MORAL PHILOSOPHY. 41 



The Moral Sense. 



Different individuals possess different degrees of 

 moral sense, as their organization and the original 

 constitution of their minds may differ. Some persons 

 possess an intensity of moral feeling of which others 

 do not seem to be susceptible, and some appear to 

 be naturally deficient in the power of taking the place 

 of others by an act of the imagination, consequently 

 have but little sympathy with the happiness or misery 

 of those around them. 



Sympathy. 



It is an old saying, that " company in distress, 

 makes grief less ;" but to a very good-tempered man 

 the view of human miseries would rather tend to pro- 

 duce sorrow than comfort, and add to his lamenta- 

 tions for his own misfortunes a deep compassion for 

 the sufferings of others. 



Connexion between Good Sense and Benevolence. 



A comprehensive and enlightened understanding is 

 rarely unaccompanied with benevolence of heart, and 

 it is rare that a weak, shallow, and contracted head 

 does not contrive to shape out for its own ends a 

 selfish, casuistical, and pettifogging code of morality. 



Individuality. 



Although we may wish the prosperous circum- 

 stances of others, or to be another in his happy acci- 

 dents, yet so intrinsical is every man to himself, that 

 it may be doubted whether the apparently most mi- 

 serable object would change his whole being, or be- 

 come substantially another man. 



Selfishness. 



Selfishness and an over-anxiety about ourselves, 

 are no doubt the cause of much misery ; but we feel 



