Whenwereadinhistoryorromance，theaccountofactionseitherofgenerosityorofbaseness，theadmirationwhichweconceivefortheone，andthecontemptwhichwefeelfortheother，neitherofthemarisefromreflectingthattherearecertaingeneralruleswhichdeclareallactionsoftheonekindadmirable，andallactionsoftheothercontemptible。Thosegeneralrules，onthecontrary，areallformedfromtheexperiencewehavehadoftheeffectswhichactionsofalldifferentkindsnaturallyproduceuponus。
　　Anamiableaction，arespectableaction，anhorridaction，areallofthemactionswhichnaturallyexciteforthepersonwhoperformsthem，thelove，therespect，orthehorrorofthespectator。Thegeneralruleswhichdeterminewhatactionsare，andwhatarenot，theobjectsofeachofthosesentiments，canbeformednootherwaythanbyobservingwhatactionsactuallyandinfactexcitethem。
　　Whenthesegeneralrules，indeed，havebeenformed，whentheyareuniversallyacknowledgedandestablished，bytheconcurringsentimentsofmankind，wefrequentlyappealtothemastothestandardsofjudgment，indebatingconcerningthedegreeofpraiseorblamethatisduetocertainactionsofacomplicatedanddubiousnature。Theyareupontheseoccasionscommonlycitedastheultimatefoundationsofwhatisjustandunjustinhumanconduct；andthiscircumstanceseemstohavemisledseveralveryeminentauthors，todrawuptheirsystemsinsuchamanner，asiftheyhadsupposedthattheoriginaljudgmentsofmankindwithregardtorightandwrong，wereformedlikethedecisionsofacourtofjudicatory，byconsideringfirstthegeneralrule，andthen，secondly，whethertheparticularactionunderconsiderationfellproperlywithinitscomprehension。
　　Thosegeneralrulesofconduct，whentheyhavebeenfixedinourmindbyhabitualreflection，areofgreatuseincorrectingthemisrepresentationsofself-loveconcerningwhatisfitandpropertobedoneinourparticularsituation。Themanoffuriousresentment，ifhewastolistentothedictatesofthatpassion，wouldperhapsregardthedeathofhisenemy，asbutasmallcompensationforthewrong，heimagines，hehasreceived；which，however，maybenomorethanaveryslightprovocation。Buthisobservationsupontheconductofothers，havetaughthimhowhorribleallsuchsanguinaryrevengesappear。Unlesshiseducationhasbeenverysingular，hehaslaiditdowntohimselfasaninviolablerule，toabstainfromthemuponalloccasions。
　　Thisrulepreservesitsauthoritywithhim，andrendershimincapableofbeingguiltyofsuchaviolence。Yetthefuryofhisowntempermaybesuch，thathadthisbeenthefirsttimeinwhichheconsideredsuchanaction，hewouldundoubtedlyhavedeterminedittobequitejustandproper，andwhateveryimpartialspectatorwouldapproveof。Butthatreverencefortherulewhichpastexperiencehasimpresseduponhim，checkstheimpetuosityofhispassion，andhelpshimtocorrectthetoopartialviewswhichself-lovemightotherwisesuggest，ofwhatwaspropertobedoneinhissituation。Ifheshouldallowhimselftobesofartransportedbypassionastoviolatethisrule，yet，eveninthiscase，hecannotthrowoffaltogethertheaweandrespectwithwhichhehasbeenaccustomedtoregardit。
　　Attheverytimeofacting，atthemomentinwhichpassionmountsthehighest，hehesitatesandtremblesatthethoughtofwhatheisabouttodo:heissecretlyconscioustohimselfthatheisbreakingthroughthosemeasuresofconductwhich，inallhiscoolhours，hehadresolvednevertoinfringe，whichhehadneverseeninfringedbyotherswithoutthehighestdisapprobation，andofwhichtheinfringement，hisownmindforebodes，mustsoonrenderhimtheobjectofthesamedisagreeablesentiments。Beforehecantakethelastfatalresolution，heistormentedwithalltheagoniesofdoubtanduncertainty；heisterrifiedatthethoughtofviolatingsosacredarule，andatthesametimeisurgedandgoadedonbythefuryofhisdesirestoviolateit。Hechangeshispurposeeverymoment；sometimesheresolvestoadheretohisprinciple，andnotindulgeapassionwhichmaycorrupttheremainingpartofhislifewiththehorrorsofshameandrepentance；andamomentarycalmtakespossessionofhisbreast，fromtheprospectofthatsecurityandtranquillitywhichhewillenjoywhenhethusdeterminesnottoexposehimselftothehazardofacontraryconduct。Butimmediatelythepassionrousesanew，andwithfreshfurydriveshimontocommitwhathehadtheinstantbeforeresolvedtoabstainfrom。Weariedanddistractedwiththosecontinualirresolutions，heatlength，fromasortofdespair，makesthelastfatalandirrecoverablestep；butwiththatterrorandamazementwithwhichoneflyingfromanenemy，throwshimselfoveraprecipice，whereheissureofmeetingwithmorecertaindestructionthanfromanythingthatpursueshimfrombehind。Sucharehissentimentsevenatthetimeofacting；
