If there is a species which is more maltreated than children, then it must be their toys, which they handle in an incredibly off-hand manner. Toys are thus the end point in that long chain in which all the conditions of despotic high-handedness are in play which enchain beings one to another, from one species to another --cruel divinities to their sacrificial victims, from masters to slaves, from adults to children, and from children to their objects.

Summary

This quote suggests that toys are often mistreated by children in a careless manner, comparable to the mistreatment of children themselves. It argues that toys represent the culmination of a cycle of hierarchical power dynamics, where beings are subjected to ruthless treatment, from gods to sacrifices, masters to slaves, and adults to children. In this context, children are viewed as transferring this inherent mistreatment to their toys, perpetuating the cycle of degradation and subjugation.

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