<i 



Dr S: 



APPENDIX. 8t 



tion in any action or character conftitutes, according to Mr Acco „»• 

 Hume, the fentiment of moral approbation. That no quali- 

 ties of the mind are approved of as virtuous, but fuch as are 

 ■ufeful or agreeable, either to the perfon himfelf or to others, he 

 admits to be a proportion that holds univerfally ; and he alfo 

 admits, that the fentiment of approbation with which we re- 

 gard virtue, is enlivened by the perception of this utility, or, 

 as he explains the fact, it is enlivened by our fympathy with 

 the happinefs of thofe to whom the utility extends : But flill he 

 infills, that it is not the view of this utility which is either the 

 nrft or principal fource of moral approbation. 



To fum up the whole of his doctrine in a few words. 

 When we approve of any character or action, the fentiments 

 which we feel are derived from four different fources. Firft, 

 we fympathize with the motives of the agent ; fecondly, we 

 enter into the gratitude of thofe who receive the benefit of 

 his actions ; thirdly, we obferve that his conduct has been 

 agreeable to the general rules by which thofe two fympathies 

 " generally act ; and, laftiy, when we confider fuch actions as 

 " making a part of a fyflem of behaviour which tends to pro- 

 " mote the happinefs, either of the individual or of fociety, 

 ' they appear to derive a beauty from this utility, not un- 

 1 like that which we afcribe to any well-contrived machine." 

 Thefe different fentiments, he thinks, exhauft completely, in 

 every inftance that can be fuppofed, the compounded fentiment 

 of moral approbation. " After deducting, fays he, in any one 

 " particular cafe, all that muft be acknowledged to proceed 

 " from fome one or other of thefe four principles, I fliould be 

 " glad to know what remains ; and 1 fhall freely allow this 

 " overplus to be afcribed to a moral fenfe, or to any other pe- 

 '* culiar faculty, provided any body will afcertain precifely what 

 " this overplus is." 



Vol. Ill, (L) Mr 





