And so soon as indolence and luxury became the characteristics of the ruling classes of Rome, the downfall of the empire, sooner or later, was inevitable.
There is, perhaps, no tendency of our nature that has to be more carefully guarded against than indolence.

When Mr.Gurney asked an intelligent foreigner who had travelled over the greater part of the world, whether he had observed any one quality which, more than another, could be regarded as a universal characteristic of our species, his answer was, in broken English, "Me tink dat all men LOVE LAZY." It is characteristic of the savage as of the despot.

It is natural to men to endeavour to enjoy the products of labour without its toils.

Indeed, so universal is this desire, that James Mill has argued that it was to prevent its indulgence at the expense of society at large, that the expedient of Government was originally invented.

[132] Indolence is equally degrading to individuals as to nations.