Amongthemoralistswhoendeavourtocorrectthenaturalinequalityofourpassivefeelingsbydiminishingoursensibilitytowhatpeculiarlyconcernsourselves，wemaycountalltheancientsectsofphilosophers，butparticularlytheancientStoics。Man，accordingtotheStoics，oughttoregardhimself，notassomethingseparatedanddetached，butasacitizenoftheworld，amemberofthevastcommonwealthofnature。Totheinterestofthisgreatcommunity，heoughtatalltimestobewillingthathisownlittleinterestshouldbesacrificed。
　　Whateverconcernshimself，oughttoaffecthimnomorethanwhateverconcernsanyotherequallyimportantpartofthisimmensesystem。Weshouldviewourselves，notinthelightinwhichourownselfishpassionsareapttoplaceus，butinthelightinwhichanyothercitizenoftheworldwouldviewus。Whatbefallsourselvesweshouldregardaswhatbefallsourneighbour，or，whatcomestothesamething，asourneighbourregardswhatbefallsus。’Whenourneighbour，’saysEpictetus，’loseshiswife，orhisson，thereisnobodywhoisnotsensiblethatthisisahumancalamity，anaturaleventaltogetheraccordingtotheordinarycourseofthings；but，whenthesamethinghappenstoourselves，thenwecryout，asifwehadsufferedthemostdreadfulmisfortune。Weought，however，torememberhowwewereaffectedwhenthisaccidenthappenedtoanother，andsuchaswewereinhiscase，suchoughtwetobeinourown。’
　　Thoseprivatemisfortunes，forwhichourfeelingsareapttogobeyondtheboundsofpropriety，areoftwodifferentkinds。
　　Theyareeithersuchasaffectusonlyindirectly，byaffecting，inthefirstplace，someotherpersonswhoareparticularlydeartous；suchasourparents，ourchildren，ourbrothersandsisters，ourintimatefriends；ortheyaresuchasaffectourselvesimmediatelyanddirectly，eitherinourbody，inourfortune，orinourreputation；suchaspain，sickness，approachingdeath，poverty，disgrace，etc。
　　Inmisfortunesofthefirstkind，ouremotionsmay，nodoubt，goverymuchbeyondwhatexactproprietywilladmitof；buttheymaylikewisefallshortofit，andtheyfrequentlydoso。Themanwhoshouldfeelnomoreforthedeathordistressofhisownfather，orson，thanforthoseofanyotherman’sfatherorson，wouldappearneitheragoodsonnoragoodfather。Suchunnaturalindifference，farfromexcitingourapplause，wouldincurourhighestdisapprobation。Ofthosedomesticaffections，however，somearemostapttooffendbytheirexcess，andothersbytheirdefect。Nature，forthewisestpurposes，hasrendered，inmostmen，perhapsinallmen，parentaltendernessamuchstrongeraffectionthanfilialpiety。Thecontinuanceandpropagationofthespeciesdependaltogetherupontheformer，andnotuponthelatter。Inordinarycases，theexistenceandpreservationofthechilddependaltogetheruponthecareoftheparents。Thoseoftheparentsseldomdependuponthatofthechild。Nature，therefore，hasrenderedtheformeraffectionsostrong，thatitgenerallyrequiresnottobeexcited，buttobemoderated；andmoralistsseldomendeavourtoteachushowtoindulge，butgenerallyhowtorestrainourfondness，ourexcessiveattachment，theunjustpreferencewhichwearedisposedtogivetoourownchildrenabovethoseofotherpeople。Theyexhortus，onthecontrary，toanaffectionateattentiontoourparents，andtomakeaproperreturntothem，intheiroldage，forthekindnesswhichtheyhadshowntousinourinfancyandyouth。IntheDecaloguewearecommandedtohonourourfathersandmothers。Nomentionismadeoftheloveofourchildren。Naturehadsufficientlypreparedusfortheperformanceofthislatterduty。
　　Menareseldomaccusedofaffectingtobefonderoftheirchildrenthantheyreallyare。THeyhavesometimesbeensuspectedofdisplayingtheirpietytotheirparentswithtoomuchostentation。Theostentatioussorrowofwidowshas，foralikereason，beensuspectedofinsincerity。Weshouldrespect，couldwebelieveitsincere，eventheexcessofsuchkindaffections；
　　andthoughwemightnotperfectlyapprove，weshouldnotseverelycondemnit。Thatitappearspraise-worthy，atleastintheeyesofthosewhoaffectit，theveryaffectationisaproof。
