Thisspiritandkeennessconstitutesthedifferencebetweenthemanofenterpriseandthemanofdullregularity。Thosegreatobjectsofself-interest，ofwhichthelossoracquisitionquitechangestherankoftheperson，aretheobjectsofthepassionproperlycalledambition；apassion，whichwhenitkeepswithintheboundsofprudenceandjustice，isalwaysadmiredintheworld，andhasevensometimesacertainirregulargreatness，whichdazzlestheimagination，whenitpassesthelimitsofboththesevirtues，andisnotonlyunjustbutextravagant。Hencethegeneraladmirationforheroesandconquerors，andevenforstatesmen，whoseprojectshavebeenverydaringandextensive，thoughaltogetherdevoidofjustice；suchasthoseoftheCardinalsofRichlieuandofRetz。Theobjectsofavariceandambitiondifferonlyintheirgreatness。Amiserisasfuriousaboutahalfpenny，asamanofambitionabouttheconquestofakingdom。
II。Secondly，Isay，itwilldependpartlyupontheprecisionandexactness，ortheloosenessandinaccuracyofthegeneralrulesthemselves，howfarourconductoughttoproceedentirelyfromaregardtothem。
Thegeneralrulesofalmostallthevirtues，thegeneralruleswhichdeterminewhataretheofficesofprudence，ofcharity，ofgenerosity，ofgratitude，offriendship，areinmanyrespectslooseandinaccurate，admitofmanyexceptions，andrequiresomanymodifications，thatitisscarcepossibletoregulateourconductentirelybyaregardtothem。Thecommonproverbialmaximsofprudence，beingfoundedinuniversalexperience，areperhapsthebestgeneralruleswhichcanbegivenaboutit。Toaffect，however，averystrictandliteraladherencetothemwouldevidentlybethemostabsurdandridiculouspedantry。OfallthevirtuesIhavejustnowmentioned，gratitudeisthat，perhaps，ofwhichtherulesarethemostprecise，andadmitofthefewestexceptions。Thatassoonaswecanweshouldmakeareturnofequal，andifpossibleofsuperiorvaluetotheserviceswehavereceived，wouldseemtobeaprettyplainrule，andonewhichadmittedofscarceanyexceptions。Uponthemostsuperficialexamination，however，thisrulewillappeartobeinthehighestdegreelooseandinaccurate，andtoadmitoftenthousandexceptions。Ifyourbenefactorattendedyouinyoursickness，oughtyoutoattendhiminhis？orcanyoufulfiltheobligationofgratitude，bymakingareturnofadifferentkind？
Ifyououghttoattendhim，howlongoughtyoutoattendhim？Thesametimewhichheattendedyou，orlonger，andhowmuchlonger？
Ifyourfriendlentyoumoneyinyourdistress，oughtyoutolendhimmoneyinhis？Howmuchoughtyoutolendhim？Whenoughtyoutolendhim？Now，orto-morrow，ornextmonth？Andforhowlongatime？Itisevident，thatnogeneralrulecanbelaiddown，bywhichapreciseanswercan，inallcases，begiventoanyofthesequestions。Thedifferencebetweenhischaracterandyours，betweenhiscircumstancesandyours，maybesuch，thatyoumaybeperfectlygrateful，andjustlyrefusetolendhimahalfpenny:
and，onthecontrary，youmaybewillingtolend，oreventogivehimtentimesthesumwhichhelentyou，andyetjustlybeaccusedoftheblackestingratitude，andofnothavingfulfilledthehundredthpartoftheobligationyoulieunder。Asthedutiesofgratitude，however，areperhapsthemostsacredofallthosewhichthebeneficentvirtuesprescribetous，sothegeneralruleswhichdeterminethemare，asIsaidbefore，themostaccurate。Thosewhichascertaintheactionsrequiredbyfriendship，humanity，hospitality，generosity，arestillmorevagueandindeterminate。
Thereis，however，onevirtueofwhichthegeneralrulesdeterminewiththegreatestexactnesseveryexternalactionwhichitrequires。Thisvirtueisjustice。Therulesofjusticeareaccurateinthehighestdegree，andadmitofnoexceptionsormodifications，butsuchasmaybeascertainedasaccuratelyastherulesthemselves，andwhichgenerally，indeed，flowfromtheverysameprincipleswiththem。IfIoweamantenpounds，justicerequiresthatIshouldpreciselypayhimtenpounds，eitheratthetimeagreedupon，orwhenhedemandsit。WhatI
oughttoperform，howmuchIoughttoperform，whenandwhereI
oughttoperformit，thewholenatureandcircumstancesoftheactionprescribed，areallofthempreciselyfixtanddetermined。
