Thesameingeniousandagreeableauthorwhofirstexplainedwhyutilitypleases，hasbeensostruckwiththisviewofthings，astoresolveourwholeapprobationofvirtueintoaperceptionofthisspeciesofbeautywhichresultsfromtheappearanceofutility。Noqualitiesofthemind，heobserves，areapprovedofasvirtuous，butsuchasareusefuloragreeableeithertothepersonhimselfortoothers；andnoqualitiesaredisapprovedofasviciousbutsuchashaveacontrarytendency。AndNature，indeed，seemstohavesohappilyadjustedoursentimentsofapprobationanddisapprobation，totheconveniencybothoftheindividualandofthesociety，thatafterthestrictestexaminationitwillbefound，Ibelieve，thatthisisuniversallythecase。ButstillIaffirm，thatitisnottheviewofthisutilityorhurtfulnesswhichiseitherthefirstorprincipalsourceofourapprobationanddisapprobation。Thesesentimentsarenodoubtenhancedandenlivenedbytheperceptionofthebeautyordeformitywhichresultsfromthisutilityorhurtfulness。Butstill，Isay，theyareoriginallyandessentiallydifferentfromthisperception。
Forfirstofall，itseemsimpossiblethattheapprobationofvirtueshouldbeasentimentofthesamekindwiththatbywhichweapproveofaconvenientandwell-contrivedbuilding；orthatweshouldhavenootherreasonforpraisingamanthanthatforwhichwecommendachestofdrawers。
Andsecondly，itwillbefound，uponexamination，thattheusefulnessofanydispositionofmindisseldomthefirstgroundofourapprobation；andthatthesentimentofapprobationalwaysinvolvesinitasenseofproprietyquitedistinctfromtheperceptionofutility。Wemayobservethiswithregardtoallthequalitieswhichareapprovedofasvirtuous，boththosewhich，accordingtothissystem，areoriginallyvaluedasusefultoourselves，aswellasthosewhichareesteemedonaccountoftheirusefulnesstoothers。
Thequalitiesmostusefultoourselvesare，firstofall，superiorreasonandunderstanding，bywhichwearecapableofdiscerningtheremoteconsequencesofallouractions，andofforeseeingtheadvantageordetrimentwhichislikelytoresultfromthem:andsecondly，self-command，bywhichweareenabledtoabstainfrompresentpleasureortoendurepresentpain，inordertoobtainagreaterpleasureortoavoidagreaterpaininsomefuturetime。Intheunionofthosetwoqualitiesconsiststhevirtueofprudence，ofallthevirtuesthatwhichismostusefultotheindividual。
Withregardtothefirstofthosequalities，ithasbeenobservedonaformeroccasion，thatsuperiorreasonandunderstandingareoriginallyapprovedofasjustandrightandaccurate，andnotmerelyasusefuloradvantageous。Itisintheabstrusersciences，particularlyinthehigherpartsofmathematics，thatthegreatestandmostadmiredexertionsofhumanreasonhavebeendisplayed。Buttheutilityofthosesciences，eithertotheindividualortothepublic，isnotveryobvious，andtoproveit，requiresadiscussionwhichisnotalwaysveryeasilycomprehended。Itwasnot，therefore，theirutilitywhichfirstrecommendedthemtothepublicadmiration。
Thisqualitywasbutlittleinsistedupon，tillitbecamenecessarytomakesomereplytothereproachesofthose，who，havingthemselvesnotasteforsuchsublimediscoveries，endeavouredtodepreciatethemasuseless。
