OftheCausesofthisInfluenceofFortuneThecausesofpainandpleasure，whatevertheyare，orhowevertheyoperate，seemtobetheobjects，which，inallanimals，immediatelyexcitethosetwopassionsofgratitudeandresentment。Theyareexcitedbyinanimated，aswellasbyanimatedobjects。Weareangry，foramoment，evenatthestonethathurtsus。Achildbeatsit，adogbarksatit，acholericmanisapttocurseit。Theleastreflection，indeed，correctsthissentiment，andwesoonbecomesensible，thatwhathasnofeelingisaveryimproperobjectofrevenge。Whenthemischief，however，isverygreat，theobjectwhichcauseditbecomesdisagreeabletouseverafter，andwetakepleasuretoburnordestroyit。Weshouldtreat，inthismanner，theinstrumentwhichhadaccidentallybeenthecauseofthedeathofafriend，andweshouldoftenthinkourselvesguiltyofasortofinhumanity，ifweneglectedtoventthisabsurdsortofvengeanceuponit。
　　Weconceive，inthesamemanner，asortofgratitudeforthoseinanimatedobjects，whichhavebeenthecausesofgreat，orfrequentpleasuretous。Thesailor，who，assoonashegotashore，shouldmendhisfirewiththeplankuponwhichhehadjustescapedfromashipwreck，wouldseemtobeguiltyofanunnaturalaction。Weshouldexpectthathewouldratherpreserveitwithcareandaffection，asamonumentthatwas，insomemeasure，deartohim。Amangrowsfondofasnuff-box，ofapen-knife，ofastaffwhichhehaslongmadeuseof，andconceivessomethinglikearealloveandaffectionforthem。Ifhebreaksorlosesthem，heisvexedoutofallproportiontothevalueofthedamage。Thehousewhichwehavelonglivedin，thetree，whoseverdureandshadewehavelongenjoyed，arebothlookeduponwithasortofrespectthatseemsduetosuchbenefactors。Thedecayoftheone，ortheruinoftheother，affectsuswithakindofmelancholy，thoughweshouldsustainnolossbyit。TheDryadsandtheLaresoftheancients，asortofgeniioftreesandhouses，wereprobablyfirstsuggestedbythissortofaffection，whichtheauthorsofthosesuperstitionsfeltforsuchobjects，andwhichseemedunreasonable，iftherewasnothinganimatedaboutthem。
　　But，beforeanythingcanbetheproperobjectofgratitudeorresentment，itmustnotonlybethecauseofpleasureorpain，itmustlikewisebecapableoffeelingthem。Withoutthisotherquality，thosepassionscannotventthemselveswithanysortofsatisfactionuponit。Astheyareexcitedbythecausesofpleasureandpain，sotheirgratificationconsistsinretaliatingthosesensationsuponwhatgaveoccasiontothem；whichitistonopurposetoattemptuponwhathasnosensibility。Animals，therefore，arelessimproperobjectsofgratitudeandresentmentthaninanimatedobjects。Thedogthatbites，theoxthatgores，arebothofthempunished。Iftheyhavebeenthecausesofthedeathofanyperson，neitherthepublic，northerelationsoftheslain，canbesatisfied，unlesstheyareputtodeathintheirturn:noristhismerelyforthesecurityoftheliving，but，insomemeasure，torevengetheinjuryofthedead。Thoseanimals，onthecontrary，thathavebeenremarkablyserviceabletotheirmasters，becometheobjectsofaverylivelygratitude。Weareshockedatthebrutalityofthatofficer，mentionedintheTurkishSpy，whostabbedthehorsethathadcarriedhimacrossanarmofthesea，lestthatanimalshouldafterwardsdistinguishsomeotherpersonbyasimilaradventure。
　　But，thoughanimalsarenotonlythecausesofpleasureandpain，butarealsocapableoffeelingthosesensations，theyarestillfarfrombeingcompleteandperfectobjects，eitherofgratitudeorresentment；andthosepassionsstillfeel，thatthereissomethingwantingtotheirentiregratification。Whatgratitudechieflydesires，isnotonlytomakethebenefactorfeelpleasureinhisturn，buttomakehimconsciousthathemeetswiththisrewardonaccountofhispastconduct，tomakehimpleasedwiththatconduct，andtosatisfyhimthatthepersonuponwhomhebestowedhisgoodofficeswasnotunworthyofthem。
