766 M O R A L P H I 
fliown, that all pofiible objects of knowledge are either 
Intuitions, Conceptions, or Ideas. It is evident therefore, 
that our defires mult be confined to thefe objedts. 
The firlt clafs of objedts includes all fenfible things 
while ujc are actually under their influence; that is, while 
they are prefent. The fecond clafs comprehends that part 
of fenfible things which w'e abftradt from them, and re¬ 
tain in the mind though they be abfent. Of fuch concep¬ 
tions, fcience confifts. There is a great difference be¬ 
tween Intuitions and Conceptions. The former have the 
coarfe, or fenfible, matter prefent; the latter are of a more 
refined nature, and confilt merely of the abftradted/bxm, 
while the fenfible objedt itfel.f is abfent. The defires pro¬ 
duced by Intuitions are therefore of a coarfe or lenfual 
nature, and depend upon the fenfitive faculty: the de- 
fires excited by Conceptions are of a more refined nature ; 
for inftance, fuch as relate to arts and fciences, and de¬ 
pend upon the Intellect or Underftanding. Both the 
fenfual and the intellectual are included in the defire of 
Happinefs. Laftly, the Defires excited by Ideas are mo¬ 
ral ; they refer altogether to our Practical Reafon, by 
which alone Virtue is possible. 
The fecond Diagram (fee Plate II.) difplays the Defir- 
,ing Faculty, as determined to adtion by Intuitions or 
Senfible Reprefentations modified by the Underftanding, 
according to the Categories of Quantity, Quality, and 
Relation. Here the faculty defires to realize fenfible 
pleafures ; and, as Senfations are differently modified by 
the different Categories, w'e are thus enabled to clafiify 
all pofiible fenfible defires. 
The Categories of Quantity, namely, Unity, Multi¬ 
tude, and Totality, modify the fenfations excited by In¬ 
tuitions, and thus produce a defire for Senfible perfection. 
The defires modified by the Categories of Quantity are 
of a purer nature than tliofe of Quality, lince they are 
awakened by mere form, by regularity and proportion, 
which the imagination produces in pure tune and fpace. 
The Categories of Quality—Reality, Negation, and 
Limitation, modify the fenfations excited by Intuitions, 
{o as to produce a defire for fenfual Pleafure, or for fome- 
“thing which fills up fpace or time. Thefe feelings are 
fufceptible of degrees; and defires thus modified, refer 
to the matter, not merely to the form, of the objedts. 
We are then more attradled by the gold of which a 
ftatue is compofed, than by the form given to it by the 
artift. Thefe defires are therefore entirely interejled; 
but thole modified by the Category of Quantity are of a 
purer nature, and may be faid to be in fome meafure dif- 
ititerefled. 
The Categories of Relation, namely, Subftance and 
Accident, Caufe and Effedt, Adtion and Re-adtion, pro¬ 
duce each a diftindt defire. Firfl, Subftance and Accident 
modify the fenfations that are excited by Intuitions, fo 
•as to produce a defire for the continuance of agreeable feel¬ 
ings, and therefore of that exiftence which is fufceptible 
of pleafure. When an intuition affedts us thus deter¬ 
mined by the Category of Subftance, we contemplate 
Something that lafts in time, notwfithftanding the vicifii- 
tude of its properties. Hence arifes our defire of Sef- 
Prefervation. Secondly, Caufe and Effect modify the fen¬ 
fations that are excited by Intuitions, fo as to produce a 
defire for the Caufes of Senfual Pieafure. Laftly, Adlion 
and Re-adtion modify the fenfations excited by Intuitions, 
fo as to produce a defire for plcafurable intercourfe. Ima¬ 
gine a number of perfons in company with each other, and 
reciprocally producing and receiving agreeable fenfations; 
we naturally defire to participate in this kind ofhappinefs. 
It is this interefted feeling which occafions the ftrong 
bias to fociety, as well as the Defire for Procreation. 
As the Categories of Modality, which are Poftibility, 
Exiftence, and Neceftity, do not in any way modify the 
objedts, they cannot produce any new' defires. By them, 
however, we contemplate this faculty in three different 
. ways. Firfl, by Poftibility we determine its nature, how 
it can defire, or find any thing definable. Secondly, by 
LOSOPH Y. 
