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M O nA L P l-i I L O S () P H Y. 279
by which thl! cre:1ture is kcpt fott:r<l!·ly fl"'iHiy :lnu rcr,ul;¡ r
in his cou,r~, alOH!fi llt.U VJricly of Jt;.¡;C~ llu úu¡;h wJllch
he mull p~rs .
BUl this is not .,.11 lhe prot'iCion which G ad has made
for the hurry and of lhe fcen~ in which man
is deHined lO :l,{t. AmidH thoCe inlinite t\nr2étions 2nd
It:puHions towuds pri":ltt ¡(nd publ!c gOC'ld aud ¡JI, man·
k-ind either canOut oftt'n lore~ce lhe cODfcqut'oc~s or ten·
dcncies of all aélions towards one or OIher of rhere,
cfpcci..lIy whtre thole ter..d:D~ies are ¡ntricate aod poinl
diSTtrent W.lys. or thore confequc:nC(5 remOle aeJ COOl·
plicated: or though, by car(fuI and cool inquiry, and a
due improvement of rheir rational powers, they might
6Dd lhem out; yCl diOr2éted as they are with buf'int:(s,
amured 'wilh triBes, diffipaled by pl<afure, and dil\urbed
by p~ffien, they ei{her hilve, or can find , no. JeiCure to
attcnd to thoCe confequences, ar to examine how far this
ar thH condu(l is produ!tive (lf prívate or public good 0 0
the .....hole. Thertrorc, wcre it JeCt entirely tO the Oow
and rober deduélions of reaCoD tO trace thoCe tendcncics
~od fllóke out thoCe conCc:quences, it is evident, that, in
maoy p;uticular ¡nnances, the bulinef, of life mufi lland
Oill. and many importaot o(cafions of éiaion be lorl , or
perhaps Ihe grofl'dl blunders be eommircd. On Ihis . e·
couot che Deity, befidts that general approbation wh,ch
we befi'ow on e\'ery degrec of kind affcttioo, has more–
orer implil.oted in roan ouny pa.rticular perceptioos, or
determinations, to ¡('prove of certain quali,íes or albool ,
whieh, in cErea, tend to the advantage of focielY, and
are cooneéle.d wi,h private good, thoogh he doc! Dot al·
ways fee that tcndency. oor mind tbu cooneaion. And
thefe perceptioos or determiAations do, without reaCoDing.
poiot out, and, anteeedent to views of iDterdt, prClmpt to
a eonoo(t beDefieial '0 .he public, ano uleful '0 .he p,i.
.ate fyflem. Sueh is thH (eoCe of candQr aod veracuy,
,hal abhorren~e of fraud and fallboClod, Ih.. renre of ti·
delity, juf1.ice, gratitude. greatnefs of mind, Conitude,
c1emency, decorum; and that dirapprobation of knaTery,
injuClie.:, ingratitude, rneanoeCs of Cplrit, eowardice, cru–
elty aod , whi..:h are natural to the humaD
mind . The former cf IhoCe dICpo(j[íons, and the aOioD'
flowing from them . are approved, and thofe of the latl~r
kind d rf.pprovcd by us, even abllra(!ed from .he view of
their tcndcncy or c.onducÍ\·enc(s to the happioeCs Or mi ·
fery of olners or of ourCdves. ' ~n one y¡e d,(eero a beau ·
ty, a fuperior excelJeGey. a congruitY ·lo the dignity of
man; in the other a de(orrr.ity, a llttlenefs, a debaCeJUeDI
of hum \O nature.
Tbtre are other principies alfo, conocaed with Ihe
eood of fooiery, or Ihe happiners and perleaioD o( .he
io¿ividual, tllough that connt'aion is not jmmc:diately ap–
parent, which we bebold with real complclcency and ap–
prob.uioo, though perhaps inferior in decree. if not in
kind; {ueh as gravily, modcny, fimpl ici.y of deporrmenl,
temperance, prudent oeeonomy; and we (eel Come tlC'cree
()f eonlt:lI'pt ;¡nd dilI~ké whc:re they are wanling, ('r where
,he oppofi.e . Fre..il. Thcfc and Ihe likc per .
c.cpuons or (c.ellngs are cither. diffc.:rtnt modificaríon. o(
tht mou.t Cc:nCc, or fubordinate to it; aod plainly fc rve lhe
(ame important pUr"poCe. being expeditious monitOrs in
.he f~"ral eOJer¡eneie. of a urious aod dillraé!ed Jife, of
wh ..t is right, ",hat is wrcDC', wh;'tt is to be pur(uo¿.
