PHILOSOPHY OF ZOOLOGY. 



is difficult to point out the principles by which we would be 

 guided, unless the golden rule be considered as one of the 

 natural standards of duty," All things whatsoever ye 

 would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.' 1 



To ascertain our duty would be an easy task, were the 

 mind always to pursue so straight a course. But we often 

 act in direct opposition to those rulefc of conduct which we 

 have previously established. Experience tells us, that the 

 conduct of others is equally consistent as our own. By 

 persevering in this perverted course, we destroy that stand- 

 ard which our own experience had erected, and act upon 

 another which we would formerly have considered imper- 

 fect and foolish. By habit or custom, our notions of duty 

 are thus changed, converting, with respect to our conduct, 

 evil into good, and good into evil. 



Duty, according to the preceding remarks, consists in 

 employing the most efficacious means to secure the greatest 

 quantity of enjoyment, and to avoid every degree of pain. 

 That the discovery of duty is an intellectual process, is ob- 

 vious from the variety of opinions which have been enter- 

 tained on the subject ; the variable influence which these 

 opinions exercise over the will ; and the effort required to 

 comply with them. 



When a standard or rule of duty is proposed to us, we 

 judge from experience, testimony, and analogy, of its suita- 

 bleness, and if embraced, we ever after condemn any con- 

 duct which is in opposition to it, (although we commit it,) 

 and continue to do so, until a more perfect standard has 

 been proposed and received. 



By the help of memory, we acquire an astonishing quick- 

 ness of perceiving whether we act conformably or opposite- 

 ly to this received standard. We feel pleasure in the one 

 case, and pain in the other ; both of which are encreased 

 according to our notions of the value of the standard by 

 which we try ourselves. To the operations of the memory 



