Thisisdoubtlesswhynegroesandsavagesaresolittleafraidofthewildbeaststheymaymeetinthewoods。TheCaraibsofVenezuelaamongothersliveinthisrespectinabsolutesecurityandwithoutthesmallestinconvenience。Thoughtheyarealmostnaked，FrancisCorréaltellsus，theyexposethemselvesfreelyinthewoods，armedonlywithbowsandarrows;butnoonehaseverheardofoneofthembeingdevouredbywildbeasts。
Butmanhasotherenemiesmoreformidable，againstwhichisisnotprovidedwithsuchmeansofdefence：thesearethenaturalinfirmitiesofinfancy，oldage，andillnessofeverykind，melancholyproofsofourweakness，ofwhichthetwofirstarecommontoallanimals，andthelastbelongschieflytomaninastateofsociety。Withregardtoinfancy，itisobservablethatthemother，carryingherchildalwayswithher，cannurseitwithmuchgreatereasethanthefemalesofmanyotheranimals，whichareforcedtobeperpetuallygoingandcoming，withgreatfatigue，onewaytofindsubsistence，andanothertosuckleorfeedtheiryoung。Itistruethatifthewomanhappenstoperish，theinfantisingreatdangerofperishingwithher;butthisriskiscommontomanyotherspeciesofanimals，whoseyoungtakealongtimebeforetheyareabletoprovideforthemselves。
Andifourinfancyislongerthantheirs，ourlivesarelongerinproportion;
sothatallthingsareinthisrespectfairlyequal;thoughthereareotherrulestobeconsideredregardingthedurationofthefirstperiodoflife，andthenumberofyoung，whichdonotaffectthepresentsubject。Inoldage，whenmenarelessactiveandperspirelittle，theneedforfooddiminisheswiththeabilitytoprovideit。Asthesavagestatealsoprotectsthemfromgoutandrheumatism，andoldageis，ofallills，thatwhichhumanaidcanleastalleviate，theyceasetobe，withoutothersperceivingthattheyarenomore，andalmostwithoutperceivingitthemselves。
Withrespecttosickness，Ishallnotrepeatthevainandfalsedeclamationswhichmosthealthypeoplepronounceagainstmedicine;butIshallaskifanysolidobservationshavebeenmadefromwhichitmaybejustlyconcludedthat，inthecountrieswheretheartofmedicineismostneglected，themeandurationofman’slifeislessthaninthosewhereitismostcultivated。