the Whole*. In general, the violent Senfations of Pain or Uneafinefs which accompany Hunger, Thirft, and the other private Appetites, or too great Fatigue of Mind as well as of Body, prevent the Individual from running to great Exceffes in the Exercise of the higher Functions of the Mind, as too intenfe Thought in the Search of Truth, violent Application to Business of any kind, and different Degrees of Romantic Heroifm. On the other hand, the finer Senfes of Perception, and those generous Defires and Affections which are connected with them, the Love of Action, of Imitation, of Truth, Honour, Public Virtue, and the like, are wifely placed in the oppofite Scale, in order to prevent us from finking into the Dregs of the Animal Life, and debafing the Dignity of Man below the Condition of Brutes. So that by the mutual Reaction of thofe oppofite Powers, the bad Effects are prevented that would naturally result from their acting fingly and apart, and the good Effects are produced which each are feverally formed to produce.

The

* Vid. Hutch. Conduct of the Paffions, Treat. 1. §. 2.

Contraft or

Balance of

Public and

Private
Pafions.

The fame wholesome Oppofition appears likewise in the particular Counterworkings of the Private and Public Affections one against the other. Thus Compaffion is adapted to counterpoise the Love of Eafe, of Pleasure, and of Life, and to difarm, or to fet Bounds to Refentment; and Refentment of Injury done to ourselves, or to our Friends, who are dearer than ourselves, prevents an effeminate Compaffion or Confternation, and gives us a noble Contempt of Labour, Pain, and Death. Natural Affection, Friendship, Love of one's Country, nay, Zeal for any particular Virtue, are frequently more than a Match for the whole Train of Selfifb Paffions. On the other hand, without that intimate over-ruling Paffion of Self love, and thofe private Defires which are connected with it, the focial and tender Instincts of the Human Heart would degenerate into the wildeft Dotage, the moft torturing Anxiety, and downright Frenzy.

But not only are the different Orders or Claffes of Af. fection Checks one upon another, but Paffions of the fame

2

Contrafts among thofe of the fame Claffes.

Claffes

Claffes are mutual Clogs. Thus, how many are withheld from the violent Outrages of Refentment by Fear? And how cafily is Fear controuled in its turn, while mighty Wrongs awaken a mighty Refentment? The Private Paffions often interfere, and therefore moderate the Violence of each other; and a calm SELF-LOVE is. placed at their Head, to direct, influence, and controul their particular Attractions. and Repulfions. The Public Affections reftrain one the other; and all of them are put under the Controul of a calm difpaffionate BENEVOLENCE, which ought in like manner to direct and limit their particular Motions.-Thus, most part, if not all the Paffions have a twofold Afpect, and serve a twofold End. In one View they may be confidered as POWERS, impelling Mankind to a certain Course, with a Force proportioned to the apprebended Moment of the Good they aim at. In another View they appear as WEIGHTS balancing the Action of the Powers, and controuling the Violence of their Impulfes. By means of thefe Powers and Weights a natural POISE is fettled in the Human Breaft by its all-wife Author, by which the Creature is kept tolerably fteady and

regular

Particular Perceptions or Instincts of Approbation.

regular in his Course, amidst that Variety of Stages through which he must pass. But this is not all the Provifion which God has made for the Hurry and Perplexity of the Scene in which Man is deftined to act. Amidft those infinite Attractions and Repulfions towards private and public Good and Ill, Mankind either cannot often foresee the Confequences or Tendencies of all their Actions towards one or other of these, efpecially where thofe Tendencies are intricate and point different ways, or thofe Confequences remote and complicated; or though, by careful and cool Enquiry and a due Improvement of their rational Powers, they might find them out, yet diftracted as they are with Business, amused with Trifles, diffipated by Pleasure, and difturbed by Paffion, they either have, or can find, no leifure to attend to thofe Confequences, or to examine how far this or that Conduct is productive of private or public Good on the whole. Therefore were it left entirely to the flow and fober Deductions of Reafon to trace thofe Tendencies, and make out those Confe

quences,

quences, it is evident that, in many particular Inftances, the Business of Life must stand still, and many important Occafions of Action be loft, or perhaps the groffeft Blunders be committed. On this account the Deity, befides that general Approbation which we bestow on every degree of kind Affection, has moreover implanted in Man many particular Perceptions, or Determinations, to approve of certain Qualities or Actions, which, in effect, tend to the Advantage of Society, and are connected with private Good, though he does not always fee that Tendency, nor mind that Connection. thefe Perceptions, or Determinations do, without Reasoning point out, and antecedent to Views of Intereft, prompt to a Conduct beneficial to the Public, and ufeful to the Private Syftem. Such is that Senfe of Candour and Veracity, that Abborrence of Fraud and Falfhood, that Sense of Fidelity, Justice, Gratitude, Greatness of Mind, Fortitude, Clemency, Decorum; and that Disapprobation of Knavery, Injustice, Ingratitude, Meannefs of Spirit, Cowardice, Cruelty, and Indecorum, which are natural to the Human Mind. The former of

And

thofe