JB/015/252/001

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103

Effective Benevolence Negative

Effective benevolence has been already introduced to notice as consisting of two parts branches –
the positive or pleasure conferring branch which – the negative, or that which avoids abstains from pain-giving to
others. The word benevolence implies the disposition to confer do the acts of
beneficence. The field of benevolence therefore is equa-extensive with that of
beneficence – not that either of them has necessarily the other for its
companion – there may be benevolence without the power of bringing its
impulses into action – & there may be beneficence without the slightest
portion of good will.

The good produced by effective benevolence is small in proportion
to that produced by the self-regarding personal motives. The sympathetic affections
are not, – cannot be as strong as the self-regarding affections. The
wealth transferred – the means of subsistence circulated – the abundance produced
for the sake of others are trifling when weighed against the amount of that which is
set in motion for our own sakes. That which is [177 N. given without equivalent
forms an exceedingly wheb is little indeed as contrasted with that which is paid for
or bartered in the way of commerce. The voluntary contributions
to Government for the public benefit bear a small proportion to the sums
which are paid levied by compulsory requisitions.

In the eye of the sentimentalist, benevolence whether followed
or not by beneficence is apt to engross the greatest portion of his
favor, – & his efforts are directed to obtain for it the greatest portion
of public pain applause. But benevolence is a useless tree unless
it bears the fruits of beneficence – and feelings by whatever
names they are called are wholly valueless unless in so far
as they are the prompters of beneficent actions. Benevolence
is a standing alone is but the shadow of virtue – it is only when it becomes
efficient that it partakes of the substance of virtue.

To a great extent the it must be added the dictates of self-regarding
prudence prescribe the laws of effective benevolence, – & occupy in
mutual harmony the same part of the field of duty. A man who
injures himself more than he benefits others by no means serves the cause
of virtue for he diminishes the amount of happiness. Benevolence, or sympathy
may be a cause of fruitless pain, where it cannot exert itself in acts of beneficence.
It is no part of its the requirements of virtue that a man should expose
himself to witness pains on whose removal or diminution he can exercise
not any the slightest influence. No good is done to yourself, – & none
to others by throwing yourself in the way of suffering unmitigable
in itself, – or of which you are certain that it cannot be mitigated
by you.

Efficient benevolence is action – it supposes the existence
of pleasure good to be which is susceptible of increase or of evil to be susceptible of being lessened or removed. The life painted

Identifier: | JB/015/252/001 "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	252	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles	effective benevolence
Category	linking material	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f103
Penner	sir john bowring	Watermarks
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	5468
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