Page:A discourse upon the origin and foundation of the inequality among mankind (IA discourseuponori00rous).pdf/130

why, in this primitive State, one Man ſhould have more Occaſion for the Aſſiſtance of another, than one Monkey, or one Wolf for that of another Animal of the ſame Species; or ſuppoſing that he had, what Motive could induce another to aſſiſt him; or even, in this laſt Caſe, how he, who wanted Aſſiſtance, and he from whom it was wanted, could agree among themſelves upon the Conditions. Authors, I know, are continually telling us, that in this State Man would have been a moſt miſerable Creature; and if it is true, as I fancy I have proved it, that he muſt have continued many Ages without either the Deſire or the Opportunity of emerging from ſuch a State, this their Aſſertion could only ſerve to juſtify a Charge againſt Nature, and not any againſt the Being which Nature had thus conſtituted; but, if I thoroughly underſtand this Term miſerable, it is a Word, that either has no Meaning, or ſignifies