ree.
And though, on many occasions, my sympathy with him goes not so far as
entirely to change my sentiments, and way of thinking; yet it seldom
is so weak as not to disturb the easy course of my thought, and give an
authority to that opinion, which is recommended to me by his assent
and approbation. Nor is it any way material upon what subject he and I
employ our thoughts. Whether we judge of an indifferent person, or of my
own character, my sympathy gives equal force to his decision: And even
his sentiments of his own merit make me consider him in the same light,
in which he regards himself.

This principle of sympathy is of so powerful and insinuating a nature,
that it enters into most of our sentiments and passions, and often takes
place under the appearance of its contrary. For it is remarkable, that
when a person opposes me in any thing, which I am strongly bent upon,
and rouzes up my passion by contradiction, I have always a degree of
sympathy with him, nor does my commotion proceed from any other origin.
We may here observe an evident conflict or rencounter of opposite
principles and passions. On the one side there is that passion or
sentiment, which is natural to me; and it is observable, that the
stronger this passion is, the greater is the commotion. There must also
be some passion or sentiment on the other side; and this passion can
proceed from nothing but sympathy. The sentiments of others can never
affect us, but by becoming, in some measure, our own; in which case they
operate upon us, by opposing and encreasing our passions, in the very
same manner, as if they had been originally derived from our own temper
and disposition. While they remain concealed in the minds of others,
they can never have an influence upon us: And even when they are known,
if they went no farther than the imagination, or conception; that
faculty is so accustomed to objects of every different kind, that a mere
idea, though contrary to our sentiments and inclinations, would never
alone be able to affect us.

The second principle I shall take notice of is that of comparison, or
the variation of our judgments concerning ob jects, according to the
proportion they bear to those with which we compare them. We judge more,
of objects by comparison, than by their intrinsic worth and value; and
regard every thing as mean, when set in opposition to what is superior
of the same kind. But no comparison is more obvious than that with
ourselves