Eighteenth Century Collection Online Demo

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

truth and justice from an old man as well as from a young, from a clergyman as well as from an officer; and it is in matters of smaller moment only that we look for the distinguishing marks of their respective cha|racters. With regard to these too, there is often some unobserved circumstance which, if it was attended to, would show us that, independent of custom, there was a propriety in the character which custom had taught us to allot to each profession. We cannot complain, therefore, in this case, that the perversion of natural sentiment is very great. Tho' the manners of different nations re|quire different degrees of the same quality, in the character which they think worthy of esteem, yet the worst that can be said to happen even here, is that the duties of one virtue are sometimes extended so as to en|croach a little upon the precincts of some other. The rustic hospitality that is in fashion among the Poles encroaches, per|haps, a little upon oeconomy and good or|der; and the frugality that is esteemed in Holland, upon generosity and good-fellowship. The hardiness demanded of savages diminishes their humanity; and perhaps the delicate sensibility required in civilized nations some|times
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Title
The theory of moral sentiments: By Adam Smith, ...
Author
Smith, Adam, 1723-1790.
Canvas
Page 408
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 12, 2025.
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