Resentmentseemstohavebeengivenusbynaturefordefence，andfordefenceonly。Itisthesafeguardofjusticeandthesecurityofinnocence。Itpromptsustobeatoffthemischiefwhichisattemptedtobedonetous，andtoretaliatethatwhichisalreadydone；thattheoffendermaybemadetorepentofhisinjustice，andthatothers，throughfearofthelikepunishment，maybeterrifiedfrombeingguiltyofthelikeoffence。Itmustbereservedthereforeforthesepurposes，norcanthespectatorevergoalongwithitwhenitisexertedforanyother。Butthemerewantofthebeneficentvirtues，thoughitmaydisappointusofthegoodwhichmightreasonablybeexpected，neitherdoes，notattemptstodo，anymischieffromwhichwecanhaveoccasiontodefendourselves。
　　Thereis，however，anothervirtue，ofwhichtheobservanceisnotlefttothefreedomofourownwills，whichmaybeextortedbyforce，andofwhichtheviolationexposestoresentment，andconsequentlytopunishment。Thisvirtueisjustice:theviolationofjusticeisinjury:itdoesrealandpositivehurttosomeparticularpersons，frommotiveswhicharenaturallydisapprovedof。Itis，therefore，theproperobjectofresentment，andofpunishment，whichisthenaturalconsequenceofresentment。Asmankindgoalongwith，andapproveoftheviolenceemployedtoavengethehurtwhichisdonebyinjustice，sotheymuchmoregoalongwith，andapproveof，thatwhichisemployedtopreventandbeatofftheinjury，andtorestraintheoffenderfromhurtinghisneighbours。Thepersonhimselfwhomeditatesaninjusticeissensibleofthis，andfeelsthatforcemay，withtheutmostpropriety，bemadeuseof，bothbythepersonwhomheisabouttoinjure，andbyothers，eithertoobstructtheexecutionofhiscrime，ortopunishhimwhenhehasexecutedit。Anduponthisisfoundedthatremarkabledistinctionbetweenjusticeandalltheothersocialvirtues，whichhasoflatebeenparticularlyinsisteduponbyanauthorofverygreatandoriginalgenius，thatwefeelourselvestobeunderastricterobligationtoactaccordingtojustice，thanagreeablytofriendship，charity，orgenerosity；thatthepracticeoftheselastmentionedvirtuesseemstobeleftinsomemeasuretoourownchoice，butthat，somehoworother，wefeelourselvestobeinapeculiarmannertied，bound，andobligedtotheobservationofjustice。Wefeel，thatistosay，thatforcemay，withtheutmostpropriety，andwiththeapprobationofallmankind，bemadeuseoftoconstrainustoobservetherulesoftheone，butnottofollowthepreceptsoftheother。
　　Wemustalways，however，carefullydistinguishwhatisonlyblamable，ortheproperobjectofdisapprobation，fromwhatforcemaybeemployedeithertopunishortoprevent。Thatseemsblamablewhichfallsshortofthatordinarydegreeofproperbeneficencewhichexperienceteachesustoexpectofeverybody；
　　andonthecontrary，thatseemspraise-worthywhichgoesbeyondit。Theordinarydegreeitselfseemsneitherblamablenorpraise-worthy。Afather，ason，abrother，whobehavestothecorrespondentrelationneitherbetternorworsethanthegreaterpartofmencommonlydo，seemsproperlytodeserveneitherpraisenorblame。Hewhosurprisesusbyextraordinaryandunexpected，thoughstillproperandsuitablekindness，oronthecontrarybyextraordinaryandunexpected，aswellasunsuitableunkindness，seemspraise-worthyintheonecase，andblamableintheother。
　　Eventhemostordinarydegreeofkindnessorbeneficence，however，cannot，amongequals，beextortedbyforce。Amongequalseachindividualisnaturally，andantecedenttotheinstitutionofcivilgovernment，regardedashavingarightbothtodefendhimselffrominjuries，andtoexactacertaindegreeofpunishmentforthosewhichhavebeendonetohim。Everygenerousspectatornotonlyapprovesofhisconductwhenhedoesthis，butenterssofarintohissentimentsasoftentobewillingtoassisthim。Whenonemanattacks，orrobs，orattemptstomurderanother，alltheneighbourstakethealarm，andthinkthattheydorightwhentheyrun，eithertorevengethepersonwhohasbeeninjured，ortodefendhimwhoisindangerofbeingso。