OftheProprietyofActionConsistingofThreeSectionsSectionI
OftheSenseofPropriety
OfSympathyHowselfishsoevermanmaybesupposed，thereareevidentlysomeprinciplesinhisnature，whichinteresthiminthefortuneofothers，andrendertheirhappinessnecessarytohim，thoughhederivesnothingfromitexceptthepleasureofseeingit。Ofthiskindispityorcompassion，theemotionwhichwefeelforthemiseryofothers，whenweeitherseeit，oraremadetoconceiveitinaverylivelymanner。Thatweoftenderivesorrowfromthesorrowofothers，isamatteroffacttooobvioustorequireanyinstancestoproveit；forthissentiment，likealltheotheroriginalpassionsofhumannature，isbynomeansconfinedtothevirtuousandhumane，thoughtheyperhapsmayfeelitwiththemostexquisitesensibility。Thegreatestruffian，themosthardenedviolatorofthelawsofsociety，isnotaltogetherwithoutit。
Aswehavenoimmediateexperienceofwhatothermenfeel，wecanformnoideaofthemannerinwhichtheyareaffected，butbyconceivingwhatweourselvesshouldfeelinthelikesituation。
Thoughourbrotherisupontherack，aslongasweourselvesareatourease，oursenseswillneverinformusofwhathesuffers。
Theyneverdid，andnevercan，carryusbeyondourownperson，anditisbytheimaginationonlythatwecanformanyconceptionofwhatarehissensations。Neithercanthatfacultyhelpustothisanyotherway，thanbyrepresentingtouswhatwouldbeourown，ifwewereinhiscase。Itistheimpressionsofourownsensesonly，notthoseofhis，whichourimaginationscopy。Bytheimaginationweplaceourselvesinhissituation，weconceiveourselvesenduringallthesametorments，weenterasitwereintohisbody，andbecomeinsomemeasurethesamepersonwithhim，andthenceformsomeideaofhissensations，andevenfeelsomethingwhich，thoughweakerindegree，isnotaltogetherunlikethem。Hisagonies，whentheyarethusbroughthometoourselves，whenwehavethusadoptedandmadethemourown，beginatlasttoaffectus，andwethentrembleandshudderatthethoughtofwhathefeels。Forastobeinpainordistressofanykindexcitesthemostexcessivesorrow，sotoconceiveortoimaginethatweareinit，excitessomedegreeofthesameemotion，inproportiontothevivacityordulnessoftheconception。
Thatthisisthesourceofourfellow-feelingforthemiseryofothers，thatitisbychangingplacesinfancywiththesufferer，thatwecomeeithertoconceiveortobeaffectedbywhathefeels，maybedemonstratedbymanyobviousobservations，ifitshouldnotbethoughtsufficientlyevidentofitself。Whenweseeastrokeaimedandjustreadytofalluponthelegorarmofanotherperson，wenaturallyshrinkanddrawbackourownlegorourownarm；andwhenitdoesfall，wefeelitinsomemeasure，andarehurtbyitaswellasthesufferer。Themob，whentheyaregazingatadancerontheslackrope，naturallywritheandtwistandbalancetheirownbodies，astheyseehimdo，andastheyfeelthattheythemselvesmustdoifinhissituation。Personsofdelicatefibresandaweakconstitutionofbodycomplain，thatinlookingonthesoresandulcerswhichareexposedbybeggarsinthestreets，theyareapttofeelanitchingoruneasysensationinthecorrespondentpartoftheirownbodies。Thehorrorwhichtheyconceiveatthemiseryofthosewretchesaffectsthatparticularpartinthemselvesmorethananyother；becausethathorrorarisesfromconceivingwhattheythemselveswouldsuffer，iftheyreallywerethewretcheswhomtheyarelookingupon，andifthatparticularpartinthemselveswasactuallyaffectedinthesamemiserablemanner。Theveryforceofthisconceptionissufficient，intheirfeebleframes，toproducethatitchingoruneasysensationcomplainedof。Menofthemostrobustmake，observethatinlookinguponsoreeyestheyoftenfeelaverysensiblesorenessintheirown，whichproceedsfromthesamereason；thatorganbeinginthestrongestmanmoredelicate，thananyotherpartofthebodyisintheweakest。
