us man and the vicious are alike governed by the same
principle; and it is therefore the proper business of a wise instructor
of youth, and of a man who would bring his own sentiments and feelings
into the most praise-worthy frame, to teach us to find our interest and
gratification in that which shall be most beneficial to others."

When we proceed to examine the truth of these statements, it certainly
is not strictly an argument to say, that the advocate of self-love
on either of these hypotheses cannot consistently be a believer in
Christianity, or even a theist, as theism is ordinarily understood. The
commandments of the author of the Christian religion are, as we have
seen, purely disinterested: and, especially if we admit the latter of
the two explanations of self-love, we shall be obliged to confess, on
the hypothesis of this new philosophy, that the almighty author of
the universe never acts in any of his designs either of creation or
providence, but from a principle of self-love. In the mean time, if
this is not strictly an argument, it is however but fair to warn the
adherents of the doctrine I oppose, of the consequences to which their
theory leads. It is my purpose to subvert that doctrine by means of
the severest demonstration; but I am not unwilling, before I begin,
to conciliate, as far as may be, the good-will of my readers to the
propositions I proceed to establish.

I will therefore further venture to add, that, upon the hypothesis
of self-love, there can be no such thing as virtue. There are two
circumstances required, to entitle an action to be denominated virtuous.
It must have a tendency to produce good rather than evil to the race
of man, and it must have been generated by an intention to produce such
good. The most beneficent action that ever was performed, if it did not
spring from the intention of good to others, is not of the nature
of virtue. Virtue, where it exists in any eminence, is a species of
conduct, modelled upon a true estimate of the good intended to be
produced. He that makes a false estimate, and prefers a trivial and
partial good to an important and comprehensive one, is vicious(20).

(20) Political Justice, Book 11, Chap. IV.

It is admitted on all hands, that it is possible for a man to sacrifice
his own existence to that of twenty others. But the advocates of the
doctrine of self-love must say, that he does this that he may escape
from uneasiness, and because he could