 
 organ, making him difcern all the 
 objefts which furround him, and 
 in the midfl of which he moves, 
 with precifion and clearnefs. And 
 for this reafcn, we ufed to fay 
 an enlightened man, to deiignate. 
 a wife and well informed man. 
 By the help of knowledge and 
 information, we are never left 
 \vithout refources, and means of 
 fubfiftence,; and whence a philo- 
 fopher, who had fufFered fhip- 
 wreck,. obferved juftly to hi* 
 
60 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 companions, who were lamenting 
 the lofs of their fortunes, " As 
 for me, I carry all my fortune 
 " in myfelf." 
 
 Q^ What is the vice oppofed to 
 knowledge ? 
 . A. Ignorance. 
 
 CX^ Hoiv does tbe laiy of nature 
 forbid ignorance ? 
 . A. By the great injury which 
 our exiilence fuftains from it : 
 for the ignorant who are unac- 
 quainted with either caufes or ef- 
 fefts, commit every inftant mif- 
 takes^the moil pernicious to them- 
 felves or others : like a blind man 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 6l 
 who walks groping his way, and 
 who at every ftep Humbles againfl, 
 or is joflled by his companions. 
 
 Q.^ What difference is there be- 
 tween an ignorant man and a fool f 
 A. The fame that there is be- 
 tween a blind man who ingenu- 
 Oufly acknowledges his want of 
 fight, and a blind man who pre- 
 tends to fee diflintly. Folly is 
 ignorance with a fuperadded pre- 
 tention to knowledge. 
 
 Q^ Are ignorance and folly com- 
 mon ? 
 
 A. Yes, very common : they 
 are the habitual and general difea* 
 F 
 
62 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 fes of mankind. Above three 
 thoufand years fines, the wifeft 
 of men obferved, that the num- 
 ber of fools is infinite ; and the 
 world has not changed. 
 
 Q.^ Hoiu happens this ? 
 
 A. Becaufe to become inform- 
 ed, is the work of much time and 
 labour ; and becaufe men, born 
 ignorant, but fearful of trouble, 
 find it more convenient to remain 
 blind, and pretend to fee clearly, 
 
 Q^ What .difference is there be- 
 tween the man of learning and the. 
 man of <wifdom ? 
 
tTHE LAW OF NATURE. 63 
 
 A. The man of learning pof- 
 fefles the theory, and the man of 
 wifdom the practice . 
 
 Q.^ What is prudence ? 
 
 A. An anticipated view, a 
 forefight of effects, and the con- 
 fequences of every event : a fore- 
 fight by which a man avoids the 
 dangers which threaten him, and 
 feizes and raifes up opportunities 
 which are favourable : whence it 
 appears, that he provides on a 
 large and fure fcale, for his pre-* 
 fent and future confervation ; 
 while the imprudent man, who 
 
64 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 neither calculates his progrefs nor 
 his conduct, the efforts required, 
 nor the refinances to overcome, 
 falls every moment into a thou- 
 fand difficulties and dangers, which 
 more or lefs, flowly deftroy his 
 faculties and his being. 
 
 Q^ When the go/pel declares, 
 Happy are the poor in fpirit, Does 
 it mean the ignorant and impru~ 
 dent ? 
 
 A. No 5 for at the fame time 
 that it advifes the fimplicity of 
 doves, it connects with it the pru- 
 dent cunning of the ferpent. By 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 65 
 
 fimplenefs of fpirit is meant rec- 
 titude ; and the precept of the 
 gofpel is no other than that of 
 nature. 
 
66 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Of Temperance. 
 
 Q^ WHAT is temperance ? 
 
 A. A well regulated employ- 
 ment of our faculties; which 
 prevents our ever exceeding in 
 our fenfible pleafures the end 
 of nature, felf-confervation. It 
 is the moderation of our paf- 
 fions. 
 
 Q.^ What is the vice oppofed to 
 temperance, ? 
 
TftE LAW OF NATURE. 67 
 
 A. The want of government 
 over our paflions 5 an over-great 
 cagernefs to poflefs enjoyments : 
 in a word, cupidity. 
 
 Q^ What are the principal 
 branches of temperance ? 
 
 A. Sobriety, and continence 
 or chaflity. 
 
 Q^ In what manner does the 
 /aw of nature enjoin fobriety ? 
 
 A. By its powerful influence 
 ever our health. The man of 
 fobriety digeils his food with 
 comfort ; he is not opprefled by 
 the weight of his aliment : his 
 ideas are clear and eafily impvef- 
 
68 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 fed ; he performs every function 
 well ; he attends with diligence 
 to his bufinefs ; he grows old free 
 from' ficknefs ; he does not throw 
 away his money in remedies for 
 diforders.; he enjoys with gay 
 good humour the goods which 
 fortune or prudence have procur- 
 ed for him. Thus does gener- 
 ous nature make a thoufand re- 
 wards flow from a fingle virtue. 
 
 Q.^ By what means dees fie pro* 
 tibit gluttony ? 
 
 A. By the numerous evils at- 
 tached to it. The glutton, op- 
 preffed by his aliment^ digeits 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 69 
 with pain and difficulty ; his head 
 difturbrd by the fumes arifing 
 during bad digeftion, is incapable 
 cf receiving neat and clear ideas ; 
 he gives himfelf up with fury to 
 the inordinate movements of lux- 
 ury and anger, which deftroy his 
 health ; his body becomes fat, 
 heavy, and unfit for labour ; he 
 pafTes through painful and ex- 
 penfive fits of ficknefs , he rarely 
 lives to old age, and his latter 
 part of life is marked by infirmi- 
 ty and difguft. 
 
 Q^ Ought we to look upon ob* 
 ftinence and fafting as virtuous ac- 
 tions. ? 
 
^O THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 A. Yes ; after we have eaten 
 too much , for, in that cafe, ab- 
 flinence and failing are efficaci- 
 ous and fimple remedies; but 
 when the body has need of nou- 
 rimment, to refufe it and let it 
 fuffer through thirft or hunger, 
 is madnefs, and a real fin againft 
 the law of nature. 
 
 Q^ In e wbat light does this law 
 confider drunkennefs ? 
 
 A. As the vileft and moft per- 
 nicious of vices. The drunkard 
 deprived of the fenfe and reafon 
 given us by God, profanes the 
 gifts of the divinity j he lowers 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 7! 
 
 himfelf to the condition of the 
 brutes ; incapable of directing 
 his fteps, he totters and falls as 
 in a fit of epilepfy : he wounds 
 himfelf, and endangers his own 
 life : his weaknefs in this ft ate 
 renders him the play-thing, and 
 the fcorn of all around him : he 
 contracts, during his drunken- 
 nefs, ruinous engagements, and 
 lofes the management of his af- 
 fairs : he fuffers violent and out- 
 rageous obfervations to efcape 
 him, which raife him up ene- 
 rnicsj and bring him to repent- 
 ance : he fills his houfe v/. 
 
72 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 trouble and chagrin ; and he con- 
 cludes by a premature death, or 
 an old age, comfortlefs and dif- 
 eafed. 
 
 Q^ Does the law of nature abfo~ 
 lutely forbid the ufe of wine ? 
 