Thatself-command，inthesamemanner，bywhichwerestrainourpresentappetites，inordertogratifythemmorefullyuponanotheroccasion，isapprovedof，asmuchundertheaspectofpropriety，asunderthatofutility。Whenweactinthismanner，thesentimentswhichinfluenceourconductseemexactlytocoincidewiththoseofthespectator。Thespectatordoesnotfeelthesolicitationsofourpresentappetites。Tohimthepleasurewhichwearetoenjoyaweekhence，orayearhence，isjustasinterestingasthatwhichwearetoenjoythismoment。Whenforthesakeofthepresent，therefore，wesacrificethefuture，ourconductappearstohimabsurdandextravagantinthehighestdegree，andhecannotenterintotheprincipleswhichinfluenceit。Onthecontrary，whenweabstainfrompresentpleasure，inordertosecuregreaterpleasuretocome，whenweactasiftheremoteobjectinterestedusasmuchasthatwhichimmediatelypressesuponthesenses，asouraffectionsexactlycorrespondwithhisown，hecannotfailtoapproveofourbehaviour:andasheknowsfromexperience，howfewarecapableofthisself-command，helooksuponourconductwithaconsiderabledegreeofwonderandadmiration。Hencearisesthateminentesteemwithwhichallmennaturallyregardasteadyperseveranceinthepracticeoffrugality，industry，andapplication，thoughdirectedtonootherpurposethantheacquisitionoffortune。Theresolutefirmnessofthepersonwhoactsinthismanner，andinordertoobtainagreatthoughremoteadvantage，notonlygivesupallpresentpleasures，butenduresthegreatestlabourbothofmindandbody，necessarilycommandsourapprobation。Thatviewofhisinterestandhappinesswhichappearstoregulatehisconduct，exactlytallieswiththeideawhichwenaturallyformofit。
Thereisthemostperfectcorrespondencebetweenhissentimentsandourown，andatthesametime，fromourexperienceofthecommonweaknessofhumannature，itisacorrespondencewhichwecouldnotreasonablyhaveexpected。Wenotonlyapprove，therefore，butinsomemeasureadmirehisconduct，andthinkitworthyofaconsiderabledegreeofapplause。Itistheconsciousnessofthismeritedapprobationandesteemwhichisalonecapableofsupportingtheagentinthistenourofconduct。
Thepleasurewhichwearetoenjoytenyearshenceinterestsussolittleincomparisonwiththatwhichwemayenjoyto-day，thepassionwhichthefirstexcites，isnaturallysoweakincomparisonwiththatviolentemotionwhichthesecondisapttogiveoccasionto，thattheonecouldneverbeanybalancetotheother，unlessitwassupportedbythesenseofpropriety，bytheconsciousnessthatwemeritedtheesteemandapprobationofeverybody，byactingintheoneway，andthatwebecametheproperobjectsoftheircontemptandderisionbybehavingintheother。
Humanity，justice，generosity，andpublicspirit，arethequalitiesmostusefultoothers。Whereinconsiststheproprietyofhumanityandjusticehasbeenexplaineduponaformeroccasion，whereitwasshewnhowmuchouresteemandapprobationofthosequalitiesdependedupontheconcordbetweentheaffectionsoftheagentandthoseofthespectators。
Theproprietyofgenerosityandpublicspiritisfoundeduponthesameprinciplewiththatofjustice。Generosityisdifferentfromhumanity。Thosetwoqualities，whichatfirstsightseemsonearlyallied，donotalwaysbelongtothesameperson。Humanityisthevirtueofawoman，generosityofaman。Thefair-sex，whohavecommonlymuchmoretendernessthanours，haveseldomsomuchgenerosity。Thatwomenrarelymakeconsiderabledonations，isanobservationofthecivillaw。(1*)Humanityconsistsmerelyintheexquisitefellow-feelingwhichthespectatorentertainswiththesentimentsofthepersonsprincipallyconcerned，soastogrievefortheirsufferings，toresenttheirinjuries，andtorejoiceattheirgoodfortune。Themosthumaneactionsrequirenoself-denial，noself-command，nogreatexertionofthesenseofpropriety。Theyconsistonlyindoingwhatthisexquisitesympathywouldofitsownaccordpromptustodo。Butitisotherwisewithgenerosity。Weneveraregenerousexceptwheninsomerespectweprefersomeotherpersontoourselves，andsacrificesomegreatandimportantinterestofourowntoanequalinterestofafriendorofasuperior。Themanwhogivesuphispretensionstoanofficethatwasthegreatobjectofhisambition，becauseheimaginesthattheservicesofanotherarebetterentitledtoit；themanwhoexposeshislifetodefendthatofhisfriend，whichhejudgestobeofmoreimportance；