Butwhenafatherfailsintheordinarydegreeofparentalaffectiontowardsason；whenasonseemstowantthatfilialreverencewhichmightbeexpectedtohisfather；whenbrothersarewithouttheusualdegreeofbrotherlyaffection；whenamanshutshisbreastagainstcompassion，andrefusestorelievethemiseryofhisfellow-creatures，whenhecanwiththegreatestease；inallthesecases，thougheverybodyblamestheconduct，nobodyimaginesthatthosewhomighthavereason，perhaps，toexpectmorekindness，haveanyrighttoextortitbyforce。Thesufferercanonlycomplain，andthespectatorcanintermeddlenootherwaythanbyadviceandpersuasion。Uponallsuchoccasions，forequalstouseforceagainstoneanother，wouldbethoughtthehighestdegreeofinsolenceandpresumption。
　　Asuperiormay，indeed，sometimes，withuniversalapprobation，obligethoseunderhisjurisdictiontobehave，inthisrespect，withacertaindegreeofproprietytooneanother。
　　Thelawsofallcivilizednationsobligeparentstomaintaintheirchildren，andchildrentomaintaintheirparents，andimposeuponmenmanyotherdutiesofbeneficence。Thecivilmagistrateisentrustedwiththepowernotonlyofpreservingthepublicpeacebyrestraininginjustice，butofpromotingtheprosperityofthecommonwealth，byestablishinggooddiscipline，andbydiscouragingeverysortofviceandimpropriety；hemayprescriberules，therefore，whichnotonlyprohibitmutualinjuriesamongfellow-citizens，butcommandmutualgoodofficestoacertaindegree。Whenthesovereigncommandswhatismerelyindifferent，andwhat，antecedenttohisorders，mighthavebeenomittedwithoutanyblame，itbecomesnotonlyblamablebutpunishabletodisobeyhim。Whenhecommands，therefore，what，antecedenttoanysuchorder，couldnothavebeenomittedwithoutthegreatestblame，itsurelybecomesmuchmorepunishabletobewantinginobedience。Ofallthedutiesofalaw-giver，however，this，perhaps，isthatwhichitrequiresthegreatestdelicacyandreservetoexecutewithproprietyandjudgment。Toneglectitaltogetherexposesthecommonwealthtomanygrossdisordersandshockingenormities，andtopushittoofarisdestructiveofallliberty，security，andjustice。
　　Thoughthemerewantofbeneficenceseemstomeritnopunishmentfromequals，thegreaterexertionsofthatvirtueappeartodeservethehighestreward。Bybeingproductiveofthegreatestgood，theyarethenaturalandapprovedobjectsoftheliveliestgratitude。Thoughthebreachofjustice，onthecontrary，exposestopunishment，theobservanceoftherulesofthatvirtueseemsscarcetodeserveanyreward。Thereis，nodoubt，aproprietyinthepracticeofjustice，anditmerits，uponthataccount，alltheapprobationwhichisduetopropriety。
　　Butasitdoesnorealpositivegood，itisentitledtoverylittlegratitude。Merejusticeis，uponmostoccasions，butanegativevirtue，andonlyhindersusfromhurtingourneighbour。
　　Themanwhobarelyabstainsfromviolatingeithertheperson，ortheestate，orthereputationofhisneighbours，hassurelyverylittlepositivemerit。Hefulfils，however，alltherulesofwhatispeculiarlycalledjustice，anddoeseverythingwhichhisequalscanwithproprietyforcehimtodo，orwhichtheycanpunishhimfornotdoing。Wemayoftenfulfilalltherulesofjusticebysittingstillanddoingnothing。
　　Aseverymandoth，soshallitbedonetohim，andretaliationseemstobethegreatlawwhichisdictatedtousbyNature。Beneficenceandgenerositywethinkduetothegenerousandbeneficent。Thosewhoseheartsneveropentothefeelingsofhumanity，should，wethink，beshutout，inthesamemanner，fromtheaffectionsofalltheirfellow-creatures，andbeallowedtoliveinthemidstofsociety，asinagreatdesertwherethereisnobodytocareforthem，ortoinquireafterthem。Theviolatorofthelawsofjusticeoughttobemadetofeelhimselfthatevilwhichhehasdonetoanother；andsincenoregardtothesufferingsofhisbrethreniscapableofrestraininghim，heoughttobeover-awedbythefearofhisown。Themanwhoisbarelyinnocent，whoonlyobservesthelawsofjusticewithregardtoothers，andmerelyabstainsfromhurtinghisneighbours，canmeritonlythathisneighboursintheirturnshouldrespecthisinnocence，andthatthesamelawsshouldbereligiouslyobservedwithregardtohim。
