Eventhemeritoftalentsandabilitieswhichsomeaccidenthashinderedfromproducingtheireffects，seemsinsomemeasureimperfect，eventothosewhoarefullyconvincedoftheircapacitytoproducethem。Thegeneralwhohasbeenhinderedbytheenvyofministersfromgainingsomegreatadvantageovertheenemiesofhiscountry，regretsthelossoftheopportunityforeverafter。Norisitonlyuponaccountofthepublicthatheregretsit。Helamentsthathewashinderedfromperforminganactionwhichwouldhaveaddedanewlustretohischaracterinhisowneyes，aswellasinthoseofeveryotherperson。Itsatisfiesneitherhimselfnorotherstoreflectthattheplanordesignwasallthatdependedonhim，thatnogreatercapacitywasrequiredtoexecuteitthanwhatwasnecessarytoconcertit:
thathewasallowedtobeeverywaycapableofexecutingit，andthathadhebeenpermittedtogoon，successwasinfallible。Hestilldidnotexecuteit；andthoughhemightdeservealltheapprobationwhichisduetoamagnanimousandgreatdesign，hestillwantedtheactualmeritofhavingperformedagreataction。
Totakethemanagementofanyaffairofpublicconcernfromthemanwhohasalmostbroughtittoaconclusion，isregardedasthemostinvidiousinjustice。Ashehaddonesomuch，heshould，wethink，havebeenallowedtoacquirethecompletemeritofputtinganendtoit。ItwasobjectedtoPompey，thathecameinuponthevictoriesofLucullus，andgatheredthoselaurelswhichwereduetothefortuneandvalourofanother。ThegloryofLucullus，itseems，waslesscompleteevenintheopinionofhisownfriends，whenhewasnotpermittedtofinishthatconquestwhichhisconductandcouragehadputinthepowerofalmostanymantofinish。Itmortifiesanarchitectwhenhisplansareeithernotexecutedatall，orwhentheyaresofaralteredastospoiltheeffectofthebuilding。Theplan，however，isallthatdependsuponthearchitect。Thewholeofhisgeniusis，togoodjudges，ascompletelydiscoveredinthatasintheactualexecution。Butaplandoesnot，eventothemostintelligent，givethesamepleasureasanobleandmagnificentbuilding。Theymaydiscoverasmuchbothoftasteandgeniusintheoneasintheother。Buttheireffectsarestillvastlydifferent，andtheamusementderivedfromthefirst，neverapproachestothewonderandadmirationwhicharesometimesexcitedbythesecond。Wemaybelieveofmanymen，thattheirtalentsaresuperiortothoseofCaesarandAlexander；andthatinthesamesituationstheywouldperformstillgreateractions。Inthemeantime，however，wedonotbeholdthemwiththatastonishmentandadmirationwithwhichthosetwoheroeshavebeenregardedinallagesandnations。Thecalmjudgmentsofthemindmayapproveofthemmore，buttheywantthesplendourofgreatactionstodazzleandtransportit。
Thesuperiorityofvirtuesandtalentshasnot，evenuponthosewhoacknowledgethatsuperiority，thesameeffectwiththesuperiorityofatchievements。
Asthemeritofanunsuccessfulattempttodogoodseemsthus，intheeyesofungratefulmankind，tobediminishedbythemiscarriage，sodoeslikewisethedemeritofanunsuccessfulattempttodoevil。Thedesigntocommitacrime，howclearlysoeveritmaybeproved，isscarceeverpunishedwiththesameseverityastheactualcommissionofit。Thecaseoftreasonisperhapstheonlyexception。Thatcrimeimmediatelyaffectingthebeingofthegovernmentitself，thegovernmentisnaturallymorejealousofitthanofanyother。Inthepunishmentoftreason，thesovereignresentstheinjurieswhichareimmediatelydonetohimself:inthepunishmentofothercrimes，heresentsthosewhicharedonetoothermen。Itishisownresentmentwhichheindulgesintheonecase:itisthatofhissubjectswhichbysympathyheentersintointheother。Inthefirstcase，therefore，ashejudgesinhisowncause，heisveryapttobemoreviolentandsanguinaryinhispunishmentsthantheimpartialspectatorcanapproveof。Hisresentmenttooriseshereuponsmalleroccasions，anddoesnotalways，asinothercases，waitfortheperpetrationofthecrime，orevenfortheattempttocommitit。Atreasonableconcert，thoughnothinghasbeendone，orevenattemptedinconsequenceofit，nay，atreasonableconversation，isinmanycountriespunishedinthesamemannerastheactualcommissionoftreason。Withregardtoallothercrimes，themeredesign，uponwhichnoattempthasfollowed，isseldompunishedatall，andisneverpunishedseverely。A