Therespectwhichwefeelforwisdomandvirtueis，nodoubt，differentfromthatwhichweconceiveforwealthandgreatness；
anditrequiresnoverynicediscernmenttodistinguishthedifference。But，notwithstandingthisdifference，thosesentimentsbearaveryconsiderableresemblancetooneanother。
Insomeparticularfeaturestheyare，nodoubt，different，but，inthegeneralairofthecountenance，theyseemtobesoverynearlythesame，thatinattentiveobserversareveryapttomistaketheonefortheother。
Inequaldegreesofmeritthereisscarceanymanwhodoesnotrespectmoretherichandthegreat，thanthepoorandthehumble。Withmostmenthepresumptionandvanityoftheformeraremuchmoreadmired，thantherealandsolidmeritofthelatter。Itisscarceagreeabletogoodmorals，oreventogoodlanguage，perhaps，tosay，thatmerewealthandgreatness，abstractedfrommeritandvirtue，deserveourrespect。Wemustacknowledge，however，thattheyalmostconstantlyobtainit；andthattheymay，therefore，beconsideredas，insomerespects，thenaturalobjectsofit。Thoseexaltedstationsmay，nodoubt，becompletelydegradedbyviceandfolly。Buttheviceandfollymustbeverygreat，beforetheycanoperatethiscompletedegradation。Theprofligacyofamanoffashionislookeduponwithmuchlesscontemptandaversion，thanthatofamanofmeanercondition。Inthelatter，asingletransgressionoftherulesoftemperanceandpropriety，iscommonlymoreresented，thantheconstantandavowedcontemptofthemeverisintheformer。
Inthemiddlingandinferiorstationsoflife，theroadtovirtueandthattofortune，tosuchfortune，atleast，asmeninsuchstationscanreasonablyexpecttoacquire，are，happilyinmostcases，verynearlythesame。Inallthemiddlingandinferiorprofessions，realandsolidprofessionalabilities，joinedtoprudent，just，firm，andtemperateconduct，canveryseldomfailofsuccess。Abilitieswillevensometimesprevailwheretheconductisbynomeanscorrect。Eitherhabitualimprudence，however，orinjustice，orweakness，orprofligacy，willalwaysclouD，andsometimesDepressaltogether，themostsplendidprofessionalabilities。Menintheinferiorandmiddlingstationsoflife，besides，canneverbegreatenoughtobeabovethelaw，whichmustgenerallyoverawethemintosomesortofrespectfor，atleast，themoreimportantrulesofjustice。Thesuccessofsuchpeople，too，almostalwaysdependsuponthefavourandgoodopinionoftheirneighboursandequals；andwithoutatolerablyregularconductthesecanveryseldombeobtained。Thegoodoldproverb，therefore，Thathonestyisthebestpolicy，holds，insuchsituations，almostalwaysperfectlytrue。Insuchsituations，therefore，wemaygenerallyexpectaconsiderabledegreeofvirtue；and，fortunatelyforthegoodmoralsofsociety，thesearethesituationsofbyfarthegreaterpartofmankind。
Inthesuperiorstationsoflifethecaseisunhappilynotalwaysthesame。Inthecourtsofprinces，inthedrawing-roomsofthegreat，wheresuccessandprefermentdepend，notupontheesteemofintelligentandwell-informedequals，butuponthefancifulandfoolishfavourofignorant，presumptuous，andproudsuperiors；flatteryandfalsehoodtoooftenprevailovermeritandabilities。Insuchsocietiestheabilitiestoplease，aremoreregardedthantheabilitiestoserve。Inquietandpeaceabletimes，whenthestormisatadistance，theprince，orgreatman，wishesonlytobeamused，andisevenapttofancythathehasscarceanyoccasionfortheserviceofanybody，orthatthosewhoamusehimaresufficientlyabletoservehim。Theexternalgraces，thefrivolousaccomplishmentsofthatimpertinentandfoolishthingcalledamanoffashion，arecommonlymoreadmiredthanthesolidandmasculinevirtuesofawarrior，astatesman，aphilosopher，oralegislator。