Author's Note 30
The precept "Never hurt
anybody," requires that one be dependent as little as possible
on human society, for in the social state one man's good is another
man's evil. This relation is in the essence of the thing and nothing
can change it. You may apply this test to man in society and to the
solitary man to discover which is best. A distinguished author says
that only the wicked lives alone. I say, that it is only the good
who live alone. If this proposition is less sententious, is truer
and better reasoned than the preceding one. If the wicked were
alone, what harm could he do? It is in society that he sets up
machinations to harm others. If they wish to apply this argument to
the man of property my answer is to be found in the passage to which
this note is appended.