Thecommandofanger，however，doesnotalwaysappearinsuchsplendidcolours。Feariscontrarytoanger，andisoftenthemotivewhichrestrainsit；andinsuchcasesthemeannessofthemotivetakesawayallthenoblenessoftherestraint。Angerpromptstoattack，andtheindulgenceofitseemssometimestoshewasortofcourageandsuperioritytofear。Theindulgenceofangerissometimesanobjectofvanity。Thatoffearneveris。
　　Vainandweakmen，amongtheirinferiors，orthosewhodarenotresistthem，oftenaffecttobeostentatiouslypassionate，andfancythattheyshow，whatiscalled，spiritinbeingso。Abullytellsmanystoriesofhisowninsolence，whicharenottrue，andimaginesthathetherebyrendershimself，ifnotmoreamiableandrespectable，atleastmoreformidabletohisaudience。Modernmanners，which，byfavouringthepracticeofduelling，maybesaid，insomecases，toencourageprivaterevenge，contribute，perhaps，agooddealtorender，inmoderntimes，therestraintofangerbyfearstillmorecontemptiblethanitmightotherwiseappeartobe。Thereisalwayssomethingdignifiedinthecommandoffear，whatevermaybethemotiveuponwhichitisfounded。Itisnotsowiththecommandofanger。Unlessitisfoundedaltogetherinthesenseofdecency，ofdignity，andpropriety，itneverisperfectlyagreeable。
　　Toactaccordingtothedictatesofprudence，ofjustice，andproperbeneficence，seemstohavenogreatmeritwherethereisnotemptationtodootherwise。Buttoactwithcooldeliberationinthemidstofthegreatestdangersanddifficulties；toobservereligiouslythesacredrulesofjusticeinspitebothofthegreatestinterestswhichmighttempt，andthegreatestinjurieswhichmightprovokeustoviolatethem；nevertosufferthebenevolenceofourtempertobedampedordiscouragedbythemalignityandingratitudeoftheindividualstowardswhomitmayhavebeenexercised；isthecharacterofthemostexaltedwisdomandvirtue。Self-commandisnotonlyitselfagreatvirtue，butfromitalltheothervirtuesseemtoderivetheirprincipallustre。
　　Thecommandoffear，thecommandofanger，arealwaysgreatandnoblepowers。Whentheyaredirectedbyjusticeandbenevolence，theyarenotonlygreatvirtues，butincreasethesplendourofthoseothervirtues。Theymay，however，sometimesbedirectedbyverydifferentmotives；andinthiscase，thoughstillgreatandrespectable，theymaybeexcessivelydangerous。
　　Themostintrepidvalourmaybeemployedinthecauseofthegreatestinjustice。Amidstgreatprovocations，apparenttranquillityandgoodhumourmaysometimesconcealthemostdeterminedandcruelresolutiontorevenge。Thestrengthofmindrequisiteforsuchdissimulation，thoughalwaysandnecessarilycontaminatedbythebasenessoffalsehood，has，however，beenoftenmuchadmiredbymanypeopleofnocontemptiblejudgment。
　　ThedissimulationofCatharineofMedicisisoftencelebratedbytheprofoundhistorianDavila；thatofLordDigby，afterwardsEarlofBristol，bythegraveandconscientiousLordClarendon；
　　thatofthefirstAshleyEarlofShaftesbury，bythejudiciousMrLocke。EvenCiceroseemstoconsiderthisdeceitfulcharacter，notindeedasofthehighestdignity，butasnotunsuitabletoacertainflexibilityofmanners，which，hethinks，may，notwithstanding，be，uponthewhole，bothagreeableandrespectable。HeexemplifiesitbythecharactersofHomer’sUlysses，oftheAthenianThemistocles，oftheSpartanLysander，andoftheRomanMarcusCrassus。Thischaracterofdarkanddeepdissimulationoccursmostcommonlyintimesofgreatpublicdisorder；amidsttheviolenceoffactionandcivilwar。Whenlawhasbecomeinagreatmeasureimpotent，whenthemostperfectinnocencecannotaloneinsuresafety，regardtoself-defenceobligesthegreaterpartofmentohaverecoursetodexterity，toaddress，andtoapparentaccommodationtowhateverhappenstobe，atthemoment，theprevailingparty。Thisfalsecharacter，too，isfrequentlyaccompaniedwiththecoolestandmostdeterminedcourage。Theproperexerciseofitsupposesthatcourage，asdeathiscommonlythecertainconsequenceofdetection。Itmaybeemployedindifferently，eithertoexasperateortoallaythosefuriousanimositiesofadversefactionswhichimposethenecessityofassumingit；andthoughitmaysometimesbeuseful，itisatleastequallyliabletobeexcessivelypernicious。