　　OfthesenseofJustice，ofRemorse，andoftheconsciousnessofMeritTherecanbenopropermotiveforhurtingourneighbour，therecanbenoincitementtodoeviltoanother，whichmankindwillgoalongwith，exceptjustindignationforevilwhichthatotherhasdonetous。Todisturbhishappinessmerelybecauseitstandsinthewayofourown，totakefromhimwhatisofrealusetohimmerelybecauseitmaybeofequalorofmoreusetous，ortoindulge，inthismanner，attheexpenceofotherpeople，thenaturalpreferencewhicheverymanhasforhisownhappinessabovethatofotherpeople，iswhatnoimpartialspectatorcangoalongwith。Everymanis，nodoubt，bynature，firstandprincipallyrecommendedtohisowncare；andasheisfittertotakecareofhimselfthanofanyotherperson，itisfitandrightthatitshouldbeso。Everyman，therefore，ismuchmoredeeplyinterestedinwhateverimmediatelyconcernshimself，thaninwhatconcernsanyotherman:andtohear，perhaps，ofthedeathofanotherperson，withwhomwehavenoparticularconnexion，willgiveuslessconcern，willspoilourstomach，orbreakourrestmuchlessthanaveryinsignificantdisasterwhichhasbefallenourselves。Butthoughtheruinofourneighbourmayaffectusmuchlessthanaverysmallmisfortuneofourown，wemustnotruinhimtopreventthatsmallmisfortune，noreventopreventourownruin。Wemust，here，asinallothercases，viewourselvesnotsomuchaccordingtothatlightinwhichwemaynaturallyappeartoourselves，asaccordingtothatinwhichwenaturallyappeartoothers。Thougheverymanmay，accordingtotheproverb，bethewholeworldtohimself，totherestofmankindheisamostinsignificantpartofit。Thoughhisownhappinessmaybeofmoreimportancetohimthanthatofalltheworldbesides，toeveryotherpersonitisofnomoreconsequencethanthatofanyotherman。Thoughitmaybetrue，therefore，thateveryindividual，inhisownbreast，naturallyprefershimselftoallmankind，yethedaresnotlookmankindintheface，andavowthatheactsaccordingtothisprinciple。Hefeelsthatinthispreferencetheycannevergoalongwithhim，andthathownaturalsoeveritmaybetohim，itmustalwaysappearexcessiveandextravaganttothem。Whenheviewshimselfinthelightinwhichheisconsciousthatotherswillviewhim，heseesthattothemheisbutoneofthemultitudeinnorespectbetterthananyotherinit。Ifhewouldactsoasthattheimpartialspectatormayenterintotheprinciplesofhisconduct，whichiswhatofallthingshehasthegreatestdesiretodo，hemust，uponthis，asuponallotheroccasions，humblethearroganceofhisself-love，andbringitdowntosomethingwhichothermencangoalongwith。Theywillindulgeitsofarastoallowhimtobemoreanxiousabout，andtopursuewithmoreearnestassiduity，hisownhappinessthanthatofanyotherperson。Thusfar，whenevertheyplacethemselvesinhissituation，theywillreadilygoalongwithhim。Intheraceforwealth，andhonours，andpreferments，hemayrunashardashecan，andstraineverynerveandeverymuscle，inordertooutstripallhiscompetitors。
　　Butifheshouldjustle，orthrowdownanyofthem，theindulgenceofthespectatorsisentirelyatanend。Itisaviolationoffairplay，whichtheycannotadmitof。Thismanistothem，ineveryrespect，asgoodashe:theydonotenterintothatself-lovebywhichheprefershimselfsomuchtothisother，andcannotgoalongwiththemotivefromwhichhehurthim。Theyreadily，therefore，sympathizewiththenaturalresentmentoftheinjured，andtheoffenderbecomestheobjectoftheirhatredandindignation。Heissensiblethathebecomesso，andfeelsthatthosesentimentsarereadytoburstoutfromallsidesagainsthim。