League into one System or Body, whose Members feel and fympathize one with another. By this admirable Adjustment of the Constitution of Man to his State, and the gradual Evolution of his Powers, Order is maintained, Society upheld, and Human Life filled with that Variety of Passion and Action which at once enliven and diversify it.

THIS is a short Sketch of the Principal MoveThe directing ments of the Human Mind. Yet, these MovePower. ments are not the Whole of Man; they impel

to Action, but do not direct it; they need a Regulator to guide their Motions, to measure and apply their Forces: And accordingly they have one that naturally fuperintends and diretis their Action. We are confcious of a Principle within us, which examines, compares, and weighs Things, notes the Differences, observes the Forces, and foresees the Consequences of Affections and Actions. By this Power we look back on past Times, and forward into Futurity, gather Experiences, estimate the real and comparative Value of Objects, lay out Schemes, contrive Means to execute them, and fettle the whole Order and Economy of Life. This Power we commonly distinguish by the Name of REASON OF REFLECTION, the Business of which is not to suggest any original Notices or Sensations, but to canvass, range, and make Deductions from them.

Powers.

We are intimately confcious of another PrinThe judging or approving ciple within us, which approves of certain Sentiments, Passions, and Actions, and disapproves of their Contraries. In consequence of the Docifions of this inward Judge, we denominate some Actions and Principles of Conduct right, honest, good, and others wrong, dishonest, ill. The former excite our Esteem, Moral Complacence, and Affection, immediately and originally of themselves, without Regard to their Consequences, and whether they affect our Interest or not. The latter do as naturally and neceffarily call forth our Contempt, Scorn, and Aversion. That Power by which we perceive this Difference in Affections and Actions, and feel a consequent Relish or Diflike, is commonly called CONSCIENCE, or the MORAL SENSE. Whether fuch a Power belongs to human Nature or not, must be referred to every one's Experience of what passes within himself.

These Powers THESE two Powers of Reason and Confcience different from are evidently Principles different in Nature and Affections. Kind from the Passions and Affections. For the Paffions are mere Force or Power, blind Impulses, acting violently and without Choice, and ultimately tending each to their respective Objects, without Regard to the Interest of the others, or of the whole System. Whereas the Directing and Judging Powers diftinguish and afcertain the different Forces, mutual Proportions and Relations, which the Paffions bear to each other and to the Whole; recognize their several Degrees of Merit, and judge of the whole Temper and Conduct, as they respect either the Individual or the Species; and are capable of directing or restraining the blind Impulses of Paffion in a due Consistency one with the other, and a regular Subordination to the whole System.-Let this Difference be remembered.

THIS is some Account of the Constituent Prin- Division of çiples of our Nature, which, according to their the Paffions. different Mixtures, Degrees, and Proportions,

mould our Character and sway our Conduct in Life. In reviewing that large Train of Affections which fill up the different Stages of human Life, we perceive this obvious Distinction among them; that fome of them respect the Good of the Individual, and others carry us beyond ourselves to the Good of the Species or Kind. The former have therefore been called Private, and the latter Public Affections. Of the first Sort are Love of Life, of Pleasure, of Power, and the like. Of the last are Compaffion, Gratitude, Friendship, Natural Affection, and the like. Of the Private Paffions *, fome respect merely the Security and Defence of the Creature, such as Resentment and Fear; whereas others aim at fome Positive Advantage or Good, as Wealth, Eafe, Fame. The former Sort there- Defenfive fore, because of this Difference of Objects, may Passions. be termed Defensive Passions. These answer to

our Dangers, and prompt us to avoid them if we can, or boldly to encounter them when we cannot.

Private or
Appetitive
Paffions.

THE other Class of Private Paffions, which pursue private positive Good, may be called Appetitive. However, we shall still retain the Name of Private, in Contradistinction to the Defensive Paffions. Man has a great Variety of Wants to fupply, and is capable of many Enjoyments, according to the several Periods of his Life, and the different Situations in which he is-placed. To these therefore a suitable Train of Private Paffions correspond, which engage him in the Pursuit of whatever is necessary for his Subsistence or Welfare.

OUR

* Here we use Passions and Affections without Distinction. Their Difference will be marked afterwards.

Public Paffions.

Our Public or Social Affections are adapted to the several Social Connections and Relations which we bear to others, by making us sensible of their Dangers, and interesting us in their Wants, and so prompting us to secure them against one and supply the other.

WHETHER this Historic Draught of Man, and The Appeal. of that Group of Figures and Connections with which he is environed, be just or not, is a Matter not fo much of Reasoning as common Senfe and common Experience. Therefore let every one confult his Experience of what he feels within, and his Knowledge of what is transacted abroad, in the little or the great World in which he lives; and by that Experience, and that Knowledge, let the Picture be acknowledged juft, or pronounced the contrary: For to that Experience, and to that Knowledge, and to these alone, the Defigner appeals.

