Thefoundationofthecustomarycharacterofsomeotherprofessionsisnotsoobvious，andourapprobationofitisfoundedentirelyinhabit，withoutbeingeitherconfirmed，orenlivenedbyanyreflectionsofthiskind。Weareledbycustom，forexample，toannexthecharacterofgaiety，levity，andsprightlyfreedom，aswellasofsomedegreeofdissipation，tothemilitaryprofession。Yet，ifweweretoconsiderwhatmoodortoneoftemperwouldbemostsuitabletothissituation，weshouldbeapttodetermine，perhaps，thatthemostseriousandthoughtfulturnofmindwouldbestbecomethosewhoselivesarecontinuallyexposedtouncommondanger，andwhoshouldthereforebemoreconstantlyoccupiedwiththethoughtsofdeathanditsconsequencesthanothermen。Itisthisverycircumstance，however，whichisnotimprobablytheoccasionwhythecontraryturnofmindprevailssomuchamongmenofthisprofession。Itrequiressogreatanefforttoconquerthefearofdeath，whenwesurveyitwithsteadinessandattention，thatthosewhoareconstantlyexposedtoit，finditeasiertoturnawaytheirthoughtsfromitaltogether，towrapthemselvesupincarelesssecurityandindifference，andtoplungethemselves，forthispurpose，intoeverysortofamusementanddissipation。Acampisnottheelementofathoughtfuloramelancholyman:personsofthatcast，indeed，areoftenabundantlydetermined，andarecapable，byagreateffort，ofgoingonwithinflexibleresolutiontothemostunavoidabledeath。Buttobeexposedtocontinual，thoughlessimminentdanger，tobeobligedtoexert，foralongtime，adegreeofthiseffort，exhaustsanddepressesthemind，andrendersitincapableofallhappinessandenjoyment。Thegayandcareless，whohaveoccasiontomakenoeffortatall，whofairlyresolvenevertolookbeforethem，buttoloseincontinualpleasuresandamusementsallanxietyabouttheirsituation，moreeasilysupportsuchcircumstances。
Whenever，byanypeculiarcircumstances，anofficerhasnoreasontolayhisaccountwithbeingexposedtoanyuncommondanger，heisveryapttolosethegaietyanddissipatedthoughtlessnessofhischaracter。Thecaptainofacityguardiscommonlyassober，careful，andpenuriousananimalastherestofhisfellow-citizens。Alongpeaceis，forthesamereason，veryapttodiminishthedifferencebetweenthecivilandthemilitarycharacter。Theordinarysituation，however，ofmenofthisprofession，rendersgaiety，andadegreeofdissipation，somuchtheirusualcharacter；andcustomhas，inourimagination，sostronglyconnectedthischaracterwiththisstateoflife，thatweareveryapttodespiseanyman，whosepeculiarhumourorsituation，rendershimincapableofacquiringit。Welaughatthegraveandcarefulfacesofacityguard，whichsolittleresemblethoseoftheirprofession。Theythemselvesseemoftentobeashamedoftheregularityoftheirownmanners，and，nottobeoutofthefashionoftheirtrade，arefondofaffectingthatlevity，whichisbynomeansnaturaltothem。Whateveristhedeportmentwhichwehavebeenaccustomedtoseeinarespectableorderofmen，itcomestobesoassociatedinourimaginationwiththatorder，thatwheneverweseetheone，welayouraccountthatwearetomeetwiththeother，andwhendisappointed，misssomethingwhichweexpectedtofind。Weareembarrassed，andputtoastand，andknownothowtoaddressourselvestoacharacter，whichplainlyaffectstobeofadifferentspeciesfromthosewithwhichweshouldhavebeendisposedtoclassit。
Thedifferentsituationsofdifferentagesandcountriesareapt，inthesamemanner，togivedifferentcharacterstothegeneralityofthosewholiveinthem，andtheirsentimentsconcerningtheparticulardegreeofeachquality，thatiseitherblamableorpraise-worthy，vary，accordingtothatdegreewhichisusualintheirowncountry，andintheirowntimes。Thatdegreeofpoliteness，whichwouldbehighlyesteemed，perhapswouldbethoughteffeminateadulation，inRussia，wouldberegardedasrudenessandbarbarismatthecourtofFrance。Thatdegreeoforderandfrugality，which，inaPolishnobleman，wouldbeconsideredasexcessiveparsimony，wouldberegardedasextravaganceinacitizenofAmsterdam。Everyageandcountrylookuponthatdegreeofeachquality，whichiscommonlytobemetwithinthosewhoareesteemedamongthemselves，asthegoldenmeanofthatparticulartalentorvirtue。Andasthisvaries，accordingastheirdifferentcircumstancesrenderdifferentqualitiesmoreorlesshabitualtothem，theirsentimentsconcerningtheexactproprietyofcharacterandbehaviourvaryaccordingly。
Amongcivilizednations，thevirtueswhicharefoundeduponhumanity，aremorecultivatedthanthosewhicharefoundeduponself-denialandthecommandofthepassions。Amongrudeandbarbarousnations，itisquiteotherwise，thevirtuesofself-denialaremorecultivatedthanthoseofhumanity。Thegeneralsecurityandhappinesswhichprevailinagesofcivilityandpoliteness，affordlittleexercisetothecontemptofdanger，topatienceinenduringlabour，hunger，andpain。Povertymayeasilybeavoided，andthecontemptofitthereforealmostceasestobeavirtue。Theabstinencefrompleasurebecomeslessnecessary，andthemindismoreatlibertytounbenditself，andtoindulge。itsnaturalinclinationsinallthoseparticularrespects。
Amongsavagesandbarbariansitisquiteotherwise。EverysavageundergoesasortofSpartandiscipline，andbythenecessityofhissituationisinuredtoeverysortofhardship。