Nomancanbecompletely，oreventolerablysatisfied，withhavingavoidedeverythingblame-worthyinhisconduct；unlesshehaslikewiseavoidedtheblameorthereproach。Awisemanmayfrequentlyneglectpraise，evenwhenhehasbestdeservedit；
but，inallmattersofseriousconsequence，hewillmostcarefullyendeavoursotoregulatehisconductastoavoid，notonlyblame-worthiness，but，asmuchaspossible，everyprobableimputationofblame。Hewillnever，indeed，avoidblamebydoinganythingwhichhejudgesblame-worthy；byomittinganypartofhisduty，orbyneglectinganyopportunityofdoinganythingwhichhejudgestobereallyandgreatlypraise-worthy。But，withthesemodifications，hewillmostanxiouslyandcarefullyavoidit。Toshowmuchanxietyaboutpraise，evenforpraise-worthyactions，isseldomamarkofgreatwisdom，butgenerallyofsomedegreeofweakness。But，inbeinganxioustoavoidtheshadowofblameorreproach，theremaybenoweakness，butfrequentlythemostpraise-worthyprudence。
’Manypeople，’saysCicero，’despiseglory，whoareyetmostseverelymortifiedbyunjustreproach；andthatmostinconsistently。’Thisinconsistency，however，seemstobefoundedintheunalterableprinciplesofhumannature。
Theall-wiseAuthorofNaturehas，inthismanner，taughtmantorespectthesentimentsandjudgmentsofhisbrethren；tobemoreorlesspleasedwhentheyapproveofhisconduct，andtobemoreorlesshurtwhentheydisapproveofit。Hehasmademan，ifImaysayso，theimmediatejudgeofmankind；andhas，inthisrespect，asinmanyothers，createdhimafterhisownimage，andappointedhimhisvicegerentuponearth，tosuperintendthebehaviourofhisbrethren。Theyaretaughtbynature，toacknowledgethatpowerandjurisdictionwhichhasthusbeenconferreduponhim，tobemoreorlesshumbledandmortifiedwhentheyhaveincurredhiscensure，andtobemoreorlesselatedwhentheyhaveobtainedhisapplause。
Butthoughmanhas，inthismanner，beenrenderedtheimmediatejudgeofmankind，hehasbeenrenderedsoonlyinthefirstinstance；andanappealliesfromhissentencetoamuchhighertribunal，tothetribunaloftheirownconsciences，tothatofthesupposedimpartialandwell-informedspectator，tothatofthemanwithinthebreast，thegreatjudgeandarbiteroftheirconduct。Thejurisdictionsofthosetwotribunalsarefoundeduponprincipleswhich，thoughinsomerespectsresemblingandakin，are，however，inrealitydifferentanddistinct。Thejurisdictionofthemanwithout，isfoundedaltogetherinthedesireofactualpraise，andintheaversiontoactualblame。Thejurisdictionofthemanwithin，isfoundedaltogetherinthedesireofpraise-worthiness，andintheaversiontoblame-worthiness；inthedesireofpossessingthosequalities，andperformingthoseactions，whichweloveandadmireinotherpeople；andinthedreadofpossessingthosequalities，andperformingthoseactions，whichwehateanddespiseinotherpeople。Ifthemanwithoutshouldapplaudus，eitherforactionswhichwehavenotperformed，orformotiveswhichhadnoinfluenceuponus；themanwithincanimmediatelyhumblethatprideandelevationofmindwhichsuchgroundlessacclamationsmightotherwiseoccasion，bytellingus，thatasweknowthatwedonotdeservethem，werenderourselvesdespicablebyacceptingthem。If，onthecontrary，themanwithoutshouldreproachus，eitherforactionswhichweneverperformed，orformotiveswhichhadnoinfluenceuponthosewhichwemayhaveperformed；themanwithinmayimmediatelycorrectthisfalsejudgment，andassureus，thatwearebynomeanstheproperobjectsofthatcensurewhichhassounjustlybeenbestoweduponus。Butinthisandinsomeothercases，themanwithinseemssometimes，asitwere，astonishedandconfoundedbythevehemenceandclamourofthemanwithout。Theviolenceandloudness，withwhichblameissometimespouredoutuponus，seemstostupifyandbenumbournaturalsenseofpraise-worthinessandblame-worthiness；andthejudgmentsofthemanwithin，thoughnot，perhaps，absolutelyalteredorperverted，are，however，somuchshakeninthesteadinessandfirmnessoftheirdecision，thattheirnaturaleffect，insecuringthetranquillityofthemind，isfrequentlyinagreatmeasuredestroyed。Wescarcedaretoabsolveourselves，whenallourbrethrenappearloudlytocondemnus。Thesupposedimpartialspectatorofourconductseemstogivehisopinioninourfavourwithfearandhesitation；whenthatofalltherealspectators，whenthatofallthosewithwhoseeyesandfromwhosestationheendeavourstoconsiderit，isunanimouslyandviolentlyagainstus。Insuchcases，thisdemigodwithinthebreastappears，likethedemigodsofthepoets，thoughpartlyofimmortal，yetpartlytooofmortalextraction。Whenhisjudgmentsaresteadilyandfirmlydirectedbythesenseofpraiseworthinessandblame-worthiness，heseemstoactsuitablytohisdivineextraction:Butwhenhesuffershimselftobeastonishedandconfoundedbythejudgmentsofignorantandweakman，hediscovershisconnexionwithmortality，andappearstoactsuitably，rathertothehuman，thantothedivine，partofhisorigin。