2 64 Of moral Restraint. Bk . i v . 



some of the southern countries, where every im- 

 pulse may be almost immediately indulged, the 

 passion sinks into mere animal desire, is soon 

 weakened and almost extinguished by excess, and 

 its influence on the character is extremely con- 

 fined. But, in European countries, where, though 

 the women are not secluded, yet manners have 

 imposed considerable restraints on this gratifica- 

 tion, the passion not only rises in force, but in the 

 universahty and beneficial tendency of its effects; 

 and has often the greatest influence in the forma- 

 tion and improvement of the character, where it 

 is the least gratified. 



Considering then the passion between the sexes 

 in all its bearings and relations, and including the 

 endearing engagement of parent and child result- 

 ing from it, few will be disposed to deny that it is 

 one of the principal ingredients of human happi- 

 ness. Yet experience teaches us that much evil 

 flows from the irregular gratification of it; and 

 though the evil be of little weight in the scale, 

 when compared with the good, yet its absolute 

 quantity cannot be inconsiderable, on account of 

 the strength and universality of the passion. It 

 is evident, however, from the general conduct of 

 all governments in their distribution of punish- 

 ments, that the evil resulting from this cause is 

 not so great and so immediately dangerous to so- 

 ciety, as the irregular gratification of the desire 

 of property ; but placing this evil in the most 

 formidable point of view, we should evidently 

 purchase a diminution of it at a very high price. 



