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A few such subjects it may not be amiss to touch upon
but the field is boundless & will offer to every man some peculiar
points of interest. All men may occupy themselves in thinking of
means for the prevention of evil; – in projects of profit or of amusement,
if no such projects occur to them, – hopes may take their place, –
if no hopes, agreeable imaginations, imaginations turning aside
from the improbability, or impossibility of their being realised; –
imaginations which may be made more vivid and delightful by
individual recollections

For himself each individual must mould his habits
of thought to suit his own circumstances. If his thoughts are
engaged in the search after means of security against evil, & there
be no evils in particular of which he is apprehensive, or none
which it is in his power to guard against, – or none against which
he has not already made sufficient provision, – he will do well to
turn his thoughts away from any such unpleasant topic. And even
if such evils menace him his attention to the means of prevention
should not be continuous, – he should seek his times of respite
otherwise the effect of his endeavors to secure himself against
future suffering may be to make that suffering perpetually present.

In every case the thoughts should be directed as
much as possible to the means of prevention & as little as possible to
the evils themselves; – to the evils only so far as is necessary for
devising those means.

Thoughts directed to the consideration of the means
of alleviating the sufferings of others can do not form belong to this
part of the subject: – nor are they of any importance to others
until & unless they lead to action.

Projects have an advantage over imaginations.
Projects in addition to the present good they afford a chance of future.
The interest & excitement they afford awaken create are more lasting than
hopes & fancies, – & more likely to extend, – to be prolific, productive
of ulterior projects, and those of ulterior & so on – in long
succession.

But in the absence of purposes & projects – hopes &
imaginings come with their pleasure-giving influence. Though imagination
must work upon the elements furnished by recollection yet imagination

Identifier: | JB/015/403/001 "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	403	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	linking material	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f81
Penner	sir john bowring	Watermarks	<…> co
Marginals		Paper Producer	a. levy
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	5619
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