CHAP. I. SECT. II. henfions of ills to be feared, may anticipate the fufferings of for- PART II. row, yet the system of animal life, in general, is so arranged, that, in the exertions required to felf-preservation, the pleasurable prevail over the painful; and the general aspect of living nature is expressive of alacrity and joy. The powers of reflection in the mind of man, that enable him to anticipate the future, as well as to recal the past, qualify him to enjoy, or expose him to fuffer, from this quarter, in a much higher degree than any of the other animals. Hence arife the variety of his paffions, hope and fear, joy and grief. The foundation of hope is the expectation of fome good that is future, and therefore probably in fome degree an occafion of fear alfo. Grief has reference to fome evil endured; fear, to an evil apprehended. Either is a painful state of the mind, in actual distress, or in anxiety and folicitude, difqualified for any present enjoyment beyond what mere hope can fupply: But, with respect to the objects, whether of hope or of fear, the most agreeable state of the mind is alacrity in the reasonable exertions they suggest, and in the use of means to obtain or avoid them, which providence has put in our power. Security is, of all circumstances, the moft conducive to pleafure. Hence the value which poffeffion acquires in paffing into property, that is, in being fecured: and the most agreeable state of the mind, in this refpect, is the consciousness of a bleffing of which neither chance nor caprice can deprive us. A bleffing which confifts alone in the chearful performance of what we are entrusted to do, and in contentment with the scene of action in which we are placed. PART II. СНАР. І. SECT. II. Man has much of his employment, as well as the gratifications of fense furnished to him by the concerns of of his animal life. In these consist that complicated object which he terms his interest; and from thence arife many of the occafions on which he is employed for himself, for his country, and his friend. The materials, which he strives to amafs for his own ufe, ferve him alfo as the means of beneficence to his fellow creatures. In his intelligent or distinctive character, his occupations multiply and vary indefinitely; and the mere supplies of animal life are to him of lefs confequence, than the exertions of mind in which they engage him. In these his ingenuity and his affections are agreeably engaged in forming his defigns, in recollecting his experience of the past, in conducting the present, and in preparing for the future. It has been well obferved, that every exercise of the human faculties, into which malice or fear do not enter as motives, and every exercise which is not carried to fome pernicious extreme of fatigue, is in its own nature agreeable *. "The neceffity of action," says the Rambler, "is not only "demonftrable from the fabric of the body, but evident from "obfervation of the universal practice of mankind †, who, for "the preservation of health," (he should have faid for pleasure,) "in those whofe rank and wealth exempts them from the necef"fity of lucrative labour, have invented sports and diverfions, "though not of equal use to the world with manual trades, yet * V. Theorie des Sentimens Agreeable. See Rambler No. 36. of 66 SECT. II. "of equal fatigue to those who practise them; and differing on- PART II. "ly from the drudgery of the husbandman or manufacturer, CHAP. I. "as they are acts of choice, and therefore performed without the "painful sense of compulfion. The huntsman rifes early, pur"fues his game through all the dangers and obftructions of the "chace, swims rivers, and scales precipices, till he returns home no less harraffed than the foldier, and has perhaps incurred "fometimes as great hazard of wounds or death; yet he has no "motive to incite his ardour; he is neither fubject to the com"mands of a general, nor dreads any penalties for neglect and "difobedience; he has neither profit nor honour to expect from "his perils and his conquefts; but toils without the hope of mu"ral or civic garlands, and must content himself with the praise ❝of his tenants or companions." "But, fuch is the conftitution of man," continues the fame author, "that labour may be ftiled its own reward; nor will any "external incitements be requifite, if it be confidered how much happiness is gained, and how much mifery is escaped by frequent and violent agitation of the body." This author, in other parts of his work, or throughout the general strain of the whole, reprefents human life as a string of illufions, a transition from hope to hope, never from enjoyment to enjoyment: It is pleasant, therefore, to find him acknowledge a fource of present enjoyment, even amidst drudgery, toil, and danger, fo frequently stated by himself as conftituents of mifery: It is pleasant to find him acknowledge, that, even labour is its own reward; and, in this step at least, lead the way to an opinion, that all the exercises of a manly, and beneficent mind, though a fpecies of labour, may also be their own reward, and not the lefs PART II. ~ lefs a reward to him who labours in them, that he may be acting under the influence of an affection, also, in its own nature complacent and agreeable. Even the vulgar are aware that to be happy, they must be employed, or have fomething to do; and it is obvious to the most fuperficial obferver; that life is agreeable chiefly to those, who, being engaged in fome just and honourable purfuit, in any laudable profeffion, public truft, or employment, do not embarrass themfelves with any thing beyond the discharge of their duty. In contraft with thefe, we may place the examples of others who are ever fo intent on the future as to neglect the prefent. Who fhrink from the duties of their station, under the notion of trouble, who decline any concern in the welfare of others, as an avocation from the care of their own. They would have fomething to do: But feem to think that their occupations fhould approach the nearest that is poffible to idleness. They fly from business for it seems to be a task. They do not confider how they may benefit others; for, that were to neglect themselves: but they fwim rivers and fcale precipices, because they are at liberty to do fo, and because they can afford the expence of horses and dogs. Living natures in general are distinguished by the exertions they are qualified and difpofed to make. Man, as we obferved, ftands foremost in this diftinction. His exiftence confifts in a series of active exertions, and he enjoys the exercife of his faculties in the conduct of affairs, and in bufinefs, no lefs than in what he is pleased to term amusement and pastime. Benevolence is an active principle, and an agreeable state of the mind, rendering the prefence and welfare of other men an occafion individual to his relation in occafion of pleasure, and fitting the To be employed is agreeable; but employments differ no lefs than fenfations. The employments of a mild and benevolent affection are placid and happy. Thofe of a rancorous and malicious temper are convulfive and wretched. Many of the objects which we endeavour to obtain in human life, like the game that is pursued by the hunter, are chiefly to be valued for the chace they occafion. But it is not, therefore, indifferent on what object we bestow our labour. As things vifionary or impracticable lead to certain mortification and difappointment, fo things depending on chance, or the will of other men, if conceived to be neceffary, expose to like disappointment; or, under the apprehenfion of adverse events, are the occafions of continual anxiety, dependence, and fear. Things that are not of themfelves of any abfolute value, but exist merely in being compared with what is poffeffed by other men, as dominion, precedence, and rank, renown, and celebrity; even riches and fortune, beyond what is necessary to subsistence and well-being, engage us in pursuits that are not only precarious in the event, but in their nature fubjects of competition, jealoufy PART II. SECT. II. |