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97

There has been among moralists a vehement disposition to shut out
the influence of the self-regarding principle from the mind. Why
this reluctance to admit as a motive that which is & must be the
strongest of all motives – a man's regard for himself? Why is
not self love to be brought into operation the field? It is from a sort
of bashfulness – a disposition to consider that principle to which
all the actions & passions of men owe their birth as the
partie honteuse of the mind.

But with the recognition of the principle that
an enlightened regard to self-interest – the knowledge & the
practice of morality have undoubtedly made considerable progress
& delightful it is to trace the slow but visible march
of virtue. It will lose nothing of its frequency, – nothing of
its power when it is discovered to be founded on interest.
That interest some men may will not always see, – & others will turn
away with scorn from the contemplation of it. Declaimers
would ask whether in an age like this, which they call
degenerate a man would sacrifice his life for the benefit of his
country. Yes!

There is many and many a man, who upon
such calls as have formerly met with the like obedience, would sacrifice for his country
his life surrender his existence with pleasure for his country. Does it follow that in this or
in any thing else, he would act without an interest? No such thing.
Nothing like it – it is not in man's nature.

And precisely the same argument holds good in
man's aberrations from duty. They are the miscalculations of interest.
There is no man doeth a wrong for the wrong's sake, but thereby to purchase himself profit or pleasure. This grand truism was not hidden
from Lord Bacon. His was a mind to be struck with the beauty of Truth
wherever he met it it met him but his was not an age when to pursue it to
the utmost was either practicable or safe.

Cum vitia p....., p..... qui ..... facit: if Vices were upon the whole matter profitable, the virtuous man would be the sinner.
Ornamenta rationalia Vol. 3. 293. Fol. Edit. 1740.

Identifier: | JB/015/244/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 15.
Date_1		Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	015	Main Headings	deontology
Folio number	244	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	linking material	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f97
Penner	sir john bowring	Watermarks
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	5460
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