Allthegreatandawfulvirtues，allthevirtueswhichcanfit，eitherforthecouncil，thesenate，orthefield，are，bytheinsolentandinsignificantflatterers，whocommonlyfigurethemostinsuchcorruptedsocieties，heldintheutmostcontemptandderision。WhenthedukeofSullywascalleduponbyLewistheThirteenth，togivehisadviceinsomegreatemergency，heobservedthefavouritesandcourtierswhisperingtooneanother，andsmilingathisunfashionableappearance。’Wheneveryourmajesty’sfather，’saidtheoldwarriorandstatesman，’didmethehonourtoconsultme，heorderedthebuffoonsofthecourttoretireintotheantechamber。’
Itisfromourdispositiontoadmire，andconsequentlytoimitate，therichandthegreat，thattheyareenabledtoset，ortoleadwhatiscalledthefashion。Theirdressisthefashionabledress；thelanguageoftheirconversation，thefashionablestyle；theirairanddeportment，thefashionablebehaviour。Eventheirvicesandfolliesarefashionable；andthegreaterpartofmenareproudtoimitateandresemblethemintheveryqualitieswhichdishonouranddegradethem。Vainmenoftengivethemselvesairsofafashionableprofligacy，which，intheirhearts，theydonotapproveof，andofwhich，perhaps，theyarereallynotguilty。Theydesiretobepraisedforwhattheythemselvesdonotthinkpraise-worthy，andareashamedofunfashionablevirtueswhichtheysometimespractiseinsecret，andforwhichtheyhavesecretlysomedegreeofrealveneration。
Therearehypocritesofwealthandgreatness，aswellasofreligionandvirtue；andavainmanisasapttopretendtobewhatheisnot，intheoneway，asacunningmanisintheother。
Heassumestheequipageandsplendidwayoflivingofhissuperiors，withoutconsideringthatwhatevermaybepraise-worthyinanyofthese，derivesitswholemeritandproprietyfromitssuitablenesstothatsituationandfortunewhichbothrequireandcaneasilysupporttheexpence。Manyapoormanplaceshisgloryinbeingthoughtrich，withoutconsideringthatthedutiesifonemaycallsuchfolliesbysoveryvenerableanamewhichthatreputationimposesuponhim，mustsoonreducehimtobeggary，andrenderhissituationstillmoreunlikethatofthosewhomheadmiresandimitates，thanithadbeenoriginally。
Toattaintothisenviedsituation，thecandidatesforfortunetoofrequentlyabandonthepathsofvirtue；forunhappily，theroadwhichleadstotheone，andthatwhichleadstotheother，liesometimesinveryoppositedirections。Buttheambitiousmanflattershimselfthat，inthesplendidsituationtowhichheadvances，hewillhavesomanymeansofcommandingtherespectandadmirationofmankind，andwillbeenabledtoactwithsuchsuperiorproprietyandgrace，thatthelustreofhisfutureconductwillentirelycover，orefface，thefoulnessofthestepsbywhichhearrivedatthatelevation。Inmanygovernmentsthecandidatesforthehigheststationsareabovethelaw；and，iftheycanattaintheobjectoftheirambition，theyhavenofearofbeingcalledtoaccountforthemeansbywhichtheyacquiredit。Theyoftenendeavour，therefore，notonlybyfraudandfalsehood，theordinaryandvulgarartsofintrigueandcabal；butsometimesbytheperpetrationofthemostenormouscrimes，bymurderandassassination，byrebellionandcivilwar，tosupplantanddestroythosewhoopposeorstandinthewayoftheirgreatness。Theymorefrequentlymiscarrythansucceed；andcommonlygainnothingbutthedisgracefulpunishmentwhichisduetotheircrimes。But，thoughtheyshouldbesoluckyastoattainthatwished-forgreatness，theyarealwaysmostmiserablydisappointedinthehappinesswhichtheyexpecttoenjoyinit。
