Itmay，perhaps，beunnecessarytoobserve，thatthecombinationoftwo，ormore，ofthoseexcitingcausesofkindness，increasesthekindness。Thefavourandpartialitywhich，whenthereisnoenvyinthecase，wenaturallybeartogreatness，aremuchincreasedwhenitisjoinedwithwisdomandvirtue。If，notwithstandingthatwisdomandvirtue，thegreatmanshouldfallintothosemisfortunes，thosedangersanddistresses，towhichthemostexaltedstationsareoftenthemostexposed，wearemuchmoredeeplyinterestedinhisfortunethanweshouldbeinthatofapersonequallyvirtuous，butinamorehumblesituation。Themostinterestingsubjectsoftragediesandromancesarethemisfortunesofvirtuousandmagnanimouskingsandprinces。If，bythewisdomandmanhoodoftheirexertions，theyshouldextricatethemselvesfromthosemisfortunes，andrecovercompletelytheirformersuperiorityandsecurity，wecannothelpviewingthemwiththemostenthusiasticandevenextravagantadmiration。Thegriefwhichwefeltfortheirdistress，thejoywhichwefeelfortheirprosperity，seemtocombinetogetherinenhancingthatpartialadmirationwhichwenaturallyconceivebothforthestationandthecharacter。
　　Whenthosedifferentbeneficentaffectionshappentodrawdifferentways，todeterminebyanypreciserulesinwhatcasesweoughttocomplywiththeone，andinwhatwiththeother，is，perhaps，altogetherimpossible。Inwhatcasesfriendshipoughttoyieldtogratitude，orgratitudetofriend，ship。inwhatcasesthestrongestofallnaturalaffectionsoughttoyieldtoaregardforthesafetyofthosesuperiorsuponwhosesafetyoftendependsthatofthewholesociety；andinwhatcasesnaturalaffectionmay，withoutimpropriety，prevailoverthatregard；
　　mustbeleftaltogethertothedecisionofthemanwithinthebreast，thesupposedimpartialspectator，thegreatjudgeandarbiterofourconduct。Ifweplaceourselvescompletelyinhissituation，ifwereallyviewourselveswithhiseyes，andasheviewsus，andlistenwithdiligentandreverentialattentiontowhathesuggeststous，hisvoicewillneverdeceiveus。Weshallstandinneedofnocasuisticrulestodirectourconduct。Theseitisoftenimpossibletoaccommodatetoallthedifferentshadesandgradationsofcircumstance，character，andsituation，todifferencesanddistinctionswhich，thoughnotimperceptible，are，bytheirnicetyanddelicacy，oftenaltogetherundefinable。
　　InthatbeautifultragedyofVoltaire，theOrphanofChina，whileweadmirethemagnanimityofZamti，whoiswillingtosacrificethelifeofhisownchild，inordertopreservethatoftheonlyfeebleremnantofhisancientsovereignsandmasters；wenotonlypardon，butlovethematernaltendernessofIdame，who，attherisqueofdiscoveringtheimportantsecretofherhusband，reclaimsherinfantfromthecruelhandsoftheTartars，intowhichithadbeendelivered。
　　OftheorderinwhichSocietiesarebynaturerecommendedtoourBeneficenceThesameprinciplesthatdirecttheorderinwhichindividualsarerecommendedtoourbeneficence，directthatlikewiseinwhichsocietiesarerecommendedtoit。Thosetowhichitis，ormaybeofmostimportance，arefirstandprincipallyrecommendedtoit。
　　Thestateorsovereigntyinwhichwehavebeenbornandeducated，andundertheprotectionofwhichwecontinuetolive，is，inordinarycases，thegreatestsocietyuponwhosehappinessormisery，ourgoodorbadconductcanhavemuchinfluence。Itisaccordingly，bynature，moststronglyrecommendedtous。Notonlyweourselves，butalltheobjectsofourkindestaffections，ourchildren，ourparents，ourrelations，ourfriends，ourbenefactors，allthosewhomwenaturallyloveandreverethemost，arecommonlycomprehendedwithinit；andtheirprosperityandsafetydependinsomemeasureuponitsprosperityandsafety。
