Theloveofourcountryseems，inordinarycases，toinvolveinittwodifferentprinciples；first，acertainrespectandreverenceforthatconstitutionorformofgovernmentwhichisactuallyestablished；andsecondly，anearnestdesiretorendertheconditionofourfellow-citizensassafe，respectable，andhappyaswecan。Heisnotacitizenwhoisnotdisposedtorespectthelawsandtoobeythecivilmagistrate；andheiscertainlynotagoodcitizenwhodoesnotwishtopromote，byeverymeansinhispower，thewelfareofthewholesocietyofhisfellow-citizens。
　　Inpeaceableandquiettimes，thosetwoprinciplesgenerallycoincideandleadtothesameconduct。Thesupportoftheestablishedgovernmentseemsevidentlythebestexpedientformaintainingthesafe，respectable，andhappysituationofourfellow-citizens；whenweseethatthisgovernmentactuallymaintainstheminthatsituation。Butintimesofpublicdiscontent，faction，anddisorder，thosetwodifferentprinciplesmaydrawdifferentways，andevenawisemanmaybedisposedtothinksomealterationnecessaryinthatconstitutionorformofgovernment，which，initsactualcondition，appearsplainlyunabletomaintainthepublictranquillity。Insuchcases，however，itoftenrequires，perhaps，thehighesteffortofpoliticalwisdomtodeterminewhenarealpatriotoughttosupportandendeavourtore-establishtheauthorityoftheoldsystem，andwhenheoughttogivewaytothemoredaring，butoftendangerousspiritofinnovation。
　　Foreignwarandcivilfactionarethetwosituationswhichaffordthemostsplendidopportunitiesforthedisplayofpublicspirit。Theherowhoserveshiscountrysuccessfullyinforeignwargratifiesthewishesofthewholenation，andis，uponthataccount，theobjectofuniversalgratitudeandadmiration。Intimesofcivildiscord，theleadersofthecontendingparties，thoughtheymaybeadmiredbyonehalfoftheirfellow-citizens，arecommonlyexecratedbytheother。Theircharactersandthemeritoftheirrespectiveservicesappearcommonlymoredoubtful。
　　Theglorywhichisacquiredbyforeignwaris，uponthisaccount，almostalwaysmorepureandmoresplendidthanthatwhichcanbeacquiredincivilfaction。
　　Theleaderofthesuccessfulparty，however，ifhehasauthorityenoughtoprevailuponhisownfriendstoactwithpropertemperandmoderationwhichhefrequentlyhasnot，maysometimesrendertohiscountryaservicemuchmoreessentialandimportantthanthegreatestvictoriesandthemostextensiveconquests。Hemayre-establishandimprovetheconstitution，andfromtheverydoubtfulandambiguouscharacteroftheleaderofaparty，hemayassumethegreatestandnoblestofallcharacters，thatofthereformerandlegislatorofagreatstate；and，bythewisdomofhisinstitutions，securetheinternaltranquillityandhappinessofhisfellow-citizensformanysucceedinggenerations。
　　Amidsttheturbulenceanddisorderoffaction，acertainspiritofsystemisapttomixitselfwiththatpublicspiritwhichisfoundedupontheloveofhumanity，uponarealfellow-feelingwiththeinconvenienciesanddistressestowhichsomeofourfellow-citizensmaybeexposed。Thisspiritofsystemcommonlytakesthedirectionofthatmoregentlepublicspirit；
　　alwaysanimatesit，andofteninflamesiteventothemadnessoffanaticism。Theleadersofthediscontentedpartyseldomfailtoholdoutsomeplausibleplanofreformationwhich，theypretend，willnotonlyremovetheinconvenienciesandrelievethedistressesimmediatelycomplainedof，butwillprevent，inalltimecoming，anyreturnofthelikeinconvenienciesanddistresses。Theyoftenpropose，uponthisaccount，tonew-modeltheconstitution，andtoalter，insomeofitsmostessentialparts，thatsystemofgovernmentunderwhichthesubjectsofagreatempirehaveenjoyed，perhaps，peace，security，andevenglory，duringthecourseofseveralcenturiestogether。Thegreatbodyofthepartyarecommonlyintoxicatedwiththeimaginarybeautyofthisidealsystem，ofwhichtheyhavenoexperience，butwhichhasbeenrepresentedtotheminallthemostdazzlingcoloursinwhichtheeloquenceoftheirleaderscouldpaintit。