Neitherisitthosecircumstancesonly，whichcreatepainorsorrow，thatcallforthourfellow-feeling。Whateveristhepassionwhicharisesfromanyobjectinthepersonprincipallyconcerned，ananalogousemotionspringsup，atthethoughtofhissituation，inthebreastofeveryattentivespectator。Ourjoyforthedeliveranceofthoseheroesoftragedyorromancewhointerestus，isassincereasourgrieffortheirdistress，andourfellow-feelingwiththeirmiseryisnotmorerealthanthatwiththeirhappiness。Weenterintotheirgratitudetowardsthosefaithfulfriendswhodidnotdesertthemintheirdifficulties；
andweheartilygoalongwiththeirresentmentagainstthoseperfidioustraitorswhoinjured，abandoned，ordeceivedthem。Ineverypassionofwhichthemindofmanissusceptible，theemotionsoftheby-standeralwayscorrespondtohat，bybringingthecasehometohimself，heimaginesshouldbethesentimentsofthesufferer。
Pityandcompassionarewordsappropriatedtosignifyourfellow-feelingwiththesorrowofothers。Sympathy，thoughitsmeaningwas，perhaps，originallythesame，maynow，however，withoutmuchimpropriety，bemadeuseoftodenoteourfellow-feelingwithanypassionwhatever。
Uponsomeoccasionssympathymayseentoarisemerelyfromtheviewofacertainemotioninanotherperson。Thepassions，uponsomeoccasions，mayseemtobetransfusedfromonemantoanother，instantaneouslyandantecedenttoanyknowledgeofwhatexcitedtheminthepersonprincipallyconcerned。Griefandjoy，forexample，stronglyexpressedinthelookandgesturesofanyone，atonceaffectthespectatorwithsomedegreeofalikepainfuloragreeableemotion。Asmilingfaceis，toeverybodythatseesit，acheerfulobject；asasorrowfulcountenance，ontheotherhand，isamelancholyone。
This，however，doesnotholduniversally，orwithregardtoeverypassion。Therearesomepassionsofwhichtheexpressionsexcitenosortofsympathy，butbeforeweareacquaintedwithwhatgaveoccasiontothem，serverathertodisgustandprovokeusagainstthem。Thefuriousbehaviourofanangrymanismorelikelytoexasperateusagainsthimselfthanagainsthisenemies。
Asweareunacquaintedwithhisprovocation，wecannotbringhiscasehometoourselves，norconceiveanythinglikethepassionswhichitexcites。Butweplainlyseewhatisthesituationofthosewithwhomheisangry，andtowhatviolencetheymaybeexposedfromsoenragedanadversary。Wereadily，therefore，sympathizewiththeirfearorresentment，andareimmediatelydisposedtotakepartagainstthemanfromwhomtheyappeartobeinsomuchdanger。
Iftheveryappearancesofgriefandjoyinspireuswithsomedegreeofthelikeemotions，itisbecausetheysuggesttousthegeneralideaofsomegoodorbadfortunethathasbefallenthepersoninwhomweobservethem:andinthesepassionsthisissufficienttohavesomelittleinfluenceuponus。Theeffectsofgriefandjoyterminateinthepersonwhofeelsthoseemotions，ofwhichtheexpressionsdonot，likethoseofresentment，suggesttoustheideaofanyotherpersonforwhomweareconcerned，andwhoseinterestsareoppositetohis。Thegeneralideaofgoodorbadfortune，therefore，createssomeconcernforthepersonwhohasmetwithit，butthegeneralideaofprovocationexcitesnosympathywiththeangerofthemanwhohasreceivedit。Nature，itseems，teachesustobemoreaversetoenterintothispassion，and，tillinformedofitscause，tobedisposedrathertotakepartagainstit。
Evenoursympathywiththegrieforjoyofanother，beforeweareinformedofthecauseofeither，isalwaysextremelyimperfect。Generallamentations，whichexpressnothingbuttheanguishofthesufferer，createratheracuriositytoinquireintohissituation，alongwithsomedispositiontosympathizewithhim，thananyactualsympathythatisverysensible。Thefirstquestionwhichweaskis，Whathasbefallenyou？Tillthisbeanswered，thoughweareuneasybothfromthevagueideaofhismisfortune，andstillmorefromtorturingourselveswithconjecturesaboutwhatitmaybe，yetourfellow-feelingisnotveryconsiderable。
Sympathy，therefore，doesnotarisesomuchfromtheviewofthepassion，asfromthatofthesituationwhichexcitesit。Wesometimesfeelforanother，apassionofwhichhehimselfseemstobealtogetherincapable；because，whenweputourselvesinhiscase，thatpassionarisesinourbreastfromtheimagination，thoughitdoesnotinhisfromthereality。Weblushfortheimpudenceandrudenessofanother，thoughhehimselfappearstohavenosenseoftheimproprietyofhisownbehaviour；becausewecannothelpfeelingwithwhatconfusionweourselvesshouldbecovered，hadwebehavedinsoabsurdamanner。
