[129b-502]

4 April 1817

Plan Cat

2 o Note (a) ?

Introd

§ Interests adverse

I. Look to interests

Good and bad motives

2

A principle of delusion by which it /the admission of it/ finds itself constantly opposed is the vulgar division of motives into good and bad motives: a species of logic under which the motive corresponding to self-regarding interest is stationed in and set at the head of the list of bad motives: as if with any sort of propriety, to a species of motive on the general predominance of which over all others put together the whole species is continually and universally and continually /essentially/ dependent for its existence could with any tolerable degree of propriety could without keeping the whole system of moral ideas in a state of perpetual confusion, any such epithet as bad could be kept attached.

Bad, yes: in so far as productive of bad that is mischievous actions, and thence of the correspondent bad intentions so beyond all doubt may this species of motive. But so may be so continually is every other sort of motive whatsoever: so that /hence/ by no such consideration can the attaching to that species of motive the epithet bad be justified.