Anauthorwhotreatsofnaturalphilosophy，andpretendstoassignthecausesofthegreatphaenomenaoftheuniverse，pretendstogiveanaccountoftheaffairsofaverydistantcountry，concerningwhichhemaytelluswhathepleases，andaslongashisnarrationkeepswithintheboundsofseemingpossibility，heneednotdespairofgainingourbelief。Butwhenheproposestoexplaintheoriginofourdesiresandaffections，ofoursentimentsofapprobationanddisapprobation，hepretendstogiveanaccount，notonlyoftheaffairsoftheveryparishthatwelivein，butofourowndomesticconcerns。Thoughheretoo，likeindolentmasterswhoputtheirtrustinastewardwhodeceivesthem，weareveryliabletobeimposedupon，yetweareincapableofpassinganyaccountwhichdoesnotpreservesomelittleregardtothetruth。Someofthearticles，atleast，mustbejust，andeventhosewhicharemostoverchargedmusthavehadsomefoundation，otherwisethefraudwouldbedetectedevenbythatcarelessinspectionwhichwearedisposedtogive。Theauthorwhoshouldassign，asthecauseofanynaturalsentiment，someprinciplewhichneitherhadanyconnexionwithit，norresembledanyotherprinciplewhichhadsomesuchconnexion，wouldappearabsurdandridiculoustothemostinjudiciousandunexperiencedreader。
OfthedifferentSystemswhichhavebeenformedconcerningthePrincipleofApprobationIntroductionAftertheinquiryconcerningthenatureofvirtue，thenextquestionofimportanceinMoralPhilosophy，isconcerningtheprincipleofapprobation，concerningthepowerorfacultyofthemindwhichrenderscertaincharactersagreeableordisagreeabletous，makesuspreferonetenourofconducttoanother，denominatetheonerightandtheotherwrong，andconsidertheoneastheobjectofapprobation，honour，andreward；theotherasthatofblame，censure，andpunishment。
Threedifferentaccountshavebeengivenofthisprincipleofapprobation。Accordingtosome，weapproveanddisapprovebothofourownactionsandofthoseofothers，fromself-loveonly，orfromsomeviewoftheirtendencytoourownhappinessordisadvantage:accordingtoothers，reason，thesamefacultybywhichwedistinguishbetweentruthandfalsehood，enablesustodistinguishbetweenwhatisfitandunfitbothinactionsandaffections:accorDingtoothersthisdistinctionisaltogethertheeffectofimmediatesentimentandfeeling，andarisesfromthesatisfactionordisgustwithwhichtheviewofcertainactionsoraffectionsinspiresus。Self-love，reason，andsentiment，therefore，arethethreedifferentsourceswhichhavebeenassignedfortheprincipleofapprobation。
BeforeIproceedtogiveanaccountofthosedifferentsystems，Imustobserve，thatthedeterminationofthissecondquestion，thoughofthegreatestimportanceinspeculation，isofnoneinpractice。Thequestionconcerningthenatureofvirtuenecessarilyhassomeinfluenceuponournotionsofrightandwronginmanyparticularcases。Thatconcerningtheprincipleofapprobationcanpossiblyhavenosucheffect。Toexaminefromwhatcontrivanceormechanismwithin，thosedifferentnotionsorsentimentsarise，isamerematterofphilosophicalcuriosity。
OfthoseSystemswhichdeducethePrincipleofApprobationfromSelf-loveThosewhoaccountfortheprincipleofapprobationfromself-love，donotallaccountforitinthesamemanner，andthereisagooddealofconfusionandinaccuracyinalltheirdifferentsystems。AccordingtoMrHobbes，andmanyofhisfollowers，15*manisdriventotakerefugeinsociety，notbyanynaturallovewhichhebearstohisownkind，butbecausewithouttheassistanceofothersheisincapableofsubsistingwitheaseorsafety。Society，uponthisaccount，becomesnecessarytohim，andwhatevertendstoitssupportandwelfare，heconsidersashavingaremotetendencytohisowninterest；