　　Thoseleadersthemselves，thoughtheyoriginallymayhavemeantnothingbuttheirownaggrandisement，becomemanyofthemintimethedupesoftheirownsophistry，andareaseagerforthisgreatreformationastheweakestandfoolishestoftheirfollowers。
　　Eventhoughtheleadersshouldhavepreservedtheirownheads，asindeedtheycommonlydo，freefromthisfanaticism，yettheydarenotalwaysdisappointtheexpectationoftheirfollowers；butareoftenobliged，thoughcontrarytotheirprincipleandtheirconscience，toactasiftheywereunderthecommondelusion。Theviolenceoftheparty，refusingallpalliatives，alltemperaments，allreasonableaccommodations，byrequiringtoomuchfrequentlyobtainsnothing；andthoseinconvenienciesanddistresseswhich，withalittlemoderation，mightinagreatmeasurehavebeenremovedandrelieved，areleftaltogetherwithoutthehopeofaremedy。
　　Themanwhosepublicspiritispromptedaltogetherbyhumanityandbenevolence，willrespecttheestablishedpowersandprivilegeseVenofindividuals，andstillmorethoseofthegreatordersandsocieties，intowhichthestateisdivided。Thoughheshouldconsidersomeofthemasinsomemeasureabusive，hewillcontenthimselfwithmoderating，whatheoftencannotannihilatewithoutgreatviolence。Whenhecannotconquertherootedprejudicesofthepeoplebyreasonandpersuasion，hewillnotattempttosubduethembyforce；butwillreligiouslyobservewhat，byCicero，isjustlycalledthedivinemaximofPlato，nevertouseviolencetohiscountrynomorethantohisparents。
　　Hewillaccommodate，aswellashecan，hispublicarrangementstotheconfirmedhabitsandprejudicesofthepeople；andwillremedyaswellashecan，theinconveniencieswhichmayflowfromthewantofthoseregulationswhichthepeopleareaversetosubmitto。Whenhecannotestablishtheright，hewillnotdisdaintoamelioratethewrong；butlikeSolon，whenhecannotestablishthebestsystemoflaws，hewillendeavourtoestablishthebestthatthepeoplecanbear。
　　Themanofsystem，onthecontrary，isapttobeverywiseinhisownconceit；andisoftensoenamouredwiththesupposedbeautyofhisownidealplanofgovernment，thathecannotsufferthesmallestdeviationfromanypartofit。Hegoesontoestablishitcompletelyandinallitsparts，withoutanyregardeithertothegreatinterests，ortothestrongprejudiceswhichmayopposeit。Heseemstoimaginethathecanarrangethedifferentmembersofagreatsocietywithasmucheaseasthehandarrangesthedifferentpiecesuponachess-board。Hedoesnotconsiderthatthepiecesuponthechess-boardhavenootherprincipleofmotionbesidesthatwhichthehandimpressesuponthem；butthat，inthegreatchess-boardofhumansociety，everysinglepiecehasaprincipleofmotionofitsown，altogetherdifferentfromthatwhichthelegislaturemightchusetoimpressuponit。Ifthosetwoprinciplescoincideandactinthesamedirection，thegameofhumansocietywillgooneasilyandharmoniously，andisverylikelytobehappyandsuccessful。Iftheyareoppositeordifferent，thegamewillgoonmiserably，andthesocietymustbeatalltimesinthehighestdegreeofdisorder。
　　Somegeneral，andevensystematical，ideaoftheperfectionofpolicyandlaw，maynodoubtbenecessaryfordirectingtheviewsofthestatesman。Buttoinsistuponestablishing，anduponestablishingallatonce，andinspiteofallopposition，everythingwhichthatideamayseemtorequire，mustoftenbethehighestdegreeofarrogance。Itistoerecthisownjudgmentintothesupremestandardofrightandwrong。Itistofancyhimselftheonlywiseandworthymaninthecommonwealth，andthathisfellow-citizensshouldaccommodatethemselvestohimandnothetothem。Itisuponthisaccount，thatofallpoliticalspeculators，sovereignprincesarebyfarthemostdangerous。
