Nor let any one ſay here, that there’s ſo much Villany and Wickedneſs in Man that we have thus magnified, that it’s a reaſonable Doubt, whether he would not be ſo far from being the Glory and Ornament of the Planet that enjoys his Company, that he would be rather its Shame and Diſgrace. For firſt, the Vices that moſt Men are tainted with, are no hindrance, but that thoſe that follow the Dictates of true Reaſon, and obey the Rules of a rigid Virtue, are ſtill a Beauty and Ornament to the Place that has the Happineſs to harbour them. Beſides, the Vices of Men themſelves are of excellent Uſe, and are not permitted and allowed in the World without wiſe Deſign. For ſince it has ſo pleaſed God to order the Earth, and every Thing in it as we ſee it is (for it’s abſurd to ſay it happen’d againſt his Will or Knowledge) we muſt not think that ſo great a Diverſity of Minds were placed in different Men to no End or Purpoſe: but that this mixture of bad Men with Good, and the Conſequents of ſuch a Mixture, as Misfortunes, Wars, Afflictions, Poverty, and the like, were permitted for this very good End, viz. the exerciſing our Wits, and ſharpening our Inventions; by forcing us to provide for our own neceſſary Defence againſt our Enemies. ’Tis to the Fear of Poverty and Miſery that we are beholden for all our Arts, and for that natural Knowledge which was the Product of laborious Induſtry; and which makes us that we cannot but admire the Power and Wiſdom of the Creator, which otherwiſe we might have paſſed by with the ſame indifference as Beaſts. And if Men were to lead their whole Lives in an undiſturbed continual Peace, in no fear of Poverty, no danger of War, I doubt they would live little better than Brutes, without all knowledge or enjoyment of thoſe Advantages that make our Lives paſs on with Pleaſure and Profit. We ſhould want the wonderful Art of Writing, if its great Uſe and neceſſity in Commerce and War had not forced out the Invention. ’Tis to theſe we owe our Art of Sailing, our Art of Sowing, and moſt of thoſe Diſcoveries of which we are Maſters; and almoſt all the Secrets in experimental Knowledge. So that thoſe very Things on account of which the Faculty of Reaſon ſeems to have been accuſed, are no ſmall helps to its Advancement and Perfection. For thoſe Virtues themſelves, Fortitude and Conſtancy, would be of no uſe if there were no Dangers, no Adverſity, no Afflictions for their Exerciſe and Trial. If we ſhould therefore imagine in the Planets ſome ſuch reaſonable Creature as Man is, adorn’d with the ſame Virtues, and liable to the ſame Vices, it would be ſo far from degrading or vilifying them, that while they want ſuch a one, I muſt think them inferior to our Earth. [Reaſon they are not different from what ’tis here.]