andifoursenseofmeritarisesfromasympathywiththeone，oursenseofdemeritcanscarcemisstoproceedfromafellow-feelingwiththeother。
Letitbeconsideredtoothatresentment，though，inthedegreesinwhichwetoooftenseeit，themostodious，perhaps，ofallthepassions，isnotdisapprovedofwhenproperlyhumbledandentirelybroughtdowntothelevelofthesympatheticindignationofthespectator。Whenwe，whoarethebystanders，feelthatourownanimosityentirelycorrespondswiththatofthesufferer，whentheresentmentofthislastdoesnotinanyrespectgobeyondourown，whennoword，nogesture，escapeshimthatdenotesanemotionmoreviolentthanwhatwecankeeptimeto，andwhenheneveraimsatinflictinganypunishmentbeyondwhatweshouldrejoicetoseeinflicted，orwhatweourselveswoulduponthisaccountevendesiretobetheinstrumentsofinflicting，itisimpossiblethatweshouldnotentirelyapproveofhissentiments。Ourownemotioninthiscasemust，inoureyes，undoubtedlyjustifyhis。Andasexperienceteachesushowmuchthegreaterpartofmankindareincapableofthismoderation，andhowgreataneffortmustbemadeinordertobringdowntherudeandundisciplinedimpulseofresentmenttothissuitabletemper，wecannotavoidconceivingaconsiderabledegreeofesteemandadmirationforonewhoappearscapableofexertingsomuchself-commandoveroneofthemostungovernablepassionsofhisnature。Whenindeedtheanimosityofthesuffererexceeds，asitalmostalwaysdoes，whatwecangoalongwith，aswecannotenterintoit，wenecessarilydisapproveofit。Weevendisapproveofitmorethanweshouldofanequalexcessofalmostanyotherpassionderivedfromtheimagination。Andthistooviolentresentment，insteadofcarryingusalongwithit，becomesitselftheobjectofourresentmentandindignation。Weenterintotheoppositeresentmentofthepersonwhoistheobjectofthisunjustemotion，andwhoisindangerofsufferingfromit。
Revenge，therefore，theexcessofresentment，appearstobethemostdetestableofallthepassions，andistheobjectofthehorrorandindignationofeverybody。Andasinthewayinwhichthispassioncommonlydiscoversitselfamongmankind，itisexcessiveahundredtimesforoncethatitismoderate，weareveryapttoconsideritasaltogetherodiousanddetestable，becauseinitsmostordinaryappearancesitisso。Nature，however，eveninthepresentdepravedstateofmankind，doesnotseemtohavedealtsounkindlywithus，astohaveendoweduswithanyprinciplewhichiswhollyandineveryrespectevil，orwhich，innodegreeandinnodirection，canbetheproperobjectofpraiseandapprobation。Uponsomeoccasionswearesensiblethatthispassion，whichisgenerallytoostrong，maylikewisebetooweak。Wesometimescomplainthataparticularpersonshowstoolittlespirit，andhastoolittlesenseoftheinjuriesthathavebeendonetohim；andweareasreadytodespisehimforthedefect，astohatehimfortheexcessofthispassion。
TheinspiredwriterswouldnotsurelyhavetalkedsofrequentlyorsostronglyofthewrathandangerofGod，iftheyhadregardedeverydegreeofthosepassionsasviciousandevil，eveninsoweakandimperfectacreatureasman。
Letitbeconsideredtoo，thatthepresentinquiryisnotconcerningamatterofright，ifImaysayso，butconcerningamatteroffact。Wearenotatpresentexamininguponwhatprinciplesaperfectbeingwouldapproveofthepunishmentofbadactions；butuponwhatprinciplessoweakandimperfectacreatureasmanactuallyandinfactapprovesofit。TheprincipleswhichIhavejustnowmentioned，itisevident，haveaverygreateffectuponhissentiments；anditseemswiselyorderedthatitshouldbeso。Theveryexistenceofsocietyrequiresthatunmeritedandunprovokedmaliceshouldberestrainedbyproperpunishments；andconsequently，thattoinflictthosepunishmentsshouldberegardedasaproperandlaudableaction。Thoughman，therefore，benaturallyendowedwithadesireofthewelfareandpreservationofsociety，yettheAuthorofnaturehasnotentrustedittohisreasontofindoutthatacertainapplicationofpunishmentsisthepropermeansofattainingthisend；buthasendowedhimwithanimmediateandinstinctiveapprobationofthatveryapplicationwhichismostpropertoattainit。Theoeconomyofnatureisinthisrespectexactlyofapiecewithwhatitisuponmanyotheroccasions。