　　Whatmostofallcharmsusinourbenefactor，istheconcordbetweenhissentimentsandourown，withregardtowhatinterestsussonearlyastheworthofourowncharacter，andtheesteemthatisduetous。Wearedelightedtofindapersonwhovaluesusaswevalueourselves，anddistinguishesusfromtherestofmankind，withanattentionnotunlikethatwithwhichwedistinguishourselves。Tomaintaininhimtheseagreeableandflatteringsentiments，isoneofthechiefendsproposedbythereturnswearedisposedtomaketohim。Agenerousmindoftendisdainstheinterestedthoughtofextortingnewfavoursfromitsbenefactor，bywhatmaybecalledtheimportunitiesofitsgratitude。Buttopreserveandtoincreasehisesteem，isaninterestwhichthegreatestminddoesnotthinkunworthyofitsattention。AndthisisthefoundationofwhatIformerlyobserved，thatwhenwecannotenterintothemotivesofourbenefactor，whenhisconductandcharacterappearunworthyofourapprobation，lethisserviceshavebeeneversogreat，ourgratitudeisalwayssensiblydiminished。Wearelessflatteredbythedistinction。andtopreservetheesteemofsoweak，orsoworthlessapatron，seemstobeanobjectwhichdoesnotdeservetobepursuedforitsownsake。
　　Theobject，onthecontrary，whichresentmentischieflyintentupon，isnotsomuchtomakeourenemyfeelpaininhisturn，astomakehimconsciousthathefeelsituponaccountofhispastconduct，tomakehimrepentofthatconduct，andtomakehimsensible，thatthepersonwhomheinjureddidnotdeservetobetreatedinthatmanner。Whatchieflyenragesusagainstthemanwhoinjuresorinsultsus，isthelittleaccountwhichheseemstomakeofus，theunreasonablepreferencewhichhegivestohimselfaboveus，andthatabsurdself-love，bywhichheseemstoimagine，thatotherpeoplemaybesacrificedatanytime，tohisconveniencyorhishumour。Theglaringimproprietyofthisconduct，thegrossinsolenceandinjusticewhichitseemstoinvolveinit，oftenshockandexasperateusmorethanallthemischiefwhichwehavesuffered。Tobringhimbacktoamorejustsenseofwhatisduetootherpeople，tomakehimsensibleofwhatheowesus，andofthewrongthathehasdonetous，isfrequentlytheprincipalendproposedinourrevenge，whichisalwaysimperfectwhenitcannotaccomplishthis。Whenourenemyappearstohavedoneusnoinjury，whenwearesensiblethatheactedquiteproperly，that，inhissituation，weshouldhavedonethesamething，andthatwedeservedfromhimallthemischiefwemetwith；inthatcase，ifwehavetheleastsparkeitherofcandourorjustice，wecanentertainnosortofresentment。
　　Beforeanything，therefore，canbethecompleteandproperobject，eitherofgratitudeorresentment，itmustpossessthreedifferentqualifications。First，itmustbethecauseofpleasureintheonecase，andofpainintheother。Secondly，itmustbecapableoffeelingthosesensations。And，thirdly，itmustnotonlyhaveproducedthosesensations，butitmustinhaveproducedthemfromdesign，andfromadesignthatisapprovedoftheonecase，anddisapprovedofintheother。Itisbythefirstqualification，thatanyobjectiscapableofexcitingthosepassions:itisbythesecond，thatitisinanyrespectcapableofgratifyingthem:thethirdqualificationisnotonlynecessaryfortheircompletesatisfaction，butasitgivesapleasureorpainthatisbothexquisiteandpeculiar，itislikewiseanadditionalexcitingcauseofthosepassions。
　　Aswhatgivespleasureorpain，eitherinonewayoranother，isthesoleexcitingcauseofgratitudeandresentment；thoughtheintentionsofanypersonshouldbeeversoproperandbeneficentontheonehand，oreversoimproperandmalevolentontheother；yet，ifhehasfailedinproducingeitherthegoodortheevilwhichheintended，asoneoftheexcitingcausesiswantinginbothcases，lessgratitudeseemsduetohimintheone，andlessresentmentintheother。And，onthecontrary，thoughintheintentionsofanyperson，therewaseithernolaudabledegreeofbenevolenceontheonehand，ornoblameabledegreeofmaliceontheother；yet，ifhisactionsshouldproduceeithergreatgoodorgreatevil，asoneoftheexcitingcausestakesplaceuponboththeseoccasions，somegratitudeisapttoarisetowardshimintheone，andsomeresentmentintheother。A