　　Eventheexcessofthosekindaffectionswhicharemostapttooffendbytheirexcess，thoughitmayappearblameable，neverappearsodious。Weblametheexcessivefondnessandanxietyofaparent，assomethingwhichmay，intheend，provehurtfultothechild，andwhich，inthemeantime，isexcessivelyinconvenienttotheparent；butweeasilypardonit，andneverregarditwithhatredanddetestation。Butthedefectofthisusuallyexcessiveaffectionappearsalwayspeculiarlyodious。Themanwhoappearstofeelnothingforhisownchildren，butwhotreatsthemuponalloccasionswithunmeritedseverityandharshness，seemsofallbrutesthemostdetestable。Thesenseofpropriety，sofarfromrequiringustoeradicatealtogetherthatextraordinarysensibility，whichwenaturallyfeelforthemisfortunesofournearestconnections，isalwaysmuchmoreoffendedbythedefect，thaniteverisbytheexcessofthatsensibility。Thestoicalapathyis，insuchcases，neveragreeable，andallthemetaphysicalsophismsbywhichitissupportedcanseldomserveanyotherpurposethantoblowupthehardinsensibilityofacoxcombtotentimesitsnativeimpertinence。Thepoetsandromancewriters，whobestpainttherefinementsanddelicaciesofloveandfriendship，andofallotherprivateanddomesticaffections，RacineandVoltaire；Richardson，Maurivaux，andRiccoboni；are，insuchcases，muchbetterinstructorsthanZeno，Chrysippus，orEpictetus。
　　Thatmoderatedsensibilitytothemisfortunesofothers，whichdoesnotdisqualifyusfortheperformanceofanyduty；themelancholyandaffectionateremembranceofourdepartedfriends；
　　thepang，asGraysays，tosecretsorrowdear；arebynomeansundelicioussensations。Thoughtheyoutwardlywearthefeaturesofpainandgrief，theyareallinwardlystampedwiththeennoblingcharactersofvirtueandself-approbation。
　　Itisotherwiseinthemisfortuneswhichaffectourselvesimmediatelyanddirectly，eitherinourbody，inourfortune，orinourreputation。Thesenseofproprietyismuchmoreapttobeoffendedbytheexcess，thanbythedefectofoursensibility，andtherearebutveryfewcasesinwhichwecanapproachtooneartothestoicalapathyandindifference。
　　Thatwehaveverylittlefellow-feelingwithanyofthepassionswhichtaketheiroriginfromthebody，hasalreadybeenobserved。Thatpainwhichisoccasionedbyanevidentcause；suchas，thecuttingortearingoftheflesh；is，perhaps，theaffectionofthebodywithwhichthespectatorfeelsthemostlivelysympathy。Theapproachingdeathofhisneighbour，too，seldomfailstoaffecthimagooddeal。Inbothcases，however，hefeelssoverylittleincomparisonofwhatthepersonprincipallyconcernedfeels，thatthelattercanscarceeveroffendtheformerbyappearingtosufferwithtoomuchease。
　　Themerewantoffortune，merepoverty，exciteslittlecompassion。Itscomplaintsaretooapttobetheobjectsratherofcontemptthanoffellow-feeling。Wedespiseabeggar；and，thoughhisimportunitiesmayextortanalmsfromus，heisscarceevertheobjectofanyseriouscommiseration。Thefallfromrichestopoverty，asitcommonlyoccasionsthemostrealdistresstothesufferer，soitseldomfailstoexcitethemostsincerecommiserationinthespectator。Though，inthepresentstateofsociety，thismisfortunecanseldomhappenwithoutsomemisconduct，andsomeveryconsiderablemisconducttoo，inthesufferer；yetheisalmostalwayssomuchpitiedthatheisscarceeverallowedtofallintotheloweststateofpoverty；butbythemeansofhisfriends，frequentlybytheindulgenceofthoseverycreditorswhohavemuchreasontocomplainofhisimprudence，isalmostalwayssupportedinsomedegreeofdecent，thoughhumble，mediocrity。Topersonsundersuchmisfortunes，wecould，perhaps，easilypardonsomedegreeofweakness；but，atthesametime，theywhocarrythefirmestcountenance，whoaccommodatethemselveswiththegreatesteasetotheirnewsituation，whoseemtofeelnohumiliationfromthechange，buttoresttheirrankinthesociety，notupontheirfortune，butupontheircharacterandconduct，arealwaysthemostapprovedof，andneverfailtocommandourhighestandmostaffectionateadmiration。