　　Thisarroganceisperfectlyfamiliartothem。Theyentertainnodoubtoftheimmensesuperiorityoftheirownjudgment。Whensuchimperialandroyalreformers，therefore，condescendtocontemplatetheconstitutionofthecountrywhichiscommittedtotheirgovernment，theyseldomseeanythingsowronginitastheobstructionswhichitmaysometimesopposetotheexecutionoftheirownwill。TheyholdincontemptthedivinemaximofPlato，andconsiderthestateasmadeforthemselves，notthemselvesforthestate。Thegreatobjectoftheirreformation，therefore，istoremovethoseobstructions；toreducetheauthorityofthenobility；totakeawaytheprivilegesofcitiesandprovinces，andtorenderboththegreatestindividualsandthegreatestordersofthestate，asincapableofopposingtheircommands，astheweakestandmostinsignificant。
　　OfuniversalBenevolenceThoughoureffectualgoodofficescanveryseldombeextendedtoanywidersocietythanthatofourowncountry；ourgood-williscircumscribedbynoboundary，butmayembracetheimmensityoftheuniverse。Wecannotformtheideaofanyinnocentandsensiblebeing，whosehappinessweshouldnotdesire，ortowhosemisery，whendistinctlybroughthometotheimagination，weshouldnothavesomedegreeofaversion。Theideaofamischievous，thoughsensible，being，indeed，naturallyprovokesourhatred:buttheill-willwhich，inthiscase，webeartoit，isreallytheeffectofouruniversalbenevolence。Itistheeffectofthesympathywhichwefeelwiththemiseryandresentmentofthoseotherinnocentandsensiblebeings，whosehappinessisdisturbedbyitsmalice。
　　Thisuniversalbenevolence，hownobleandgeneroussoever，canbethesourceofnosolidhappinesstoanymanwhoisnotthoroughlyconvincedthatalltheinhabitantsoftheuniverse，themeanestaswellasthegreatest，areundertheimmediatecareandprotectionofthatgreat，benevolent，andall-wiseBeing，whodirectsallthemovementsofnature；andwhoisdetermined，byhisownunalterableperfections，tomaintaininit，atalltimes，thegreatestpossiblequantityofhappiness。Tothisuniversalbenevolence，onthecontrary，theverysuspicionofafatherlessworld，mustbethemostmelancholyofallreflections；fromthethoughtthatalltheunknownregionsofinfiniteandincomprehensiblespacemaybefilledwithnothingbutendlessmiseryandwretchedness。Allthesplendourofthehighestprosperitycanneverenlightenthegloomwithwhichsodreadfulanideamustnecessarilyover-shadowtheimagination；nor，inawiseandvirtuousman，canallthesorrowofthemostafflictingadversityeverdryupthejoywhichnecessarilyspringsfromthehabitualandthoroughconvictionofthetruthofthecontrarysystem。
　　Thewiseandvirtuousmanisatalltimeswillingthathisownprivateinterestshouldbesacrificedtothepublicinterestofhisownparticularorderorsociety。Heisatalltimeswilling，too，thattheinterestofthisorderorsocietyshouldbesacrificedtothegreaterinterestofthestateorsovereignty，ofwhichitisonlyasubordinatepart。Heshould，therefore，beequallywillingthatallthoseinferiorinterestsshouldbesacrificedtothegreaterinterestoftheuniverse，totheinterestofthatgreatsocietyofallsensibleandintelligentbeings，ofwhichGodhimselfistheimmediateadministratoranddirector。Ifheisdeeplyimpressedwiththehabitualandthoroughconvictionthatthisbenevolentandall-wiseBeingcanadmitintothesystemofhisgovernment，nopartialevilwhichisnotnecessaryfortheuniversalgood，hemustconsiderallthemisfortuneswhichmaybefalhimself，hisfriends，hissociety，orhiscountry，asnecessaryfortheprosperityoftheuniverse，andthereforeaswhatheought，notonlytosubmittowithresignation，butaswhathehimself，ifhehadknownalltheconnexionsanddependenciesofthings，oughtsincerelyanddevoutlytohavewishedfor。
　　NordoesthismagnanimousresignationtothewillofthegreatDirectoroftheuniverse，seeminanyrespectbeyondthereachofhumannature。Goodsoldiers，whobothloveandtrusttheirgeneral，frequentlymarchwithmoregaietyandalacritytotheforlornstation，fromwhichtheyneverexpecttoreturn，thantheywouldtoonewheretherewasneitherdifficultynordanger。