JB/015/376/002

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51

Let us sketch a picture

It marks themselves for his victim – He pressures
him with a restless activity, – loses no occasion of injuring him
in the reputation of the world – watches & dodges his footsteps –
devotes himself to bring about his perdition – has even sometimes
thought of compassing his death. But is no
misanthropist. He has a lovely sense of social enjoyments –
with a recklessness which disregards the change of fortune.
He has seen poverty & has possessed riches & has borne
the vicissitudes of his position with admirable tranquility –
the desires have been all trained to moderation, – & a
gaiety of temper & sprightliness of conversation made him a
welcome companion & guest, while for the enjoyment of the senses
he never delivers himself even to excess.

Is there any incongruity in this sketch? Yet it is made
up of the different qualities which a distinguished
Mr Hume (Essay xvii) gives as the characteristic traits of virtue –
virtuous disposition – that in other words that which leads to
action & employment renders us sensible to the social passions –
steels the heart against the assaults of fortune, reduces the affections
to a just moderation, makes our own thoughts an entertainment to
us, – & inclines us rather to the pleasures of society & conversation than
to those of the senses."

It would be easy to show that of these qualities there is scarcely one
that is necessarily virtuous – scarcely one that may not be applied
to the production of misery. 'Activity & employment' may be
as well directed to pernicious as to the useful objects – 'the social passions' may be the fruitful sources of imprudence & improbity "the moderation of the affections" may or may not be worthy of
praise for why should not the virtuous affections be maximized instead
of moderated? – the making "our own thoughts an entertainment to us"
may be feeding those thoughts with poison – no thoughts are
perhaps more entertaining than thoughts of profligacy – while "the
pleasures of society &d conversation in preference to those of the senses"
may without prudence & benevolence for their guide be exhibitions equally
perilous to the understanding – & depraving to the benevolent sympathies.

Identifier: | JB/015/376/002 "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	376	Info in main headings field
Image	002	Titles
Category	linking material	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f51
Penner	sir john bowring	Watermarks	i i smith & son 1831
Marginals		Paper Producer	maria edgeworth
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year	1831
Notes public		ID Number	5592
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