　　As，ofalltheexternalmisfortuneswhichcanaffectaninnocentmanimmediatelyanddirectly，theundeservedlossofreputationiscertainlythegreatest；soaconsiderabledegreeofsensibilitytowhatevercanbringonsogreatacalamity，doesnotalwaysappearungracefulordisagreeable。Weoftenesteemayoungmanthemore，whenheresents，thoughwithsomedegreeofviolence，anyunjustreproachthatmayhavebeenthrownuponhischaracterorhishonour。Theafflictionofaninnocentyounglady，onaccountofthegroundlesssurmiseswhichmayhavebeencirculatedconcerningherconduct，appearsoftenperfectlyamiable。Personsofanadvancedage，whomlongexperienceofthefollyandinjusticeoftheworld，hastaughttopaylittleregard，eithertoitscensureortoitsapplause，neglectanddespiseobloquy，anddonotevendeigntohonouritsfutileauthorswithanyseriousresentment。Thisindifference，whichisfoundedaltogetheronafirmconfidenceintheirownwell-triedandwell-establishedcharacters，wouldbedisagreeableinyoungpeople，whoneithercannoroughttohaveanysuchconfidence。Itmightinthembesupposedtoforebode，intheiradvancingyears，amostimproperinsensibilitytorealhonourandinfamy。
　　Inallotherprivatemisfortuneswhichaffectourselvesimmediatelyanddirectly，wecanveryseldomoffendbyappearingtobetoolittleaffected。Wefrequentlyrememberoursensibilitytothemisfortunesofotherswithpleasureandsatisfaction。Wecanseldomrememberthattoourown，withoutsomedegreeofshameandhumiliation。
　　Ifweexaminethedifferentshadesandgradationsofweaknessandself-command，aswemeetwiththemincommonlife，weshallveryeasilysatisfyourselvesthatthiscontrolofourpassivefeelingsmustbeacquired，notfromtheabstrusesyllogismsofaquibblingdialectic，butfromthatgreatdisciplinewhichNaturehasestablishedfortheacquisitionofthisandofeveryothervirtue；aregardtothesentimentsoftherealorsupposedspectatorofourconduct。
　　Averyyoungchildhasnoself-command；but，whateverareitsemotions，whetherfear，orgrief，oranger，itendeavoursalways，bytheviolenceofitsoutcries，toalarm，asmuchasitcan，theattentionofitsnurse，orofitsparents。Whileitremainsunderthecustodyofsuchpartialprotectors，itsangeristhefirstand，perhaps，theonlypassionwhichitistaughttomoderate。Bynoiseandthreateningtheyare，fortheirownease，oftenobligedtofrightenitintogoodtemper；andthepassionwhichincitesittoattack，isrestrainedbythatwhichteachesittoattendtoitsownsafety。Whenitisoldenoughtogotoschool，ortomixwithitsequals，itsoonfindsthattheyhavenosuchindulgentpartiality。Itnaturallywishestogaintheirfavour，andtoavoidtheirhatredorcontempt。Regardeventoitsownsafetyteachesittodoso；anditsoonfindsthatitcandosoinnootherwaythanbymoderating，notonlyitsanger，butallitsotherpassions，tothedegreewhichitsplay-fellowsandcompanionsarelikelytobepleasedwith。Itthusentersintothegreatschoolofself-command，itstudiestobemoreandmoremasterofitself，andbeginstoexerciseoveritsownfeelingsadisciplinewhichthepracticeofthelongestlifeisveryseldomsufficienttobringtocompleteperfection。
　　Inallprivatemisfortunes，inpain，insickness，insorrow，theweakestman，whenhisfriend，andstillmorewhenastrangervisitshim，isimmediatelyimpressedwiththeviewinwhichtheyarelikelytolookuponhissituation。Theirviewcallsoffhisattentionfromhisownview；andhisbreastis，insomemeasure，becalmedthemomenttheycomeintohispresence。Thiseffectisproducedinstantaneouslyand，asitwere，mechanically；but，withaweakman，itisnotoflongcontinuance。Hisownviewofhissituationimmediatelyrecursuponhim。Heabandonshimself，asbefore，tosighsandtearsandlamentations；andendeavours，likeachildthathasnotyetgonetoschool，toproducesomesortofharmonybetweenhisowngriefandthecompassionofthespectator，notbymoderatingtheformer，butbyimportunatelycallinguponthelatter。