OftheCausesofthisInfluenceofFortuneThecausesofpainandpleasure，whatevertheyare，orhowevertheyoperate，seemtobetheobjects，which，inallanimals，immediatelyexcitethosetwopassionsofgratitudeandresentment。Theyareexcitedbyinanimated，aswellasbyanimatedobjects。Weareangry，foramoment，evenatthestonethathurtsus。Achildbeatsit，adogbarksatit，acholericmanisapttocurseit。Theleastreflection，indeed，correctsthissentiment，andwesoonbecomesensible，thatwhathasnofeelingisaveryimproperobjectofrevenge。Whenthemischief，however，isverygreat，theobjectwhichcauseditbecomesdisagreeabletouseverafter，andwetakepleasuretoburnordestroyit。Weshouldtreat，inthismanner，theinstrumentwhichhadaccidentallybeenthecauseofthedeathofafriend，andweshouldoftenthinkourselvesguiltyofasortofinhumanity，ifweneglectedtoventthisabsurdsortofvengeanceuponit。
Weconceive，inthesamemanner，asortofgratitudeforthoseinanimatedobjects，whichhavebeenthecausesofgreat，orfrequentpleasuretous。Thesailor，who，assoonashegotashore，shouldmendhisfirewiththeplankuponwhichhehadjustescapedfromashipwreck，wouldseemtobeguiltyofanunnaturalaction。Weshouldexpectthathewouldratherpreserveitwithcareandaffection，asamonumentthatwas，insomemeasure，deartohim。Amangrowsfondofasnuff-box，ofapen-knife，ofastaffwhichhehaslongmadeuseof，andconceivessomethinglikearealloveandaffectionforthem。Ifhebreaksorlosesthem，heisvexedoutofallproportiontothevalueofthedamage。Thehousewhichwehavelonglivedin，thetree，whoseverdureandshadewehavelongenjoyed，arebothlookeduponwithasortofrespectthatseemsduetosuchbenefactors。Thedecayoftheone，ortheruinoftheother，affectsuswithakindofmelancholy，thoughweshouldsustainnolossbyit。TheDryadsandtheLaresoftheancients，asortofgeniioftreesandhouses，wereprobablyfirstsuggestedbythissortofaffection，whichtheauthorsofthosesuperstitionsfeltforsuchobjects，andwhichseemedunreasonable，iftherewasnothinganimatedaboutthem。
But，beforeanythingcanbetheproperobjectofgratitudeorresentment，itmustnotonlybethecauseofpleasureorpain，itmustlikewisebecapableoffeelingthem。Withoutthisotherquality，thosepassionscannotventthemselveswithanysortofsatisfactionuponit。Astheyareexcitedbythecausesofpleasureandpain，sotheirgratificationconsistsinretaliatingthosesensationsuponwhatgaveoccasiontothem；whichitistonopurposetoattemptuponwhathasnosensibility。Animals，therefore，arelessimproperobjectsofgratitudeandresentmentthaninanimatedobjects。Thedogthatbites，theoxthatgores，arebothofthempunished。Iftheyhavebeenthecausesofthedeathofanyperson，neitherthepublic，northerelationsoftheslain，canbesatisfied，unlesstheyareputtodeathintheirturn:noristhismerelyforthesecurityoftheliving，but，insomemeasure，torevengetheinjuryofthedead。Thoseanimals，onthecontrary，thathavebeenremarkablyserviceabletotheirmasters，becometheobjectsofaverylivelygratitude。Weareshockedatthebrutalityofthatofficer，mentionedintheTurkishSpy，whostabbedthehorsethathadcarriedhimacrossanarmofthesea，lestthatanimalshouldafterwardsdistinguishsomeotherpersonbyasimilaradventure。
But，thoughanimalsarenotonlythecausesofpleasureandpain，butarealsocapableoffeelingthosesensations，theyarestillfarfrombeingcompleteandperfectobjects，eitherofgratitudeorresentment；andthosepassionsstillfeel，thatthereissomethingwantingtotheirentiregratification。Whatgratitudechieflydesires，isnotonlytomakethebenefactorfeelpleasureinhisturn，buttomakehimconsciousthathemeetswiththisrewardonaccountofhispastconduct，tomakehimpleasedwiththatconduct，andtosatisfyhimthatthepersonuponwhomhebestowedhisgoodofficeswasnotunworthyofthem。
Whatmostofallcharmsusinourbenefactor，istheconcordbetweenhissentimentsandourown，withregardtowhatinterestsussonearlyastheworthofourowncharacter，andtheesteemthatisduetous。Wearedelightedtofindapersonwhovaluesusaswevalueourselves，anddistinguishesusfromtherestofmankind，withanattentionnotunlikethatwithwhichwedistinguishourselves。Tomaintaininhimtheseagreeableandflatteringsentiments，isoneofthechiefendsproposedbythereturnswearedisposedtomaketohim。Agenerousmindoftendisdainstheinterestedthoughtofextortingnewfavoursfromitsbenefactor，bywhatmaybecalledtheimportunitiesofitsgratitude。Buttopreserveandtoincreasehisesteem，isaninterestwhichthegreatestminddoesnotthinkunworthyofitsattention。AndthisisthefoundationofwhatIformerlyobserved，thatwhenwecannotenterintothemotivesofourbenefactor，whenhisconductandcharacterappearunworthyofourapprobation，lethisserviceshavebeeneversogreat，ourgratitudeisalwayssensiblydiminished。Wearelessflatteredbythedistinction。andtopreservetheesteemofsoweak，orsoworthlessapatron，seemstobeanobjectwhichdoesnotdeservetobepursuedforitsownsake。