It is true, therefore, that man is lord of the earth on which he dwells; for not only does he tame all the beasts, not only does he control its elements through his industry; but he alone knows how to control it; by contemplation he takes possession of the stars which he cannot approach.  Show me any other creature on earth who can make a fire and who can behold with admiration the sun.  What! can I observe and know all creatures and their relations; can I feel what is meant by order, beauty, and virtue; can I consider the universe and raise myself towards the hand that guides it; can I love good and perform it; and should I then liken myself to the beasts?  Wretched soul, it is your gloomy philosophy which makes you like the beasts; or rather in vain do you seek to degrade yourself; your genius belies your principles, your kindly heart belies your doctrines, and even the abuse of your powers proves their excellence in your own despite.

For myself, I am not pledged to the support of any system.  I am a plain and honest man, one who is not carried away by party spirit, one who has no ambition to be head of a sect; I am content with the place where God has set me; I see nothing, next to God himself, which is better than my species; and if I had to choose my place in the order of creation, what more could I choose than to be a man!

I am not puffed up by this thought, I am deeply moved by it; for this state was no choice of mine, it was not due to the deserts of a creature who as yet did not exist.  Can I behold myself thus distinguished without congratulating myself on this post of honour, without blessing the hand which bestowed it?  The first return to self has given birth to a feeling of gratitude and thankfulness to the author of my species, and this feeling calls forth my first homage to the beneficent Godhead.  I worship his Almighty power and my heart acknowledges his mercies.  Is it not a natural consequence of our self-love to honour our protector and to love our benefactor?

But when, in my desire to discover my own place within my species, I consider its different ranks and the men who fill them, where am I now?  What a sight meets my eyes!  Where is now the order I perceived?  Nature showed me a scene of harmony and proportion; the human race shows me nothing but confusion and disorder.  The elements agree together; men are in a state of chaos.  The beasts are happy; their king alone is wretched.  O Wisdom, where are thy laws?  O Providence, is this thy rule over the world?  Merciful God, where is thy Power?  I behold the earth, and there is evil upon it.