Heisguiltyofvanitywhodesirespraiseforwhatindeedverywelldeservesit，butwhatheperfectlyknowsdoesnotbelongtohim。Theemptycoxcombwhogiveshimselfairsofimportancewhichhehasnotitleto，thesillyliarwhoassumesthemeritofadventureswhichneverhappened，thefoolishplagiarywhogiveshimselfoutfortheauthorofwhathehasnopretensionsto，areproperlyaccusedofthispassion。Hetooissaidtobeguiltyofvanitywhoisnotcontentedwiththesilentsentimentsofesteemandapprobation，whoseemstobefonderoftheirnoisyexpressionsandacclamationsthanofthesentimentsthemselves，whoisneversatisfiedbutwhenhisownpraisesareringinginhisears，andwhosolicitswiththemostanxiousimportunityallexternalmarksofrespect，isfondoftitles，ofcompliments，ofbeingvisited，ofbeingattended，ofbeingtakennoticeofinpublicplaceswiththeappearanceofdeferenceandattention。
　　Thisfrivolouspassionisaltogetherdifferentfromeitherofthetwoformer，andisthepassionofthelowestandtheleastofmankind，astheyareofthenoblestandthegreatest。
　　Butthoughthesethreepassions，thedesireofrenderingourselvestheproperobjectsofhonourandesteem；orofbecomingwhatishonourableandestimable；thedesireofacquiringhonourandesteembyreallydeservingthosesentiments；andthefrivolousdesireofpraiseatanyrate，arewidelydifferent；
　　thoughthetwoformerarealwaysapprovedof，whilethelatterneverfailstobedespised；thereis，however，acertainremoteaffinityamongthem，which，exaggeratedbythehumorousanddivertingeloquenceofthislivelyauthor，hasenabledhimtoimposeuponhisreaders。Thereisanaffinitybetweenvanityandtheloveoftrueglory，asboththesepassionsaimatacquiringesteemandapprobation。Buttheyaredifferentinthis，thattheoneisajust，reasonable，andequitablepassion，whiletheotherisunjust，absurd，andridiculous。Themanwhodesiresesteemforwhatisreallyestimable，desiresnothingbutwhatheisjustlyentitledto，andwhatcannotberefusedhimwithoutsomesortofinjury。He，onthecontrary，whodesiresituponanyotherterms，demandswhathehasnojustclaimto。Thefirstiseasilysatisfied，isnotapttobejealousorsuspiciousthatwedonotesteemhimenough，andisseldomsolicitousaboutreceivingmanyexternalmarksofourregard。Theother，onthecontrary，isnevertobesatisfied，isfullofjealousyandsuspicionthatwedonotesteemhimsomuchashedesires，becausehehassomesecretconsciousnessthathedesiresmorethanhedeserves。Theleastneglectofceremony，heconsidersasamortalaffront，andasanexpressionofthemostdeterminedcontempt。Heisrestlessandimpatient，andperpetuallyafraidthatwehavelostallrespectforhim，andisuponthisaccountalwaysanxioustoobtainnewexpressionsofesteem，andcannotbekeptintemperbutbycontinualattentionandadulation。
　　Thereisanaffinitytoobetweenthedesireofbecomingwhatishonourableandestimable，andthedesireofhonourandesteem，betweentheloveofvirtueandtheloveoftrueglory。Theyresembleoneanothernotonlyinthisrespect，thatbothaimatreallybeingwhatishonourableandnoble，buteveninthatrespectinwhichtheloveoftruegloryresembleswhatisproperlycalledvanity，somereferencetothesentimentsofothers。Themanofthegreatestmagnanimity，whodesiresvirtueforitsownsake，andismostindifferentaboutwhatactuallyaretheopinionsofmankindwithregardtohim，isstill，however，delightedwiththethoughtsofwhattheyshouldbe，withtheconsciousnessthatthoughhemayneitherbehonourednorapplauded，heisstilltheproperobjectofhonourandapplause，andthatifmankindwerecoolandcandidandconsistentwiththemselves，andproperlyinformedofthemotivesandcircumstancesofhisconduct，theywouldnotfailtohonourandapplaudhim。Thoughhedespisestheopinionswhichareactuallyentertainedofhim，hehasthehighestvalueforthosewhichoughttobeentertainedofhim。Thathemightthinkhimselfworthyofthosehonourablesentiments，and，whateverwastheideawhichothermenmightconceiveofhischaracter，thatwhenheshouldputhimselfintheirsituation，andconsider，notwhatwas，butwhatoughttobetheiropinion，heshouldalwayshavethehighestideaofithimself，wasthegreatandexaltedmotiveofhisconduct。