Ourfirstideasofpersonalbeautyanddeformity，aredrawnfromtheshapeandappearanceofothers，notfromourown。Wesoonbecomesensible，however，thatothersexercisethesamecriticismuponus。Wearepleasedwhentheyapproveofourfigure，andaredisobligedwhentheyseemtobedisgusted。Webecomeanxioustoknowhowfarourappearancedeserveseithertheirblameorapprobation。Weexamineourpersonslimbbylimb，andbyplacingourselvesbeforealooking-glass，orbysomesuchexpedient，endeavour，asmuchaspossible，toviewourselvesatthedistanceandwiththeeyesofotherpeople。If，afterthisexamination，wearesatisfiedwithourownappearance，wecanmoreeasilysupportthemostdisadvantageousjudgmentsofothers。
If，onthecontrary，wearesensiblethatwearethenaturalobjectsofdistaste，everyappearanceoftheirdisapprobationmortifiesusbeyondallmeasure。Amanwhoistolerablyhandsome，willallowyoutolaughatanylittleirregularityinhisperson；
butallsuchjokesarecommonlyunsupportabletoonewhoisreallydeformed。Itisevident，however，thatweareanxiousaboutourownbeautyanddeformity，onlyuponaccountofitseffectuponothers。Ifwehadnoconnexionwithsociety，weshouldbealtogetherindifferentabouteither。
Inthesamemannerourfirstmoralcriticismsareexerciseduponthecharactersandconductofotherpeople；andweareallveryforwardtoobservehoweachoftheseaffectsus。Butwesoonlearn，thatotherpeopleareequallyfrankwithregardtoourown。Webecomeanxioustoknowhowfarwedeservetheircensureorapplause，andwhethertothemwemustnecessarilyappearthoseagreeableordisagreeablecreatureswhichtheyrepresentus。Webegin，uponthisaccount，toexamineourownpassionsandconduct，andtoconsiderhowthesemustappeartothem，byconsideringhowtheywouldappeartousifintheirsituation。Wesupposeourselvesthespectatorsofourownbehaviour，andendeavourtoimaginewhateffectitwould，inthislight，produceuponus。Thisistheonlylooking-glassbywhichwecan，insomemeasure，withtheeyesofotherpeople，scrutinizetheproprietyofourownconduct。Ifinthisviewitpleasesus，wearetolerablysatisfied。Wecanbemoreindifferentabouttheapplause，and，insomemeasure，despisethecensureoftheworld。
securethat，howevermisunderstoodormisrepresented，wearethenaturalandproperobjectsofapprobation。Onthecontrary，ifwearedoubtfulaboutit，weareoften，uponthatveryaccount，moreanxioustogaintheirapprobation，and，providedwehavenotalready，astheysay，shakenhandswithinfamy，wearealtogetherdistractedatthethoughtsoftheircensure，whichthenstrikesuswithdoubleseverity。
WhenIendeavourtoexaminemyownconduct，whenIendeavourtopasssentenceuponit，andeithertoapproveorcondemnit，itisevidentthat，inallsuchcases，Idividemyself，asitwere，intotwopersons；andthatI，theexaminerandjudge，representadifferentcharacterfromthatotherI，thepersonwhoseconductisexaminedintoandjudgedof。Thefirstisthespectator，whosesentimentswithregardtomyownconductIendeavourtoenterinto，byplacingmyselfinhissituation，andbyconsideringhowitwouldappeartome，whenseenfromthatparticularpointofview。Thesecondistheagent，thepersonwhomIproperlycallmyself，andofwhoseconduct，underthecharacterofaspectator，Iwasendeavouringtoformsomeopinion。Thefirstisthejudge；
thesecondthepersonjudgedof。Butthatthejudgeshould，ineveryrespect，bethesamewiththepersonjudgedof，isasimpossible，asthatthecauseshould，ineveryrespect，bethesamewiththeeffect。
Tobeamiableandtobemeritorious；thatis，todeserveloveandtodeservereward，arethegreatcharactersofvirtue；andtobeodiousandpunishable，ofvice。Butallthesecharactershaveanimmediatereferencetothesentimentsofothers。Virtueisnotsaidtobeamiable，ortobemeritorious，becauseitistheobjectofitsownlove，orofitsowngratitude；butbecauseitexcitesthosesentimentsinothermen。Theconsciousnessthatitistheobjectofsuchfavourableregards，isthesourceofthatinwardtranquillityandself-satisfactionwithwhichitisnaturallyattended，asthesuspicionofthecontrarygivesoccasiontothetormentsofvice。Whatsogreathappinessastobebeloved，andtoknowthatwedeservetobebeloved？Whatsogreatmiseryastobehated，andtoknowthatwedeservetobehated？
