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https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.48954#0080
64 EMOTIONS AND PASSIONS. Ch. IL
author, our propensity at the same time to such
assions is so much enlivened, as to become for a
time an aftual emotion. But no man hath a pro-
pensity to vice as such : on the contrary, a wicked
deed disgusls him, and makes him abhor the au-
thor ; and this abhorrence is a strong antidote
against vice, as long as anyimpression remains os
the wicked adion.
In a rough road, a halt to view a fine country
is refressaing and here a delightful prospeci opens
upon us. It is indeed wonderful to observe
what incitements there are to virtue in the human
frame : justice is perceived to be our duty; and
it is guarded by natural punishments, from which
the guilty never escape: to perform noble and
generous aftions , a warm sense of their dignity
and supcrior excellence is a mcst efficacious in-
citement '. And to leave virtue in no quarter
unsupported, here is unfolded an admirable con-
trivance , bv which good example commands the
heart, and adds to virtue the force of habit. We
approve every virtuous aftion , and bellow our
affeflion on the author; but if virtuous aftions
produced no other effeft upon us , good example
would not have great inssuence : the Sympathetic
emotion under consideration bestows upon good
example the utmost inssuence, by prompting us
’ See Essays on morality and natural religion, part i«
css. 2 ch. 4.
CO
author, our propensity at the same time to such
assions is so much enlivened, as to become for a
time an aftual emotion. But no man hath a pro-
pensity to vice as such : on the contrary, a wicked
deed disgusls him, and makes him abhor the au-
thor ; and this abhorrence is a strong antidote
against vice, as long as anyimpression remains os
the wicked adion.
In a rough road, a halt to view a fine country
is refressaing and here a delightful prospeci opens
upon us. It is indeed wonderful to observe
what incitements there are to virtue in the human
frame : justice is perceived to be our duty; and
it is guarded by natural punishments, from which
the guilty never escape: to perform noble and
generous aftions , a warm sense of their dignity
and supcrior excellence is a mcst efficacious in-
citement '. And to leave virtue in no quarter
unsupported, here is unfolded an admirable con-
trivance , bv which good example commands the
heart, and adds to virtue the force of habit. We
approve every virtuous aftion , and bellow our
affeflion on the author; but if virtuous aftions
produced no other effeft upon us , good example
would not have great inssuence : the Sympathetic
emotion under consideration bestows upon good
example the utmost inssuence, by prompting us
’ See Essays on morality and natural religion, part i«
css. 2 ch. 4.
CO