Savage Man, when he has dined, is at Peace with the whole Creation, and the Friend of all his Fellows. Does a Diſpute ſometimes happen about a Meal? He ſeldom comes to Blows without having firſt compared the Difficulty of conquering with that of finding a Supply in ſome other Place; and, as Pride has no Share in the Squabble, it ends in a few Cuffs; the Conqueror eats, the Conquered retires to ſeek his Fortune elſewhere, and all is quiet again. But with Man in Society the Caſe is quite different; in the firſt place, Neceſſaries are to be provided, and then Superfluities; Delicacies follow, and then immenſe Riches, and then Subjects, and then Slaves. He does not enjoy the leaſt Relaxation; what is moſt extraordinary, the leſs natural and preſſing are his Wants, the more headſtrong his Paſſions become, and what is ſtill worſe, the greater is his Power of ſatisfying them; ſo that after a long Series of Proſperity, after having ſwallowed up immenſe Treaſures and ruined Thouſands, our Hero cloſes the Scene by cutting every Throat, 'till he at laſt finds himſelf ſole Maſter of an empty Univerſe. Such is in Miniature the Moral Table, if not of
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