Societyandconversation，therefore，arethemostpowerfulremediesforrestoringthemindtoitstranquillity，if，atanytime，ithasunfortunatelylostit；aswellasthebestpreservativesofthatequalandhappytemper，whichissonecessarytoself-satisfactionandenjoyment。Menofretirementandspeculation，whoareapttositbroodingathomeovereithergrieforresentment，thoughtheymayoftenhavemorehumanity，moregenerosity，andanicersenseofhonour，yetseldompossessthatequalityoftemperwhichissocommonamongmenoftheworld。
　　OftheamiableandrespectablevirtuesUponthesetwodifferentefforts，uponthatofthespectatortoenterintothesentimentsofthepersonprincipallyconcerned，anduponthatofthepersonprincipallyconcerned，tobringdownhisemotionstowhatthespectatorcangoalongwith，arefoundedtwodifferentsetsofvirtues。Thesoft，thegentle，theamiablevirtues，thevirtuesofcandidcondescensionandindulgenthumanity，arefoundedupontheone:thegreat，theawfulandrespectable，thevirtuesofself-denial，ofself-government，ofthatcommandofthepassionswhichsubjectsallthemovementsofournaturetowhatourowndignityandhonour，andtheproprietyofourownconductrequire，taketheiroriginfromtheother。
　　Howamiabledoesheappeartobe，whosesympatheticheartseemstoreechoallthesentimentsofthosewithwhomheconverses，whogrievesfortheircalamities，whoresentstheirinjuries，andwhorejoicesattheirgoodfortune！Whenwebringhometoourselvesthesituationofhiscompanions，weenterintotheirgratitude，andfeelwhatconsolationtheymustderivefromthetendersympathyofsoaffectionateafriend。Andforacontraryreason，howdisagreeabledoesheappeartobe，whosehardandobdurateheartfeelsforhimselfonly，butisaltogetherinsensibletothehappinessormiseryofothers！Weenter，inthiscasetoo，intothepainwhichhispresencemustgivetoeverymortalwithwhomheconverses，tothoseespeciallywithwhomwearemostapttosympathize，theunfortunateandtheinjured。
　　Ontheotherhand，whatnobleproprietyandgracedowefeelintheconductofthosewho，intheirowncase，exertthatrecollectionandself-commandwhichconstitutethedignityofeverypassion，andwhichbringitdowntowhatotherscanenterinto！Wearedisgustedwiththatclamorousgrief，which，withoutanydelicacy，callsuponourcompassionwithsighsandtearsandimportunatelamentations。Butwereverencethatreserved，thatsilentandmajesticsorrow，whichdiscoversitselfonlyintheswellingoftheeyes，inthequiveringofthelipsandcheeks，andinthedistant，butaffecting，coldnessofthewholebehaviour。Itimposesthelikesilenceuponus。Weregarditwithrespectfulattention，andwatchwithanxiousconcernoverourwholebehaviour，lestbyanyimproprietyweshoulddisturbthatconcertedtranquillity，whichitrequiressogreatanefforttosupport。
　　Theinsolenceandbrutalityofanger，inthesamemanner，whenweindulgeitsfurywithoutcheckorrestraint，is，ofallobjects，themostdetestable。Butweadmirethatnobleandgenerousresentmentwhichgovernsitspursuitofthegreatestinjuries，notbytheragewhichtheyareapttoexciteinthebreastofthesufferer，butbytheindignationwhichtheynaturallycallforthinthatoftheimpartialspectator；whichallowsnoword，nogesture，toescapeitbeyondwhatthismoreequitablesentimentwoulddictate；whichnever，eveninthought，attemptsanygreatervengeance，nordesirestoinflictanygreaterpunishment，thanwhateveryindifferentpersonwouldrejoicetoseeexecuted。
　　Andhenceitis，thattofeelmuchforothersandlittleforourselves，thattorestrainourselfish，andtoindulgeourbenevolentaffections，constitutestheperfectionofhumannature；andcanaloneproduceamongmankindthatharmonyofsentimentsandpassionsinwhichconsiststheirwholegraceandpropriety。AstoloveourneighbourasweloveourselvesisthegreatlawofChristianity，soitisthegreatpreceptofnaturetoloveourselvesonlyasweloveourneighbour，orwhatcomestothesamething，asourneighbouriscapableoflovingus。
　　Astasteandgoodjudgment，whentheyareconsideredasqualitieswhichdeservepraiseandadmiration，aresupposedtoimplyadelicacyofsentimentandanacutenessofunderstandingnotcommonlytobemetwith；sothevirtuesofsensibilityandself-commandarenotapprehendedtoconsistintheordinary，butintheuncommondegreesofthosequalities。Theamiablevirtueofhumanityrequires，surely，asensibility，muchbeyondwhatispossessedbytherudevulgarofmankind。Thegreatandexaltedvirtueofmagnanimityundoubtedlydemandsmuchmorethanthatdegreeofself-command，whichtheweakestofmortalsiscapableofexerting。Asinthecommondegreeoftheintellectualqualities，thereisnoabilities；sointhecommondegreeofthemoral，thereisnovirtue。Virtueisexcellence，somethinguncommonlygreatandbeautiful，whichrisesfarabovewhatisvulgarandordinary。Theamiablevirtuesconsistinthatdegreeofsensibilitywhichsurprisesbyitsexquisiteandunexpecteddelicacyandtenderness。Theawfulandrespectable，inthatdegreeofself-commandwhichastonishesbyitsamazingsuperiorityoverthemostungovernablepassionsofhumannature。
