130 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book III. 



are by nature intended to enjoy, fooner or latter, this happinefs, we 

 may obferve the goodnefs of providence in making this fenfe fo com- 

 n.on, I may Tay univeri'al, among men, beginning as foon as we 

 have any uib of intelled, and going on ftill to improve as we ad- 

 vance in knowledge. 



Tims it appears that there is nothing good or pfaife-worthy in 

 our nature, of which this fenfe, if properly direded, is not the fource. 

 At '^he fame time it is to be obferved, that as this fenfe proceeds 

 from our intellect, and as our intelled, in this (late of our exiftence, 

 is very imperfed, it mu!l: often happen, as I have obferved, that 

 this fenle is wrong directed; and then it is productive of the greateft 

 mifchief: For it is the fource of pride, envy, anger, and revenge; 

 which, though they often produce the greateft crimes, are accom- 

 p.mied wnth a fenfe of the Beautiful, though a very wrong fenfe. 

 For the perfons, who commit thofe crimes, think that they do what 

 is honourable and prai fe- worth y : So that this fenfe is predominant 

 in our crimes as well as in our virtues; and murders, and other crimes, 

 are often committed from a fenfe of injured honour. Now, as I 

 have fhown*, there cannot be a fenfe of honour without a fenfe of the 

 'hulchrwn and honejiiim ; and it is the fame with refpedt to our vices. 

 Even fuch men as the Emperors Yitellius and Heiiogabalus, when, 

 they indulged themfelves in the greateft exceffes of gluttony and 

 lewdnefs, thought, no doubt, that they were living in a manner be- 

 coming the dignity of a Roman Emperor. 



And not oi-Jy is this fenfe univerfal among men., as belonging to 

 intellect, which diftinguifhes man from brute, but it is of moft com- 

 mon ufe. Even when we laugh, one of the moft common things 

 among us, we fhow a fenfe oi the Beautiful ; for if we had not that 

 fenfe, we could not have the fenfe of the contrary, the Ridiculous or 



Dcformedy 



* Page 125. 



