Page:A discourse upon the origin and foundation of the inequality among mankind (IA discourseuponori00rous).pdf/181

became an Affront, as beſides the Miſchief, which reſulted from it as an Injury, the Party offended was ſure to find in it a Contempt for his Perſon more intolerable than the Miſchief itſelf. It is thus that every Man, puniſhing the Contempt expreſſed for him by others in proportion to the value he ſet upon himſelf, the Effects of Revenge became terrible, and Men learned to be ſanguinary and cruel. Such preciſely was the Degree attained by moſt of the ſavage Nations with whom we are acquainted. And it is for want of ſufficiently diſtinguiſhing Ideas, and obſerving at how great a Diſtance theſe People were from the firſt ſtate of Nature, that ſo many Authors have haſtily concluded that Man is naturally cruel, and requires a regular Syſtem of Police to be reclaimed; whereas nothing can be more gentle than him in his primitive State, when placed by Nature at an equal Diſtance from the Stupidity of