JB/015/381/003

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57

The really practical part of morality consists in the management
of the springs of action — the directing the affections to the increase of
human happiness. These affections as has but often are
self regarding — social — or dissocial — each having a relation to
pleasure & pain — each operating upon instincts, & motives &
desires & purposes. The question of virtue & of vice is on almost
all occasions represented by a present evil or a present good, — to
be weighed against future good & evil. Morality is the true —
immorality the false calculation of the final balance —
The choice between that which is & that will which will be, is
in fact the whole point subject of enquiry — & the Law of morality comes into action from the moment in which the will
exercises its influence upon the choice of conduct. The mastery of
the mind over its own operations is the only ground work on
which any theory of morals can be raised — as well were it
to preach to wood or to stone as to appeal to motives which
cannot be brought into action. To drag forth pleasures & pains
from their places of concealment — to show their connection with
& dependence on conduct — to enable the interest to protect
against the interest, is the task of the genuine teacher —
While he attaches to actions their consequences of good & evil —
while he remove vague & obscure phraseology generalities into the domains of
& misery — which he brings the calculations of
ultimate happiness to decide upon all the questions which vanity,
or authority appealing to vanity, would place beyond the reach
of a probing examination, — he, the genuine teacher, is advancing
the cause of truth & virtue. That cause is after all one of
the most intelligible simplicity. Prudence & imprudence —
probity & improbity — beneficence & malificence — in these
six weeks are the exhaustive art of these virtues which alone
it recognises & the vices which alone it deprecates. Beyond
these simple & intelligible qualities all is mystery &
uncertainty.

Identifier: | JB/015/381/003 "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	381a "a" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 381.	Info in main headings field
Image	003	Titles
Category	linking material	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f56
Penner	sir john bowring	Watermarks
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	5597
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