[108] Allusion to Socialist Utopias of the day.—Translator.
[109] “As to the doctrine of necessity, no one believes it. If a man should give me arguments that I do not see, though I could not answer them, should I believe that I do not see? . . . . All theory is against the freedom of the will; all experience for it. . . . . I know that I am free, and there’s an end on’t.” (Dr Johnson.)—Translator.
[110] “Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life: Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee. . . . In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, until thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”—Gen. iii. 17, 18, 19.
[111] The interesting developments which the author intended to present here by way of illustrations, and of which he indicated beforehand the character, he unfortunately did not live to write. The reader may supply the want by referring to chapter xvi. of this work, and likewise to chapters vii. and xi. of Bastiat’s pamphlet, Ce qu’on voit et Ce qu’on ne voit pas.—Note of the Editor.
[112] “For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves; which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another.”—Romans ii. 14, 15. See also Bishop Butler’s 3d Sermon, on Human Nature: “Nothing,” says he, “can be more evident than that, exclusive of revelation, man cannot be considered as a creature left by his Maker to act at random, and live at large up to the extent of his natural power, as passion, humour, wilfulness, happen to carry him; which is the condition brute creatures are in. But that, from his make, constitution, or nature, he is in the strictest and most proper sense a law to himself. He hath the rule of right within. What is wanting is only that he honestly attend to it.”—Butler’s Works, vol. ii. p. 65.—Translator.
[113] The conclusion of this chapter is little more than a series of notes thrown together, without transitions or developments.—Editor.
XXI. SOLIDARITY
[114] This sketch terminates here abruptly; the economic view of the law of solidarity is not indicated. We may refer the reader to chapter x. and chapter xi. ante.
Moreover, the whole scope of this work on the Harmonies, the concordance of interests, and the grand maxims, “The prosperity of each is the prosperity of all—the prosperity of all is the prosperity of each,” etc., the accord between property and community, the services of capital, extension of the domain of the gratuitous, etc., are all developments in a utilitarian point of view of the very title of this chapter—Solidarity.—Note of the Editor.
XXII. SOCIAL MOTIVE FORCE