Itisnoteaseorpleasure，butalwayshonour，ofonekindoranother，thoughfrequentlyanhonourveryillunderstood，thattheambitiousmanreallypursues。Butthehonourofhisexaltedstationappears，bothinhisowneyesandinthoseofotherpeople，pollutedanddefiledbythebasenessofthemeansthroughwhichherosetoit。Thoughbytheprofusionofeveryliberalexpence；thoughbyexcessiveindulgenceineveryprofligatepleasure，thewretched，butusual，resourceofruinedcharacters；
thoughbythehurryofpublicbusiness，orbytheprouderandmoredazzlingtumultofwar，hemayendeavourtoefface，bothfromhisownmemoryandfromthatofotherpeople，theremembranceofwhathehasdone；thatremembranceneverfailstopursuehim。Heinvokesinvainthedarkanddismalpowersofforgetfulnessandoblivion。Heremembershimselfwhathehasdone，andthatremembrancetellshimthatotherpeoplemustlikewiserememberit。Amidstallthegaudypompofthemostostentatiousgreatness；amidstthevenalandvileadulationofthegreatandofthelearned；amidstthemoreinnocent，thoughmorefoolish，acclamationsofthecommonpeople；amidstalltheprideofconquestandthetriumphofsuccessfulwar，heisstillsecretlypursuedbytheavengingfuriesofshameandremorse；
and，whilegloryseemstosurroundhimonallsides，hehimself，inhisownimagination，seesblackandfoulinfamyfastpursuinghim，andeverymomentreadytoovertakehimfrombehind。EventhegreatCaesar，thoughhehadthemagnanimitytodismisshisguards，couldnotdismisshissuspicions。TheremembranceofPharsaliastillhauntedandpursuedhim。When，attherequestofthesenate，hehadthegenerositytopardonMarcellus，hetoldthatassembly，thathewasnotunawareofthedesignswhichwerecarryingonagainsthislife；butthat，ashehadlivedlongenoughbothfornatureandforglory，hewascontentedtodie，andthereforedespisedallconspiracies。Hehad，perhaps，livedlongenoughfornature。Butthemanwhofelthimselftheobjectofsuchdeadlyresentment，fromthosewhosefavourhewishedtogain，andwhomhestillwishedtoconsiderashisfriends，hadcertainlylivedtoolongforrealglory；orforallthehappinesswhichhecouldeverhopetoenjoyintheloveandesteemofhisequals。
OfMeritandDemerit；or，oftheObjectsofRewardandPunishmentConsistingofThreePartsSectionI
OftheSenseofMeritandDemeritIntroductionThereisanothersetofqualitiesascribedtotheactionsandconductofmankind，distinctfromtheirproprietyorimpropriety，theirdecencyorungracefulness，andwhicharetheobjectsofadistinctspeciesofapprobationanddisapprobation。TheseareMeritandDemerit，thequalitiesofdeservingreward，andofdeservingpunishment。
Ithasalreadybeenobserved，thatthesentimentoraffectionoftheheart，fromwhichanyactionproceeds，anduponwhichitswholevirtueorvicedepends，maybeconsideredundertwodifferentaspects，orintwodifferentrelations:first，inrelationtothecauseorobjectwhichexcitesit；and，secondly，inrelationtotheendwhichitproposes，ortotheeffectwhichittendstoproduce:thatuponthesuitablenessorunsuitableness，upontheproportionordisproportion，whichtheaffectionseemstobeartothecauseorobjectwhichexcitesit，dependstheproprietyorimpropriety，thedecencyorungracefulnessoftheconsequentaction；andthatuponthebeneficialorhurtfuleffectswhichtheaffectionproposesortendstoproduce，dependsthemeritordemerit，thegoodorilldesertoftheactiontowhichitgivesoccasion。Whereinconsistsoursenseoftheproprietyorimproprietyofactions，hasbeenexplainedintheformerpartofthisdiscourse。Wecomenowtoconsider，whereinconsiststhatoftheirgoodorilldesert。