 A. No ; it only forbids the 
 abufes of it ; but as the paflage 
 from the proper to the improper 
 ufe of it, is for the vulgar, very 
 fliort and eafy, perhaps thofe le- 
 giflators who have forbidden the 
 ufe of wine, have, in fo doing, 
 rendered a fervice to mankind. 
 
 Q^Does the law of nature for- 
 bid the ufe of certain meats and 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 73 
 vegetables, on certain days, or dur- 
 ing certain feafons ? 
 
 A. No ; it forbids only what 
 is abfolutely prejudicial to health ; 
 its precepts on this fcore vary as 
 men do, and compofe a very 
 delicate and important fcience ; 
 for the quality, the quantity, and 
 the combination of our aliments, 
 have a very great influence, not 
 only on the momentary affections 
 of the mind, but iikewife on its 
 habits and difpoiitions. A man 
 failing is not the fame- as after a 
 repail, though of the moft fober 
 kind. A glafs of wine, a diih 
 G 
 
74 THE LAW OF NATURE, 
 
 of coffee, produce various de- 
 grees of vivacity, activity, difpo- 
 {ition to anger, fadnefs or gaiety : 
 one fpecies of food, becaufe it lies 
 heavy on the ftomach, renders a 
 perfon morofe and peevifh ; ano- 
 ther which is eafily digeiled, dif- 
 pofes to cheerfuJnefs and love, 
 and produces in us an inclina- 
 tion to be obliging. The ufe of 
 vegetables, as they afford little 
 nourifhment, render the body 
 weak, and induce repofe, inac- 
 tivity and mildnefs of character : 
 the ufe of flefh-meats, as they 
 nourifh much, and of Qurituou* 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 75 
 
 liquors as they ftimulate the 
 nerves, induce livelinefs, reftlefs- 
 nefs, audacity. Now, from thefe 
 habits of taking different kinds 
 of food, refult conftitutional ha- 
 bits, which form in the end va- 
 rious temperaments, each diftin- 
 guifhed by a peculiar character : 
 and hence it appears, why in 
 hot countries legiilators have pro- 
 mulgated as laws, rules of diet. 
 Long experience had taught the 
 ancients, that the dietetic fcience 
 compofed a confiderable portion 
 of that of morals : among the 
 Egyptians, among the ancient 
 
76 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 Perfians, and even among the 
 Greeks, in their Areopagus, af- 
 fairs of confequence were never 
 debated on, except the members 
 of the council were failing; and 
 it has been remarked, that among 
 every people who deliberate dur- 
 ing t|ie warmth of a repafl, or 
 during the fumes of digefdon, 
 the debates are invariably furious 
 and turbulent, and their refults 
 frequently unreafonable and def- 
 tru&ive of the public peace. 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 77 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 Of Continence. 
 
 QC DOES the law of nature pre- 
 fcribe continence ? 
 
 A. Yes , becaufe moderation 
 in the enjoyment of the moft vio- 
 lent of our fenfations, is not 
 only ferviceable, but indifpenfible 
 for the maintenance of our ftrength 
 and health ; and becaufe it may 
 be demonflrated by a fimple cal- 
 G2 
 
78 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 dilation, that in return for a few 
 minutes of privation, we are re- 
 paid by long days of vigour of 
 mind and body. 
 
 CX How does it forbid libertin- 
 ifm ? 
 
 A. By the innumerable evils 
 which it entails upon our exift- 
 ence, phyfical and moral. The 
 man who abandons himfelf to it, 
 becomes enervated and languid ; 
 he is no longer able to attend to 
 his ftudies or his bulmefs ; he 
 contracts idle and expeniive ha- 
 bits, which diminifh his means of 
 livelihood, his reputation and his 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 79 
 
 credit \ his intrigues occafion him 
 embarraflrnents, cares, quarrels, 
 and law-fuits, not to take into 
 the account heavy and grievous dif- 
 eafes j the decreafe of his flrength 
 by an internal and flow poifon ; 
 the (tupefaHon of his intellect: 
 by the exhauftion of the nervous 
 influence ; and laflly a premature 
 and infirm old age. 
 
 Q^ Is that confummats chajlity 
 which is fo much inculcated in mo- 
 nafllc itiflitiitiofiS) regarded as a 
 virtue by the natural law ? 
 
 A. No; for fuch chaftity is 
 nelllier of utility to the fociety 
 
8o THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 at large where it is prevalent, nor 
 even to the individuals who are 
 rigoroufly obfervant of it : nay, 
 it is demonftrably prejudicial to 
 both. In the firil place, it is de- 
 trimental, to fociety at large, be- 
 caufe it checks the progrefs of its 
 population, which is one of its 
 great fources of wealth and pow- 
 er : and, becaufe the perfons, 
 who devote themfelves to a life 
 of celibacy, by confining their 
 views and affections within the 
 narrow fphere of their own ex- 
 Silence, for the moil part con- 
 trait a felfifli partiality for them- 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 8 1 
 
 felves, which alienates their minds 
 from the general interefts of the 
 community. 
 
 In the fecond place, it is inju- 
 rious to individuals, becaufe it 
 excludes them from a multiplici- 
 ty of affeftions and relations, 
 which have a coniiderahle mare 
 in the formation of the domeilic 
 and focial virtues. Again, it 
 frequently happens, from the cir- 
 cumilances of age, temperament, 
 and diet, that abfolute continence 
 impairs the health, and lays the 
 foundation of ferious difeafes, by 
 Counteracting tliofe laws by which 
 
$2 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 nature maintains and perpetuates 
 the fpecies. Not to mention that 
 thofe who are fuch rigid and en- 
 thufiaftic advocates for unlimited 
 abftinence in this refpeft, even 
 where their fmcerity cannot be 
 called in queftion, totally militate 
 againft their own dofhrine, which 
 confecrates the law of nature by 
 the -well known command, a Be 
 fruitful and multiply" 
 
 Q^ Why is chaftity confidered as 
 a virtue of greater importance to 
 women than to men ? 
 
 A. Becaufe the breach of chaf- 
 tity ia women is attended with 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 8j- 
 
 far more alarming and injurious 
 confequences to themfelves and 
 to fociety ; for, exclufive of the 
 afflictions and difeafes of every, 
 denomination to which they are 
 liable in common with the other 
 fex, they incur all the various 
 inconveniences that precede, ac- 
 company, and follow a ftate of 
 motherhood, of which they run 
 the hazard ; and if this mould 
 chance out of the p#le of the law, 
 they become expofed to the fconi 
 and derifion of the world, which 
 unavoidably embitters the remain-* 
 ing portion of their exiftence. 
 
84 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 Again they are furcharged with 
 the expences arifing from the 
 maintenance and education of 
 children that are unprotected and 
 without relations : by which means 
 they become impoverifhed and 
 diftrefled, both in mind and for- 
 tune. In this (late, deprived of 
 that frefhnefs and that health in 
 which their charms chiefly con- 
 fift, carrying about with them an 
 unufual and painful burden, they 
 are lefs fought after by the men ; 
 they find no folid eftablifhment, 
 they fall into poverty, mifery, 
 abafement, and drag on in wret- 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 85 
 
 chednefs, a life of abject unhap- 
 pinefs. 
 
 Q^ Does the Jaw of nature dc- 
 fcend to fcruple our deftres or 
 thoughts ? 
 
