FACULTIES OF THE MIND. 275 



Malevolent Affections. 



The benevolent affections have, for their object, the com- 

 munication of pleasure or protection to others, those which 

 we are now to consider, are regarded as destined to excite 

 to the commission of actions calculated to inflict pain. The 

 very existence of such a class of principles may, with great 

 propriety, be doubted 



In regard to the malevolent affection termed anger or 

 resentment, it is merely a display of the love of lift ; 

 a desire which we have already considered. And as a 

 proof of the truth of this opinion, we find, that it is usu- 

 ally regulated by the extent of the injury, and the con- 

 sequent risks of life which it occasions. In like man- 

 ner when we are united in social affection with our kind, 

 indignation is excited when we see others injured ; be- 

 cause, without being checked, the evil may extend to our- 

 selves. The same determination to support our neighbours 

 is evinced, when our attachment is fixed on individuals of 

 other species, as a horse or a bird. It displays itself in the 

 dog, who will resent a blow given to his master, with as 

 much keenness as one inflicted on himself. The hatred 

 which we observe subsisting between different species, uni 

 formly arises from our appetites or desires. A cat will kill 

 a shrew, but will not eat it. This, however, does not arise 

 from any hatred to the shrew, but in having, from the hurry 

 of capture, mistaken it for a mouse. Our other malevolent 

 affections, as jealousy and envy, may be traced to the selfish- 

 ness of our appetites and desires. The existence, indeed, of 

 a set of principles in the constitution, whose sole object was to 

 inflict pain, would be worse than useless io the economy of 

 animals. Pain is, without doubt, necessarily inflicted, in the 

 gratification of the appetites and desires of nearly all animals. 

 But although pain or suffering be correlative with our in- 

 stincts, there are none of these which appear to be exclusive- 



