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.Ihave also observ'd, that `tis an additional subject of vanity, when they canboast, that these possessions have been transmitted thro' a descentcompos'd entirely of males, and that the honour, and fortune have neverpast thro' any female.Let us endeavour to explain these phaenomena bythe foregoing system.`Tis evident, that when any one boasts of the antiquity of his family, thesubjects of his vanity are not merely the extent of time and number ofancestors, but also their riches and credit, which are suppos'd to reflect alustre on himself on account of his relation to them.He first considersthese objects; is affected by them in an agreeable manner; and thenreturning back to himself, thro' the relation of parent and child, iselevated with the passion of pride, by means of the double relation, ofimpressions and ideas.Since therefore the passion depends on theserelations, whatever strengthens any of the relations must also encreasethe passion, and whatever weakens the relations must diminish thepassion.Now `tis certain the identity of the possesion strengthens therelation of ideas arising from blood and kindred, and conveys the fancywith greater facility from one generation to another, from the remoteancestors to their posterity, who are both their heirs and their descendants.By this facility the impression is transmitted more entire,and excites a greater degree of pride and vanity.The case is the same with the transmission of the honours and fortunethro' a succession of males without their passing thro' any female.Tis aquality of human nature, which we shall consider(3) afterwards, that theimagination naturally turns to whatever is important and considerable;and where two `objects are presented to it, a small and a great one,usually leaves the former, and dwells entirely upon the latter.As in thesociety of marriage, the male sex has the advantage above the female, thehusband first engages our attention; and whether we consider himdirectly.or reach him by passing thro' related objects, the thought bothrests upon him with greater satisfaction, and arrives at him with greaterfacility than his consort.`Tis easy to see, that this property muststrengthen the child's relation to the father, and weaken that to themother.For as all relations are nothing hut a propensity to pass from oneidea ma another, whatever strengthens the propensity strengthens therelation; and as we have a stronger propensity to pass from the idea ofthe children to that of the father, than from the same idea to that of themother, we ought to regard the former relation as the closer and moreconsiderable.This is the reason why children commonly bear theirfather's name, and are esteem'd to be of nobler or baser birth, accordingto his family.And tho' the mother shou'd be possest of a superior spiritand genius to the father, as often happens, the general rule prevails,notwithstanding the exceprion, according to the doctrine above-explain'd.Nay even when a superiority of any kind is so great, or when any otherreasons have such an effect, as to make the children rather represent :themother's family than the father's, the general rule still retains such anefficacy that it weakens the relation, and makes a kind of break in the lineof ancestors.The imagination runs not along them with facility, nor isable to transfer the honour and credit of the ancestors to their posterity ofthe same name and family so readily, as when the transition isconformable to the general rules, and passes from father to son, or frombrother to brother.SECT.X Of property and richesBut the relation, which is esteem'd the closest, and which of all othersproduces most commonly the passion of pride, is that of property.Thisrelation `twill be impossible for me fully to explain before I come to treatof justice and the other moral virtues.`Tis sufficient to observe on this occasion, that property may be defin'd, such a relation betwixt a personand an.object as permits him, but forbids any other, the free use andpossession of it, without violating the laws of justice and moral equity.Ifjustice, therefore, be a virtue, which has a natural and original influenceon the human mind, property may be look'd upon as a particular speciesof causation; whether we consider the liberty it gives the proprietor tooperate as he please upon the object or the advantages, which he reapsfrom it.Tis the same case, if justice, according to the system of certainphilosophers, shou'd be esteemed an artificial and not a natural virtue.For then honour, and custom, and civil laws supply the place of naturalconscience, and produce, in some degree, the same effects.This in themean time is certain, that the mention of the property naturally carriesour thought to the proprietor, and of the proprietor to the property;which being a proof of a perfect relation of ideas is all that is requisite toour present purpose.A relation of ideas, join'd to that of impressions,always produces a transition of affections; and therefore, whenever anypleasure or pain arises from an object, connected with us by property.wemay be certain, that either pride or humility must arise from thisconjunction of relations; if the foregoing system be solid and satisfactory.And whether it be so or not, we may soon satisfy ourselves by the mostcursory view of human life.Every thing belonging to a vain man is the best that is any where to befound [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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