Exiftence we confider it in an adhial ftate of defire, 
Thirdly, by Neceftity we confider it not only as adtually 
defiring, but defiring necefiarily or inftindtively. 
The ule of the Categories, as above defcribed, muft 
now be perfedtly evident. And indeed, if we were not 
in pofl’eftion of the whole of thefe remarkable notions, a 
complete claftification of all human defires would have 
been impofiible, and the nature and objedt of our defires 
muft have been mifreprefented. We have thus com¬ 
pletely difplayedall the objedts of our defires, as they are 
modified by the Underftanding. We have now to ex¬ 
plain how the Desiring Faculty is determined by 
Reafon. It muft not be forgotten that Reafon is both 
Speculative and Pradical; and, in both its ufes, it exer- 
cifes an influence upon our defires. It is extremely im¬ 
portant that we fliould know whether we are under the 
influence of fpeculative or pradtical Reafon. The two 
objedts to which thefe different ufes of Reafon tend are 
diametrically oppofite, and muft by no means be con¬ 
founded. 
When the Defiring Faculty is determined to adtion by 
Speculative Reason, as difplayed in the Third Dia¬ 
gram, (fee Plate III.) the Defires, which have been al¬ 
ready modified by the Underftanding, are further modi¬ 
fied by being extended to the infinite. 
Every objedt of nature, contemplated by the Under¬ 
ftanding, is completely limited; and, if we poftefled no 
higher faculty, our defires would alfo be limited. But 
Speculative Reafon, which removes all limits from our 
Intuitions and Conceptions by means of its Ideas, renders 
our defires alfo boundlefs or infinite. This is the reafon 
why all the wealth and power in the w’orld can never fa- 
tisfy the defires of man; by the very conftitution of his 
Reafon heis continually urged onin the purfuit ofinfinite 
Perfection, Pleafure, &c. which are never to be realized 
upon earth. But, in this fearch after an earthly Happinefs, 
it is evident that we are negledting the higher deftination 
which is pointed out to us by our pradtical Reafon, and 
are therefore lost to Virtue. 
The fum of all the objedts of our defires, as modified 
by Reafon and Underftanding, is denominated Happi¬ 
ness. The Defire for happinefs, whofe objedts are deter¬ 
mined by Underftanding and Reafon, may be generally 
termed fenfual, fince it originally depends upon Senfa- 
tion. It is however rationally fenfual, becaufe its objedts 
are modified by Reafon. It is natural to every man, for 
no man can be indifferent to the fenfations impreffed 
upon him by furrounding nature; but it is interefted, be¬ 
caufe it can be fatisfied only by fomething given. It is 
not free, fince it depends on things which are not under 
the command of man; and it is boundlefs, becaufe it 
aims at an ablolute totality, which all the treafures of this 
globe, and all the arts and contrivances of man, cannot 
procure. 
The knowledge of what is agreeable, and of the means 
of procuring it, together with the proper mode of ufing 
our Reafon in order to render ourfelves happy, com- 
prifes the Dodtrine of Prudence. Neither Prudence nor 
Happinefs, however, can impofe any obligation upon 
man. It would be abfurd to command him to be happy, 
or to didfate how he lhould be fo; fince ever)" one has 
a peculiar idea of Happinefs. The rules of Prudence and 
Happinefs then ought not to be confounded with the 
immutable Laws of Morality. 
When the Defiring Faculty is determined to adlion by 
Practical Reason, as difplayed in the fourth Diagram, 
(Plate IV.) it Itrives to realize the mode in which Reafon 
ads; that is, it Itrives to adt independently of feelings 
and of the influence of things in Time and Space: in 
other words, to adt upon univerfal principles, to be diftn- 
tcrefted, and, by a continuance in this courfe, and the 
exertion of a felf-adtivity, to realize a perfect moral world. 
All our defires are determined by Reafon or by Senfe. 
When they are determined by Senfe, whether in its 
grofl’er or more refined ufe, or even as extended to the 
infinite 
