Is man's nature 'good or evil' ?—There is a nature perfectly indifferent as to good or evil. It is that of the brutes, not of man.-Man's nature is not partly good and partly evil.-It is not essentially evil.-This proved by the monstrous conclusions which would follow.-It is then essentially a nature good in itself, not evil in itself—but fallen.
As I have defined Ethics to be the Science of Man's Nature and Position, it is manifest that the whole subject, scientifically treated, must embrace, at least in effect, all questions that concern his nature and its relation to external things. But as this is a thing plainly impossible, for what scientific system details all its applications, consequences and deductions? And as the purpose of Science is to render such tediousness unnecessary, by giving principles and propositions that will imply all consequences, it seems to me that such should be the course with a true science of Ethics. And therefore I shall try to establish, in regular order, such conclusions as shall be the most natural, and the most fruitful in consequences; so that if possible, I may be able, principle after principle, and conclusion after conclusion, to give a system at once practical and scientific.
This being my intention, the question which naturally comes first in a science of man's nature and position is this
"What is Man's Nature? Every man having the idea of good