THIS is the first Step then to discover the Duty and Deftination of Man, the having analysed the Principles of which he is composed.. It is necessary, in the next Place, to confider in what Order, Proportion, and Measure of those inward Principles, Virtue, or a found Moral Temper and right Conduct confifts, that we may discover whence Moral Obligation arifes.

The Measure of Powers.

SECT. ІІ.

Of Duty, or Moral Obligation.

T is by the End or Design of any Power or Movement that we must direct its Motions, and estimate the Degree of Force necessary to its jutt Action. If it wants the Force requifite for the obtaining its End, we reckon it defettive; if it has too much, so as to be carried beyond it, we say it is overcharged; and in either Case it is imperfect and ill-contrived. If it has just enough to reach the Scope, we esteem it right and as it should be. Let us apply this Reasoning to the Paffions.

THE

THE Defence and Security of the Individual be- Measure of ing the Aim of the defensive Passions, that Security the defensive and Defence must be the Measure of their Strength Paffions. or Indulgence. If they are so weak as to prove infufficient for that End, or if they carry us beyond it, i. e. raise unnecessary Commotions, or continue longer that is needful, they are unfit to answer their original Design, and therefore are in an unfound and unnatural State. The Exercise of Fear or of Resentment has nothing defireable in it, nor can we give Way to either without painful Senfations. Without a certain Degree of them, we are naked and exposed. With too high a Proportion of them, we are miferable, and often injurious to others. Thus Cowardice or Timidity, which is the Excess of Fear, instead of saving us in Danger, gives it too formidable an Appearance, makes us incapable of attending to the best Means of Preservation, and difarms us of Courage, our natural Armour. Fool-hardiness, which is the Want of a due Measure of Fear, leads us heedlessly into Danger, and lulls us into a pernicious Security. Revenge, i. e. excefssive Resentment, by the Violence ence of its Commotion, robs us of that Presence of Mind which is often the best Guard against Injury, and inclines us to pursue the Aggressor with more Severity than Self-defence requires. Pufillanimity, or the Want of a just Indignation againft Wrong, leaves us quite unguarded, and tends to fink the Mind into a passive enervated Tameness. Therefore, " to " keep the defensive Passions duly proportioned to our Dangers, is " their natural Pitch and Tenor."

Measure of the private Passions.

THE private Paffions lead us to purfue some pofitive Species of private Good: That Good therefore which is the Object and End of each must be the Measure of their respective Force, and direct their Operation. If they are too weak or fluggish to engage us in the Purfuit of their feveral Objects, they are evidently deficient; but if they defeat their End by their Impetuosity, then they are strained beyond the just Tone of Nature. Thus Vanity, or an exceffive Paffion for Applause, betrays into such Meannesses and little Arts of Popularity as makes us forfeit the Honour we fo anxioufly court. On the other. Hand, a total Indifference about the Esteem of Mankind, removes a strong Guard and Spur to Virtue, and lays the Mind open to the most abandoned Profecutions. Therefore, " to keep our private Passions and Defires pro" portioned to our WANTS, is the just Measure and Pitch of this "Class of Affections."

THE

}

Comparative Force.

THE defensive and private Passions do all agree in general, in their Tendency or Conduciveness to the Interest or Good of the Individual. Therefore, when there is a Collision of Interests, as may sometimes happen, that Aggregate of Gosd or Happiness, which is compofed of the particular Goods to which they respectively tend, must be the common Standard by which their comparative Degrees of Strength are to be measured: That is to say, if any of them, in the Degree in which they prevail, are incompatible with the greatest Aggregate of Good or most extensive Intereft of the Individual, then are they unequal and difproportionate. For, in judging of a particular System or Conftitution of Powers, we call that the fupreme or principal End, in which the Aims of theseveral Parts or Powers coincide, and to which they are fubordinate; and reckon them in due Proportion to each other, and right with regard to the Whole, when they maintain that Subordination of Subserviency. Therefore, "to propor" tion our defenfive and private Passions in such Meafure to our " Dangers and Wants as best to secure the Individual, and ob"tain the greatest Aggregate of private Good or Happiness, is " their just Balance or comparative Standard in cafe of Com" petition."

Measure of the public Affections.

IN like manner as the public or focial Affections point at the Good of others, that Good must be the Measure of their Force. When a particular

focial Affection, as Gratitude or Friendship, which belongs to a particular focial Connection, viz. that of a Benefactor or of a Friend, is too feeble to make us act the grateful or friendly Part, that Affection, being infufficient to answer its End, is defective and unfound. If, on the other Hand, a particular Paffion of this Class counteract or defeat the Interest it is defigned to promote, by its Violence or Disproportion, then is that Paffion excessive and irregular. Thus natural Affection, if it degenerates into a passionate Fondness, not only hinders the Parents from judging coolly of the Interest of their Offspring, but often leads them into a most partial and pernicious Indulgence.

1

Collision of As every kind Affection points at the Good of focial Affec- its particular Object, it is possible there may be fometimes a Collifion of Interests or Goods. Thus the Regard due to a Friend may interfere with that which we owe to a Community. In fuch a Competition of Interests, it is evident that the greatest is to be chosen; and that is the greateft