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XVI XXIII Hume's Virtues

But in order to discover how vague are the ideas of virtue & how
unsatisfactory the definitions, even emanating from minds of high
intellectual capacity, – where the standard of virtue has either not
been discovered. – or not employed, – it will be well worth while even
at the expense of some repetition, – to go over the ground with accompanied by Mr
Hume's list of virtues of one – & to and after upon a close examination we shall learn how easily a
scene of confusion entanglement & perplexity is in may be reduced to order
harmony & beauty by the instruments which in the shape of prudence
& benevolence are utility has put into our hands. And this course seems the
more desirable because it is not long since the Edinburgh Reviewers
in calling attention to Hume's classification of the virtues seemed to
considered that they he had done wh every thing which it was necessary
to do in order to introduce a perfect moral system.

There is a fundamental objection to his classification of
the virtues into useful and agreeable qualities. Useful is altogether
ambiguous – it may mean conducive to pleasure – it may mean
conducive to any other end. Usefulness has no value but in so far as
it is pleasure-producing – pleasure or pain-preventing leading on the whole to a balance of pleasure happiness – calculated
not only out of the pleasure which is adjacent but of that which is
remote – not only out of present, but of future pleasure. Strange
indeed is it that moralists are so afraid of the word pleasure –
the thing itself – the enjoyment – the happiness, – they do indeed profess to
pursue – but called by its own name, – its proper – its essential name – they
run away from it – they refuse to grasp it – any nonsense –
any confusion – rather than the name of pleasure.

It may be said that Hume does not employ the
word Virtue, as the genus generalissimum & that thence it is his
discernment is not implicated by the fact that some of his
own virtues have in reality no virtue in them.

But if virtue do not mean something that is useful or productive
of that which is useful for the increase of well being what does it mean?
What is its value?

In the very constitution of virtue, it must be admitted
there is evil – some suffering, – some self-denial – some sacrifice of a less good
to a good & consequent uneasiness – but as the practice of virtue grows
into a habit, – the uneasiness becomes less & less – & at last may vanish
altogether.

Identifier: | JB/015/281/001 "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	281	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles	xvi hume's virtues
Category	linking material	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f130
Penner	sir john bowring	Watermarks
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	5497
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