　　Thecommandofthelessviolentandturbulentpassionsseemsmuchlessliabletobeabusedtoanyperniciouspurpose。
　　Temperance，decency，modesty，andmoderation，arealwaysamiable，andcanseldombedirectedtoanybadend。Itisfromtheunremittingsteadinessofthosegentlerexertionsofself-command，thattheamiablevirtueofchastity，thattherespectablevirtuesofindustryandfrugality，deriveallthatsoberlustrewhichattendsthem。Theconductofallthosewhoarecontentedtowalkinthehumblepathsofprivateandpeaceablelife，derivesfromthesameprinciplethegreaterpartofthebeautyandgracewhichbelongtoit；abeautyandgrace，which，thoughmuchlessdazzling，isnotalwayslesspleasingthanthosewhichaccompanythemoresplendidactionsofthehero，thestatesman，orthelegislator。
　　Afterwhathasalreadybeensaid，inseveraldifferentpartsofthisdiscourse，concerningthenatureofself-command，Ijudgeitunnecessarytoenterintoanyfurtherdetailconcerningthosevirtues。Ishallonlyobserveatpresent，thatthepointofpropriety，thedegreeofanypassionwhichtheimpartialspectatorapprovesof，isdifferentlysituatedindifferentpassions。Insomepassionstheexcessislessdisagreeablethanthedefect；andinsuchpassionsthepointofproprietyseemstostandhigh，ornearertotheexcessthantothedefect。Inotherpassions，thedefectislessdisagreeablethantheexcess；andinsuchpassionsthepointofproprietyseemstostandlow，ornearertothedefectthantotheexcess。Theformerarethepassionswhichthespectatorismost，thelatter，thosewhichheisleastdisposedtosympathizewith。Theformer，too，arethepassionsofwhichtheimmediatefeelingorsensationisagreeabletothepersonprincipallyconcerned；thelatter，thoseofwhichitisdisagreeable。Itmaybelaiddownasageneralrule，thatthepassionswhichthespectatorismostdisposedtosympathizewith，andinwhich，uponthataccount，thepointofproprietymaybesaidtostandhigh，arethoseofwhichtheimmediatefeelingorsensationismoreorlessagreeabletothepersonprincipallyconcerned:andthat，onthecontrary，thepassionswhichthespectatorisleastdisposedtosympathizewith，andinwhich，uponthataccount，thepointofproprietymaybesaidtostandlow，arethoseofwhichtheimmediatefeelingorsensationismoreorlessdisagreeable，orevenpainful，tothepersonprincipallyconcerned。Thisgeneralrule，sofarasIhavebeenabletoobserve，admitsnotofasingleexception。Afewexampleswillatonce，bothsufficientlyexplainitanddemonstratethetruthofit。
　　Thedispositiontotheaffectionswhichtendtounitemeninsociety，tohumanity，kindness，naturalaffection，friendship，esteem，maysometimesbeexcessive。Eventheexcessofthisdisposition，however，rendersamaninterestingtoeverybody。
　　Thoughweblameit，westillregarditwithcompassion，andevenwithkindness，andneverwithdislike。Wearemoresorryforitthanangryatit。Tothepersonhimself，theindulgenceevenofsuchexcessiveaffectionsis，uponmanyoccasions，notonlyagreeable，butdelicious。Uponsomeoccasions，indeed，especiallywhendirected，asistoooftenthecase，towardsunworthyobjects，itexposeshimtomuchrealandheartfeltdistress。Evenuponsuchoccasions，however，awell-disposedmindregardshimwiththemostexquisitepity，andfeelsthehighestindignationagainstthosewhoaffecttodespisehimforhisweaknessandimprudence。Thedefectofthisdisposition，onthecontrary，whatiscalledhardnessofheart，whileitrendersamaninsensibletothefeelingsanddistressesofotherpeople，rendersotherpeopleequallyinsensibletohis；and，byexcludinghimfromthefriendshipofalltheworld，excludeshimfromthebestandmostcomfortableofallsocialenjoyments。
　　Thedispositiontotheaffectionswhichdrivemenfromoneanother，andwhichtend，asitwere，tobreakthebandsofhumansociety；thedispositiontoanger，hatred，envy，malice，revenge；
　　is，onthecontrary，muchmoreapttooffendbyitsexcessthanbyitsdefect。Theexcessrendersamanwretchedandmiserableinhisownmind，andtheobjectofhatred，andsometimesevenofhorror，tootherpeople。Thedefectisveryseldomcomplainedof。