OftheloveofPraise，andofthatofPraise-worthiness；andofthedreadofBlame，andofthatofBlame-worthinessMannaturallydesires，notonlytobeloved，buttobelovely；ortobethatthingwhichisthenaturalandproperobjectoflove。Henaturallydreads，notonlytobehated，buttobehateful；ortobethatthingwhichisthenaturalandproperobjectofhatred。Hedesires，notonlypraise，butpraiseworthiness；ortobethatthingwhich，thoughitshouldbepraisedbynobody，is，however，thenaturalandproperobjectofpraise。Hedreads，notonlyblame，butblame-worthiness；ortobethatthingwhich，thoughitshouldbeblamedbynobody，is，however，thenaturalandproperobjectofblame。
Theloveofpraise-worthinessisbynomeansderivedaltogetherfromtheloveofpraise。Thosetwoprinciples，thoughtheyresembleoneanother，thoughtheyareconnected，andoftenblendedwithoneanother，areyet，inmanyrespects，distinctandindependentofoneanother。
Theloveandadmirationwhichwenaturallyconceiveforthosewhosecharacterandconductweapproveof，necessarilydisposeustodesiretobecomeourselvestheobjectsofthelikeagreeablesentiments，andtobeasamiableandasadmirableasthosewhomweloveandadmirethemost。Emulation，theanxiousdesirethatweourselvesshouldexcel，isoriginallyfoundedinouradmirationoftheexcellenceofothers。Neithercanwebesatisfiedwithbeingmerelyadmiredforwhatotherpeopleareadmired。Wemustatleastbelieveourselvestobeadmirableforwhattheyareadmirable。But，inordertoattainthissatisfaction，wemustbecometheimpartialspectatorsofourowncharacterandconduct。Wemustendeavourtoviewthemwiththeeyesofotherpeople，orasotherpeoplearelikelytoviewthem。
Whenseeninthislight，iftheyappeartousaswewish，wearehappyandcontented。Butitgreatlyconfirmsthishappinessandcontentmentwhenwefindthatotherpeople，viewingthemwiththoseveryeyeswithwhichwe，inimaginationonly，wereendeavouringtoviewthem，seethempreciselyinthesamelightinwhichweourselveshadseenthem。Theirapprobationnecessarilyconfirmsourownself-approbation。Theirpraisenecessarilystrengthensourownsenseofourownpraiseworthiness。Inthiscase，sofaristheloveofpraise-worthinessfrombeingderivedaltogetherfromthatofpraise；thattheloveofpraiseseems，atleastinagreatmeasure，tobederivedfromthatofpraise-worthiness。
Themostsincerepraisecangivelittlepleasurewhenitcannotbeconsideredassomesortofproofofpraise-worthiness。
Itisbynomeanssufficientthat，fromignoranceormistake，esteemandadmirationshould，insomewayorother，bebestoweduponus。Ifweareconsciousthatwedonotdeservetobesofavourablythoughtof，andthatifthetruthwereknown，weshouldberegardedwithverydifferentsentiments，oursatisfactionisfarfrombeingcomplete。Themanwhoapplaudsuseitherforactionswhichwedidnotperform，orformotiveswhichhadnosortofinfluenceuponourconduct，applaudsnotus，butanotherperson。Wecanderivenosortofsatisfactionfromhispraises。Toustheyshouldbemoremortifyingthananycensure，andshouldperpetuallycalltoourminds，themosthumblingofallreflections，thereflectionofwhatweoughttobe，butwhatwearenot。Awomanwhopaints，couldderive，oneshouldimagine，butlittlevanityfromthecomplimentsthatarepaidtohercomplexion。These，weshouldexpect，oughtrathertoputherinmindofthesentimentswhichherrealcomplexionwouldexcite，andmortifyherthemorebythecontrast。Tobepleasedwithsuchgroundlessapplauseisaproofofthemostsuperficiallevityandweakness。Itiswhatisproperlycalledvanity，andisthefoundationofthemostridiculousandcontemptiblevices，thevicesofaffectationandcommonlying；follieswhich，ifexperiencedidnotteachushowcommontheyare，oneshouldimaginetheleastsparkofcommonsensewouldsaveusfrom。