Education has a tremendous power on man. Can't we see to which astonishing disciple the people of Sparte have submitted ("s'est pliรฉ", Fr.) for centuries, and this with a view to very petty purposes: purely outer greatness, the military predominace of Sparte. This example proves that man can everything on themselves when they want it ("peuvent tout sur eux-mรชmes quand ils le veulent", Fr.); therefore it would only be a question of making them will the good.
African SpirWe can, following the exemple of Kant, consider the moral development and improvement of men, as the supreme goal of human evolution.
African SpirApart from selfish reasons, such as fear of punishments, fear of blame, of dishonour, etc, there remains only two motives that can stop (or prevent, "empรขecher", Fr.) men from acting badly; the natural sense of commiseration (or "sympathy", - "commisรฉration", Fr.) for one's fellow men - compassion, and the influence of education, by association of ideas ("par l'association d'idรฉes", Fr.) - habit.
African SpirIt goes without saying that only inner greatness possess a true value ("une valeur vรฉritable,", Fr.) . Any attempt to rise up (or at rising up, - "s'รฉlever", Fr.) outwardly above others, or to want (or wish) to impose one's superiority, denote a lack of moral greatness, since we do not try to replace ("supplรฉer", Fr.) in that way (.... in French "par lร ", Fr.) to what, if we did really possess it, would have no need whatsoever to flaunt itself.
African SpirIt is not on the ruin of liberty that we may (in the future... - "pourra", Fr.) build justice.
African SpirThe distinction between right and wrong ("la distinction du bien et du mal", Fr.), is nothing else than their unyielding (or implacable) opposition; thus the moral consciousness is an innate and intimate revelation of the absolute, which goes beyond (or goes pass, or exceed) every empirical data (or given information). It is only on these principles that we will be able to establish ("pourront รชtre รฉdifiรฉes", Fr.) the real basis of morality.
African Spir