Butthoughthetotalwantofsensibilitytopersonalinjury，topersonaldangeranddistress，would，insuchsituations，takeawaythewholemeritofself-command，thatsensibility，however，mayveryeasilybetooexquisite，anditfrequentlyisso。Whenthesenseofpropriety，whentheauthorityofthejudgewithinthebreast，cancontrolthisextremesensibility，thatauthoritymustnodoubtappearverynobleandverygreat。Buttheexertionofitmaybetoofatiguing；itmayhavetoomuchtodo。Theindividual，byagreateffort，maybehaveperfectlywell。Butthecontestbetweenthetwoprinciples，thewarfarewithinthebreast，maybetooviolenttobeatallconsistentwithinternaltranquillityandhappiness。ThewisemanwhomNaturehasendowedwiththistooexquisitesensibility，andwhosetoolivelyfeelingshavenotbeensufficientlybluntedandhardenedbyearlyeducationandproperexercise，willavoid，asmuchasdutyandproprietywillpermit，thesituationsforwhichheisnotperfectlyfitted。Themanwhosefeebleanddelicateconstitutionrendershimtoosensibletopain，tohardship，andtoeverysortofbodilydistress，shouldnotwantonlyembracetheprofessionofasoldier。Themanoftoomuchsensibilitytoinjury，shouldnotrashlyengageinthecontestsoffaction。Thoughthesenseofproprietyshouldbestrongenoughtocommandallthosesensibilities，thecomposureofthemindmustalwaysbedisturbedinthestruggle。Inthisdisorderthejudgmentcannotalwaysmaintainitsordinaryacutenessandprecision；andthoughhemayalwaysmeantoactproperly，hemayoftenactrashlyandimprudently，andinamannerwhichhehimselfwill，inthesucceedingpartofhislife，beforeverashamedof。Acertainintrepidity，acertainfirmnessofnervesandhardinessofconstitution，whethernaturaloracquired，areundoubtedlythebestpreparativesforallthegreatexertionsofself-command。
Thoughwarandfactionarecertainlythebestschoolsforformingeverymantothishardinessandfirmnessoftemper，thoughtheyarethebestremediesforcuringhimoftheoppositeweaknesses，yet，ifthedayoftrialshouldhappentocomebeforehehascompletelylearnedhislesson，beforetheremedyhashadtimetoproduceitspropereffect，theconsequencesmightnotbeagreeable。
Oursensibilitytothepleasures，totheamusementsandenjoymentsofhumanlife，mayoffend，inthesamemanner，eitherbyitsexcessorbyitsdefect。Ofthetwo，however，theexcessseemslessdisagreeablethanthedefect。Bothtothespectatorandtothepersonprincipallyconcerned，astrongpropensitytojoyiscertainlymorepleasingthanadullinsensibilitytotheobjectsofamusementanddiversion。Wearecharmedwiththegaietyofyouth，andevenwiththeplayfulnessofchildhood:butwesoongrowwearyoftheflatandtastelessgravitywhichtoofrequentlyaccompaniesoldage。Whenthispropensity，indeed，isnotrestrainedbythesenseofpropriety，whenitisunsuitabletothetimeortotheplace，totheageortothesituationoftheperson，when，toindulgeit，heneglectseitherhisinterestorhisduty；itisjustlyblamedasexcessive，andashurtfulbothtotheindividualandtothesociety。Inthegreaterpartofsuchcases，however，whatischieflytobefoundfaultwithis，notsomuchthestrengthofthepropensitytojoy，astheweaknessofthesenseofproprietyandduty。Ayoungmanwhohasnorelishforthediversionsandamusementsthatarenaturalandsuitabletohisage，whotalksofnothingbuthisbookorhisbusiness，isdislikedasformalandpedantic；andwegivehimnocreditforhisabstinenceevenfromimproperindulgences，towhichheseemstohavesolittleinclination。
Theprincipleofself-estimationmaybetoohigh，anditmaylikewisebetoolow。Itissoveryagreeabletothinkhighly，andsoverydisagreeabletothinkmeanlyofourselves，that，tothepersonhimself，itcannotwellbedoubted，butthatsomedegreeofexcessmustbemuchlessdisagreeablethananydegreeofdefect。Buttotheimpartialspectator，itmayperhapsbethought，thingsmustappearquitedifferently，andthattohim，thedefectmustalwaysbelessdisagreeablethantheexcess。Andinourcompanions，nodoubt，wemuchmorefrequentlycomplainofthelatterthanoftheformer。Whentheyassumeuponus，orsetthemselvesbeforeus，theirself-estimationmortifiesourown。
Ourownprideandvanitypromptustoaccusethemofprideandvanity，andweceasetobetheimpartialspectatorsoftheirconduct。Whenthesamecompanions，however，sufferanyothermantoassumeoverthemasuperioritywhichdoesnotbelongtohim，wenotonlyblamethem，butoftendespisethemasmean-spirited。