　　shadowofmeritseemstofalluponhiminthefirst，ashadowofdemeritinthesecond。And，astheconsequencesofactionsarealtogetherundertheempireofFortune，hencearisesherinfluenceuponthesentimentsofmankindwithregardtomeritanddemerit。
　　OftheextentofthisInfluenceofFortuneTheeffectofthisinfluenceoffortuneis，first，todiminishoursenseofthemeritordemeritofthoseactionswhicharosefromthemostlaudableorblamableintentions，whentheyfailofproducingtheirproposedeffects:and，secondly，toincreaseoursenseofthemeritordemeritofactions，beyondwhatisduetothemotivesoraffectionsfromwhichtheyproceed，whentheyaccidentallygiveoccasioneithertoextraordinarypleasureorpain。
　　1。First，Isay，thoughtheintentionsofanypersonshouldbeeversoproperandbeneficent，ontheonehand，oreversoimproperandmalevolent，ontheother，yet，iftheyfailinproducingtheireffects，hismeritseemsimperfectintheonecase，andhisdemeritincompleteintheother。Noristhisirregularityofsentimentfeltonlybythosewhoareimmediatelyaffectedbytheconsequencesofanyaction。Itisfelt，insomemeasure，evenbytheimpartialspectator。Themanwhosolicitsanofficeforanother，withoutobtainingit，isregardedashisfriend，andseemstodeservehisloveandaffection。Butthemanwhonotonlysolicits，butprocuresit，ismorepeculiarlyconsideredashispatronandbenefactor，andisentitledtohisrespectandgratitude。Thepersonobliged，weareapttothink，may，withsomejustice，imaginehimselfonalevelwiththefirst:butwecannotenterintohissentiments，ifhedoesnotfeelhimselfinferiortothesecond。Itiscommonindeedtosay，thatweareequallyobligedtothemanwhohasendeavouredtoserveus，astohimwhoactuallydidso。Itisthespeechwhichweconstantlymakeuponeveryunsuccessfulattemptofthiskind；
　　butwhich，likeallotherfinespeeches，mustbeunderstoodwithagrainofallowance。Thesentimentswhichamanofgenerosityentertainsforthefriendwhofails，mayoftenindeedbenearlythesamewiththosewhichheconceivesforhimwhosucceeds:andthemoregenerousheis，themorenearlywillthosesentimentsapproachtoanexactlevel。Withthetrulygenerous，tobebeloved，tobeesteemedbythosewhomtheythemselvesthinkworthyofesteem，givesmorepleasure，andtherebyexcitesmoregratitude，thanalltheadvantageswhichtheycaneverexpectfromthosesentiments。Whentheylosethoseadvantagestherefore，theyseemtolosebutatrifle，whichisscarceworthregarding。
　　Theystillhoweverlosesomething。Theirpleasuretherefore，andconsequentlytheirgratitude，isnotperfectlycomplete:andaccordinglyif，betweenthefriendwhofailsandthefriendwhosucceeds，allothercircumstancesareequal，therewill，eveninthenoblestandthebestmind，besomelittledifferenceofaffectioninfavourofhimwhosucceeds。Nay，sounjustaremankindinthisrespect，thatthoughtheintendedbenefitshouldbeprocured，yetifitisnotprocuredbythemeansofaparticularbenefactor，theyareapttothinkthatlessgratitudeisduetotheman，whowiththebestintentionsintheworldcoulddonomorethanhelpitalittleforward。Astheirgratitudeisinthiscasedividedamongthedifferentpersonswhocontributedtotheirpleasure，asmallershareofitseemsduetoanyone。Suchaperson，wehearmencommonlysay，intendednodoubttoserveus；andwereallybelieveexertedhimselftotheutmostofhisabilitiesforthatpurpose。Wearenot，however，obligedtohimforthisbenefit；since，haditnotbeenfortheconcurrenceofothers，allthathecouldhavedonewouldneverhavebroughtitabout。Thisconsideration，theyimagine，should，evenintheeyesoftheimpartialspectator，diminishthedebtwhichtheyowetohim。Thepersonhimselfwhohasunsuccessfullyendeavouredtoconferabenefit，hasbynomeansthesamedependencyuponthegratitudeofthemanwhomhemeanttooblige，northesamesenseofhisownmerittowardshim，whichhewouldhavehadinthecaseofsuccess。