Butthisdesireoftheapprobation，andthisaversiontothedisapprobationofhisbrethren，wouldnotalonehaverenderedhimfitforthatsocietyforwhichhewasmade。Nature，accordingly，hasendowedhim，notonlywithadesireofbeingapprovedof，butwithadesireofbeingwhatoughttobeapprovedof；orofbeingwhathehimselfapprovesofinothermen。Thefirstdesirecouldonlyhavemadehimwishtoappeartobefitforsociety。Thesecondwasnecessaryinordertorenderhimanxioustobereallyfit。Thefirstcouldonlyhavepromptedhimtotheaffectationofvirtue，andtotheconcealmentofvice。Thesecondwasnecessaryinordertoinspirehimwiththerealloveofvirtue，andwiththerealabhorrenceofvice。Ineverywell-formedmindthisseconddesireseemstobethestrongestofthetwo。Itisonlytheweakestandmostsuperficialofmankindwhocanbemuchdelightedwiththatpraisewhichtheythemselvesknowtobealtogetherunmerited。Aweakmanmaysometimesbepleasedwithit，butawisemanrejectsituponalloccasions。But，thoughawisemanfeelslittlepleasurefrompraisewhereheknowsthereisnopraise-worthiness，heoftenfeelsthehighestindoingwhatheknowstobepraise-worthy，thoughheknowsequallywellthatnopraiseisevertobebestoweduponit。Toobtaintheapprobationofmankind，wherenoapprobationisdue，canneverbeanobjectofanyimportancetohim。Toobtainthatapprobationwhereitisreallydue，maysometimesbeanobjectofnogreatimportancetohim。Buttobethatthingwhichdeservesapprobation，mustalwaysbeanobjectofthehighest。
　　Todesire，oreventoacceptofpraise，wherenopraiseisdue，canbetheeffectonlyofthemostcontemptiblevanity。Todesireitwhereitisreallydue，istodesirenomorethanthatamostessentialactofjusticeshouldbedonetous。Theloveofjustfame，oftrueglory，evenforitsownsake，andindependentofanyadvantagewhichhecanderivefromit，isnotunworthyevenofawiseman。Hesometimes，however，neglects，andevendespisesit；andheisnevermoreapttodosothanwhenhehasthemostperfectassuranceoftheperfectproprietyofeverypartofhisownconduct。Hisself-approbation，inthiscase，standsinneedofnoconfirmationfromtheapprobationofothermen。Itisalonesufficient，andheiscontentedwithit。Thisself-approbation，ifnottheonly，isatleasttheprincipalobject，aboutwhichhecanoroughttobeanxious。Theloveofit，istheloveofvirtue。
　　Astheloveandadmirationwhichwenaturallyconceiveforsomecharacters，disposeustowishtobecomeourselvestheproperobjectsofsuchagreeablesentiments；sothehatredandcontemptwhichweasnaturallyconceiveforothers，disposeus，perhapsstillmorestrongly，todreadtheverythoughtofresemblingtheminanyrespect。Neitherisit，inthiscase，too，somuchthethoughtofbeinghatedanddespisedthatweareafraidof，asthatofbeinghatefulanddespicable。Wedreadthethoughtofdoinganythingwhichcanrenderusthejustandproperobjectsofthehatredandcontemptofourfellow-creatures；eventhoughwehadthemostperfectsecuritythatthosesentimentswereneveractuallytobeexertedagainstus。Themanwhohasbrokethroughallthosemeasuresofconduct，whichcanalonerenderhimagreeabletomankind，thoughheshouldhavethemostperfectassurancethatwhathehaddonewasforevertobeconcealedfromeveryhumaneye，itisalltonopurpose。Whenhelooksbackuponit，andviewsitinthelightinwhichtheimpartialspectatorwouldviewit，hefindsthathecanenterintononeofthemotiveswhichinfluencedit。Heisabashedandconfoundedatthethoughtsofit，andnecessarilyfeelsaveryhighdegreeofthatshamewhichhewouldbeexposedto，ifhisactionsshouldevercometobegenerallyknown。Hisimagination，inthiscasetoo，anticipatesthecontemptandderisionfromwhichnothingsaveshimbuttheignoranceofthoseheliveswith。Hestillfeelsthatheisthenaturalobjectofthesesentiments，andstilltremblesatthethoughtofwhathewouldsuffer，iftheywereeveractuallyexertedagainsthim。