Two dissertations, I. Concerning the end for which God created the world. II. The…

But it is said by some, that 'tis apparent, there is some other principle concerned in exciting the passions of gratitude ⟨p. 150⟩and anger, besides self-love, viz. a moral sense, or sense of moral beauty and deformity, determining the minds of all mankind to approve of, and be pleased with virtue, and to disapprove of vice, and behold it with displicence; and that their seeing or supposing this moral beauty or deformity, in the kindness of a benefactor, or opposition of an adversary, is the occasion of these affections of gratitude or anger. Otherwise, why are not these affections excited in us towards inanimate things, that do us good, or hurt? Why don't we experience gratitude to a garden, or fruitful field? And why are we not angry with a tempest, or blasting mildew, or an overflowing stream? We are very differently affected towards those that do us good from the virtue of generosity, or hurt us from the vice of envy and malice, than towards things that hurt or help us, which are destitute of reason and will.—Now concerning this, I would make several remarks.

1. THOSE who thus argue, that gratitude and anger can't proceed from self-love, might argue in the same way and with equal reason, that neither can these affections arise from love to others: which is contrary to their own scheme.

THEY say, that the reason why we are affected with gratitude and anger towards men, rather than things without life, is moral sense: which they say, is the effect of that principle of benevolence or love to others, or love to the public, which is naturally in the hearts of all mankind.—But now I might say, according to their own way of arguing, gratitude and anger cannot arise from love to others, or love to the public, or any sense of mind that is the fruit of public affection. For, how differently are we affected towards those that do good or hurt to the public from understanding and will, and from a general public spirit, or public motive,—I say, how differently affected are we towards these, from what we are towards such inanimate things as the sun and the clouds, that do good to the public, by enlightening and enlivening beams and refreshing showers; or mildew, and an overflowing stream, that does hurt to the public, by destroying the fruits of the earth! Yea, if such a kind of argument be good, it will prove that