462 DOCTRINE OF iIIE PASSIONS. very sudden and strong ; it occasions sweating, paleness, tremors, fainting, &c. Most, or all of these general passions, may be exercised toward ourselves or toward others. As the love of esteem may have self for the object of it, so may the love of benevolence or good-will, as was hinted before, and so may the love of com- placence or delight. We desire the welfare of ourselves, we may be pleased with ourselves, and delight in self. When self is the object, all these are properly called self-love, and all the various kinds and branches of it are called selfish passions*. The most of these selfish passions are innocent, when kept within properbounds, and were designed for the service of man, to guard him from evil, and to promote his welfare ; yet there is something more generous and honourable when the passions of esteem, benevolence, and complacence, are exercised towards others. An universal love and benevolence desiring the goodof all sensible beings isa noble character ; but stillit must be limited bya submission to the will and wisdomof God, who governs all things well, and has not seen fit effectually to secure certain hap- piness to all his creatures. SECT. IX..Desire and Aversion. We proceednow to the third rank of passions, which I call derivative, because they spring chiefly from the love of benevo- lence and complacence, and their contraries. In this rank the first pair that occur are desire and aversion. When we took upon an object as good, and suppose it possible to be attained, our desire goes out toward it, which is a tendency or propensity toobtain some absent or unpossessed good. When we look upon an object as evil, which may possibly come upon us, it awakens an active passion, which we may call aversion or avoidance, and it implies a tendency to escape this evil. Though these inward principles ofdesire And aversion seem to have more of the will in them than the other passions ; yet if. we examine our own hearts, we shall find some strong sensa- tions of the workingsOf animal nature, attending these acts of the will, and therefore they may be properly called passions. Here I would have it observed, that in our animal natures there are some propensities or desires that arise without any ex- * The ingenious author of °' The Nature and Conduct of the Passions," palls those affections which relate to the happiness or unhappiness of other per- sons' public passions oraffections,and makes several agreeable and just remarks aspen them. Most of the particular and derivative passions may also be public as well as selfish; for they are but the effects of the love of benevolence, or the "love of complacence, or their contraries, according to the variety of their ob- jects. We desiregood for ourselves or for others : We hope for the happiness of ourselves or our neighbours: We fear, and are solicitous for the welfare of our country, as well as for our own : We rejoice in public prosperity, and mourn over public distress.
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