Astronomy wasborn of superstition , eloquence of ambition, hat red, falsehood, and flat-human vice.tery; geometry of avarice; physics of an idle curiosity; and even moral philosophy ofhuman pride. Thus the arts and sciences owe their birth to our vices; we should beless doubtful of their advantages, if the y had sprung from our virtues.

Itis true that in France Socrates would not have drunk the hemlock ,but he wou ld have drunk of a potion infinitel y more bitter, of insult,mockery, and contempt a hundred times worse than death. T hus it isthat luxury, profligacy, and slavery have been, in all ages, the scourgeof the efforts of our pride to emerge from that happ y state of igno-Rousseau again takes a differentpath from other philosophes .He argues that rationality doesnot offer access to all truth,nor ought it. Rather, natureprotects men from themselvesby hiding her secrets , by makingknowledge difficult to acquire.rance, in which the wisdom of providence had placed us.