PHILOSOPHY, MORAL. 
to remove or prevent vice, the parent of mi- 
sery, are in general known only to Him who 
seeth in secret. Even in cases where much 
is obvious, what diversity shall we find in 
opinion ; and where the co-operation of in- 
dividuals for the benefit of others is neces- 
sary, how improbable that they should have 
formed the same standard. 
87. But admit that the cases are clear, 
that the person whom we are about to 
leave to death is, obviously and decisively, 
a less important member of society than he 
whom we attempt to save, if we violate 
none of those feelings which rise up in the 
human frame altogether independently of 
the wilt of the individual, there can be no 
hesitation ; but suppose that our proposed 
conduct will violate them — -let it fir.st be 
considered, that they are not only necessary 
to the culture, nay even to the formation of 
individual benevolence, but to the well or- 
dering, perhaps to the very existence, of so- 
ciety. Take the strongest case, suppose 
the filial and parental affections to be anni- 
hilated, (and it is absnrd to justify and lay 
down as just, that conduct which, if not 
counteracted by the eternal laws of our 
frame, would lead to such annihilation, if 
that annihilation itself be not an object of 
desire), suppose these affections annihilated, 
and tiie heart shrinks from the picture. 
The claims of the helpless infant upon the 
parent would be rejected ; and, if enlarged 
views of duty to society did not induce the 
parent to think that he had better remove 
from existence a being who would be a 
burden to others and himself, and who pro- 
bably would not be educated so as to he 
wise and happy, there would arise constant 
discouragements which would effectually 
prevent those steady uniform endeavours to 
cultivate Hie mental and moral powers, 
which are necessary to attain the object ; 
and if the evil did not soon eradicate itself, 
man, if he existed, would gradually sink tp 
the level of the brute. — But if tiie paren- 
tal affections existed not, neither would the 
filial. Here it is that the rudiments of good 
wilt are formed in the infant breast ; here it 
is that the being who is to love all mankind 
begins his career of love ; here is the source 
of that ardent disinterested benevolence 
which carries the individual out of himself, 
which leads him to forget himself and all his 
immediate interests, and view only the good 
of others. Can it be supposed that this 
highly cultivated benevolence is in opposi- 
tion to that more confined affection from 
which it sprung. No, we see it modifying 
its direction, but never affSiihilating it. On 
the contrary, it may be justly affirmed, that 
the confined affections become more in- 
wrought in the frame, as universal benevo- 
lence become more and more a ruling fea- 
ture of the mind ; and it must, for universal 
benevolence is but the sum total of all the 
confined affections, extended by the hand 
of piety, 
88. We have before mentioned, that 
tliere are two considerations upon wliicli we 
ouglit to act in cases where we are left to 
be guided by the views of the consequences 
of our actions, The first is, what would 
be the consequence if our conduct became 
general the next, what is the probability 
of this extension of our conduct? Where- 
ever the claims of the confined affections 
are in direct opposition to the dictates of 
the enlightened conscience, there can be 
no room for doubt, though we ought to be 
careful that our departure from their claims 
not only is, but, if possible, shall appear to 
be, demanded by these dictates; but we 
are even in cases which, independently con- 
sidered, are obvious to take into considera- 
tion the evil that will result from a breach 
of those affections. There are some affec- 
tions which not all the efforts of philosophy 
could succeed in eradicating ; vice may do 
it and heedless levity, but the calm exer- 
tion arising from a view to utility never 
could. We jefer to the parental affections. 
Hence it is, probable, thata sacrifice of them 
to the public good, would be productive of 
much less injury, than a sacrifice of the 
filial affections which are less urgent and 
lasting. Hence, tliough we should condemn 
the parent who left his son to perish in the 
flames, while he endeavoured to save the 
life of Fenelon, and should require strong 
proof that the parental affections existed in 
him, in their due force ; yet we should dou- 
bly condemn the son who in such a case left 
his father to perish. — Godwin’s principles, 
if carried to their fair extent, would destroy 
society ; but we do not consider his errors 
as more than the errors of judgment. We 
suppose that the ardour of general benevo- 
lence misled him, and that in hi.s wish to 
make its dictates paminouut in the human 
breast, be foigof, or rather did not ob- 
serve, that he was aiming to counteract the 
most' essential laws of the human frame. It 
is one of those numeVous instances in which 
an acquaintance with the human mind is ne- 
cessary ; had Godwin attended to its laws. 