　　Thereis，inthisrespect，aconsiderabledifferencebetweenvirtueandmerepropriety；betweenthosequalitiesandactionswhichdeservetobeadmiredandcelebrated，andthosewhichsimplydeservetobeapprovedof。Uponmanyoccasions，toactwiththemostperfectpropriety，requiresnomorethanthatcommonandordinarydegreeofsensibilityorself-commandwhichthemostworthlessofmankindarepossestof，andsometimeseventhatdegreeisnotnecessary。Thus，togiveaverylowinstance，toeatwhenwearehungry，iscertainly，uponordinaryoccasions，perfectlyrightandproper，andcannotmissbeingapprovedofassuchbyeverybody。Nothing，however，couldbemoreabsurdthantosayitwasvirtuous。
　　Onthecontrary，theremayfrequentlybeaconsiderabledegreeofvirtueinthoseactionswhichfallshortofthemostperfectpropriety；becausetheymaystillapproachnearertoperfectionthancouldwellbeexpecteduponoccasionsinwhichitwassoextremelydifficulttoattainit:andthisisveryoftenthecaseuponthoseoccasionswhichrequirethegreatestexertionsofself-command。Therearesomesituationswhichbearsoharduponhumannature，thatthegreatestdegreeofself-government，whichcanbelongtosoimperfectacreatureasman，isnotabletostifle，altogether，thevoiceofhumanweakness，orreducetheviolenceofthepassionstothatpitchofmoderation，inwhichtheimpartialspectatorcanentirelyenterintothem。Thoughinthosecases，therefore，thebehaviourofthesuffererfallshortofthemostperfectpropriety，itmaystilldeservesomeapplause，andeveninacertainsense，maybedenominatedvirtuous。Itmaystillmanifestaneffortofgenerosityandmagnanimityofwhichthegreaterpartofmenareincapable；andthoughitfailsofabsoluteperfection，itmaybeamuchnearerapproximationtowardsperfection，thanwhat，uponsuchtryingoccasions，iscommonlyeithertobefoundortobeexpected。
　　Incasesofthiskind，whenwearedeterminingthedegreeofblameorapplausewhichseemsduetoanyaction，weveryfrequentlymakeuseoftwodifferentstandards。Thefirstistheideaofcompleteproprietyandperfection，which，inthosedifficultsituations，nohumanconducteverdid，orevercancome，upto；andincomparisonwithwhichtheactionsofallmenmustforeverappearblameableandimperfect。Thesecondistheideaofthatdegreeofproximityordistancefromthiscompleteperfection，whichtheactionsofthegreaterpartofmencommonlyarriveat。Whatevergoesbeyondthisdegree，howfarsoeveritmayberemovedfromabsoluteperfection，seemstodeserveapplause；andwhateverfallsshortofit，todeserveblame。
　　Itisinthesamemannerthatwejudgeoftheproductionsofalltheartswhichaddressthemselvestotheimagination。Whenacriticexaminestheworkofanyofthegreatmastersinpoetryorpainting，hemaysometimesexamineitbyanideaofperfection，inhisownmind，whichneitherthatnoranyotherhumanworkwillevercomeupto；andaslongashecomparesitwiththisstandard，hecanseenothinginitbutfaultsandimperfections。
　　Butwhenhecomestoconsidertherankwhichitoughttoholdamongotherworksofthesamekind，henecessarilycomparesitwithaverydifferentstandard，thecommondegreeofexcellencewhichisusuallyattainedinthisparticularart；andwhenhejudgesofitbythisnewmeasure，itmayoftenappeartodeservethehighestapplause，uponaccountofitsapproachingmuchnearertoperfectionthanthegreaterpartofthoseworkswhichcanbebroughtintocompetitionwithit。
　　OftheDegreesofthedifferentPassionswhichareconsistentwithProprietyIntroductionTheproprietyofeverypassionexcitedbyobjectspeculiarlyrelatedtoourselves，thepitchwhichthespectatorcangoalongwith，mustlie，itisevident，inacertainmediocrity。Ifthepassionistoohigh，orifitistoolow，hecannotenterintoit。Griefandresentmentforprivatemisfortunesandinjuriesmayeasily，forexample，betoohigh，andinthegreaterpartofmankindtheyareso。Theymaylikewise，thoughthismorerarelyhappens，betoolow。Wedenominatetheexcess，weaknessandfury:
　　andwecallthedefectstupidity，insensibility，andwantofspirit。Wecanenterintoneitherofthem，butareastonishedandconfoundedtoseethem。
　　Thismediocrity，however，inwhichthepointofproprietyconsists，isdifferentindifferentpassions。Itishighinsome，andlowinothers。Therearesomepassionswhichitisindecenttoexpressverystrongly，evenuponthoseoccasions，inwhichitisacknowledgedthatwecannotavoidfeelingtheminthehighestdegree。Andthereareothersofwhichthestrongestexpressionsareuponmanyoccasionsextremelygraceful，eventhoughthepassionsthemselvesdonot，perhaps，arisesonecessarily。Thefirstarethosepassionswithwhich，forcertainreasons，thereislittleornosympathy:thesecondarethosewithwhich，forotherreasons，thereisthegreatest。Andifweconsiderallthedifferentpassionsofhumannature，weshallfindthattheyareregardedasdecent，orindecent，justinproportionasmankindaremoreorlessdisposedtosympathizewiththem。