 A. Yes ; becaufe according to 
 the phyfical laws of the human 
 body, thoughts and defires awaken 
 the fenfes, and foon ftimulate to 
 action. Moreover, by another law 
 of nature, in the organization of 
 our body, thefe actions become 
 a fpecies of mechanical want, re- 
 peated according to periods of 
 days or weeks ; fo that at any given 
 epoch/ the want or defire to per- 
 il 
 
86 THE LAW OF NATURfc. 
 
 form a given aftion, or produce 
 a given fecretion, always arifes : 
 and if this ation or fecretion are 
 prejudicial to health, the habit 
 becomes definitive of life itfelL 
 Thus defires and thoughts become 
 of real importance in nature. 
 
 Q.^ Ought ntodefty to be confidsr- 
 ed as a virtue ? 
 
 A. Yes; becaufe modefty, con- 
 fidered as a bafliful timidity with 
 regard to certain aftions, maintains 
 the mind and body in all the habits 
 tending to the good order and 
 felf-prefervation of the individual; 
 A modeft woman is efteemed* 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE, 87 
 
 fought after, eftablifhed in all 
 the advantages of fortune which 
 affure her exiftence, and render 
 it agreeable ; while the immodeft 
 woman and the proftitute are de- 
 fpifed, rejefted, and abandoned 
 to mifery and difgrace. 
 
88 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Of Courage and AcJivity* 
 
 CX^ /[RE courage and Jlrength of 
 body and wind, virtues according 
 to the law of nature? 
 
 A. Yes , and very important 
 virtues ; for they are efficacious 
 and indifpenfible means of effect- 
 ing our prefervation and well- 
 being. The courageous and ftrong 
 man repels oppreilion , defends 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. $ 
 
 his life, his liberty, his property ; 
 by his labour he procures for 
 himfelf fubfiftence in abundance, 
 and enjoys it with tranquillity and 
 peace of mind. If any misfor- 
 tune happens to him from which 
 his prudence could not guard him, 
 he fupports it with firmnefs and 
 refignation ; and, for this reafon, 
 the ancient moralifts accounted 
 ftrength and courage among their 
 four principal virtues. 
 
 Q.^ Ought vueaknefs and cow* 
 fir dice to be confidered as vices ? 
 
 A. Yes -, fincc it is true that 
 
 H 2 
 
po THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 they are connected with athoufand 
 calamities. The weak and cow- 
 ardly live in the midft of care, and 
 in perpetual agony ; their health 
 is undermined by the terror they 
 are under, often an ill-founded 
 one, of danger and attack : and 
 this terror, which is itfelf an evil, 
 is not the remedy of any other 
 evil ; on the contrary, it renders 
 man a flave to whoever is delir- 
 ous of opprefling him: and by 
 the fubjeftion and abafement of 
 all his faculties, degrades and cor- 
 rupts his means of exiftence, and 
 makes his life depend, as it were, 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. pi 
 
 on the will and caprice of other 
 men. 
 
 Q^ But after what you have 
 faid of the influence of aliments^ 
 are not courage and Jlrength, as 
 well as many ether virtues, in a, 
 great meafure the effect of our tem- 
 perament , or phyjical conftitution ? 
 
 A. Yes ; this is true, to fuch 
 a degree, that thefe qualities are 
 tranfmitted to us in our birth, 
 and by our blood, with the ele- 
 ments on which thefe depend. 
 Repeated and unvarying fafts 
 prove, that in every race of ani- 
 mals, certain phyfical and moral 
 
2 THE LAW OF NATURE, 
 qualities attached to the various 
 individuals of each race, are 
 augmented or diminifhed accord- 
 ing to the combinations and ad- 
 mixture which take place be- 
 tween the feveral races. 
 
 Q. But if our wills and exer- 
 tions are not fuffi dent to procure us 
 tkefe qualities^ is it a crime in us 
 to be dejlitutt of them ? 
 
 A. No : it is not a crime, but 
 a misfortune , it is what the an- 
 cients called a melancholy fata- 
 lity : but even in this cafe, it ftill 
 is in fome meafure in our power 
 to acquire them; for, from the 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 93 
 
 moment that we have learnt on 
 what phyfical elements depend 
 fuch and fuch qualities, we arc 
 enabled* to prepare for their pro- 
 duftion, and to excite them to 
 unfold themfelves by an able ma- 
 nagement of the elements ; and 
 in this conliflis the fcience of edu- 
 cation, which, according as it is 
 directed, perf e els or renders worfe, 
 both individuals and entire races, 
 fo as to change altogether their 
 nature and inclinations : and this 
 it is which renders fo important 
 the knowledge of the laws of na- 
 ture, by which thefe operations 
 
94 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 and changes are effected with cer- 
 tainty and of neceffity. 
 
 Q. Why do you fay that activi- 
 ty is a virtue according to the law 
 pf nature? 
 
 A. Becaufe the man who la- 
 bours and employs his time ufe- 
 fully, derives from fo doing, in* 
 numerable advantages with re- 
 fpel to his exiftence. Is he poor ? 
 his labour furnifhes him with fub- 
 (iftence : and if, in addition, he 
 is fober, continent, and prudent, 
 he foon acquires many conve- 
 niences, and enjoys the fweets 
 of life : his very labour produces 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. p 
 
 in him thofe virtues \ for as long 
 as he continues to employ his 
 mind and his body, he is not af- 
 fected by inordinate defires \ he 
 is free from dullnefs ; he con- 
 traits mild and pleafant habits; 
 he augments his ftrength and his 
 health, and arrives to an old age 
 of felicity and peace. 
 
 Q^ Are idlenefs and Jloth then 
 vices in the order of nature ? 
 
 A. Yes ; and the moil perni-* 
 cious of all vices ; for they lead 
 to every other. In idlenefs and 
 {loth man remains ignorant, and 
 even lofles die knowledge which 
 
96 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 he had before acquired, falling 
 into all the evils which accompa- 
 ny ignorance and folly. In idle- 
 nefs and floth, man, devoured by 
 liftlefs dullnefs, gives himfelf up 
 to all the lufts of fenfe, whofe 
 empire, as it increafes and ex- 
 tends from day to day, renders 
 him intemperate, gluttonous, lux- 
 urious, enervate, cowardly, bafe, 
 and defpicable. The certain ef- 
 fects of all which vices are, the 
 ruin of his fortune, the wafting 
 of his health, and the termina- 
 tion of his life in the anguifh of 
 difeafe and poverty. 
 
LAW OF NATU&fe. C)f 
 
 Q^ If I underfland you, it would 
 appear that poverty is a vice ? 
 
 A. No ; it is not a vice j but 
 ftill lefs is it a virtue ; for it is 
 much more frequently injurious 
 than ufeful ; it is even common- 
 ly the refult of vice, or its firil 
 occaflon \ for every individual 
 vice conduces towards indigence ; 
 even to the privation of the ne- 
 ceflaries of life ; and when a 
 man is in want of the neceflaries, 
 he is on the point of endeavour- 
 ing to procure them by vicious 
 methods : that is, methods hurt- 
 
8 If HE LAW OF NATtJRE. 
 
 ful to fociety. All the private 
 virtues, on the contrary, tend to 
 procure for man an abundance 
 of fubfiftence 5 and when he has 
 more than he can confume, it be- 
 comes more eafy for him to give 
 to others, and to perform actions 
 ufeful to fociety. 
 
