APPENDIX. 



79 



which often mortifies us amidft the applaufe, and fupports us Account or 

 under the cenfure of the world ; yet ftill, he contends, that 

 if we enquire into the origin of its inftitution, we fliall find, 

 that its jurifdidion is, in a great meafure, derived from the 

 authority of that very tribunal whofe decifions it fo often and, 

 fo juftly reverfes. 



When we fir ft come into the world, we, for fome time, 

 fondly purfue the impoflible project of gaining the good will 

 and approbation of every body. We foon however find, that 

 this univerfal approbation is unattainable ; that the moft equi- 

 table condud muft frequently thwart the interefts or the incli- 

 nations of particular perfons, who will feldom have candour 

 enough to enter into the propriety of our motives, or to fee 

 that this condud:, how difagreeable foever to them, is perfectly 

 fuitable to our fkuation. In order to defend ourfelves from 

 fuch partial judgments, we foon learn to fet up in our own 

 minds, a judge between ourfelves and thofe we live with. We 

 conceive ourfelves as ading in the prefence of a perfon, who 

 has no particular relation, either to ourfelves, or to thofe whofe 

 interefts are affeded by our condud ; and we fludy to ad in 

 fuch a manner as to obtain the approbation of this fuppofed 

 impartial fpedator. It is only by confulting him, that we can 

 fee whatever relates to ourfelves in its proper lhape and dimen- 

 iions. 



There are two different occafions, on which we examine 

 our own condud, and endeavour to view it in the light in 

 which the impartial fpedator would view it. Firft, when we 

 are about to ad ; and, fecondly, after we have aded. In both 

 cafes, our views are very apt to be partial. 



When we are about to ad, the eagernefs of paflion feldom 

 allows us to confider what we are doing with the candour of 

 an indifferent perfon. When the adion is over, and the paf- 

 fions which prompted it have fubfided, although we can un- 

 doubtedly enter into the fentiments of the indifferent fpedator 



much 



