APPENDIX, m6 
ficial tendency, proceeding from proper motives; the only ac- 
tions which feem to deferve punifhment, are actions of a hurt- 
ful tendency, proceeding from improper motives. A mere 
want of beneficence expofes to no punifhment; becaufe the 
mere*want of beneficence tends to do no real pofitive evil. A 
man, on'the other hand, who is barely innocent, and contents 
himfelf with obferving ftri€tly the laws of juftice with refpect 
to others, can merit only that his neighbours, in their turn, 
fhould obferve religioufly the fame laws with refpect to him. 
‘Tuese obfervations lead’ Mr Smiru to anticipate a little the 
fubje&t of the fecond great divifion of his work, by a fhort 
enquiry into the origin of our fenfe of juftice as applicable to 
our own’ conduct; and alfo of our fentiments of remorfe, and of 
good defert. 
Tue origin of our fenfe of juftice, as well as of all our 
other moral fentiments, he accounts for by méans of the prin- 
ciple of fympathy. When I attend only to the feelings of my 
own bréaft, my own happinefs’ appears to me of far greater 
confequence than that of all the world befides. But I am con- 
feious, that in this exceflive preference, other men cannot pof- 
fibly fympathize with me, and that to them I appear only one 
of the crowd, in whom they are no more interefted than in 
any other individual. If I wih, therefore, to fecure their 
fympathy and approbation, (which, according to Mr Smrtu, 
are the objects of the ftrongeft defire of my nature), it is ne- 
ceffary for me to regard my happinefs, not in that light in 
which’ it appears to myfelf, but in that light in which it ap- 
pears to mankind in general. If an unprovoked injury is of- 
fered to me, I know that fociety will fympathize with my re- 
fentment; but if I injure the interefts of another, who never 
injured me, merely becaufe they ftand in the way of my own, 
I perceive evidently, that fociety will fympathize with dis re- 
fentment, and that I fhall become the object of general indig- 
nation. 
(K 2) i - Wuen, 
Account of 
Dr Smith. 