 Q^ Do you look lipon riches as a 
 virtue ? 
 
 A. No ; but flill lefs are they a 
 vice. It is their employment only 
 which can be denominated virtu- 
 ous or vicious, according as it is 
 ufeful or hurtful to mail and to 
 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 99 
 fociety. Wealth is an inftru- 
 ment, whofe ufe and employ- 
 ment only determine its viciouf* 
 nefs or virtue. 
 
XOO THE 1AW OF NATURE* 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Of Ckanlinefs. 
 
 Q. ^/VHT do you rank ckanlinefs 
 
 in tie clafs of virtues ? 
 
 A. Bccaufe it is really one of 
 the moft important, as it has a 
 powerful influence on the health 
 and -preservation of the body. 
 Ckanlinefs, as well in our gar- 
 ments as in our dwellings, pre- 
 vents the pernicious effe&s of 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. IQI 
 
 dampnefs, of bad fmells, and of 
 contagious vapours arifing from 
 fubftances abandoned to putrify : 
 cleanlinefs keeps up a free per- 
 fpiration, renews the air, refrelh- 
 es the blood, and even animates 
 and enlivens the mind. Whence 
 we fee that perfons attentive to 
 the cleanlinefs of their perfons 
 and their habitations, are in ge- 
 neral more healthy, and lefs ex- 
 pofed to difeafes than thofe who 
 live in filth and nailinefs ;. and it 
 may moreover be remarked, that 
 cleanlinefs brings with it, through* 
 
 l^ 
 
J02 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 out every part of domeftic dif- 
 cipline, habits of order and ar- 
 rangement, which are among the 
 firft and beft methods and ele- 
 ments of happinefs. 
 
 Q^ // uncleanllnefs then, orfl- 
 thinefsy a real vice ? 
 
 A. Yes; as real as drunken- 
 nefs, or as floth, from which, for 
 the moft part, it derives its origin. 
 Uncleanlinefs is a fecondary, and 
 often a firft caufeof a multitude of 
 flight diforders, and even of dan- 
 gerous fickneffes. It is well known 
 in medicine, that it generates the 
 itch, the fcald-head, the leprofy, 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 103 
 
 no lefs certainly than the fame 
 diforders are produced by cor- 
 rupted or acrid aliments : that it 
 contributes to the contagious pow- 
 er of the plague and of malig-r 
 nant fevers ; that it even gives 
 birth to them in hofpitals and pri* 
 fons : that it occafions rheuma- 
 tifm by incrufting the Ikin with 
 dirt, and checking perfpiration j 
 not to mention the difgraceful in- 
 convenience of being devoured by 
 infects, the unclean appendage 
 of abject mifery. 
 
 For this caufe, the greater part 
 of the ancient legiflators have 
 
104 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 eonftituted cleanlinefs, under the 
 title of purity, one of the eflen- 
 tial dogmas of their feveral reli- 
 gions : hence, the reafon of their 
 driving from fociety, and fubj ebb- 
 ing even to corporal punifhment, 
 thofe who fuffered themfelves to 
 fce attacked by the difeafes which 
 are engendered by uncleanlinefs ; 
 why they inftituted and confe- 
 crated the ceremonies of ablution, 
 bathing, baptifm, and of purifi- 
 cation even by fire, and by the 
 aromatic effluvia of incenfes, 
 myrrhs, benzoin, &c. So that 
 the whole fyftem of impure taints* 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. IOJ 
 
 aU thofe rites referring to things 
 clean and unclean, which in after 
 times degenerated into prejudices 
 and abufes, were, in their origin, 
 derived from the judicious ob- 
 fervations made by wife and well- 
 informed men, on the great influ- 
 ence which the cleanlinefs of the 
 body, both with refpecl to its 
 cloathing and its habitation, pof- 
 fefles over the health, and by an 
 immediate confequence, over the 
 mind and the moral faculties. 
 
 Thus all the individual or pri- 
 vate virtues have for their more or 
 lefs direct, and more or lefs proxi*- 
 
10(5 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 mate end, the prefervation of the 
 man who pratifes them ; while 
 by the prefervation of each indi- 
 vidual, they tend to infure that 
 of the family and of fociety at 
 large, which is nothing more than 
 the united fum of thofe individu-* 
 ak. 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 107 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Of Dome/tic virtues. 
 
 Q^ yyHAT do you mean by do* 
 meftic virtues ? 
 
 A. I mean the pra6lice of 
 thofe aftions which are ufeful to 
 a family, that is, to a number of 
 perfons living under one roof. 
 
 Q^ What are thofe virtues ? 
 
 A. Oeconomy, parental affec- 
 tion, conjugal love, iSlial love, 
 
JO& T&E LAW OF NATURE* 
 
 brotherly love, and the fulfilment 
 of the reciprocal duties of matter 
 and fervant. 
 
 Q.^ What is Oeconomy ? 
 
 A. Taken in its moil extenfivd 
 fignification, it is the proper ad- 
 miniftration of whatever concerns 
 the exiftence of the family or 
 houfehold; but as fubfiftence holds 
 the firft rank among thefe cir- 
 cumftance's, the word ceconomy 
 has been reftricHed to the em- 
 ployment of our money in pro- 
 curing for us the primary wants 
 of life. 
 
LAW OF NATURE. 1 09 
 
 Q^ Why is Occonomy a virtue ? 
 A. Becaufe the man who cra- 
 ters into no ufelefs expence al- 
 ways pofiefles a fuperabundance, 
 which conftitutes real wealth, and 
 by means of which he procures 
 for hirnfelf and his family, all 
 that is truly ufeful and conve- 
 nient ; without taking into the 
 account, that by this means he 
 cnfures to himfelf refources a- 
 gainft accidental and unforefeen 
 lofles ; fo that himfelf and his fa- 
 mily live in a tranquil and plea- 
 fant ftate of eafe, which is the 
 bads of all human happiriefs* 
 
110 THE LAW OF NATURE, 
 
 Q^ Are dtffipation and prodiga- 
 lity then vices ? 
 
 A. Yes ; for they bring a man 
 at laft to the want of the necefla- 
 ries of life \ he falls into poverty, 
 mifery, and abjet difgrace \ fo 
 that even his acquaintance, fear- 
 ful of being obliged to reftore to 
 him what he has fquandered with 
 them or upon them, fly from 
 him as a debtor from his credi- 
 tor, and he is left abandoned by 
 all the world. 
 
 Q^ What is parental affeEtion ? 
 
 A. The afliduous care which 
 a parent takes to bring up hi* 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. Ill 
 
 children in the habit of every ac- 
 tion ufeful to themfelves and to 
 
 fociety. 
 
 Q^ In 'what refpeEl is parental 
 
 tendernefs a virtue, 'with refpeffi to 
 pa rents ? 
 
 A. In as much as the parents 
 who bring up their children in 
 good habits, lay up for the v/hole 
 courfe of their lives thofe enjoy- 
 ments and aids which are grate- 
 ful to us at all times., and enfure 
 againft old age, thofe fupports 
 and confolations which are re- 
 quired by the wants and calami- 
 ties of that period of life. 
 
