on encreases, when any
good approaches in such a manner that it it in one's own power to take
or leave it, and there neither is any physical impediment, nor any
very strong motive to hinder our enjoyment. As all men desire pleasure,
nothing can be more probable, than its existence when there is no
external obstacle to the producing it, and men perceive no danger in
following their inclinations. In that case their imagination easily
anticipates the satisfaction, and conveys the same joy, as if they were
persuaded of its real and actual existence.

But this accounts not sufficiently for the satisfaction, which attends
riches. A miser receives delight from his money; that is, from the power
it affords him of procuring all the pleasures and conveniences of life,
though he knows he has enjoyed his riches for forty years without ever
employing them; and consequently cannot conclude by any species of
reasoning, that the real existence of these pleasures is nearer, than if
he were entirely deprived of all his possessions. But though he cannot
form any such conclusion in a way of reasoning concerning she nearer
approach of the pleasure, it is certain he imagines it to approach
nearer, whenever all external obstacles are removed, along with the more
powerful motives of interest and danger, which oppose it. For farther
satisfaction on this head I must refer to my account of the will, where
I shall [Part III. Sect. 2.] explain that false sensation of liberty,
which make, us imagine we can perform any thing, that is not very
dangerous or destructive. Whenever any other person is under no
strong obligations of interest to forbear any pleasure, we judge from
experience, that the pleasure will exist, and that he will probably
obtain it. But when ourselves are in that situation, we judge from
an illusion of the fancy, that the pleasure is still closer and more
immediate. The will seems to move easily every way, and casts a shadow
or image of itself, even to that side, on which it did not settle. By
means of this image the enjoyment seems to approach nearer to us, and
gives us the same lively satisfaction, as if it were perfectly certain
and unavoidable.

It will now be easy to draw this whole reasoning to a paint, and to
prove, that when riches produce any pride or vanity in their possessors,
as they never fail so do, it is only by means of a double relation of
impressions and ideas. The very essence of riches consists in the power
of