Eighteenth Century Collection Online Demo

The theory of moral sentiments: By Adam Smith, ...

there will, even in the noblest and the best mind, be some little difference of affec|tion in favour of him who succeeds. Nay, so unjust are mankind in this respect, that though the intended benefit should be pro|cured, yet if it is not procured by the means of a particular benefactor, they are apt to think that less gratitude is due to the man, who with the best intentions in the world could do no more than help it a little forward. As their gratitude is in this case divided among the different per|sons who contributed to their pleasure, a smaller share of it seems due to any one. Such a person, we hear men commonly say, intended no doubt to serve us; and we really believe exerted himself to the utmost of his abilities for that purpose. We are not, however, obliged to him for this be|nefit; since had it not been for the con|currence of others, all that he could have done would never have brought it about. This consideration, they imagine, should, even in the eyes of the impartial specta|tor, diminish the debt which they owe to him. The person himself who has unsuc|cessfully endeavoured to confer a benefit, has by no means the same dependency up|on
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Title
The theory of moral sentiments: By Adam Smith, ...
Author
Smith, Adam, 1723-1790.
Canvas
Page 221
Publication
London :: printed for A. Millar; and A. Kincaid and J. Bell, in Edinburgh,
1759.

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"The theory of moral sentiments: By Adam Smith, ..." In the digital collection Eighteenth Century Collection Online Demo. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eccodemo/k111361.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 13, 2025.
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