Butifwhathehadbeenguiltyofwasnotmerelyoneofthoseimproprietieswhicharetheobjectsofsimpledisapprobation，butoneofthoseenormouscrimeswhichexcitedetestationandresentment，hecouldneverthinkofit，aslongashehadanysensibilityleft，withoutfeelingalltheagonyofhorrorandremorse；andthoughhecouldbeassuredthatnomanwasevertoknowit，andcouldevenbringhimselftobelievethattherewasnoGodtorevengeit，hewouldstillfeelenoughofboththesesentimentstoembitterthewholeofhislife:hewouldstillregardhimselfasthenaturalobjectofthehatredandindignationofallhisfellow-creatures；and，ifhisheartwasnotgrowncallousbythehabitofcrimes，hecouldnotthinkwithoutterrorandastonishmentevenofthemannerinwhichmankindwouldlookuponhim，ofwhatwouldbetheexpressionoftheircountenanceandoftheireyes，ifthedreadfultruthshouldevercometobeknown。Thesenaturalpangsofanaffrightedconsciencearethedaemons，theavengingfuries，which，inthislife，haunttheguilty，whichallowthemneitherquietnorrepose，whichoftendrivethemtodespairanddistraction，fromwhichnoassuranceofsecrecycanprotectthem，fromwhichnoprinciplesofirreligioncanentirelydeliverthem，andfromwhichnothingcanfreethembutthevilestandmostabjectofallstates，acompleteinsensibilitytohonourandinfamy，toviceandvirtue。Menofthemostdetestablecharacters，who，intheexecutionofthemostdreadfulcrimes，hadtakentheirmeasuressocoollyastoavoideventhesuspicionofguilt，havesometimesbeendriven，bythehorroroftheirsituation，todiscover，oftheirownaccord，whatnohumansagacitycouldeverhaveinvestigated。Byacknowledgingtheirguilt，bysubmittingthemselvestotheresentmentoftheiroffendedfellow-citizens，and，bythussatiatingthatvengeanceofwhichtheyweresensiblethattheyhadbecometheproperobjects，theyhoped，bytheirdeathtoreconcilethemselves，atleastintheirownimagination，tothenaturalsentimentsofmankind；tobeabletoconsiderthemselvesaslessworthyofhatredandresentment；toatone，insomemeasure，fortheircrimes，andbythusbecomingtheobjects，ratherofcompassionthanofhorror，ifpossibletodieinpeaceandwiththeforgivenessofalltheirfellow-creatures。Comparedtowhattheyfeltbeforethediscovery，eventhethoughtofthis，itseems，washappiness。
　　Insuchcases，thehorrorofblame-worthinessseems，eveninpersonswhocannotbesuspectedofanyextraordinarydelicacyorsensibilityofcharacter，completelytoconquerthedreadofblame。Inordertoallaythathorror，inordertopacify，insomedegree，theremorseoftheirownconsciences，theyvoluntarilysubmittedthemselvesbothtothereproachandtothepunishmentwhichtheyknewwereduetotheircrimes，butwhich，atthesametime，theymighteasilyhaveavoided。
　　Theyarethemostfrivolousandsuperficialofmankindonlywhocanbemuchdelightedwiththatpraisewhichtheythemselvesknowtobealtogetherunmerited。Unmeritedreproach，however，isfrequentlycapableofmortifyingveryseverelyevenmenofmorethanordinaryconstancy。Menofthemostordinaryconstancy，indeed，easilylearntodespisethosefoolishtaleswhicharesofrequentlycirculatedinsociety，andwhich，fromtheirownabsurdityandfalsehood，neverfailtodieawayinthecourseofafewweeks，orofafewdays。Butaninnocentman，thoughofmorethanordinaryconstancy，isoften，notonlyshocked，butmostseverelymortifiedbytheserious，thoughfalse，imputationofacrime；especiallywhenthatimputationhappensunfortunatelytobesupportedbysomecircumstanceswhichgiveitanairofprobability。Heishumbledtofindthatanybodyshouldthinksomeanlyofhischaracterastosupposehimcapableofbeingguiltyofit。Thoughperfectlyconsciousofhisowninnocence，theveryimputationseemsoften，eveninhisownimagination，tothrowashadowofdisgraceanddishonouruponhischaracter。Hisjustindignation，too，atsoverygrossaninjury，which，however，itmayfrequentlybeimproper，andsometimesevenimpossibletorevenge，isitselfaverypainfulsensation。Thereisnogreatertormentorofthehumanbreastthanviolentresentmentwhichcannotbegratified。Aninnocentman，broughttothescaffoldbythefalseimputationofaninfamousorodiouscrime，suffersthemostcruelmisfortunewhichitispossibleforinnocencetosuffer。Theagonyofhismindmay，inthiscase，frequentlybegreaterthanthatofthosewhosufferforthelikecrimes，ofwhichtheyhavebeenactuallyguilty。Profligatecriminals，suchascommonthievesandhighwaymen，havefrequentlylittlesenseofthebasenessoftheirownconduct，andconsequentlynoremorse。