Thefoolishliar，whoendeavourstoexcitetheadmirationofthecompanybytherelationofadventureswhichneverhadanyexistence；theimportantcoxcomb，whogiveshimselfairsofrankanddistinctionwhichhewellknowshehasnojustpretensionsto；arebothofthem，nodoubt，pleasedwiththeapplausewhichtheyfancytheymeetwith。Buttheirvanityarisesfromsogrossanillusionoftheimagination，thatitisdifficulttoconceivehowanyrationalcreatureshouldbeimposeduponbyit。Whentheyplacethemselvesinthesituationofthosewhomtheyfancytheyhavedeceived，theyarestruckwiththehighestadmirationfortheirownpersons。Theylookuponthemselves，notinthatlightinwhich，theyknow，theyoughttoappeartotheircompanions，butinthatinwhichtheybelievetheircompanionsactuallylookuponthem。Theirsuperficialweaknessandtrivialfollyhinderthemfromeverturningtheireyesinwards，orfromseeingthemselvesinthatdespicablepointofviewinwhichtheirownconsciencesmusttellthemthattheywouldappeartoeverybody，iftherealtruthshouldevercometobeknown。
Asignorantandgroundlesspraisecangivenosolidjoy，nosatisfactionthatwillbearanyseriousexamination，so，onthecontrary，itoftengivesrealcomforttoreflect，thatthoughnopraiseshouldactuallybebestoweduponus，ourconduct，however，hasbeensuchastodeserveit，andhasbeenineveryrespectsuitabletothosemeasuresandrulesbywhichpraiseandapprobationarenaturallyandcommonlybestowed。Wearepleased，notonlywithpraise，butwithhavingdonewhatispraise-worthy。
Wearepleasedtothinkthatwehaverenderedourselvesthenaturalobjectsofapprobation，thoughnoapprobationshouldeveractuallybebestoweduponus:andwearemortifiedtoreflectthatwehavejustlymeritedtheblameofthosewelivewith，thoughthatsentimentshouldneveractuallybeexertedagainstus。Themanwhoisconscioustohimselfthathehasexactlyobservedthosemeasuresofconductwhichexperienceinformshimaregenerallyagreeable，reflectswithsatisfactionontheproprietyofhisownbehaviour。Whenheviewsitinthelightinwhichtheimpartialspectatorwouldviewit，hethoroughlyentersintoallthemotiveswhichinfluencedit。Helooksbackuponeverypartofitwithpleasureandapprobation，andthoughmankindshouldneverbeacquaintedwithwhathehasdone，heregardshimself，notsomuchaccordingtothelightinwhichtheyactuallyregardhim，asaccordingtothatinwhichtheywouldregardhimiftheywerebetterinformed。Heanticipatestheapplauseandadmirationwhichinthiscasewouldbebestoweduponhim，andheapplaudsandadmireshimselfbysympathywithsentiments，whichdonotindeedactuallytakeplace，butwhichtheignoranceofthepublicalonehindersfromtakingplace，whichheknowsarethenaturalandordinaryeffectsofsuchconduct，whichhisimaginationstronglyconnectswithit，andwhichhehasacquiredahabitofconceivingassomethingthatnaturallyandinproprietyoughttofollowfromit。Menhavevoluntarilythrownawaylifetoacquireafterdeatharenownwhichtheycouldnolongerenjoy。Theirimagination，inthemeantime，anticipatedthatfamewhichwasinfuturetimestobebestoweduponthem。Thoseapplauseswhichtheywerenevertohearrungintheirears；thethoughtsofthatadmiration，whoseeffectstheywerenevertofeel，playedabouttheirhearts，banishedfromtheirbreaststhestrongestofallnaturalfears，andtransportedthemtoperformactionswhichseemalmostbeyondthereachofhumannature。Butinpointofrealitythereissurelynogreatdifferencebetweenthatapprobationwhichisnottobebestowedtillwecannolongerenjoyit，andthatwhich，indeed，isnevertobebestowed，butwhichwouldbebestowed，iftheworldwasevermadetounderstandproperlytherealcircumstancesofourbehaviour。Iftheoneoftenproducessuchviolenteffects，wecannotwonderthattheothershouldalwaysbehighlyregarded。
Nature，whensheformedmanforsociety，endowedhimwithanoriginaldesiretoplease，andanoriginalaversiontooffendhisbrethren。Shetaughthimtofeelpleasureintheirfavourable，andpainintheirunfavourableregard。Sherenderedtheirapprobationmostflatteringandmostagreeabletohimforitsownsake；andtheirdisapprobationmostmortifyingandmostoffensive。
