sex, and by the common law of nature; but they are attached to
particulars by personal _beauty_. I call beauty a social quality; for
where women and men, and not only they, but when other animals give us a
sense of joy and pleasure in beholding them (and there are many that do
so), they inspire us with sentiments of tenderness and affection towards
their persons; we like to have them near us, and we enter willingly into
a kind of relation with them, unless we should have strong reasons to
the contrary. But to what end, in many cases, this was designed, I am
unable to discover; for I see no greater reason for a connection between
man and several animals who are attired in so engaging a manner, than
between him and some others who entirely want this attraction, or
possess it in a far weaker degree. But it is probable that Providence
did not make even this distinction, but with a view to some great end;
though we cannot perceive distinctly what it is, as his wisdom is not
our wisdom, nor our ways his ways.

SECTION XI.

SOCIETY AND SOLITUDE.

The second branch of the social passions is that which administers to
_society in general_. With regard to this, I observe, that society,
merely as society, without any particular heightenings, gives us no
positive pleasure in the enjoyment; but absolute and entire _solitude_,
that is, the total and perpetual exclusion from all society, is as
great a positive pain as can almost be conceived. Therefore in the
balance between the pleasure of general _society_, and the pain of
absolute solitude, _pain_ is the predominant idea. But the pleasure of
any particular social enjoyment outweighs very considerably the
uneasiness caused by the want of that particular enjoyment; so that the
strongest sensations relative to the habitudes of _particular society_
are sensations of pleasure. Good company, lively conversations, and the
endearments of friendship, fill the mind with great pleasure; a
temporary solitude, on the other hand, is itself agreeable. This may
perhaps prove that we are creatures designed for contemplation as well
as action; since solitude as well as society has its pleasures; as from
the former observation we may discern, that an entire life of solitude
contradicts the purposes of our being, since death itself is scarcely an
idea of more terror.

SECTION XII.

SYMPATHY, IMITATION, AND AMBITION.

Under this denomination of society, the passions are of a complicated
kind