　　Withouttroublingthemselvesaboutthejusticeorinjusticeofthepunishment，theyhavealwaysbeenaccustomedtolookuponthegibbetasalotverylikelytofalltothem。Whenitdoesfalltothem，therefore，theyconsiderthemselvesonlyasnotquitesoluckyassomeoftheircompanions，andsubmittotheirfortune，withoutanyotheruneasinessthanwhatmayarisefromthefearofdeath；afearwhich，evenbysuchworthlesswretches，wefrequentlysee，canbesoeasily，andsoverycompletelyconquered。Theinnocentman，onthecontrary，overandabovetheuneasinesswhichthisfearmayoccasion，istormentedbyhisownindignationattheinjusticewhichhasbeendonetohim。Heisstruckwithhorroratthethoughtsoftheinfamywhichthepunishmentmaysheduponhismemory，andforesees，withthemostexquisiteanguish，thatheishereaftertoberememberedbyhisdearestfriendsandrelations，notwithregretandaffection，butwithshame，andevenwithhorrorforhissupposeddisgracefulconduct:andtheshadesofdeathappeartocloseroundhimwithadarkerandmoremelancholygloomthannaturallybelongstothem。
　　Suchfatalaccidents，forthetranquillityofmankind，itistobehoped，happenveryrarelyinanycountry；buttheyhappensometimesinallcountries，eveninthosewherejusticeisingeneralverywelladministered。TheunfortunateCalas，amanofmuchmorethanordinaryconstancybrokeuponthewheelandburntatTholouseforthesupposedmurderofhisownson，ofwhichhewasperfectlyinnocent，seemed，withhislastbreath，todeprecate，notsomuchthecrueltyofthepunishment，asthedisgracewhichtheimputationmightbringuponhismemory。Afterhehadbeenbroke，andwasjustgoingtobethrownintothefire，themonk，whoattendedtheexecution，exhortedhimtoconfessthecrimeforwhichhehadbeencondemned。MyFather，saidCalas，canyouyourselfbringyourselftobelievethatIamguilty？
　　Topersonsinsuchunfortunatecircumstances，thathumblephilosophywhichconfinesitsviewstothislife，canafford，perhaps，butlittleconsolation。Everythingthatcouldrendereitherlifeordeathrespectableistakenfromthem。Theyarecondemnedtodeathandtoeverlastinginfamy。Religioncanaloneaffordthemanyeffectualcomfort。Shealonecantellthem，thatitisoflittleimportancewhatmanmaythinkoftheirconduct，whiletheall-seeingJudgeoftheworldapprovesofit。Shealonecanpresenttothemtheviewofanotherworld；aworldofmorecandour，humanity，andjustice，thanthepresent；wheretheirinnocenceisinduetimetobedeclared，andtheirvirtuetobefinallyrewarded:andthesamegreatprinciplewhichcanalonestriketerrorintotriumphantvice，affordstheonlyeffectualconsolationtodisgracedandinsultedinnocence。
　　Insmalleroffences，aswellasingreatercrimes，itfrequentlyhappensthatapersonofsensibilityismuchmorehurtbytheunjustimputation，thantherealcriminalisbytheactualguilt。Awomanofgallantrylaughsevenatthewell-foundedsurmiseswhicharecirculatedconcerningherconduct。Theworstfoundedsurmiseofthesamekindisamortalstabtoaninnocentvirgin。Thepersonwhoisdeliberatelyguiltyofadisgracefulaction，wemaylayitdown，Ibelieve，asageneralrule，canseldomhavemuchsenseofthedisgrace；andthepersonwhoishabituallyguiltyofit，canscarceeverhaveany。
　　Wheneveryman，evenofmiddlingunderstanding，soreadilydespisesunmeritedapplause，howitcomestopassthatunmeritedreproachshouldoftenbecapableofmortifyingsoseverelymenofthesoundestandbestjudgment，may，perhaps，deservesomeconsideration。
　　Pain，Ihavealreadyhadoccasiontoobserve，is，inalmostallcases，amorepungentsensationthantheoppositeandcorrespondentpleasure。Theone，almostalways，depressesusmuchmorebelowtheordinary，orwhatmaybecalledthenaturalstateofourhappiness，thantheothereverraisesusaboveit。Amanofsensibilityisapttobemorehumiliatedbyjustcensurethanheiseverelevatedbyjustapplause。Unmeritedapplauseawisemanrejectswithcontemptuponalloccasions；butheoftenfeelsveryseverelytheinjusticeofunmeritedcensure。Bysufferinghimselftobeapplaudedforwhathehasnotperformed，byassumingameritwhichdoesnotbelongtohim，hefeelsthatheisguiltyofameanfalsehood，anddeserves，nottheadmiration，butthecontemptofthoseverypersonswho，bymistake，hadbeenledtoadmirehim。Itmay，perhaps，givehimsomewell-foundedpleasuretofindthathehasbeen，bymanypeople，thoughtcapableofperformingwhathedidnotperform。