112 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 Q^ Is parental affeElion a com- 
 mon virtue ? 
 
 A. No ; notwithftanding all 
 parents make a parade of it, it is 
 a rare virtue ; they do not love 
 their children ; they carefs them 
 and they fpoil them ; what they 
 love in them, is the agency of 
 their wills, the inflruments of 
 their power, the trophies of their 
 vanity, the play-things of their 
 leifure hours. It is not fo much 
 the good of their children that 
 they propofe, as their fubmiflion 
 and obedience : and if amongft 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 113; 
 
 children we find fo many ex- 
 amples of filial ingratitude, it is 
 becaufe amongft parents there 
 are fo many examples of ignor- 
 ant and defpotic kindnefs* 
 
 Q^ Why do you fay that conjugal 
 love is a virtue ? 
 
 A. Becaufe the concord and 
 union which are the confequence 
 of the affe&ion fubfiftmg between 
 married perfons, eftablimmthebo- 
 fom of their family a multitude of 
 habits which contribute to its pro- 
 fperityandconfervation: united by 
 the bonds of marriage, they love 
 
 their houfehold and quit it rarely v 
 K 2 
 
114 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 they fuperintend every part of its 
 adminiftration ; they attend to the 
 education of their children ; they 
 keep up the refpeclfumefs and 
 fidelity of their domeflics ; they 
 prevent all diforder and diflipationj 
 and by the whole of their good con- 
 duel, ' live in eafe and reputation : 
 while thofe married perfons who 
 have no affection for each other, 
 fill their dwelling with quarrels 
 and diftrefs ; excite war among 
 their children and among their 
 domeftics, and lead them both 
 into every kind of vicious habit ; 
 fo that each waftes, pillages, and 
 
LAW OF NATURE, tlj 
 
 fobs in their feveral way : their re- 
 venues are abforbed without re- 
 turn ; debts follow debts , the 
 difcontented parties fly each other 
 and recur to law-fuits, and the 
 whole family falls into diforder, 
 ruin, difgface, and the want of 
 the neceiTaries of life. 
 
 Q^ Is adultery a crime according 
 to the laiv of nature ? 
 
 A. Yes ; for it is followed by 
 a numerous train of habits hurt- 
 ful to the married perfons, and 
 to their family. The \^ife or the 
 hufband given up to the love of 
 
Il6 THE LAW OF NATURE, 
 
 ftrangers, neglecl: their own dwel- 
 ling, defer! it, and diveft as much 
 as poffible its revenues from their 
 right ufe, fpending them on the 
 objeft of their affe&ions : hence 
 quarrels, fcandal, law-fuits, the 
 contempt of children and fervants, 
 the pillage and final ruin of the 
 whole houfe : not to mention 
 that the adulterous woman com- 
 mits the moil heinous of all 
 robberies, giving heirs to her huf- 
 band of foreign blood, who de- 
 prive of their lawful portion his 
 true offspring. 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 117 
 
 Q^What is flial love ? 
 
 A. I: is, on the part of child- 
 ren, the practice of fuch actions 
 as are ufeful to themfelves and to 
 their parents. 
 
 Q^ What motives does the /aw 
 of nature prefent to enforce filial 
 love ? 
 
 A. Three chief motives : i/?, 
 Sentiment , for from our earlieft 
 infancy, the affectionate folici- 
 tudes of our parents, produce in 
 us the mild habits of attachment. 
 2^/, The fenfe of juftice-, for child- 
 ren owe their parents a return, 
 andj as it were, a reparation for 
 
Il8 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 the troubles, and even for the ex- 
 pences which they have occafion- 
 ed them. 3^ Perfonal Intereft j 
 for if we al ill towards our pro- 
 genitors,, we offer our own child- 
 ren examples of rebellion and 
 ingratitude^ which authorize them 
 to render us the like at any fu- 
 ture day. 
 
 Qi. Ought ive to underftand fry 
 filial love a paffive and blind fub- 
 nnjjlon ? 
 
 A. No 5 but a reafonable fuh- 
 miffion, founded on an acquaint- 
 ance with the mutual rights and 
 duties of parents and of child- 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. I f 
 
 ten ; rights and duties, without 
 whofe obfervance, their conduct 
 towards each other, Can amount 
 to nothing better than diforder. 
 
 Q.^ Why is brotherly love a vir* 
 tue? 
 
 A. Becaufe the concord and 
 union which refult from the mu- 
 tual affection of brethren, eftab- 
 lifh the power, fafety, and pre- 
 fervation of families. Brethren, 
 in union mutually defend each 
 other from all oppreflion, affift 
 each other in their mutual wants, 
 fupport each other under misfor- 
 tune, and thus fecure' their com- 
 
r20 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 mon exiilence ; while brethren, 
 in a ftate of difunion, each be- 
 ing abandoned to his perfonal 
 ilrength, fall into all the incon- 
 veniences of infulation from fo- 
 ciety, and of individual feeble- 
 nefs. This truth was ingeniouf- 
 ly exprefled by that King of Scy- 
 thia, who, on his death-bed, hav- 
 ing called his children round him, 
 ordered them to break a bundle 
 of arrows ; when the young men, 
 though in full vigour, were not 
 able to accomplim this, he took 
 the bundle in his turn, and hav- 
 ing untied it, broke each feparate 
 
THE XAW OF NATURE. 121 
 
 Barrow with his fingers. Be-* 
 hold, faid he, the effect of union ; 
 united in a body, you will be in- 
 vincible ; taken feparately you 
 will be broken like reeds. 
 
 Q.^ What are the reciprocal du- 
 iies of majlers and fervants ? 
 
 A. The practice of fuch ac- 
 tions as are refpeftively and equit- 
 ably ufeful to each ; and here be- 
 gin the relations of fociety ; for 
 the rule and meafure of thefe re- 
 fpeftive aftions, is the equilibri- 
 um or equality between the fer- 
 vice and the reward; between 
 
 what the one performs, and the 
 JL 
 
122 THE LAW OF NATURfe* 
 
 other gives, which is the funda- 
 mental bafis of all fociety. 
 
 Thus all the domeftic and in- 
 dividual virtues refer more or lefa 
 mediatly, but always without va- 
 rying to the phyfical object of 
 the amelioration and confervation 
 of man ; and are, in this view, 
 precepts refulting from the funda- 
 mental law propofed by nature in 
 his formation. 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 123 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Of the Social Virtues, and of Juf- 
 the. 
 
 A. Every aggregated reunion 
 of men living together under the 
 regulations of a contradl tacit or 
 exprefTed for their common pre-* 
 fervation. 
 
 Q.^ Are the focial virtues many 
 in number ? 
 
 A. Yes ; we may count as 
 many as there are actions ufeful 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 to fociety ; but they may be all 
 reduced to one principle. 
 
 Q.^ What is this fundamental 
 principle ? 
 
 A. Juftice, which itfelf alone 
 comprehends all the focial virtues. 
 
 Q^ Why do you fay that jujlice is 
 the fundamental^ and almoft only 
 virtue official life ? 
 
