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which, though feemingly contradictory, are perfectly concordant. His actions are influenced by the principle of benevolence as well as by that of felfishness and in order to answer the foregoing queftion, I must introduce a third principle, not lefs remarkable in its influence than either of thofe mentioned; it is that principle common to all, which prompts us to punish those who do wrong. An envious, a malicious, or a cruel action, is difagreeable to me even where I have no connection with the fufferer, and raiseth in me the painful emotion of refentment. When by the production of defire this emotion becomes a paffion, its gratification is directed by the principle now unfolded: being prompted by my nature to punish guilt as well as to reward virtue, my refentment is not gratified but by inflicting punishment: I must chastise the wretch by indignation at least and hatred, if not more feverely. Here the final caufe is felf-evident.

An injury done to myself, touching me more than when done to others, raises my refentment to a higher degree. The defire accordingly included in this paffion, is not fatisfied with fo flight a punishment as indignation or hatred: it is not fully gratified without retaliation; and the author must by my hand fuffer mifchief, as great at least as he has done to me. Neither can we be at any lofs about the final caufe of this higher degree of refentment: the whole vigour of this paffion

paffion is required to fecure individuals from the injustice and oppreffion of others *.

A wicked or difgraceful action, is difagreeable not only to others, but even to the delinquent himself; and raifes in both a painful emotion including a defire of punishment. The painful emotion felt by the delinquent, is diftinguifhed by the name of remorse; and in this cafe, the defire he has to punifh is directed to himfelf. There cannot be imagined a better contrivance to deter us from vice; for remorse itself is a fevere punishment. This paffion, and the defire of felf-punifliment derived from it, are touched delicately by Terence :

Menedemus. Ubi comperi ex iis, qui ei fuere confcii; Domum revortor mæftus, atque animo fere

Perturbato, atque incerto præ ægritudine:
Adfido, adcurrunt fervi, foccos detrahunt:
Video alios feftinare, lectos fternere,
Cœnam adparare: pro fe quifque fedulo
Faciebat, quo illam mihi lenirent miferiam.
Ubi video hæc, cœpi cogitare: Hem! tot mea
Solius folliciti fint caufa, ut me unum expleant?
Ancillæ tót me veftiant? fumptus domi

Tantos ego folus faciam ? fed gnatum unicum,
Quem pariter uti his decuit, aut etiam amplius,
Quod illa ætas magis ad hæc utenda idonea 'st,
Eum ego hinc ejeci miferum injuftitia mea.
Malo quidem me dignum quovis deputem,
Si id faciam, nam ufque dum ille vitam illam colet

* See Historical law-tracts, tract 1.

VOL. I.

M

Inopem,

Inopem, carens patria ob meas injurias,
Interea ufque illi de me fupplicium dabo :
Laborans, quærens, parcens, illi ferviens,
Ita facio prorfus: nihil relinquo in ædibus,
Nec vas, nec veftimentum: conrafi omnia,
Ancillas, fervos, nifi eos, qui opere ruftico
Faciundo facile fumptum exercerent fuum :
Omnes produxi ac vendidi: infcripfi illico
Ædeis mercede: quaf talenta ad quindecim
Coëgi: agrum hunc mercatus fum: hic me exerceo.
Decrevi tantifper me minus injuriæ,

Chreme, meo gnato facere, dum fiam mifer:

Nec fas effe ulla me voluptate hic frui,

Nifi ubi ille huc falvos redierit meus particeps.

Heautontimorumenos, act 1. fc. 1.

Otway reaches the fame fentiment:

Monimia. Let mifchiefs multiply! let ev'ry hour
Of my loath'd life yield me increase of horror!
Oh let the fun to thefe unhappy eyes

Ne'er fhine again, but be eclips'd for ever!
May every thing I look on feem a prodigy,
To fill my foul with terror, till I quite
Forget I ever had humanity,

And grow a curfer of the works of nature !

Orphan, act 4.

The cafes mentioned are, where benevolence alone, or where defire of punishment alone, governs without a rival; and it was neceffary to handle thefe cafes feparately, in order to elucidate a fubject which by writers is left in great obfcurity. But neither of thefe principles operates al

ways

ways without rivalfhip: cafes may be figured, and cafes actually exift, where the fame perfon is an object both of fympathy, and of defire to punish. Thus the fight of a profligate in the venereal difeafe, over-run with botches and fores, puts both principles in motion: while his diftrefs fixes my attention, fympathy prevails; but fo foon as I think of his profligacy, hatred prevails, accompanied fometimes with a defire to punish. This in general is the cafe of distress, occafioned by immoral actions that are not highly criminal and if the diftrefs and the immoral action, make impreffions equal or nearly fo, fympathy and hatred counterbalancing each other, will not fuffer me either to afford relief or to inflict punishment What then will be the refult? The principle of felf-love folves the question: abhorring an object fo loathfome, I naturally avert my eye, and walk off as fast as I can, in order to be relieved from the pain.

The prefent fubject gives birth to feveral other obfervations, for which I could not find room above, without relaxing more from the ftrictness of order and connection, than with fafety could be indulged in difcourfing upon an intricate fubject. Thefe obfervations I fhall throw out loosely as they occur.

No action, right nor wrong, is indifferent even to a mere fpectator: if right, it infpires esteem; and disgust, if wrong. But it is remarkable, that thefe emotions feldom are accompanied with defire:

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defire: the abilities of man are limited, and he finds fufficient employment, in relieving the diftreffed, in requiting his benefactors, and in punishing those who wrong him, without moving out of his fphere, for the benefit or chastisement of those with whom he has no connection.

If the good qualities of others raise my esteem, the fame qualities in myself, muft produce a fimilar effect in a fuperior degree, upon account of the natural partiality every man hath for himself: and this increafes felf-love. If thefe qualities be of a high rank, they produce a conviction of fuperiority, which excites me to affume fome fort of government over others. Mean qualities, on the other hand, produce in me a conviction of inferiority, which makes me fubmit to others. These convictions, diftributed among individuals by measure and proportion, may justly be esteemed the folid basis of government; because upon them depend the natural fubmiffion of the many to the few, without which even the mildest government would be in a violent flate, and have a constant tendency to diffolution.

No other branch of the human constitution fhows more vifibly our deftination for fociety, nor tends more to our improvement, than appetite for fame or esteem: for as the whole conveniencies of life, are derived from mutual aid and fupport in fociety; it ought to be a capital aim, to fecure thefe conveniencies by gaining the esteem and affection of others. Reafon in

deed

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