I don't know how this lively and dumb scene would have ended , or how long I might have remained immoveable in this ridiculous and delightful situati… - Jean-Jacques Rousseau

The earth would be covered with men amongst whom there world would be almost no communication; we would make contact at some points without being united by a single one; everyone would remain isolated amongst the rest, everyone would think only of himself; our understanding would not develop; we would live without sensing anything, we would die without having lived; our entire happiness would consist of not knowing our misery; there would be neither goodness in our hearts, nor morality in our actions, and we would never have tasted the most delicious sentiment of the soul, which is the love of virtue.

Seit meiner Kindheit in den Trubel der Welt geworfen, habe ich durch Erfahrung früh gelernt, dass ich nicht dafür geschaffen war, in ihr zu leben, und dass ich nie zu dem Zustand gelangen würde, wonach mein Herz sich sehnte.

Un día tomé el Mercurio de Francia, y andando y leyendo encontré este tema propuesto por la Academia de Dijon para el premio del siguiente año: El progreso de las ciencias y de las artes ¿ha contribuido a corromper o a purificar las costumbres? Así