 A. Becaufe it alone embraces 
 the pra&ice of all thofe aftions 
 which are ufeful to fociety , and 
 that every virtue, under the name 
 of charity, humanity, probity, love 
 of country, fmcerity, generofity, 
 fimplicity of manners, and mo- 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 125 
 
 defty, are but varied forms, and 
 diverfified applications of this ax- 
 iom, " Do unto another only 
 that which thou wouldft he mould 
 do unto thee j" which is the .de- 
 finition of juilice. 
 
 Q^ How does the taw of nature 
 ordain j lift ice ? 
 
 A. By means of three phyficaji 
 attributes which are inherent in 
 the organization of man.. 
 
 Q^ What are thefe attributes? 
 
 A. Equality, liberty, property. 
 
 Q^ In *what fenfr is equality a 
 phyfical attribute of man ? 
 
 A. r Becaufe all men having e- 
 qually eyes, hands, a mouth, ears, 
 
126 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 and being alike under the neceffiU 
 ty of making ufe of them for 
 their life's fake, are by this very 
 faft equally entitled to life, and 
 to the ufe of the elements which 
 contribute to its fupport. They 
 are all equal before God. 
 
 Q.^ Do you pretend that all men 
 hcar^ fee and feel equally iutll 9 that 
 ihey have equal wants, and equal and 
 likepajfions ? 
 
 A. No ; for it is a matter of 
 certainty and daily experience, 
 that one man is fhort, and another 
 long-fighted : that one eats much 
 and another little : that one has 
 
f HE LAW OF NATURE. 127 
 
 moderate, and another violent paf- 
 fions : in a word, that a grown 
 perfon is weak both in body and 
 mind, while another is ftrong in 
 both. 
 
 Q.^ They are in fact then really 
 unequal ? 
 
 A. Yes ; in the unfolding of 
 their faculties and powers, but 
 not in the nature and eflence of 
 thefe powers : it is a fluff of the 
 fame kind, but whofe dimenfions 
 are not equal, nor its weight and 
 
 value the fame with thofe of fome 
 
 > 
 
 other pieces : our language has no 
 word calculated to exprefs at the 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 fame time famenefs of nature, and 
 
 diversity of form and employment, 
 
 It is a relative equality, and for 
 
 this reafon I faid, equal before 
 
 God, and in the order of nature. 
 
 Q^ Why is Liberty called a phy- 
 
 Jical attribute of man ? 
 
 A. Becaufe all men pofleffing 
 fenfes fitted and fufficient for their 
 prefervation ; no one having need 
 of the eye of another man in or- 
 der to fee, of his ear to hear, of 
 his rriouth to eat, or of his foot 
 to walk, they are all made by this 
 means, naturally independent and 
 free. No one is of neceffity fub- 
 
THE LAW OF NATtTRE. I2x> 
 
 jecled to another's rule, nor has 
 right of dominion over him. 
 
 Q^ But if a man is bornjlrong 
 has he not a natural right to majter 
 and rule over him <who is torn 
 weak ? 
 
 A. No \ for it is neither with 
 refpecl: to himfelf a matter of 
 neceffity, nor a convention be- 
 tween the two y and in this in- 
 ftance we make improper ufe of 
 the word right, which in its true 
 fenfe fignifies nothing more than 
 juftice, or reciprocal faculties and 
 power* 
 
130 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 Q^ How is property a phyjical 
 attribute of man ? 
 
 A. Since every man is formed 
 equal and fimilar to his fellows 
 and confequently free and inde- 
 pendent, every one is the abfolute 
 mafter, the entire proprietor of 
 his body, and the produfls of 
 his labour. 
 
 Q^ How is jujlice derived from 
 thefe three attributes ? 
 
 A. From this circumftance, 
 that men being equal, free, and 
 owing nothing to each other, have 
 no right to demand any thing of 
 their fellows, but in proportion 
 
 
ftffe LAW NATURE. Iji 
 as they return for it fomething 
 equivalent; in proportion as the 
 balance of what is given to what 
 is paid, remains in equilibrium , 
 and it is this equality, this equili- 
 brium which is called juftice and 
 equity*, that is to fay, equality 
 and juftice are fynonirnous words 5 
 are the fame natural law, of which 
 all the focial virtues are but ap* 
 plications and derivatives. 
 
 * JSyuttas, *9K*lt&ri*9ti a%uaHt<zs t arc all 
 of the fame family. 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 CHAPTER XIL 
 
 Developement of the Social Virtues. 
 
 Q^ UNFOLD to me how thefo- 
 
 cial virtues are derived from the 
 law of nature. How is charity 
 or the love of our neighbour, a pre- 
 cept or application of this Jaw. 
 
 A. By reafon of the laws of 
 equality and reciprocity ; for when 
 we do injury to another, we give 
 Iiim the right of doing us injury 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 133 
 in his turn. .Thus, by attacking 
 the exiflence of another, we make 
 an attack upon our own in cpnfe- 
 quence of the law of reciprocity. 
 On the contrary, when we do 
 good to our neighbour, we have 
 ground and reafon to expecl: an 
 exchange of good, an equivalent: ; 
 and fuch is the character of all 
 the focial virtues, to be ufeful 
 to the man who praftifes them, 
 by the right of reciprocity which 
 they communicate to him over 
 thofe. to whom his good offices 
 have been of fervice. 
 
 M 
 
134 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 Q^ Charity then is nothing more 
 thanjujlice ? 
 
 A. Yes ; it is nothing more 
 than juftice, with this fmgle dif- 
 ference, that ftridl juftice con- 
 fines itfelf to the affertion, " Do 
 not to others the evil which thou 
 wouldft not they mould do unto 
 thee :" and that charity or the 
 love of our neighbour goes fur- 
 ther, even to fay, Do unto others 
 the good which you wifh to re- 
 ceive from them. Thus the Gof- 
 pel, when it faid, that this pre- 
 cept contained all the Law and 
 the Prophets, did no more than 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 135 
 
 announce a precept of the law 
 of nature. 
 
 Q^ Does it command -us to for-* 
 give injuries ? 
 
 A. Yes ; in as much as fuch 
 forgivenefs confifts with the pre- 
 fervation of ourfelves. 
 
 Q^ Does it contain the precept of 
 turning the one cheek after being 
 fmitten on the other ? 
 
 A. No ; for, in the ifl place, 
 it is not confident with the pre- 
 cept which orders us to love our 
 neighbour as ourfe/ves 9 fince in 
 that cafe we fhould have more 
 love for him who attacks our well- 
 
136 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 being than for ourfelves : id, 
 Such a command, taken litterally, 
 encourages the wicked to oppref- 
 fion and injuftice ; and the law 
 of nature has been more wife, in 
 prefer ibing a given meafure of 
 courage and moderation, which 
 makes us forget a firft injury, if 
 occafioned by momentary warmth, 
 but which punifhes every act 
 tending to oppreffion. 
 
 Q. Does the law of nature com- 
 mend u: to do good to other s^ with- 
 out meafure or .imitation ? 
 
 A. No ; for it is a certain 
 means of occafioning ingratitude. 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 137 
 
 Such is the power of the fenti- 
 ment of juftice implanted in the 
 hearts of men, that they do not 
 give us credit even for acts of 
 kindnefs, if accompanied with 
 indifcretion. They have but one 
 meafure that of juftice. 
 