Thoughitmaybeawkwardandpedantic，therefore，toaffecttoostrictanadherencetothecommonrulesofprudenceorgenerosity，thereisnopedantryinstickingfastbytherulesofjustice。Onthecontrary，themostsacredregardisduetothem；
andtheactionswhichthisvirtuerequiresareneversoproperlyperformed，aswhenthechiefmotiveforperformingthemisareverentialandreligiousregardtothosegeneralruleswhichrequirethem。Inthepracticeoftheothervirtues，ourconductshouldratherbedirectedbyacertainideaofpropriety，byacertaintasteforaparticulartenorofconduct，thanbyanyregardtoaprecisemaximorrule；andweshouldconsidertheendandfoundationoftherule，morethantheruleitself。Butitisotherwisewithregardtojustice:themanwhointhatrefinestheleast，andadhereswiththemostobstinatestedfastnesstothegeneralrulesthemselves，isthemostcommendable，andthemosttobedependedupon。Thoughtheendoftherulesofjusticebe，tohinderusfromhurtingourneighbour，itmayfrequentlybeacrimetoviolatethem，thoughwecouldpretend，withsomepretextofreason，thatthisparticularviolationcoulddonohurt。Amanoftenbecomesavillainthemomenthebegins，eveninhisownheart，tochicaneinthismanner。Themomenthethinksofdepartingfromthemoststaunchandpositiveadherencetowhatthoseinviolablepreceptsprescribetohim，heisnolongertobetrusted，andnomancansaywhatdegreeofguilthemaynotarriveat。Thethiefimagineshedoesnoevil，whenhestealsfromtherich，whathesupposestheymayeasilywant，andwhatpossiblytheymayneverevenknowhasbeenstolenfromthem。Theadultererimagineshedoesnoevil，whenhecorruptsthewifeofhisfriend，providedhecovershisintriguefromthesuspicionofthehusband，anddoesnotdisturbthepeaceofthefamily。Whenoncewebegintogivewaytosuchrefinements，thereisnoenormitysogrossofwhichwemaynotbecapable。
Therulesofjusticemaybecomparedtotherulesofgrammar；
therulesoftheothervirtues，totheruleswhichcriticslaydownfortheattainmentofwhatissublimeandelegantincomposition。Theone，areprecise，accurate，andindispensable。
Theother，areloose，vague，andindeterminate，andpresentusratherwithageneralideaoftheperfectionweoughttoaimat，thanaffordusanycertainandinfallibledirectionsforacquiringit。Amanmaylearntowritegrammaticallybyrule，withthemostabsoluteinfallibility；andso，perhaps，hemaybetaughttoactjustly。Buttherearenoruleswhoseobservancewillinfalliblyleadustotheattainmentofeleganceorsublimityinwriting；thoughtherearesomewhichmayhelpus，insomemeasure，tocorrectandascertainthevagueideaswhichwemightotherwisehaveentertainedofthoseperfections。Andtherearenorulesbytheknowledgeofwhichwecaninfalliblybetaughttoactuponalloccasionswithprudence，withjustmagnanimity，orproperbeneficence:thoughtherearesomewhichmayenableustocorrectandascertain，inseveralrespects，theimperfectideaswhichwemightotherwisehaveentertainedofthosevirtues。
Itmaysometimeshappen，thatwiththemostseriousandearnestdesireofactingsoastodeserveapprobation，wemaymistaketheproperrulesofconduct，andthusbemisledbythatveryprinciplewhichoughttodirectus。Itisinvaintoexpect，thatinthiscasemankindshouldentirelyapproveofourbehaviour。Theycannotenterintothatabsurdideaofdutywhichinfluencedus，norgoalongwithanyoftheactionswhichfollowfromit。Thereisstill，however，somethingrespectableinthecharacterandbehaviourofonewhoisthusbetrayedintovice，byawrongsenseofduty，orbywhatiscalledanerroneousconscience。Howfatallysoeverhemaybemisledbyit，heisstill，withthegenerousandhumane，moretheobjectofcommiserationthanofhatredorresentment。Theylamenttheweaknessofhumannature，whichexposesustosuchunhappydelusions，evenwhilewearemostsincerelylabouringafterperfection，andendeavouringtoactaccordingtothebestprinciplewhichcanpossiblydirectus。Falsenotionsofreligionarealmosttheonlycauseswhichcanoccasionanyverygrossperversionofournaturalsentimentsinthisway；andthatprinciplewhichgivesthegreatestauthoritytotherulesofduty，isalonecapableofdistortingourideasoftheminanyconsiderabledegree。Inallothercasescommonsenseissufficienttodirectus，ifnottothemostexquisiteproprietyofconduct，yettosomethingwhichisnotveryfarfromit；andprovidedweareinearnestdesiroustodowell，ourbehaviourwillalways，uponthewhole，bepraise-worthy。ThattoobeythewilloftheDeity，isthefirstruleofduty，allmenareagreed。