.nu what iI \·oidtd; ando by lhe pleaCant or pl illful
confclOuCr.cfs which anends Ihem, cxertinc theír ioflu–
ence as powerful promptcrs ta a CuitOlble condue.
From a OIJ;ht ¡n(peaion or lhe above-named principIes,
il is evid, nl rhey .11 carry a (ricndly .rpeé! 10 roeicly anrl
thc individual l and have a mere immcdiate or a morc
remOle tendcDey lO promete the perfe-étioo or good of
both. 1 his tendcDcy cannDt be 21\\'~ys (oreCeen, aDd
would be oflen mill.ken, or {c1dom. !tended lo by. weak¡,
bury, Ibort .r.ghted erealure, like [lla n, bOlh "lb and
variable io his opinions, a dupe tO his own paffion. or
to the defigns of olbers, Hable to fickoefs, to wanl. and
tO error. Principies, therefore, which are Co nearly lioked
Wilh priva te Cecurit'y' and pubJic good, by diret'ling him,
wilhout operoCe reafoning, \\ here to find one, and hOUf
to promote the other, and by prompting bim to a condua
conducive 10 botb, are admirably adapted tO the exigeo–
eie. o( his prerenl Clale, and wirely ealeulaled '0 oblaill
tbe euds of univerCal benevolence.
It were eary, by eonr.dering Ihe {ubjea ID aDolher
Jight, 10 fhew, in a eurious detall oC partieulars, how
wooderfully the infide of m:¡n, or th:u aOoDilhing traio of
moral powers and affe!tions with which he ¡, endlled, is
611ed 10 .he fe "eral Clag.. of Ihal progreffive and prob.–
tionary fiate, threLlgh which he is deCHned to pafs. A.
our faculties are narrow and limited, and rife from very
fmall and imperfea beginnings, Ihey murt be improved
byexerciCt, byattenlion, and repeated lrials. And thi.
hold. true, not ooly of our inteJleaual, but of Our moral
and aétive powers. Tbe fOImer are liable te erron in
rpeculalion. the Jatter ( O blundérs in prallice, and both
often termínate in misfonunes aod pains : and Ihofe er–
reu and blunden are geDerally owing to ou r paffion!. or
tOour too forwa rdand warm admiratioo of thoCe )lanía!
goods Ihey nalurally purfue, or 10 our feH of Iho{e partia!
ill. they nalur. lly repel. Thofe mi'(OrtuD.' Iherefore
lead u. ro eonr.der where our roireondua lay, and
whence our errors ftowed; and confequently are ralutary
piec~s of trial, which teod to enlarge our views, 10 corred
and refine our pAffions, aod confequently improye both
Ollr intclleeual anel moral powers .-Our pilffions then ar~
the fude Ol¡teri..ls of our virtue. which b~a"eo has giveD
us tO work up. 10 re6De and polinl ioto an harmoni"u$
and d.vine piece of workmanlbip. They fu rnilb 001 Ihe
whole m~chi nery , Ihe calcls and norms, the lights and
Ibade. of human li(e. Thcy Ibew mankind iD e,ery al–
tiUlde and variety of charaaer, and give virtue both its
Ifruggles and ilS Inumph. . To eonduo'\ Ihem w<.ll in e·
very Hale, is merit ; tO abufe or mitappJy therll, is de·
meril.
Th~ difFerenl fe.. o( fenr., , powers. and pallion.,
which unfold themrelves iD thoCt: Cueceffive flages, .are
bOlh neecfr..y, and ad'Pled 10 Ihal rifing andlprotreffive
fl<lte. Eolarging vicw! and growinu connec!tion" ,equire
new p;¡ffi ons tlnd new habits; and thus the mind. by
Ihere eonlinually expandinc ond findiDg a progrdlive ex–
erciCe, rifes tO higher impravemeotSj and puthes forward
to mat urity and perfcllion.
In Ihi. beautiful oeeonGmy and harmony of our Clrue–
ture, bOlh oUI\fard and ioward, witlt Iha. fia.e, \Ye m.y
a~