 Q^ Is alms-giving a 'virtuous 
 aElion ? 
 
 A. Yes ; when conducted ac- 
 cording to the fame rule ; other- 
 wife it degenerates into impru- 
 dence and vice, in as much as it 
 encourages indolence, which is 
 hurtful both to the beggar and to 
 the fociety. No one has a right 
 
138 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 to enjoy the good or labour of 
 another without rendering an 
 equivalent by his own labour. 
 
 Q^ Does the la t w of nature con- 
 Jider as virtues, hope and faith, 
 which are ufually conjoined 'with 
 charity ? 
 
 A. No ; for they are ideas not 
 founded on realities ; and if any 
 good effects refult from them, 
 thefe are rather to the profit of 
 thofe who have not imbibed fuch 
 ideas than to thofe who have ; 
 fo that it might be perhaps allow- 
 able to fay, that faith and hope 
 are the virtues of dupes> which 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 139 
 
 turn to the advantage of rogues 
 and cheats. 
 
 Q^ Does the law of nature pre- 
 fcribe probity ? 
 
 A. Yes ; for probity is nothing 
 more than a refpecl: paid to our 
 own rights through the medium 
 of the rights of others; a re- 
 fpecl: derived from a prudent and 
 well-made calculation of our own 
 interefts, compared with thofe of 
 others. 
 
 ut does not this calculation^ 
 includes the complicated in- 
 ter efts and rights of the focial jiatiy 
 demand fuch light y and fuch know* 
 
140 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 [edge of things, as to render it a 
 Jclence of difficult acquifttion ? 
 
 A. Yes \ and a fcience fo 
 much the more delicate, as the 
 man of probity pronounces fen- 
 tence in his own caufe. 
 
 Q^ Is probity then a mark of an 
 enlarged and correct mind ? 
 
 A. Yes \ for the man of probi- 
 ty almoft always neglects fome 
 prefent intereft for the fake of 
 one which is future ; while on 
 the other hand, the knave is wil- 
 ling to lofe a great intereft to 
 come for the fake of fome trifl- 
 ing one which is prefent. 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 14'! 
 
 Q^ Knavery tken is a fign of 
 falfe judgment an narroivnefs of 
 mind ? 
 
 A. Yes ; and rogues may be 
 defined to be ignorant or foolifh 
 fpecuiators, for they know not 
 their own interefls *, and though 
 they affect warinefs and cunning, 
 their artifices feldom fail to ex- 
 pofe them, and make them known 
 for what they are , to deprive 
 them of the confidence and efteem 
 of others, and of all the advan- 
 tages which might thence refult 
 to their focial and phyfical exifl> 
 ence. They neither live in peace 
 with themfelves, nor with others, 
 
142 THE LAW OF NATURE, 
 and inceffantly alarmed by their 
 conference and their enemies, 
 they enjoy no other real happi- 
 nefs than that of efcaping from 
 the executioner. 
 
 Q^ Does the /aw of nature for- 
 bid theft ? 
 
 A. Yes ; for the man who 
 fteals from another, grants him 
 the liberty to fteal in his turn : 
 hence no fecurity in property, nor 
 even in the means of felf-prefer- 
 vation. Thus the man who does 
 injury to another, by a fpecies of 
 re-ation, is hurt himfelf. 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 143 
 
 Q^ Does it forbid the inclination 
 to theft ? 
 
 A. Yes ; for this inclination 
 naturally leads to aftion : hence 
 the reafon of confidering envy as 
 a fin. 
 
 Q^ How does it forbid murder ? 
 
 A. By the moft powerful mo- 
 tives addrefled to the defire of 
 felf-prefervation ; for iy?, The 
 man who attacks another, expofes 
 himfelf to the riik of being killed, 
 according to the law of felf-de* 
 fence : 2d y If he kills his oppo 
 ttent, he gives an equal right, 
 founded on the fame law, to the 
 
 
144 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 relations and friends of the de- 
 ceafed, and even to the whole 
 community, of killing him, and 
 Iiis life is no longer in fecurity. 
 
 Q. How cq?i a man y according 
 to the law of nature, repair any 
 injury which he has committed ? 
 . A. By conferring a proportion- 
 able benefit upon thofe whom he 
 has injured. 
 
 Q.^ Docs tins law allow him to 
 repair it by prayers, vows, offer- 
 ings ta God, faftingS) or mortifica* 
 tions ? 
 
 A; No \ for none of thcfc 
 things have any relation to the ac- 
 
LAW <*F AW*fe. 1 41 
 
 tion which is meant to be atoned 
 for - ? they neither reftore to him 
 who has been robbed, what he 
 has loft, v/hether it be proper- 
 ty or reputation ; nor life to him 
 who has been deprived of it : con- 
 fequently they fail with regard to 
 juftice : they conftitute an illegi- 
 timate contract, by which one 
 man fells to another, a good of 
 which he himfelf is not pofleffed : 
 they tend to a depravation of 
 morals, as they embolden men 
 to commit every fpecies of crime, 
 in the hope of expiation : and 
 they have been the real fources of 
 
E LAW OF NATURE,, 
 
 all thofe. evils which have con- 
 llantly tormented every nation, 
 \vhofe inflitutions permitted thefe 
 expiatory pralices. 
 
 Q.^ Is fincerity enjoined by the 
 laiu of nature ? 
 
 A. Yes ; for lying, perfidy, 
 and perjury, excite amongft men, 
 tliftruft, difTenfion, hatred, re- 
 venge, and a multitude of evils, 
 which tend t6 the deftruftion of 
 Ibciety ; whilft fineerity and good 
 faith eflablifh confidence, con- 
 cord, peace, and the other in- 
 finite advantages, which are the 
 neceffary refult of fuch a happy 
 ftate of things* . r . 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 147 
 
 Q^ Does it prefcribe mildnefs 
 and modefly ? 
 
 A. Yes ; for an afluming and 
 rude deportment while it alienates 
 from us the hearts of other men, 
 infufes into them a difpofition to 
 do us difTervice : Oftentation and 
 vanity, by wounding their felf-love 
 and exciting their jealoufy, pre- 
 vent us from attaining the .point 
 of real utility. 
 
 Q^ Does it prefcribe humility as 
 a virtue ? 
 
 A. No ; for there is a natural 
 propenfity in the human heart, to 
 feel a fecret contempt for every 
 
148 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 tiling which conveys to it the idea 
 of weaknefs ; and by abafmg our- 
 felves^ we encourage in others, 
 pride and oppreflion : we mould 
 hold the balance with an even 
 hand. 
 
 Q^ Ton have doffed amongst the 
 facial virtues, fimplicity of man- 
 ners 5 what do you mean by that ex- 
 preffion ? 
 
 A. I mean the confining our 
 wants and defires, to what is really 
 ufeful for the exiftence of the in* 
 dividual and his family : that is 
 to fay, the man ofjimf/e manners 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 149 
 
 has few wants, and is content 
 with little. 
 
 Q.^ How is this virtue recom- 
 mended to us ? 
 
