BOOK III PART II
ciety, as well as fashions them by degrees for it,
by rubbing off those rough corners and unto-
ward affections, which prevent their coalition.
For it must be confest, that however the cir-
cumstances of human nature may render an
union necessary, and however those passions
of lust and natural affection may seem to ren-
der it unavoidable; yet there are other particu-
lars in our natural temper, and in our outward
circumstances, which are very incommodious,
and are even contrary to the requisite conjunc-
tion. Among the former, we may justly es-
teem our selfishness to be the most consider-
able. I am sensible, that generally speaking, the
representations of this quality have been car-
ried much too far; and that the descriptions,
which certain philosophers delight so much to
form of mankind in this particular, are as wide