Asevenintheloveofvirtue，therefore，thereisstillsomereference，thoughnottowhatis，yettowhatinreasonandproprietyoughttobe，theopinionofothers，thereiseveninthisrespectsomeaffinitybetweenit，andtheloveoftrueglory。Thereis，however，atthesametime，averygreatdifferencebetweenthem。Themanwhoactssolelyfromaregardtowhatisrightandfittobedone，fromaregardtowhatistheproperobjectofesteemandapprobation，thoughthesesentimentsshouldneverbebestoweduponhim，actsfromthemostsublimeandgodlikemotivewhichhumannatureisevencapableofconceiving。
　　Theman，ontheotherhand，whowhilehedesirestomeritapprobationisatthesametimeanxioustoobtainit，thoughhetooislaudableinthemain，yethismotiveshaveagreatermixtureofhumaninfirmity。Heisindangerofbeingmortifiedbytheignoranceandinjusticeofmankind，andhishappinessisexposedtotheenvyofhisrivalsandthefollyofthepublic。
　　Thehappinessoftheother，onthecontrary，isaltogethersecureandindependentoffortune，andofthecapriceofthoseheliveswith。Thecontemptandhatredwhichmaybethrownuponhimbytheignoranceofmankind，heconsidersasnotbelongingtohim，andisnotatallmortifiedbyit。Mankinddespiseandhatehimfromafalsenotionofhischaracterandconduct。Iftheyknewhimbetter，theywouldesteemandlovehim。Itisnothimwhom，properlyspeaking，theyhateanddespise，butanotherpersonwhomtheymistakehimtobe。Ourfriend，whomweshouldmeetatamasqueradeinthegarbofourenemy，wouldbemoredivertedthanmortified，ifunderthatdisguiseweshouldventourindignationagainsthim。Sucharethesentimentsofamanofrealmagnanimity，whenexposedtounjustcensure。Itseldomhappens，however，thathumannaturearrivesatthisdegreeoffirmness。
　　Thoughnonebuttheweakestandmostworthlessofmankindaremuchdelightedwithfalseglory，yet，byastrangeinconsistency，falseignominyisoftencapableofmortifyingthosewhoappearthemostresoluteanddetermined。
　　DrMandevilleisnotsatisfiedwithrepresentingthefrivolousmotiveofvanity，asthesourceofallthoseactionswhicharecommonlyaccountedvirtuous。Heendeavourstopointouttheimperfectionofhumanvirtueinmanyotherrespects。Ineverycase，hepretends，itfallsshortofthatcompleteself-denialwhichitpretendsto，and，insteadofaconquest，iscommonlynomorethanaconcealedindulgenceofourpassions。Whereverourreservewithregardtopleasurefallsshortofthemostasceticabstinence，hetreatsitasgrossluxuryandsensuality。Everything，accordingtohim，isluxurywhichexceedswhatisabsolutelynecessaryforthesupportofhumannature，sothatthereisviceevenintheuseofacleanshirt，orofaconvenienthabitation。Theindulgenceoftheinclinationtosex，inthemostlawfulunion，heconsidersasthesamesensualitywiththemosthurtfulgratificationofthatpassion，andderidesthattemperanceandthatchastitywhichcanbepractisedatsocheaparate。Theingenioussophistryofhisreasoning，ishere，asuponmanyotheroccasions，coveredbytheambiguityoflanguage。Therearesomeofourpassionswhichhavenoothernamesexceptthosewhichmarkthedisagreeableandoffensivedegree。Thespectatorismoreapttotakenoticeoftheminthisdegreethaninanyother。Whentheyshockhisownsentiments，whentheygivehimsomesortofantipathyanduneasiness，heisnecessarilyobligedtoattendtothem，andisfromthencenaturallyledtogivethemaname。Whentheyfallinwiththenaturalstateofhisownmind，heisveryapttooverlookthemaltogether，andeithergivesthemnonameatall，or，ifhegivethemany，itisonewhichmarksratherthesubjectionandrestraintofthepassion，thanthedegreewhichitstillisallowedtosubsistin，afteritissosubjectedandrestrained。