 A. By the numerous advan- 
 tages, which it bellows both upon 
 the individual, and upon fociety 
 at large , for the man who ha? 
 few wants, liberates himfelf at 
 once from a crowd of cares, trotu 
 bles and toils, avoids a number 
 of difputes and quarrels, w^ich- 
 arife from the eager defire of gain ; 
 is free from the cares of ambition, 
 the inquietudes of pofleffion, and 
 the fears of lofs ; meeting every 
 
 Nz 
 
150 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 where with more than fufficient 
 for his wants, he is the truly rich 
 man ; always content with what 
 he has, he is happy at a fmall ex- 
 pence j and the world at large 
 fearing no rivalfhip from him, fuf- 
 fer him to enjoy tranquility, and 
 are difpofed to do him fervice. 
 
 Again, if this virtue of fimpli- 
 ciry, were extended to a whole 
 people, it fecures abundance to 
 them ; every thing which they do 
 not immediately confume, becomes 
 to them a fource of trade and 
 commerce to a very great extent ; 
 they labour, they manufacture, 
 
THE LAW OP NATURE. 
 
 and fell their productions to greater 
 advantage than others ; and attain 
 the fummit both of external and 
 internal profperity. 
 
 Q^ What vice is the direEt oppo* 
 Jlte of this virtue ? 
 
 A. Cupidity and luxury. 
 
 Q^ Is luxury a vice both in the 
 individual and in fociety at large ? 
 
 A. Yes; and to fuch an ex- 
 tent, that, it may be faid to in- 
 clude in it the feeds of all others ; 
 for the man who makes many 
 things necefiary to his happinefs, 
 impofes at the fame time upon 
 himfelf all the cares, and fubmits 
 
lt;2 THE L^W OF NATURE. 
 
 to all the means of acquiring them, 
 whether they be juft or unjirft. 
 Has he already one enjoyment, 
 he wifhes for another, and in the 
 mtdft of fuperfluities, he is never 
 rich ; a commodious habitation 
 will not fatisfy him $ he inuft have 
 a fuperb hotel ; he is not content 
 with a plentiful table; he muft 
 have rare and coftly meats ; he 
 muft have fplendid furniture, ex- 
 penfive apparel, and a long, ufe- 
 lefs train of footmen, horfes, car- 
 riages and women , he muft be 
 conftantly at the gaming table, or 
 at places of public entertainment. 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 153 
 
 Now to fupport their expences, a 
 great deal of money is requisite, 
 and every mode of procuring this, 
 is conlidered at firft as lawful, 
 and afterwards, neceflary ; he be- 
 gins by borrowing, he then fwin- 
 dles, robs, plunders, becomes 
 bankrupt, is at war with mankind, 
 ruins others, and is himfelf ruined. 
 Again, if we confider the ef- 
 fects of luxury upon a nation, it 
 produces the fame ravages upon a 
 large fcale ; in confequencc of its 
 confuming within itfelf all its pro- 
 ductions, . it is poor in the midft 
 of abundance ; it has nothing to 
 
j 54 THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 fell to the foreigner ; it manufac- 
 tures at a heavy expence ; it fells 
 its produce at a dear rate, and be- 
 comes a tributary for every thing 
 which it imports : it lofes its ref- 
 peftability, its ftrength, and its 
 means of defence and prefervation 
 abroad ; whilfl at home it is un- 
 dermined, and the bond of union 
 between its members is diflblved. 
 All its citizens being greedy after 
 enjoyments, are perpetually ftrug- 
 gling with each other for the at- 
 tainment of them 5 all are either 
 inflicting injuries, or have the 
 difpofition to do fo : and hence 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE, t<j* 
 
 arife thofe actions and habits of 
 usurpation, which compofe what 
 is called moral corruption, or intef- 
 tine war between the members of 
 the fame fociety. Luxury produ- 
 ces rapacity, rapacity the invafion 
 of others by violence, or by breach 
 of public faith ^from luxury are 
 derived the corruption of the 
 judge, the venality of the witnefs ; 
 the difhonefly of the hufband, 
 the prostitution of the wife, ^pa- 
 rental cruelty, filial ingratitude, 
 the avarice of the mafler, the theft 
 of the fervant, the robbery of pub- 
 He officers of government, the in- 
 
THE -t AW OF 
 juftke of the legiflator, lying, per- 
 fidy, perjury, aflaffination, and 
 all the diforders which deflroy fo- 
 ciety ^ fo that the ancient moralifts 
 had an accurate perception of 
 truth, when they declared that all 
 the focial virtues were founded up- 
 on a (implicity of manners, a limi- 
 tation of wants, and contentment 
 with a little ; and we may take as 
 a certain fcale of the virtues or 
 vices of a man, the proportion 
 which his expences bear to his 
 revenue, and calculate from his 
 /demands for money, the extent of 
 his probity, his integrity in fulfil- 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 157 
 
 ling his engagements, his devotion 
 to the public caufe, and the fm- 
 cerity of his attachment to his 
 country (patrle J. 
 
 Q^ What do you mean by the 
 ivord country (patrie ?) 
 
 A. I underflancl by that word, 
 a community of citizens who, united 
 by fraternal fentiments and reci- 
 procal wants, unite their indivi- 
 dual forces, for the purpofes of 
 general fecurity, the reaction of 
 which upon each of them, affurnes 
 the beneficial and protecting cha- 
 racter oi paternity (paterniie) In 
 fociety, the members of it form 3 
 O 
 
 - 
 
158 THE LAW OF NATURE, 
 bank of intereft : in a country 
 {patrle) they conftitute a family 
 of tender attachments , by means 
 of which charity and the love of 
 our neighbour, are extended to a 
 whole nation. Now as charity 
 cannot be feparated from juftice, 
 no member of this family can 
 pretend to the enjoyment of any 
 advantages, except in proportion 
 to his exertions , if he confume 
 more than this proportion, he of 
 courfe encroaches upon another ; 
 and he can only attain the means 
 of being generous or difmterefted, 
 in proportion as his expences are 
 
THE LAW OF NATURE. 1 59 
 
 confined within the limits of his 
 acquifitions or pofleflions. 
 
 Q^ What is your deduction from 
 thefe principles ? 
 
 A. I conclude from thefe prin- 
 ciples, that all the focial virtues 
 confift in the performance of ac- 
 tions ufeful both to fociety and 
 to the individual : 
 
 That they may all be traced to 
 the phyfical object of the prefer- 
 vation of man : 
 
 That nature having implanted 
 in our bofoms the neceffity of this 
 prefervation, impofes all the con- 
 fequences arifmg from it as a law> 
 
l6o THE LAW OF NATURE. 
 
 and prohibits as a crime whatever 
 counteracts the operation of this 
 principle : 
 
 That we have within us the 
 germ of all virtue, and of all per- 
 feftion : that we have only to 
 attend to the means of exciting 
 it into ation : 
 
 That we are happy, in exal 
 proportion to the obedience we 
 yield to thofe laws which nature 
 has eftablifhed with a view to our 
 prefervation : 
 
 That all wifdom, all perfec- 
 tion, all law, all virtue, all phi- 
 lofophy, confift in the practice of 
 
THE LA'W OF NATURE. l6l 
 
 the following axioms, which are 
 founded upon our natural orga* 
 nization : 
 
 Preferve thyfelf. 
 
 Inftruft thyfelf. 
 
 Moderate thyfelf. 
 
 Live for thy fellow creatures in 
 order that they may live for thee. 
 
 FINIS<