　　Itisbynature，therefore，endearedtous，notonlybyallourselfish，butbyallourprivatebenevolentaffections。Uponaccountofourownconnexionwithit，itsprosperityandgloryseemtoreflectsomesortofhonouruponourselves。Whenwecompareitwithothersocietiesofthesamekind，weareproudofitssuperiority，andmortifiedinsomedegree，ifitappearsinanyrespectbelowthem。Alltheillustriouscharacterswhichithasproducedinformertimesforagainstthoseofourowntimesenvymaysometimesprejudiceusalittle，itswarriors，itsstatesmen，itspoets，itsphilosophers，andmenoflettersofallkinds；wearedisposedtoviewwiththemostpartialadmiration，andtorankthemsometimesmostunjustlyabovethoseofallothernations。Thepatriotwholaysdownhislifeforthesafety，orevenforthevain-gloryofthissociety，appearstoactwiththemostexactpropriety。Heappearstoviewhimselfinthelightinwhichtheimpartialspectatornaturallyandnecessarilyviewshim，asbutoneofthemultitude，intheeyeofthatequitablejudge，ofnomoreconsequencethananyotherinit，butboundatalltimestosacrificeanddevotehimselftothesafety，totheservice，andeventothegloryofthegreaternumber。Butthoughthissacrificeappearstobeperfectlyjustandproper，weknowhowdifficultitistomakeit，andhowfewpeoplearecapableofmakingit。Hisconduct，therefore，excitesnotonlyourentireapprobation，butourhighestwonderandadmiration，andseemstomeritalltheapplausewhichcanbeduetothemostheroicvirtue。Thetraitor，onthecontrary，who，insomepeculiarsituation，fancieshecanpromotehisownlittleinterestbybetrayingtothepublicenemythatofhisnativecountry。who，regardlessofthejudgmentofthemanwithinthebreast，prefershimself，inthisrespectsoshamefullyandsobasely，toallthosewithwhomhehasanyconnexion；appearstobeofallvillainsthemostdetestable。
　　Theloveofourownnationoftendisposesustoview，withthemostmalignantjealousyandenvy，theprosperityandaggrandisementofanyotherneighbouringnation。Independentandneighbouringnations，havingnocommonsuperiortodecidetheirdisputes，allliveincontinualdreadandsuspicionofoneanother。Eachsovereign，expectinglittlejusticefromhisneighbours，isdisposedtotreatthemwithaslittleasheexpectsfromthem。Theregardforthelawsofnations，orforthoseruleswhichindependentstatesprofessorpretendtothinkthemselvesboundtoobserveintheirdealingswithoneanother，isoftenverylittlemorethanmerepretenceandprofession。Fromthesmallestinterest，upontheslightestprovocation，weseethoseruleseveryday，eitherevadedordirectlyviolatedwithoutshameorremorse。Eachnationforesees，orimaginesitforesees，itsownsubjugationintheincreasingpowerandaggrandisementofanyofitsneighbours；andthemeanprincipleofnationalprejudiceisoftenfoundeduponthenobleoneoftheloveofourowncountry。ThesentencewithwhichtheelderCatoissaidtohaveconcludedeveryspeechwhichhemadeinthesenate，whatevermightbethesubject，’ItismyopinionlikewisethatCarthageoughttobedestroyed，’wasthenaturalexpressionofthesavagepatriotismofastrongbutcoarsemind，enragedalmosttomadnessagainstaforeignnationfromwhichhisownhadsufferedsomuch。
　　ThemorehumanesentencewithwhichScipioNasicaissaidtohaveconcludedallhisspeeches，’ItismyopinionlikewisethatCarthageoughtnottobedestroyed，’wastheliberalexpressionofamoreenlargedandenlightenedmind，whofeltnoaversiontotheprosperityevenofanoldenemy，whenreducedtoastatewhichcouldnolongerbeformidabletoRome。FranceandEnglandmayeachofthemhavesomereasontodreadtheincreaseofthenavalandmilitarypoweroftheother；butforeitherofthemtoenvytheinternalhappinessandprosperityoftheother，thecultivationofitslands，theadvancementofitsmanufactures，theincreaseofitscommerce，thesecurityandnumberofitsportsandharbours，itsproficiencyinalltheliberalartsandsciences，issurelybeneaththedignityoftwosuchgreatnations。Theseareallrealimprovementsoftheworldwelivein。
　　Mankindarebenefited，humannatureisennobledbythem。Insuchimprovementseachnationought，notonlytoendeavouritselftoexcel，butfromtheloveofmankind，topromote，insteadofobstructingtheexcellenceofitsneighbours。Theseareallproperobjectsofnationalemulation，notofnationalprejudiceorenvy。
