JB/015/434/001

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119

The pretension which indicates the motives of others is
almost always futile, & offensive. For if their motive be what
we suppose it, the and the motive be a praiseworthy one it will
be visible by & in the act, – & if the motive be blameworthy, – to
denounce it will but be a cause of annoyance to him to whom
the motive is attributed. And after all, we have nothing to do
with motives. If bad motives produce good actions, so much the
better for society – & if good motives produce bad actions, so much the
worse. It is the act & not the motive with which we have to do
& when the act is before us, – & the motive concealed from us –
it is the idlest of idling to be inquiring into that which has no
influence & forgetting that which has all the real influence upon our
condition. What acts, – however outrageously & extensively mischievous but
may be excused & justified – if the motives of the actor, instead of
the consequences of the act become the test of right & wrong. Perhaps
there never was a group of more conscientious, – & well-intending
men than the early Inquisitors – they verily believed they were
doing God service – they were under the influence of motives most
religious & pious – while they were pouring out blood in rivers –
& sacrificing amidst horrid tortures the wisest & best of their race.
Motive indeed – as if all motives were not the same – to obtain
for the actor some recompense for his act in the shape of pain
averted, or pleasure secured. The motive as far as that goes of
the vilest is the same as the motive of the noblest to increase his stock of happiness. The man who murders – the man who
robs another – believes that the murder & the robbery will be
advantageous to him – will leave to him more happiness than
if he had not committed the crime. But In the field of motive

Identifier: | JB/015/434/001 "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	434	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	linking material	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f119
Penner	sir john bowring	Watermarks	[[watermarks::[top of motif]]]
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	5650
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