Volney

Q. What is that fundamental principle?

A. It is justice, which alone comprises all the virtues of society.

Q. Why do you say that justice is the fundamental and almost only virtue of society?

A. Because it alone embraces the practice of all the actions useful to it; and because all the other virtues, under the denominations of charity, humanity, probity, love of one’s country, sincerity, generosity, simplicity of manners, and modesty, are only varied forms and diversified applications of the axiom, “Do not to another what you do not wish to be done to yourself,” which is the definition of justice.

Constantin Francois de Volney, The Law of Nature, Chapter XI: “The Social Virtues; Justice.”