principles is, in its own nature, best calculated to promote the steady and uniform practice of every virtue; and finally attempt to trace the origin and progress of the social virtues, and religious affections in the human mind, CHAP. Í. ON THE ORIGIN OF THE OPINIONS MORALS, &c. SECT. I. ON THE APPLICATION Of the termS VIRTUE AND THE ample view that has been taken of the na ture of Virtue and Vice, and their immediate influence upon personal and social well-being, will enable us to ascertain the reason, why these terms have been invariably chosen by moralists, to express right and wrong conduct; describing, by, as it were, a telegraphic brevity, the opposite characters of good and bad men. We shall consider each distinctly. VOL. III. Virtue. This word has, at different periods, and in va rious connexions, been variously applied; and yet it will appear upon minute examination, that in every connexion it expresses a salutary force and energy. It is used to denote an inherent pow er of a beneficial nature, and a vigorous exertion of that power. Thus we say that particular effects have been produced, by virtue of certain means employed. It is frequently said of medical drugs, that they retain, or have lost their virtues; that is, their power of producing the salutary effects, which they usually produce. Many expressions in common phraseology evince, with great accuracy and -precision, that the power expressed by the word -Virtue refers to something beneficial. Whatever is decidedly injurious to ourselves, we may asecribe it to a Virus or a Venom, but never to a Virtue. Yet we shall adopt the term, whenever power of doing injury to others, is beneficial to ourselves. Gunpowder will be said by the warrior to possess Virtue, according to its strength, or the power of extending destruction among his foes; and the Indians, who are accustomed to poison their arrows, will complain, that the poi the son has lost its Virtue, with its powers of destruction. That quality inherent in bodies, by which an injury may be produced, unconnected with beneficial effects of any kind, is called its Virus; and this term will be deemed to be uniformly applicable, as long as we remain ignorant of its power of effecting good. But when this power is discovered, and applied to salutary pur poses, it is immediately dignified with the title of Virtue. Physicians speak of the Virus of the natural small-pox, but when they apply this Virus to the beneficial purposes of inoculation, it changes its nature, in their opinion, and possesses a positive Virtue. Opium and arsenic, were once considered as unqualified poisons; but since the beneficial effects of both in various diseases, have been discovered, they are allowed to possess great medical Virtues. Hence it is clear, that the primitive and genuine idea annexed to the word Virtue, is that of a beneficial power; and whatever is able to produce some species of good, by its energies and operations, is acknowledged to possess some species of Virtue. Accordingly, in the ruder state of society, before the mental powers were sufficiently awakened, or instructed, to form deep-laid schemes of attack or defence; before men were conversant with those arts of war, which could alone be the result of observation and experience; when corporeal strength, was the only means that could be employed to assail a foe, or repel an insult; there was much Virtue in the arm of a champion; and the man who exerted it successfully in defence of his party, became a man of high renown. The transition from muscular force to personal courage, which held danger in contempt, and to that energy of mind, which prompted to the execution of the most dangerous enterprises was natural; and Virtue became the proper term to denote Valour and Prowess. But when the ruder state of society gave way to more regular establishments; when the interests of communities, became more extensive and complex, as the means of good were multiplied and appreciated; the ideas of property, and the claims of individuals, became more numerous and diversified; and in proportion as those inequalities in the states and conditions of men, which proceeded from an universal struggle after happiness, with unequal powers, became obvious and striking, the necessity of what we now term Prudence, Discretion, Integrity, and Benevolence, in their various branches, became evident; and the word Virtue was applied, as it were by common consent, to those acts and dispositions, upon which the existence, harmony, |