　　Thusthecommonnames13*oftheloveofpleasure，andoftheloveofsex，denoteaviciousandoffensivedegreeofthosepassions。Thewordstemperanceandchastity，ontheotherhand，seemtomarkrathertherestraintandsubjectionwhichtheyarekeptunder，thanthedegreewhichtheyarestillallowedtosubsistin。Whenhecanshow，therefore，thattheystillsubsistinsomedegree，heimagines，hehasentirelydemolishedtherealityofthevirtuesoftemperanceandchastity，andshownthemtobemereimpositionsupontheinattentionandsimplicityofmankind。Thosevirtues，however，donotrequireanentireinsensibilitytotheobjectsofthepassionswhichtheymeantogovern。Theyonlyaimatrestrainingtheviolenceofthosepassionssofarasnottohurttheindividual，andneitherdisturbnoroffendthesociety。
　　ItisthegreatfallacyofDr。Mandeville’sbook14*torepresenteverypassionaswhollyvicious，whichissoinanydegreeandinanydirection。Itisthusthathetreatseverythingasvanitywhichhasanyreference，eithertowhatare，ortowhatoughttobethesentimentsofothers:anditisbymeansofthissophistry，thatheestablisheshisfavouriteconclusion，thatprivatevicesarepublicbenefits。Iftheloveofmagnificence，atastefortheelegantartsandimprovementsofhumanlife，forwhateverisagreeableindress，furniture，orequipage，forarchitecture，statuary，painting，andmusic，istoberegardedasluxury，sensuality，andostentation，eveninthosewhosesituationallows，withoutanyinconveniency，theindulgenceofthosepassions，itiscertainthatluxury，sensuality，andostentationarepublicbenefits:sincewithoutthequalitiesuponwhichhethinkspropertobestowsuchopprobriousnames，theartsofrefinementcouldneverfindencouragement，andmustlanguishforwantofemployment。Somepopularasceticdoctrineswhichhadbeencurrentbeforehistime，andwhichplacedvirtueintheentireextirpationandannihilationofallourpassions，weretherealfoundationofthislicentioussystem。ItwaseasyforDrMandevilletoprove，first，thatthisentireconquestneveractuallytookplaceamongmen；andsecondly，that，ifitwastotakeplaceuniversally，itwouldbepernicioustosociety，byputtinganendtoallindustryandcommerce，andinamannertothewholebusinessofhumanlife。Bythefirstofthesepropositionsheseemedtoprovethattherewasnorealvirtue，andthatwhatpretendedtobesuch，wasamerecheatandimpositionuponmankind；andbythesecond，thatprivateviceswerepublicbenefits，sincewithoutthemnosocietycouldprosperorflourish。
　　SuchisthesystemofDrMandeville，whichoncemadesomuchnoiseintheworld，andwhich，though，perhaps，itnevergaveoccasiontomorevicethanwhatwouldhavebeenwithoutit，atleasttaughtthatvice，whicharosefromothercauses，toappearwithmoreeffrontery，andtoavowthecorruptionofitsmotiveswithaprofligateaudaciousnesswhichhadneverbeenheardofbefore。
　　Buthowdestructivesoeverthissystemmayappear，itcouldneverhaveimposeduponsogreatanumberofpersons，norhaveoccasionedsogeneralanalarmamongthosewhoarethefriendsofbetterprinciples，haditnotinsomerespectsbordereduponthetruth。Asystemofnaturalphilosophymayappearveryplausible，andbeforalongtimeverygenerallyreceivedintheworld，andyethavenofoundationinnature，noranysortofresemblancetothetruth。ThevorticesofDesCarteswereregardedbyaveryingeniousnation，fornearacenturytogether，asamostsatisfactoryaccountoftherevolutionsoftheheavenlybodies。
　　Yetithasbeendemonstrated，totheconvictionofallmankind，thatthesepretendedcausesofthosewonderfuleffects，notonlydonotactuallyexist，butareutterlyimpossible，andiftheydidexist，couldproducenosucheffectsasareascribedtothem。
　　Butitisotherwisewithsystemsofmoralphilosophy，andanauthorwhopretendstoaccountfortheoriginofourmoralsentiments，cannotdeceiveussogrossly，nordepartsoveryfarfromallresemblancetothetruth。Whenatravellergivesanaccountofsomedistantcountry，hemayimposeuponourcredulitythemostgroundlessandabsurdfictionsasthemostcertainmattersoffact。Butwhenapersonpretendstoinformusofwhatpassesinourneighbourhood，andoftheaffairsoftheveryparishwhichwelivein，thoughheretoo，ifwearesocarelessasnottoexaminethingswithourowneves，hemaydeceiveusinmanyrespects，yetthegreatestfalsehoodswhichheimposesuponusmustbearsomeresemblancetothetruth，andmustevenhaveaconsiderablemixtureoftruthinthem。