By showing that a thousand mistaken roads all lead to this great _generative_ Sophism, I may perhaps teach the public to recognize, to know, and to mistrust it, under all circumstances.
After all, I am less at forcing convictions, than at waking doubts.
I have no hope that the reader as he lays down my book will exclaim, _I know_.

My aspirations will be fully satisfied, if he can but sincerely say, _I doubt_.
"I doubt, for I begin to fear that there may be something illusory in the supposed blessings of scarcity." (Sophism I.) "I am not so certain of the beneficial effect of obstacles." (Sophism II.) "_Effort without result_, no longer appears to me so desirable as _result without effort_." (Sophism III.) "I understand that the more an article has been labored upon, the more is its _value_.

But in trade, do two _equal_ values cease to be equal, because one comes from the plough, and the other from the workshop ?" (Sophism XXI.) "I confess that I begin to think it singular that mankind should be the better of hindrances and obstacles, or should grow rich upon taxes; and truly I would be relieved from some anxiety, would be really happy to see the proof of the fact, as stated by the author of "the Sophisms," that there is no incompatibility between prosperity and justice, between peace and liberty, between the extension of labor and the advance of intelligence." (Sophisms XIV and XX.) "Without, then, giving up entirely to arguments, which I am yet in doubt whether to look upon as fairly reasoned, or as paradoxical, I will at least seek enlightenment from the masters of the science." * * * * * I will now terminate this sketch by a last and important recapitulation.
The world is not sufficiently conscious of the influence exercised over it by _Sophistry_.
When _might ceases to be right_, and the government of mere _strength_ is dethroned, _Sophistry_ transfers the empire to _cunning and subtilty_.

It would be difficult to determine which of the two tyrannies is most injurious to mankind.
Men have an immoderate love for pleasure, influence, consideration, power--in a word, for riches; and they are, by an almost unconquerable inclination, pushed to procure these, at the expense of others.
But these _others_, who form the public, have a no less strong inclination to keep what they have acquired; and this they will do, if they have the _strength_ and the _knowledge_ to effect it.
Spoliation, which plays so important a part in the affairs of this world, has then two agents; _Force_ and _Cunning_.

She has also two checks; _Courage_ and _Knowledge_.
Force applied to spoliation, furnishes the great material for the annals of men.