People have little faith in their individual exertions doing aught towards a remedy for any of the great disorders of the world. If an evil of magnitude forces itself upon their attention, they take shelter in a comfortable sort of belief that the course of events, or the gradual enlightenment of mankind, or, at any rate, something which is too large for them to have any concern in, will set it right.
Helps, Arthur, Sir,
Essays written in the intervals of business
Essays written in the intervals of business : Helps, Arthur, Sir, 1813-1875 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
原文では冒頭の People は They