neitherofthemactfromhumanity，orbecausetheyfeelmoreexquisitelywhatconcernsthatotherpersonthanwhatconcernsthemselves。Theybothconsiderthoseoppositeinterests，notinthelightinwhichtheynaturallyappeartothemselves，butinthatinwhichtheyappeartoothers。Toeverybystander，thesuccessorpreservationofthisotherpersonmayjustlybemoreinterestingthantheirown；butitcannotbesotothemselves。
Whentotheinterestofthisotherperson，therefore，theysacrificetheirown，theyaccommodatethemselvestothesentimentsofthespectator，andbyaneffortofmagnanimityactaccordingtothoseviewsofthingswhich，theyfeel，mustnaturallyoccurtoanythirdperson。Thesoldierwhothrowsawayhislifeinordertodefendthatofhisofficer，wouldperhapsbebutlittleaffectedbythedeathofthatofficer，ifitshouldhappenwithoutanyfaultofhisown；andaverysmalldisasterwhichhadbefallenhimselfmightexciteamuchmorelivelysorrow。Butwhenheendeavourstoactsoastodeserveapplause，andtomaketheimpartialspectatorenterintotheprinciplesofhisconduct，hefeels，thattoeverybodybuthimself，hisownlifeisatriflecomparedwiththatofhisofficer，andthatwhenhesacrificestheonetotheother，heactsquiteproperlyandagreeablytowhatwouldbethenaturalapprehensionsofeveryimpartialbystander。
Itisthesamecasewiththegreaterexertionsofpublicspirit。Whenayoungofficerexposeshislifetoacquiresomeinconsiderableadditiontothedominionsofhissovereign，itisnotbecausetheacquisitionofthenewterritoryis，tohimself，anobjectmoredesireablethanthepreservationofhisownlife。
Tohimhisownlifeisofinfinitelymorevaluethantheconquestofawholekingdomforthestatewhichheserves。Butwhenhecomparesthosetwoobjectswithoneanother，hedoesnotviewtheminthelightinwhichtheynaturallyappeartohimself，butinthatinwhichtheyappeartothenationhefightsfor。Tothemthesuccessofthewarisofthehighestimportance；thelifeofaprivatepersonofscarceanyconsequence。Whenheputshimselfintheirsituation，heimmediatelyfeelsthathecannotbetooprodigalofhisblood，if，bysheddingit，hecanpromotesovaluableapurpose。Inthusthwarting，fromasenseofdutyandpropriety，thestrongestofallnaturalpropensities，consiststheheroismofhisconduct。ThereismanyanhonestEnglishman，who，inhisprivatestation，wouldbemoreseriouslydisturbedbythelossofaguinea，thanbythenationallossofMinorca，whoyet，haditbeeninhispowertodefendthatfortress，wouldhavesacrificedhislifeathousandtimesratherthan，throughhisfault，haveletitfallintothehandsoftheenemy。WhenthefirstBrutusledforthhisownsonstoacapitalpunishment，becausetheyhadconspiredagainsttherisinglibertyofRome，hesacrificedwhat，ifhehadconsultedhisownbreastonly，wouldappeartobethestrongertotheweakeraffection。Brutusoughtnaturallytohavefeltmuchmoreforthedeathofhisownsons，thanforallthatprobablyRomecouldhavesufferedfromthewantofsogreatanexample。Butheviewedthem，notwiththeeyesofafather，butwiththoseofaRomancitizen。Heenteredsothoroughlyintothesentimentsofthislastcharacter，thathepaidnoregardtothattie，bywhichhehimselfwasconnectedwiththem；andtoaRomancitizen，thesonsevenofBrutusseemedcontemptible，whenputintothebalancewiththesmallestinterestofRome。Intheseandinallothercasesofthiskind，ouradmirationisnotsomuchfoundedupontheutility，asupontheunexpected，andonthataccountthegreat，thenoble，andexaltedproprietyofsuchactions。Thisutility，whenwecometoviewit，bestowsuponthem，undoubtedly，anewbeauty，anduponthataccountstillfurtherrecommendsthemtoourapprobation。