Ofallthecalamitiestowhichtheconditionofmortalityexposesmankind，thelossofreasonappears，tothosewhohavetheleastsparkofhumanity，byfarthemostdreadful，andtheybeholdthatlaststageofhumanwretchednesswithdeepercommiserationthananyother。Butthepoorwretch，whoisinit，laughsandsingsperhaps，andisaltogetherinsensibleofhisownmisery。Theanguishwhichhumanityfeels，therefore，atthesightofsuchanobject，cannotbethereflectionofanysentimentofthesufferer。Thecompassionofthespectatormustarisealtogetherfromtheconsiderationofwhathehimselfwouldfeelifhewasreducedtothesameunhappysituation，and，whatperhapsisimpossible，wasatthesametimeabletoregarditwithhispresentreasonandjudgment。
Whatarethepangsofamother，whenshehearsthemoaningsofherinfantthatduringtheagonyofdiseasecannotexpresswhatitfeels？Inherideaofwhatitsuffers，shejoins，toitsrealhelplessness，herownconsciousnessofthathelplessness，andherownterrorsfortheunknownconsequencesofitsdisorder；
andoutofallthese，forms，forherownsorrow，themostcompleteimageofmiseryanddistress。Theinfant，however，feelsonlytheuneasinessofthepresentinstant，whichcanneverbegreat。Withregardtothefuture，itisperfectlysecure，andinitsthoughtlessnessandwantofforesight，possessesanantidoteagainstfearandanxiety，thegreattormentorsofthehumanbreast，fromwhichreasonandphilosophywill，invain，attempttodefendit，whenitgrowsuptoaman。
Wesympathizeevenwiththedead，andoverlookingwhatisofrealimportanceintheirsituation，thatawfulfuturitywhichawaitsthem，wearechieflyaffectedbythosecircumstanceswhichstrikeoursenses，butcanhavenoinfluenceupontheirhappiness。Itismiserable，wethink，tobedeprivedofthelightofthesun；tobeshutoutfromlifeandconversation；tobelaidinthecoldgrave，apreytocorruptionandthereptilesoftheearth；tobenomorethoughtofinthisworld，buttobeobliterated，inalittletime，fromtheaffections，andalmostfromthememory，oftheirdearestfriendsandrelations。Surely，weimagine，wecanneverfeeltoomuchforthosewhohavesufferedsodreadfulacalamity。Thetributeofourfellow-feelingseemsdoublyduetothemnow，whentheyareindangerofbeingforgotbyeverybody；and，bythevainhonourswhichwepaytotheirmemory，weendeavour，forourownmisery，artificiallytokeepaliveourmelancholyremembranceoftheirmisfortune。Thatoursympathycanaffordthemnoconsolationseemstobeanadditiontotheircalamity；andtothinkthatallwecandoisunavailing，andthat，whatalleviatesallotherdistress，theregret，thelove，andthelamentationsoftheirfriends，canyieldnocomforttothem，servesonlytoexasperateoursenseoftheirmisery。Thehappinessofthedead，however，mostassuredly，isaffectedbynoneofthesecircumstances；norisitthethoughtofthesethingswhichcaneverdisturbtheprofoundsecurityoftheirrepose。Theideaofthatdrearyandendlessmelancholy，whichthefancynaturallyascribestotheircondition，arisesaltogetherfromourjoiningtothechangewhichhasbeenproduceduponthem，ourownconsciousnessofthatchange，fromourputtingourselvesintheirsituation，andfromourlodging，ifImaybeallowedtosayso，ourownlivingsoulsintheirinanimatedbodies，andthenceconceivingwhatwouldbeouremotionsinthiscase。Itisfromthisveryillusionoftheimagination，thattheforesightofourowndissolutionissoterribletous，andthattheideaofthosecircumstances，whichundoubtedlycangiveusnopainwhenwearedead，makesusmiserablewhilewearealive。Andfromthencearisesoneofthemostimportantprinciplesinhumannature，thedreadofdeath，thegreatpoisontothehappiness，butthegreatrestraintupontheinjusticeofmankind，which，whileitafflictsandmortifiestheindividual，guardsandprotectsthesociety。