1818 Aug. 25

Things as they are First lines &c.

§.1. Misrule Necessity

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5. In proportion as virtue in general, and in particular as the virtues of benevolence and beneficence are held in honour, self-regarding interest joins with sympathy in giving existence and strength to the /those two/ corresponding virtues of benevolence and beneficence. In so far as self regarding interest alone operates, beneficence has place without benevolence: but so intimate is the connection that it scarcely happen that the habit or an act of beneficence shall have place - but that the disposition of benevolence shall in a greater or less degree receive encrease along with it.

The value of the service rendered to each being the same The greater the number of the individuals to whom it has been rendered, knowingly and purposely rendered, the higher the degree in which the virtue of beneficence has been exercised: in other words the greater the extent to which it has been exercised.

6. On this or that occasion it /what/ may well have happened /examples have not been wanting/ of a man /is that a man/ who for the advancement of some public interest has made a sacrifice to a greater or less amount of his own self-regarding interest: who in short has exercised /practiced/ the virtue of beneficence at the expence of the self-regarding precedence. But reputation is an instrument /a ladder/ of power: and if then in conferring a benefit on men no matter to what extent, on his family, on his towns folks, on his nation, on mankind, a quantity of reputation of more value to him than the sacrifice he makes of personal /self-regarding/ interest in the ordinary shape, as what he has in view and aims at, a service to any amount may be rendered by him without the need of any sympathy of any feeling of the several kinds to give birth to it.

As in a civilized state of society for the most part love of reputation, and social sympathy acting upon an extensive scale, had to the same results, they are /were/ commonly, on the occasion where a beneficent action accompanied with self denial has had place, been acting in conjunction: as to the proportions in which in this case they have respectively had place, this is a matter scarce ever known to the man himself, and never to any others.