lines of our duty. There are, however, instances, in cases of less
moment, wherein this immediate taste or sentiment produces our
approbation. Wit, and a certain easy and disengaged behaviour, are
qualities immediately agreeable to others, and command their love
and esteem. Some of these qualities produce satisfaction in others
by particular original principles of human nature, which cannot be
accounted for: Others may be resolved into principles, which are more
general. This will best appear upon a particular enquiry.

As some qualities acquire their merit from their being immediately
agreeable to others, without any tendency to public interest; so some
are denominated virtuous from their being immediately agreeable to the
person himself, who possesses them. Each of the passions and operations
of the mind has a particular feeling, which must be either agreeable or
disagreeable. The first is virtuous, the second vicious. This particular
feeling constitutes the very nature of the passion; and therefore needs
not be accounted for.

But however directly the distinction of vice and virtue may seem to flow
from the immediate pleasure or uneasiness, which particular qualities
cause to ourselves or others; it is easy to observe, that it has also a
considerable dependence on the principle of sympathy so often insisted
on. We approve of a person, who is possessed of qualities immediately
agreeable to those, with whom he has any commerce; though perhaps we
ourselves never reaped any pleasure from them. We also approve of
one, who is possessed of qualities, that are immediately agreeable to
himself; though they be of no service to any mortal. To account for this
we must have recourse to the foregoing principles.

Thus, to take a general review of the present hypothesis: Every quality
of the mind is denominated virtuous, which gives pleasure by the mere
survey; as every quality, which produces pain, is called vicious. This
pleasure and this pain may arise from four different sources. For we
reap a pleasure from the view of a character, which is naturally fitted
to be useful to others, or to the person himself, or which is agreeable
to others, or to the person himself. One may, perhaps, be surprized.
that amidst all these interests and pleasures, we should forget our own,
which touch us so nearly on every other occasion. But we shall easily
satisfy ourselves on this head, when we consider, that every particular
person s pleasure