Itmay，perhaps，beunnecessarytoobserve，thatthecombinationoftwo，ormore，ofthoseexcitingcausesofkindness，increasesthekindness。Thefavourandpartialitywhich，whenthereisnoenvyinthecase，wenaturallybeartogreatness，aremuchincreasedwhenitisjoinedwithwisdomandvirtue。If，notwithstandingthatwisdomandvirtue，thegreatmanshouldfallintothosemisfortunes，thosedangersanddistresses，towhichthemostexaltedstationsareoftenthemostexposed，wearemuchmoredeeplyinterestedinhisfortunethanweshouldbeinthatofapersonequallyvirtuous，butinamorehumblesituation。Themostinterestingsubjectsoftragediesandromancesarethemisfortunesofvirtuousandmagnanimouskingsandprinces。If，bythewisdomandmanhoodoftheirexertions，theyshouldextricatethemselvesfromthosemisfortunes，andrecovercompletelytheirformersuperiorityandsecurity，wecannothelpviewingthemwiththemostenthusiasticandevenextravagantadmiration。Thegriefwhichwefeltfortheirdistress，thejoywhichwefeelfortheirprosperity，seemtocombinetogetherinenhancingthatpartialadmirationwhichwenaturallyconceivebothforthestationandthecharacter。
Whenthosedifferentbeneficentaffectionshappentodrawdifferentways，todeterminebyanypreciserulesinwhatcasesweoughttocomplywiththeone，andinwhatwiththeother，is，perhaps，altogetherimpossible。Inwhatcasesfriendshipoughttoyieldtogratitude，orgratitudetofriend，ship。inwhatcasesthestrongestofallnaturalaffectionsoughttoyieldtoaregardforthesafetyofthosesuperiorsuponwhosesafetyoftendependsthatofthewholesociety；andinwhatcasesnaturalaffectionmay，withoutimpropriety，prevailoverthatregard；
mustbeleftaltogethertothedecisionofthemanwithinthebreast，thesupposedimpartialspectator，thegreatjudgeandarbiterofourconduct。Ifweplaceourselvescompletelyinhissituation，ifwereallyviewourselveswithhiseyes，andasheviewsus，andlistenwithdiligentandreverentialattentiontowhathesuggeststous，hisvoicewillneverdeceiveus。Weshallstandinneedofnocasuisticrulestodirectourconduct。Theseitisoftenimpossibletoaccommodatetoallthedifferentshadesandgradationsofcircumstance，character，andsituation，todifferencesanddistinctionswhich，thoughnotimperceptible，are，bytheirnicetyanddelicacy，oftenaltogetherundefinable。
InthatbeautifultragedyofVoltaire，theOrphanofChina，whileweadmirethemagnanimityofZamti，whoiswillingtosacrificethelifeofhisownchild，inordertopreservethatoftheonlyfeebleremnantofhisancientsovereignsandmasters；wenotonlypardon，butlovethematernaltendernessofIdame，who，attherisqueofdiscoveringtheimportantsecretofherhusband，reclaimsherinfantfromthecruelhandsoftheTartars，intowhichithadbeendelivered。
OftheorderinwhichSocietiesarebynaturerecommendedtoourBeneficenceThesameprinciplesthatdirecttheorderinwhichindividualsarerecommendedtoourbeneficence，directthatlikewiseinwhichsocietiesarerecommendedtoit。Thosetowhichitis，ormaybeofmostimportance，arefirstandprincipallyrecommendedtoit。