Wefrequently，notonlypardon，butthoroughlyenterintoandsympathizewiththeexcessiveself-estimationofthosesplendidcharactersinwhichweobserveagreatanddistinguishedsuperiorityabovethecommonlevelofmankind。Wecallthemspirited，magnanimous，andhigh-minded；wordswhichallinvolveintheirmeaningaconsiderabledegreeofpraiseandadmiration。
ButwecannotenterintoanDsympathizewiththeexcessiveself-estimationofthosecharactersinwhichwecandiscernnosuchdistinguishedsuperiority。Wearedisgustedandrevoltedbyit；anditiswithsomedifficultythatwecaneitherpardonorsufferit:Wecallitprideorvanity；twowords，ofwhichthelatteralways，andtheformerforthemostpart，involveintheirmeaningaconsiderabledegreeofblame。
Thosetwovices，however，thoughresembling，insomerespects，asbeingbothmodificationsofexcessiveself-estimation，areyet，inmanyrespects，verydifferentfromoneanother。
Theproudmanissincere，and，inthebottomofhisheart，isconvincedofhisownsuperiority；thoughitmaysometimesbedifficulttoguessuponwhatthatconvictionisfounded。Hewishesyoutoviewhiminnootherlightthanthatinwhich，whenheplaceshimselfinyoursituation，hereallyviewshimself。Hedemandsnomoreofyouthan，whathethinks，justice。Ifyouappearnottorespecthimasherespectshimself，heismoreoffendedthanmortified，andfeelsthesameindignantresentmentasifhehadsufferedarealinjury。Hedoesnoteventhen，however，deigntoexplainthegroundsofhisownpretensions。Hedisdainstocourtyouresteem。Heaffectseventodespiseit，andendeavourstomaintainhisassumedstation，notsomuchbymakingyousensibleofhissuperiority，asofyourownmeanness。Heseemstowish，notsomuchtoexciteyouresteemforhimselfastomortifythatforyourself。
Thevainmanisnotsincere，and，inthebottomofhisheart，isveryseldomconvincedofthatsuperioritywhichhewishesyoutoascribetohim。Hewishesyoutoviewhiminmuchmoresplendidcoloursthanthoseinwhich，whenheplaceshimselfinyoursituation，andsupposesyoutoknowallthatheknows，hecanreallyviewhimself。Whenyouappeartoviewhim，therefore，indifferentcolours，perhapsinhispropercolours，heismuchmoremortifiedthanoffended。Thegroundsofhisclaimtothatcharacterwhichhewishesyoutoascribetohim，hetakeseveryopportunityofdisplaying，bothbythemostostentatiousandunnecessaryexhibitionofthegoodqualitiesandaccomplishmentswhichhepossessesinsometolerabledegree，andsometimesevenbyfalsepretensionstothosewhichheeitherpossessesinnodegree，orinsoveryslenderadegreethathemaywellenoughbesaidtopossesstheminnodegree。Farfromdespisingyouresteem，hecourtsitwiththemostanxiousassiduity。Farfromwishingtomortifyyourself-estimation，heishappytocherishit，inhopesthatinreturnyouwillcherishhisown。Heflattersinordertobeflattered。Hestudiestoplease，andendeavourstobribeyouintoagoodopinionofhimbypolitenessandcomplaisance，andsometimesevenbyrealandessentialgoodoffices，thoughoftendisplayed，perhaps，withunnecessaryostentation。