Withregardtotheinferencesthatmightbedrawn，inthecaseofseveralspeciesofanimals，themalesofwhichfillourpoultry-yardswithbloodandslaughter，orinspringmaketheforestsresoundwiththeirquarrelsovertheirfemales;wemustbeginbyexcludingallthosespecies，inwhichnaturehasplainlyestablished，inthecomparativepowerofthesexes，relationsdifferentfromthosewhichexistamongus：thuswecanbasenoconclusionaboutmenonthehabitsoffightingcocks。Inthosespecieswheretheproportionisbetterobserved，thesebattlesmustbeentirelyduetothescarcityoffemalesincomparisonwithmales;or，whatamountstothesamething，totheintervalsduringwhichthefemaleconstantlyrefusestheadvancesofthemale：forifeachfemaleadmitsthemalebutduringtwomonthsintheyear，itisthesameasifthenumberoffemaleswerefive-sixthsless。Now，neitherofthesetwocasesisapplicabletothehumanspecies，inwhichthenumberoffemalesusuallyexceedsthatofmales，andamongwhomithasneverbeenobserved，evenamongsavages，thatthefemaleshave，likethoseofotheranimals，theirstatedtimesofpassionandindifference。Moreover，inseveralofthesespecies，theindividualsalltakefireatonce，andtherecomesafearfulmomentofuniversalpassion，tumultanddisorderamongthem;ascenewhichisneverbeheldinthehumanspecies，whoseloveisnotthusseasonal。Wemustnotthenconcludefromthecombatsofsuchanimalsfortheenjoymentofthefemales，thatthecasewouldbethesamewithmankindinastateofnature：
and，evenifwedrewsuchaconclusion，weseethatsuchcontestsdonotexterminateotherkindsofanimals，andwehavenoreasontothinktheywouldbemorefataltoours。Itisindeedclearthattheywoulddostilllessmischiefthanisthecaseinastateofsociety;especiallyinthosecountriesinwhich，moralsbeingstillheldinsomerepute，thejealousyofloversandthevengeanceofhusbandsarethedailycauseofduels，murders，andevenworsecrimes;wheretheobligationofeternalfidelityonlyoccasionsadultery，andtheverylawsofhonourandcontinencenecessarilyincreasedebaucheryandleadtothemultiplicationofabortions。
Letusconcludethenthatmaninastateofnature，wanderingupanddowntheforests，withoutindustry，withoutspeech，andwithouthome，anequalstrangertowarandtoallties，neitherstandinginneedofhisfellow-creaturesnorhavinganydesiretohurtthem，andperhapsevennotdistinguishingthemonefromanother;letusconcludethat，beingself-sufficientandsubjecttosofewpassions，hecouldhavenofeelingsorknowledgebutsuchasbefittedhissituation;thathefeltonlyhisactualnecessities，anddisregardedeverythinghedidnotthinkhimselfimmediatelyconcernedtonotice，andthathisunderstandingmadenogreaterprogressthanhisvanity。Ifbyaccidenthemadeanydiscovery，hewasthelessabletocommunicateittoothers，ashedidnotknowevenhisownchildren。Everyartwouldnecessarilyperishwithitsinventor，wheretherewasnokindofeducationamongmen，andgenerationssucceededgenerationswithouttheleastadvance;
when，allsettingoutfromthesamepoint，centuriesmusthaveelapsedinthebarbarismofthefirstages;whentheracewasalreadyold，andmanremainedachild。
IfIhaveexpatiatedatsuchlengthonthissupposedprimitivestate，itisbecauseIhadsomanyancienterrorsandinveterateprejudicestoeradicate，andthereforethoughtitincumbentonmetodigdowntotheirveryroot，andshow，bymeansofatruepictureofthestateofnature，howfareventhenaturalinequalitiesofmankindarefromhavingthatrealityandinfluencewhichmodernwriterssuppose。