Ourfirstideasofpersonalbeautyanddeformity，aredrawnfromtheshapeandappearanceofothers，notfromourown。Wesoonbecomesensible，however，thatothersexercisethesamecriticismuponus。Wearepleasedwhentheyapproveofourfigure，andaredisobligedwhentheyseemtobedisgusted。Webecomeanxioustoknowhowfarourappearancedeserveseithertheirblameorapprobation。Weexamineourpersonslimbbylimb，andbyplacingourselvesbeforealooking-glass，orbysomesuchexpedient，endeavour，asmuchaspossible，toviewourselvesatthedistanceandwiththeeyesofotherpeople。If，afterthisexamination，wearesatisfiedwithourownappearance，wecanmoreeasilysupportthemostdisadvantageousjudgmentsofothers。
If，onthecontrary，wearesensiblethatwearethenaturalobjectsofdistaste，everyappearanceoftheirdisapprobationmortifiesusbeyondallmeasure。Amanwhoistolerablyhandsome，willallowyoutolaughatanylittleirregularityinhisperson；
butallsuchjokesarecommonlyunsupportabletoonewhoisreallydeformed。Itisevident，however，thatweareanxiousaboutourownbeautyanddeformity，onlyuponaccountofitseffectuponothers。Ifwehadnoconnexionwithsociety，weshouldbealtogetherindifferentabouteither。
Inthesamemannerourfirstmoralcriticismsareexerciseduponthecharactersandconductofotherpeople；andweareallveryforwardtoobservehoweachoftheseaffectsus。Butwesoonlearn，thatotherpeopleareequallyfrankwithregardtoourown。Webecomeanxioustoknowhowfarwedeservetheircensureorapplause，andwhethertothemwemustnecessarilyappearthoseagreeableordisagreeablecreatureswhichtheyrepresentus。Webegin，uponthisaccount，toexamineourownpassionsandconduct，andtoconsiderhowthesemustappeartothem，byconsideringhowtheywouldappeartousifintheirsituation。Wesupposeourselvesthespectatorsofourownbehaviour，andendeavourtoimaginewhateffectitwould，inthislight，produceuponus。Thisistheonlylooking-glassbywhichwecan，insomemeasure，withtheeyesofotherpeople，scrutinizetheproprietyofourownconduct。Ifinthisviewitpleasesus，wearetolerablysatisfied。Wecanbemoreindifferentabouttheapplause，and，insomemeasure，despisethecensureoftheworld。
securethat，howevermisunderstoodormisrepresented，wearethenaturalandproperobjectsofapprobation。Onthecontrary，ifwearedoubtfulaboutit，weareoften，uponthatveryaccount，moreanxioustogaintheirapprobation，and，providedwehavenotalready，astheysay，shakenhandswithinfamy，wearealtogetherdistractedatthethoughtsoftheircensure，whichthenstrikesuswithdoubleseverity。