　　Itmay，however，bedefective。Thewantofproperindignationisamostessentialdefectinthemanlycharacter，and，uponmanyoccasions，rendersamanincapableofprotectingeitherhimselforhisfriendsfrominsultandinjustice。Eventhatprinciple，intheexcessandimproperdirectionofwhichconsiststheodiousanddetestablepassionofenvy，maybedefective。Envyisthatpassionwhichviewswithmalignantdislikethesuperiorityofthosewhoarereallyentitledtoallthesuperioritytheypossess。Theman，however，who，inmattersofconsequence，tamelysuffersotherpeople，whoareentitledtonosuchsuperiority，toriseabovehimorgetbeforehim，isjustlycondemnedasmean-spirited。Thisweaknessiscommonlyfoundedinindolence，sometimesingoodnature，inanaversiontoopposition，tobustleandsolicitation，andsometimes，too，inasortofill-judgedmagnanimity，whichfanciesthatitcanalwayscontinuetodespisetheadvantagewhichitthendespises，and，therefore，soeasilygivesup。Suchweakness，however，iscommonlyfollowedbymuchregretandrepentance；andwhathadsomeappearanceofmagnanimityinthebeginningfrequentlygivesplacetoamostmalignantenvyintheend，andtoahatredofthatsuperiority，whichthosewhohaveonceattainedit，mayoftenbecomereallyentitledto，bytheverycircumstanceofhavingattainedit。Inordertolivecomfortablyintheworld，itis，uponalloccasions，asnecessarytodefendourdignityandrank，asitistodefendourlifeorourfortune。
　　Oursensibilitytopersonaldangeranddistress，likethattopersonalprovocation，ismuchmoreapttooffendbyitsexcessthanbyitsdefect。Nocharacterismorecontemptiblethanthatofacoward；nocharacterismoreadmiredthanthatofthemanwhofacesdeathwithintrepidity，andmaintainshistranquillityandpresenceofmindamidstthemostdreadfuldangers。Weesteemthemanwhosupportspainandeventorturewithmanhoodandfirmness；andwecanhavelittleregardforhimwhosinksunderthem，andabandonshimselftouselessoutcriesandwomanishlamentations。Afretfultemper，whichfeels，withtoomuchsensibility，everylittlecrossaccident，rendersamanmiserableinhimselfandoffensivetootherpeople。Acalmone，whichdoesnotallowitstranquillitytobedisturbed，eitherbythesmallinjuries，orbythelittledisastersincidenttotheusualcourseofhumanaffairs；butwhich，amidstthenaturalandmoralevilsinfestingtheworld，laysitsaccountandiscontentedtosufferalittlefromboth，isablessingtothemanhimself，andgiveseaseandsecuritytoallhiscompanions。
　　Oursensibility，however，bothtoourowninjuriesandtoourownmisfortunes，thoughgenerallytoostrong，maylikewisebetooweak。Themanwhofeelslittleforhisownmisfortunesmustalwaysfeellessforthoseofotherpeople，andbelessdisposedtorelievethem。Themanwhohaslittleresentmentfortheinjurieswhicharedonetohimself，mustalwayshavelessforthosewhicharedonetootherpeople，andbelessdisposedeithertoprotectortoavengethem。Astupidinsensibilitytotheeventsofhumanlifenecessarilyextinguishesallthatkeenandearnestattentiontotheproprietyofourownconduct，whichconstitutestherealessenceofvirtue。Wecanfeellittleanxietyabouttheproprietyofourownactions，whenweareindifferentabouttheeventswhichmayresultfromthem。Themanwhofeelsthefulldistressofthecalamitywhichhasbefallenhim，whofeelsthewholebasenessoftheinjusticewhichhasbeendonetohim，butwhofeelsstillmorestronglywhatthedignityofhisowncharacterrequires；whodoesnotabandonhimselftotheguidanceoftheundisciplinedpassionswhichhissituationmightnaturallyinspire；butwhogovernshiswholebehaviourandconductaccordingtothoserestrainedandcorrectedemotionswhichthegreatinmate，thegreatdemi-godwithinthebreastprescribesandapprovesof；isalonetherealmanofvirtue，theonlyrealandproperobjectoflove，respect，andadmiration。
　　Insensibilityandthatnoblefirmness，thatexaltedself-command，whichisfoundedinthesenseofdignityandpropriety，aresofarfrombeingaltogetherthesame，thatinproportionastheformertakesplace，themeritofthelatteris，inmanycases，entirelytakenaway。