　　Theloveofourowncountryseemsnottobederivedfromtheloveofmankind。Theformersentimentisaltogetherindependentofthelatter，andseemssometimeseventodisposeustoactinconsistentlywithit。Francemaycontain，perhaps，nearthreetimesthenumberofinhabitantswhichGreatBritaincontains。Inthegreatsocietyofmankind，therefore，theprosperityofFranceshouldappeartobeanobjectofmuchgreaterimportancethanthatofGreatBritain。TheBritishsubject，however，who，uponthataccount，shouldpreferuponalloccasionstheprosperityoftheformertothatofthelattercountry，wouldnotbethoughtagoodcitizenofGreatBritain。Wedonotloveourcountrymerelyasapartofthegreatsocietyofmankind:weloveitforitsownsake，andindependentlyofanysuchconsideration。Thatwisdomwhichcontrivedthesystemofhumanaffections，aswellasthatofeveryotherpartofnature，seemstohavejudgedthattheinterestofthegreatsocietyofmankindwouldbebestpromotedbydirectingtheprincipalattentionofeachindividualtothatparticularportionofit，whichwasmostwithinthespherebothofhisabilitiesandofhisunderstanding。
　　Nationalprejudicesandhatredsseldomextendbeyondneighbouringnations。Weveryweaklyandfoolishly，perhaps，calltheFrenchournaturalenemies；andtheyperhaps，asweaklyandfoolishly，considerusinthesamemanner。NeithertheynorwebearanysortofenvytotheprosperityofChinaorJapan。Itveryrarelyhappens，however，thatourgood-willtowardssuchdistantcountriescanbeexertedwithmucheffect。
　　Themostextensivepublicbenevolencewhichcancommonlybeexertedwithanyconsiderableeffect，isthatofthestatesmen，whoprojectandformalliancesamongneighbouringornotverydistantnations，forthepreservationeitherof，whatiscalled，thebalanceofpower，orofthegeneralpeaceandtranquillityofthestateswithinthecircleoftheirnegotiations。Thestatesmen，however，whoplanandexecutesuchtreaties，haveseldomanythinginview，buttheinterestoftheirrespectivecountries。Sometimes，indeed，theirviewsaremoreextensive。TheCountd’Avaux，theplenipotentiaryofFrance，atthetreatyofMunster，wouldhavebeenwillingtosacrificehislifeaccordingtotheCardinaldeRetz，amannotover-credulousinthevirtueofotherpeopleinordertohaverestored，bythattreaty，thegeneraltranquillityofEurope。KingWilliamseemstohavehadarealzealforthelibertyandindependencyofthegreaterpartofthesovereignstatesofEurope；which，perhaps，mightbeagooddealstimulatedbyhisparticularaversiontoFrance，thestatefromwhich，duringhistime，thatlibertyandindependencywereprincipallyindanger。SomeshareofthesamespiritseemstohavedescendedtothefirstministryofQueenAnne。
　　Everyindependentstateisdividedintomanydifferentordersandsocieties，eachofwhichhasitsownparticularpowers，privileges，andimmunities。Everyindividualisnaturallymoreattachedtohisownparticularorderorsociety，thantoanyother。Hisowninterest，hisownvanitytheinterestandvanityofmanyofhisfriendsandcompanions，arecommonlyagooddealconnectedwithit。Heisambitioustoextenditsprivilegesandimmunities。Heiszealoustodefendthemagainsttheencroachmentsofeveryotherorderorsociety。
　　Uponthemannerinwhichanystateisdividedintothedifferentordersandsocietieswhichcomposeit，andupontheparticulardistributionwhichhasbeenmadeoftheirrespectivepowers，privileges，andimmunities，depends，whatiscalled，theconstitutionofthatparticularstate。
　　Upontheabilityofeachparticularorderorsocietytomaintainitsownpowers，privileges，andimmunities，againsttheencroachmentsofeveryother，dependsthestabilityofthatparticularconstitution。Thatparticularconstitutionisnecessarilymoreorlessaltered，wheneveranyofitssubordinatepartsiseitherraisedaboveordepressedbelowwhateverhadbeenitsformerrankandcondition。
　　Allthosedifferentordersandsocietiesaredependentuponthestatetowhichtheyowetheirsecurityandprotection。Thattheyareallsubordinatetothatstate，andestablishedonlyinsubserviencytoitsprosperityandpreservation，isatruthacknowledgedbythemostpartialmemberofeveryoneofthem。Itmayoften，however，behardtoconvincehimthattheprosperityandpreservationofthestaterequireanydiminutionofthepowers，privileges，andimmunitiesofhisownparticularorderorsociety。Thispartiality，thoughitmaysometimesbeunjust，maynot，uponthataccount，beuseless。Itchecksthespiritofinnovation。Ittendstopreservewhateveristheestablishedbalanceamongthedifferentordersandsocietiesintowhichthestateisdivided；andwhileitsometimesappearstoobstructsomealterationsofgovernmentwhichmaybefashionableandpopularatthetime，itcontributesinrealitytothestabilityandpermanencyofthewholesystem。