Butconcerningtheparticularcommandmentswhichthatwillmayimposeuponus，theydifferwidelyfromoneanother。Inthis，therefore，thegreatestmutualforbearanceandtolerationisdue；
andthoughthedefenceofsocietyrequiresthatcrimesshouldbepunished，fromwhatevermotivestheyproceed，yetagoodmanwillalwayspunishthemwithreluctance，whentheyevidentlyproceedfromfalsenotionsofreligiousduty。Hewillneverfeelagainstthosewhocommitthemthatindignationwhichhefeelsagainstothercriminals，butwillratherregret，andsometimesevenadmiretheirunfortunatefirmnessandmagnanimity，attheverytimethathepunishestheircrime。InthetragedyofMahomet，oneofthefinestofMrVoltaire’s，itiswellrepresented，whatoughttobeoursentimentsforcrimeswhichproceedfromsuchmotives。Inthattragedy，twoyoungpeopleofdifferentsexes，ofthemostinnocentandvirtuousdispositions，andwithoutanyotherweaknessexceptwhatendearsthemthemoretous，amutualfondnessforoneanother，areinstigatedbythestrongestmotivesofafalsereligion，tocommitahorridmurder，thatshocksalltheprinciplesofhumannature。Avenerableoldman，whohadexpressedthemosttenderaffectionforthemboth，forwhom，notwithstandinghewastheavowedenemyoftheirreligion，theyhadbothconceivedthehighestreverenceandesteem，andwhowasinrealitytheirfather，thoughtheydidnotknowhimtobesuch，ispointedouttothemasasacrificewhichGodhadexpresslyrequiredattheirhands，andtheyarecommandedtokillhim。
Whiletheyareaboutexecutingthiscrime，theyaretorturedwithalltheagonieswhichcanarisefromthestrugglebetweentheideaoftheindispensablenessofreligiousdutyontheoneside，andcompassion，gratitude，reverencefortheage，andloveforthehumanityandvirtueofthepersonwhomtheyaregoingtodestroy，ontheother。Therepresentationofthisexhibitsoneofthemostinteresting，andperhapsthemostinstructivespectaclethatwaseverintroduceduponanytheatre。Thesenseofduty，however，atlastprevailsoveralltheamiableweaknessesofhumannature。Theyexecutethecrimeimposeduponthem；butimmediatelydiscovertheirerror，andthefraudwhichhaddeceivedthem，andaredistractedwithhorror，remorse，andresentment。SuchasareoursentimentsfortheunhappySeidandPalmira，suchoughtwetofeelforeverypersonwhoisinthismannermisledbyreligion，whenwearesurethatitisreallyreligionwhichmisleadshim，andnotthepretenceofit，whichismadeacovertosomeoftheworstofhumanpassions。
Asapersonmayactwrongbyfollowingawrongsenseofduty，sonaturemaysometimesprevail，andleadhimtoactrightinoppositiontoit。Wecannotinthiscasebedispleasedtoseethatmotiveprevail，whichwethinkoughttoprevail，thoughthepersonhimselfissoweakastothinkotherwise。Ashisconduct，however，istheeffectofweakness，notprinciple，wearefarfrombestowinguponitanythingthatapproachestocompleteapprobation。AbigotedRomanCatholic，who，duringthemassacreofStBartholomew，hadbeensoovercomebycompassion，astosavesomeunhappyProtestants，whomhethoughtithisdutytodestroy，wouldnotseemtobeentitledtothathighapplausewhichweshouldhavebestoweduponhim，hadheexertedthesamegenerositywithcompleteself-approbation。Wemightbepleasedwiththehumanityofhistemper，butweshouldstillregardhimwithasortofpitywhichisaltogetherinconsistentwiththeadmirationthatisduetoperfectvirtue。Itisthesamecasewithalltheotherpassions。Wedonotdisliketoseethemexertthemselvesproperly，evenwhenafalsenotionofdutywoulddirectthepersontorestrainthem。AverydevoutQuaker，whouponbeingstruckupononecheek，insteadofturninguptheother，shouldsofarforgethisliteralinterpretationofourSaviour’sprecept，astobestowsomegooddisciplineuponthebrutethatinsultedhim，wouldnotbedisagreeabletous。Weshouldlaughandbedivertedwithhisspirit，andratherlikehimthebetterforit。