　　thoughheisthen，nodoubt，lesssensibleoftheimproprietyofhisownconductthanafterwards，whenhispassionbeinggratifiedandpalled，hebeginstoviewwhathehasdoneinthelightinwhichothersareapttoviewit；andactuallyfeels，whathehadonlyforeseenveryimperfectlybefore，thestingsofremorseandrepentancebegintoagitateandtormenthim。
　　OftheinfluenceandauthorityofthegeneralRulesofMorality，andthattheyarejustlyregardedastheLawsoftheDeityTheregardtothosegeneralrulesofconduct，iswhatisproperlycalledasenseofduty，aprincipleofthegreatestconsequenceinhumanlife，andtheonlyprinciplebywhichthebulkofmankindarecapableofdirectingtheiractions。Manymenbehaveverydecently，andthroughthewholeoftheirlivesavoidanyconsiderabledegreeofblame，whoyet，perhaps，neverfeltthesentimentupontheproprietyofwhichwefoundourapprobationoftheirconduct，butactedmerelyfromaregardtowhattheysawweretheestablishedrulesofbehaviour。Themanwhohasreceivedgreatbenefitsfromanotherperson，may，bythenaturalcoldnessofhistemper，feelbutaverysmalldegreeofthesentimentofgratitude。Ifhehasbeenvirtuouslyeducated，however，hewilloftenhavebeenmadetoobservehowodiousthoseactionsappearwhichdenoteawantofthissentiment，andhowamiablethecontrary。Thoughhisheartthereforeisnotwarmedwithanygratefulaffection，hewillstrivetoactasifitwas，andwillendeavourtopayallthoseregardsandattentionstohispatronwhichtheliveliestgratitudecouldsuggest。Hewillvisithimregularly。hewillbehavetohimrespectfully；hewillnevertalkofhimbutwithexpressionsofthehighestesteem，andofthemanyobligationswhichheowestohim。Andwhatismore，hewillcarefullyembraceeveryopportunityofmakingaproperreturnforpastservices。Hemaydoallthistoowithoutanyhypocrisyorblamabledissimulation，withoutanyselfishintentionofobtainingnewfavours，andwithoutanydesignofimposingeitheruponhisbenefactororthepublic。Themotiveofhisactionsmaybenootherthanareverencefortheestablishedruleofduty，aseriousandearnestdesireofacting，ineveryrespect，accordingtothelawofgratitude。Awife，inthesamemanner，maysometimesnotfeelthattenderregardforherhusbandwhichissuitabletotherelationthatsubsistsbetweenthem。Ifshehasbeenvirtuouslyeducated，however，shewillendeavourtoactasifshefeltit，tobecareful，officious，faithful，andsincere，andtobedeficientinnoneofthoseattentionswhichthesentimentofconjugalaffectioncouldhavepromptedhertoperform。Suchafriend，andsuchawife，areneitherofthem，undoubtedly，theverybestoftheirkinds；andthoughbothofthemmayhavethemostseriousandearnestdesiretofulfileverypartoftheirduty，yettheywillfailinmanyniceanddelicateregards，theywillmissmanyopportunitiesofobliging，whichtheycouldneverhaveoverlookediftheyhadpossessedthesentimentthatispropertotheirsituation。Thoughnottheveryfirstoftheirkinds，however，theyareperhapsthesecond；andiftheregardtothegeneralrulesofconducthasbeenverystronglyimpresseduponthem，neitherofthemwillfailinanyveryessentialpartoftheirduty。Nonebutthoseofthehappiestmouldarecapableofsuiting，withexactjustness，theirsentimentsandbehaviourtothesmallestdifferenceofsituation，andofactinguponalloccasionswiththemostdelicateandaccuratepropriety。Thecoarseclayofwhichthebulkofmankindareformed，cannotbewroughtuptosuchperfection。Thereisscarceanyman，however，whobydiscipline，education，andexample，maynotbesoimpressedwitharegardtogeneralrules，astoactuponalmosteveryoccasionwithtolerabledecency，andthroughthewholeofhislifetoavoidanyconsiderabledegreeofblame。
