JB/014/062/001

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9 Sept. 1814 §.3 6

Logic or Ethics Ch. Summum bonum

1 §3. II. Stoics

II. The habit of Virtue:—according to another set this is was
the summum bonum or in this is was the summum bonum
to be found: in this we have either the jewel itself, or the casket in which it
is will be to be found. Lie all your life long in your bed with the a
rheumatism in your bones, the stone in your bladder and the gout in your foot or both your feet so long as
you are in the habit of virtue, so long the summum bonum,
be it what it may is in your hands and much good may
it do you [but what are you the better for it?]. As to the
condition, of in so far at least as negative virtue is virtue
in the fulfilment of it no great difficulty presents itself:
in such any such situation to fall into engage in the practice of vice —
of vice in any shape — in that rather than in its opposite there seems the greater difficulty.

If a summum bonum of this sort, the seat of it be any
where, must surely be in the head it is in the head surely that it must be. But to have ever
so many summum bonums in his head even be they what
they may, and were there ever such a number of them and the number of them ever so great being in ever so great numbers
and were they the number of them ever so great, is exists there any
man in his senses who would consent be content to have his head
his bladder and his bones thus so occupied.

Lest the sense of this nonsense should be mistaken, in
comes the compiler with a remark of kindred sagacity in his mouth:
at his fingers ends
"for" (says he) Reason shews, that a valued habit is not of
any the least value, unless it be referred to Operation, and
"brought forward into act and exercise." A habit without
an act! a habit in existence, and not so much as a
single act in it! a habit formed, and not so much as a
single act of them the act of which that habit is composed, not so
much as a single act ever done! and so least lest you should
fall into any such error, and in consequence into any such misconduct,
as that of persevering in the habit of virtue, without ever having
performed
performed so much as
a single act of virtue,
it is for this cause that
the information and thus given
to you is bestowed.

Identifier: | JB/014/062/001"JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 14.
Date_1	1814-09-09	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	014	Main Headings	deontology
Folio number	062	Info in main headings field	logic or ethics
Image	001	Titles
Category	text sheet	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	d6 / e1
Penner	jeremy bentham	Watermarks	[[watermarks::[prince of wales feathers] mj&l 1811]]
Marginals		Paper Producer	colonel aaron burr
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year	1811
Notes public		ID Number	4825
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