APPENDIX. 7 



H 



The reverfe of this takes place with refpect to all the focial Account of 



r i c 1 i- Dr Smith 



and benevolent affections. The fympathy of the fpectator with 

 the perfon who feels them, coincides with his concern for the 

 perfon who is the object of them. It is this redoubled fympa- 

 thy which renders thefe affections fo peculiarly becoming and 

 agreeable. 



The felfifh emotions of grief and joy, when they are con- 

 ceived on account of our own private good or bad fortune, 

 hold a fort of middle place between our focial and our unfocial 

 paflions. They are never fo graceful as the one fet, nor fo 

 odious as the other. Even when exceflive, they are never fo 

 difagreeable as exceflive refentment ; becaufe no oppofite fym- 

 pathy can ever intereft us againft them : And when mod fuit- 

 able to their objects, they are never fo agreeable as impartial 

 humanity and juft benevolence \ becaufe no double fympathy 

 can ever intereft us for them. 



After thefe general fpeculations concerning the propriety 

 of actions, Mr Smith examines how far the judgments of 

 mankind concerning it are liable to be influenced in particu- 

 lar Cafes, by the profperous or the adverfe circumftances of the 

 agent. The fcope of his reafoning on this fubject is directed 

 to (hew, (in oppofition to the common opinion), that when 

 there is no envy in the cafe, our propensity to fympathize with 

 joy is much ftronger than our propenfity to fympathize with 

 forrow ; and, of confequence, that it is more eafy to obtain 

 the approbation of mankind in profperity than in adverfity. 

 from the fame principle he traces the Origin of ambition, or of 

 the defire of rank and pre-eminence ; the great object of which 

 paflion is, to attain that fituation which fets a man moft in the 

 view of general fympathy and attention, and gives him an eafy 

 empire over the affections of Others. 



Having finifhed the analyfis of bur fenfe of propriety and of 



impropriety, Mr Smith proceeds to confider our fenfe of merit 



Vol. Ill* (K) and 