　　Withoutthissacredregardtogeneralrules，thereisnomanwhoseconductcanbemuchdependedupon。Itisthiswhichconstitutesthemostessentialdifferencebetweenamanofprincipleandhonourandaworthlessfellow。Theoneadheres，onalloccasions，steadilyandresolutelytohismaxims，andpreservesthroughthewholeofhislifeoneeventenourofconduct。Theother，actsvariouslyandaccidentally，ashumour，inclination，orinterestchancetobeuppermost。Nay，sucharetheinequalitiesofhumourtowhichallmenaresubject，thatwithoutthisprinciple，themanwho，inallhiscoolhours，hadthemostdelicatesensibilitytotheproprietyofconduct，mightoftenbeledtoactabsurdlyuponthemostfrivolousoccasions，andwhenitwasscarcepossibletoassignanyseriousmotiveforhisbehavinginthismanner。Yourfriendmakesyouavisitwhenyouhappentobeinahumourwhichmakesitdisagreeabletoreceivehim:inyourpresentmoodhiscivilityisveryapttoappearanimpertinentintrusion；andifyouweretogivewaytotheviewsofthingswhichatthistimeoccur，thoughcivilinyourtemper，youwouldbehavetohimwithcoldnessandcontempt。
　　Whatrendersyouincapableofsucharudeness，isnothingbutaregardtothegeneralrulesofcivilityandhospitality，whichprohibitit。Thathabitualreverencewhichyourformerexperiencehastaughtyouforthese，enablesyoutoact，uponallsuchoccasions，withnearlyequalpropriety，andhindersthoseinequalitiesoftemper，towhichallmenaresubject，frominfluencingyourconductinanyverysensibledegree。Butifwithoutregardtothesegeneralrules，eventhedutiesofpoliteness，whicharesoeasilyobserved，andwhichonecanscarcehaveanyseriousmotivetoviolate，wouldyetbesofrequentlyviolated，whatwouldbecomeofthedutiesofjustice，oftruth，ofchastity，offidelity，whichitisoftensodifficulttoobserve，andwhichtheremaybesomanystrongmotivestoviolate？Butuponthetolerableobservanceoftheseduties，dependstheveryexistenceofhumansociety，whichwouldcrumbleintonothingifmankindwerenotgenerallyimpressedwithareverenceforthoseimportantrulesofconduct。
　　Thisreverenceisstillfurtherenhancedbyanopinionwhichisfirstimpressedbynature，andafterwardsconfirmedbyreasoningandphilosophy，thatthoseimportantrulesofmoralityarethecommandsandlawsoftheDeity，whowillfinallyrewardtheobedient，andpunishthetransgressorsoftheirduty。
　　Thisopinionorapprehension，Isay，seemsfirsttobeimpressedbynature。Menarenaturallyledtoascribetothosemysteriousbeings，whatevertheyare，whichhappen，inanycountry，tobetheobjectsofreligiousfear，alltheirownsentimentsandpassions。Theyhavenoother，theycanconceivenoothertoascribetothem。Thoseunknownintelligenceswhichtheyimaginebutseenot，mustnecessarilybeformedwithsomesortofresemblancetothoseintelligencesofwhichtheyhaveexperience。
　　Duringtheignoranceanddarknessofpagansuperstition，mankindseemtohaveformedtheideasoftheirdivinitieswithsolittledelicacy，thattheyascribedtothem，indiscriminately，allthepassionsofhumannature，thosenotexceptedwhichdotheleasthonourtoourspecies，suchaslust，hunger，avarice，envy，revenge。Theycouldnotfail，therefore，toascribetothosebeings，fortheexcellenceofwhosenaturetheystillconceivedthehighestadmiration，thosesentimentsandqualitieswhicharethegreatornamentsofhumanity，andwhichseemtoraiseittoaresemblanceofdivineperfection，theloveofvirtueandbeneficence，andtheabhorrenceofviceandinjustice。Themanwhowasinjured，calleduponJupitertobewitnessofthewrongthatwasdonetohim，andcouldnotdoubt，butthatdivinebeingwouldbeholditwiththesameindignationwhichwouldanimatethemeanestofmankind，wholookedonwheninjusticewascommitted。
　　Themanwhodidtheinjury，felthimselftobetheproperobjectofthedetestationandresentmentofmankind；andhisnaturalfearsledhimtoimputethesamesentimentstothoseawfulbeings，whosepresencehecouldnotavoid，andwhosepowerhecouldnotresist。Thesenaturalhopesandfears，andsuspicions，werepropagatedbysympathy，andconfirmedbyeducation；andthegodswereuniversallyrepresentedandbelievedtobetherewardersofhumanityandmercy，andtheavengersofperfidyandinjustice。Andthusreligion，eveninitsrudestform，gaveasanctiontotherulesofmorality，longbeforetheageofartificialreasoningandphilosophy。Thattheterrorsofreligionshouldthusenforcethenaturalsenseofduty，wasoftoomuchimportancetothehappinessofmankind，fornaturetoleaveitdependentupontheslownessanduncertaintyofphilosophicalresearches。