rrow selfishness. For while each person loves
himself better than any other single person, and in his love to others
bears the greatest affection to his relations and acquaintance, this
must necessarily produce an oppositon of passions, and a consequent
opposition of actions; which cannot but be dangerous to the
new-established union.

It is however worth while to remark, that this contrariety of passions
would be attended with but small danger, did it not concur with
a peculiarity in our outward circumstances, which affords it an
opportunity of exerting itself. There are different species of goods,
which we are possessed of; the internal satisfaction of our minds, the
external advantages of our body, and the enjoyment of such possessions
as we have acquired by our industry and good fortune. We are perfectly
secure in the enjoyment of the first. The second may be ravished from
us, but can be of no advantage to him who deprives us of them. The last
only are both exposed to the violence of others, and may be transferred
without suffering any loss or alteration; while at the same time, there
is not a sufficient quantity of them to supply every one's desires and
necessities. As the improvement, therefore, of these goods is the chief
advantage of society, so the instability of their possession, along with
their scarcity, is the chief impediment.

In vain should we expect to find, in uncultivated nature, a remedy to
this inconvenience; or hope for any inartificial principle of the
human mind, which might controul those partial affections, and make us
overcome the temptations arising from our circumstances. The idea of
justice can never serve to this purpose, or be taken for a natural
principle, capable of inspiring men with an equitable conduct towards
each other. That virtue, as it is now understood, would never have
been dreamed of among rude and savage men. For the notion of injury or
injustice implies an immorality or vice committed against some
other person: And as every immorality is derived from some defect or
unsoundness of the passions, and as this defect must be judged of, in a
great measure, from the ordinary course of nature in the constitution
of the mind; it will be easy to know, whether we be guilty of any
immorality, with regard to others, by considering the natural, and usual
force of those several affections, which are directed towards them.
Now it appears, that in the original frame of our mind, our strong