Thisspiritandkeennessconstitutesthedifferencebetweenthemanofenterpriseandthemanofdullregularity。Thosegreatobjectsofself-interest，ofwhichthelossoracquisitionquitechangestherankoftheperson，aretheobjectsofthepassionproperlycalledambition；apassion，whichwhenitkeepswithintheboundsofprudenceandjustice，isalwaysadmiredintheworld，andhasevensometimesacertainirregulargreatness，whichdazzlestheimagination，whenitpassesthelimitsofboththesevirtues，andisnotonlyunjustbutextravagant。Hencethegeneraladmirationforheroesandconquerors，andevenforstatesmen，whoseprojectshavebeenverydaringandextensive，thoughaltogetherdevoidofjustice；suchasthoseoftheCardinalsofRichlieuandofRetz。Theobjectsofavariceandambitiondifferonlyintheirgreatness。Amiserisasfuriousaboutahalfpenny，asamanofambitionabouttheconquestofakingdom。
II。Secondly，Isay，itwilldependpartlyupontheprecisionandexactness，ortheloosenessandinaccuracyofthegeneralrulesthemselves，howfarourconductoughttoproceedentirelyfromaregardtothem。
Thegeneralrulesofalmostallthevirtues，thegeneralruleswhichdeterminewhataretheofficesofprudence，ofcharity，ofgenerosity，ofgratitude，offriendship，areinmanyrespectslooseandinaccurate，admitofmanyexceptions，andrequiresomanymodifications，thatitisscarcepossibletoregulateourconductentirelybyaregardtothem。Thecommonproverbialmaximsofprudence，beingfoundedinuniversalexperience，areperhapsthebestgeneralruleswhichcanbegivenaboutit。Toaffect，however，averystrictandliteraladherencetothemwouldevidentlybethemostabsurdandridiculouspedantry。OfallthevirtuesIhavejustnowmentioned，gratitudeisthat，perhaps，ofwhichtherulesarethemostprecise，andadmitofthefewestexceptions。Thatassoonaswecanweshouldmakeareturnofequal，andifpossibleofsuperiorvaluetotheserviceswehavereceived，wouldseemtobeaprettyplainrule，andonewhichadmittedofscarceanyexceptions。Uponthemostsuperficialexamination，however，thisrulewillappeartobeinthehighestdegreelooseandinaccurate，andtoadmitoftenthousandexceptions。Ifyourbenefactorattendedyouinyoursickness，oughtyoutoattendhiminhis？orcanyoufulfiltheobligationofgratitude，bymakingareturnofadifferentkind？
Ifyououghttoattendhim，howlongoughtyoutoattendhim？Thesametimewhichheattendedyou，orlonger，andhowmuchlonger？
Ifyourfriendlentyoumoneyinyourdistress，oughtyoutolendhimmoneyinhis？Howmuchoughtyoutolendhim？Whenoughtyoutolendhim？Now，orto-morrow，ornextmonth？Andforhowlongatime？Itisevident，thatnogeneralrulecanbelaiddown，bywhichapreciseanswercan，inallcases，begiventoanyofthesequestions。Thedifferencebetweenhischaracterandyours，betweenhiscircumstancesandyours，maybesuch，thatyoumaybeperfectlygrateful，andjustlyrefusetolendhimahalfpenny: