OfthePleasureofmutualSympathyButwhatevermaybethecauseofsympathy，orhoweveritmaybeexcited，nothingpleasesusmorethantoobserveinothermenafellow-feelingwithalltheemotionsofourownbreast；norareweeversomuchshockedasbytheappearanceofthecontrary。
Thosewhoarefondofdeducingalloursentimentsfromcertainrefinementsofself-love，thinkthemselvesatnolosstoaccount，accordingtotheirownprinciples，bothforthispleasureandthispain。Man，saythey，consciousofhisownweakness，andoftheneedwhichhehasfortheassistanceofothers，rejoiceswheneverheobservesthattheyadopthisownpassions，becauseheisthenassuredofthatassistance；andgrieveswheneverheobservesthecontrary，becauseheisthenassuredoftheiropposition。Butboththepleasureandthepainarealwaysfeltsoinstantaneously，andoftenuponsuchfrivolousoccasions，thatitseemsevidentthatneitherofthemcanbederivedfromanysuchself-interestedconsideration。Amanismortifiedwhen，afterhavingendeavouredtodivertthecompany，helooksroundandseesthatnobodylaughsathisjestsbuthimself。Onthecontrary，themirthofthecompanyishighlyagreeabletohim，andheregardsthiscorrespondenceoftheirsentimentswithhisownasthegreatestapplause。
Neitherdoeshispleasureseemtoarisealtogetherfromtheadditionalvivacitywhichhismirthmayreceivefromsympathywiththeirs，norhispainfromthedisappointmenthemeetswithwhenhemissesthispleasure；thoughboththeoneandtheother，nodoubt，doinsomemeasure。Whenwehavereadabookorpoemsooftenthatwecannolongerfindanyamusementinreadingitbyourselves，wecanstilltakepleasureinreadingittoacompanion。Tohimithasallthegracesofnovelty；weenterintothesurpriseandadmirationwhichitnaturallyexcitesinhim，butwhichitisnolongercapableofexcitinginus；weconsideralltheideaswhichitpresentsratherinthelightinwhichtheyappeartohim，thaninthatinwhichtheyappeartoourselves，andweareamusedbysympathywithhisamusementwhichthusenlivensourown。Onthecontrary，weshouldbevexedifhedidnotseemtobeentertainedwithit，andwecouldnolongertakeanypleasureinreadingittohim。Itisthesamecasehere。Themirthofthecompany，nodoubt，enlivensourownmirth，andtheirsilence，nodoubt，disappointsus。Butthoughthismaycontributebothtothepleasurewhichwederivefromtheone，andtothepainwhichwefeelfromtheother，itisbynomeansthesolecauseofeither；andthiscorrespondenceofthesentimentsofotherswithourownappearstobeacauseofpleasure，andthewantofitacauseofpain，whichcannotbeaccountedforinthismanner。Thesympathy，whichmyfriendsexpresswithmyjoy，might，indeed，givemepleasurebyenliveningthatjoy:butthatwhichtheyexpresswithmygriefcouldgivemenone，ifitservedonlytoenliventhatgrief。Sympathy，however，enlivensjoyandalleviatesgrief。Itenlivensjoybypresentinganothersourceofsatisfaction；anditalleviatesgriefbyinsinuatingintotheheartalmosttheonlyagreeablesensationwhichitisatthattimecapableofreceiving。
Itistobeobservedaccordingly，thatwearestillmoreanxioustocommunicatetoourfriendsourdisagreeablethanouragreeablepassions，thatwederivestillmoresatisfactionfromtheirsympathywiththeformerthanfromthatwiththelatter，andthatwearestillmoreshockedbythewantofit。
Howaretheunfortunaterelievedwhentheyhavefoundoutapersontowhomtheycancommunicatethecauseoftheirsorrow？