ness. In like manner,
a good office is agreeable, chiefly because it flatters our vanity, and
is a proof of the kindness and esteem of the person, who performs it.
The removal of the intention, removes the mortification in the one
case, and vanity in the other, and must of course cause a remarkable
diminution in the passions of love and hatred.

I grant, that these effects of the removal of design, in diminishing the
relations of impressions and ideas, are not entire, nor able to remove
every degree of these relations. But then I ask, if the removal of
design be able entirely to remove the passion of love and hatred?
Experience, I am sure, informs us of the contrary, nor is there any
thing more certain, than that men often fall into a violent anger for
injuries, which they themselves must own to be entirely involuntary and
accidental. This emotion, indeed, cannot be of long continuance; but
still is sufficient to shew, that there is a natural connexion betwixt
uneasiness and anger, and that the relation of impressions will operate
upon a very small relation of ideas. But when the violence of the
impression is once a little abated, the defect of the relation begins to
be better felt; and as the character of a person is no wise interested
in such injuries as are casual and involuntary, it seldom happens that
on their account, we entertain a lasting enmity.

To illustrate this doctrine by a parallel instance, we may observe, that
not only the uneasiness, which proceeds from another by accident, has
but little force to excite our passion, but also that which arises
from an acknowledged necessity and duty. One that has a real design of
harming us, proceeding not from hatred and ill-will, but from justice
and equity, draws not upon him our anger, if we be in any degree
reasonable; notwithstanding he is both the cause, and the knowing cause
of our sufferings. Let us examine a little this phaenomenon.

It is evident in the first place, that this circumstance is not
decisive; and though it may be able to diminish the passions, it is
seldom it can entirely remove them. How few criminals are there, who
have no ill-will to the person, that accuses them, or to the judge, that
condemns them, even though they be conscious of their own deserts? In
like manner our antagonist in a law-suit, and our competitor for
any office, are commonly regarded as our enemies; though we must
acknowledge, if we would but reflect a moment, that their m