Whyshouldwebemoreashamedtoweepthantolaughbeforecompany？Wemayoftenhaveasrealoccasiontodotheoneastodotheother。butwealwaysfeelthatthespectatorsaremorelikelytogoalongwithusintheagreeable，thaninthepainfulemotion。Itisalwaysmiserabletocomplain，evenwhenweareoppressedbythemostdreadfulcalamities。Butthetriumphofvictoryisnotalwaysungraceful。Prudence，indeed，wouldoftenadviseustobearourprosperitywithmoremoderation；becauseprudencewouldteachustoavoidthatenvywhichthisverytriumphis，morethananything，apttoexcite。
Howheartyaretheacclamationsofthemob，whoneverbearanyenvytotheirsuperiors，atatriumphorapublicentry？Andhowsedateandmoderateiscommonlytheirgriefatanexecution？
Oursorrowatafuneralgenerallyamountstonomorethananaffectedgravity。butourmirthatachristeningoramarriage，isalwaysfromtheheart，andwithoutanyaffectation。Uponthese，andallsuchjoyousoccasions，oursatisfaction，thoughnotsodurable，isoftenaslivelyasthatofthepersonsprincipallyconcerned。Wheneverwecordiallycongratulateourfriends，which，however，tothedisgraceofhumannature，wedobutseldom，theirjoyliterallybecomesourjoy。weare，forthemoment，ashappyastheyare:ourheartswellsandoverflowswithrealpleasure:joyandcomplacencysparklefromoureyes，andanimateeveryfeatureofourcountenance，andeverygestureofourbody。
But，onthecontrary，whenwecondolewithourfriendsintheirafflictions，howlittledowefeel，incomparisonofwhattheyfeel？Wesitdownbythem，welookatthem，andwhiletheyrelatetousthecircumstancesoftheirmisfortune，welistentothemwithgravityandattention。Butwhiletheirnarrationiseverymomentinterruptedbythosenaturalburstsofpassionwhichoftenseemalmosttochoaktheminthemidstofit；howfararethelanguidemotionsofourheartsfromkeepingtimetothetransportsoftheirs？Wemaybesensible，atthesametime，thattheirpassionisnatural，andnogreaterthanwhatweourselvesmightfeeluponthelikeoccasion。Wemayeveninwardlyreproachourselveswithourownwantofsensibility，andperhaps，onthataccount，workourselvesupintoanartificialsympathy，which，however，whenitisraised，isalwaystheslightestandmosttransitoryimaginable；andgenerally，assoonaswehavelefttheroom，vanishes，andisgoneforever。Nature，itseems，whensheloadeduswithourownsorrows，thoughtthattheywereenough，andthereforedidnotcommandustotakeanyfurthershareinthoseofothers，thanwhatwasnecessarytopromptustorelievethem。
Itisonaccountofthisdullsensibilitytotheafflictionsofothers，thatmagnanimityamidstgreatdistressappearsalwayssodivinelygraceful。Hisbehaviourisgenteelandagreeablewhocanmaintainhischeerfulnessamidstanumberoffrivolousdisasters。Butheappearstobemorethanmortalwhocansupportinthesamemannerthemostdreadfulcalamities。Wefeelwhatanimmenseeffortisrequisitetosilencethoseviolentemotionswhichnaturallyagitateanddistractthoseinhissituation。Weareamazedtofindthathecancommandhimselfsoentirely。Hisfirmness，atthesametime，perfectlycoincideswithourinsensibility。Hemakesnodemanduponusforthatmoreexquisitedegreeofsensibilitywhichwefind，andwhichwearemortifiedtofind，thatwedonotpossess。Thereisthemostperfectcorrespondencebetweenhissentimentsandours，andonthataccountthemostperfectproprietyinhisbehaviour。Itisaproprietytoo，which，fromourexperienceoftheusualweaknessofhumannature，wecouldnotreasonablyhaveexpectedheshouldbeabletomaintain。Wewonderwithsurpriseandastonishmentatthatstrengthofmindwhichiscapableofsonobleandgenerousaneffort。Thesentimentofcompletesympathyandapprobation，mixedandanimatedwithwonderandsurprise，constituteswhatisproperlycalledadmiration，ashasalreadybeenmorethanoncetakennoticeofCato，surroundedonallsidesbyhisenemies，unabletoresistthem，disdainingtosubmittothem，andreduced，bytheproudmaximsofthatage，tothenecessityofdestroyinghimself；yetnevershrinkingfromhismisfortunes，neversupplicatingwiththelamentablevoiceofwretchedness，thosemiserablesympathetictearswhichwearealwayssounwillingtogive；butonthecontrary，arminghimselfwithmanlyfortitude，andthemomentbeforeheexecuteshisfatalresolution，giving，withhisusualtranquillity，allnecessaryordersforthesafetyofhisfriends；appearstoSeneca，thatgreatpreacherofinsensibility，aspectaclewhicheventhegodsthemselvesmightbeholdwithpleasureandadmiration。