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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Untitled Article
fence , between the self-regarding and the extra-regarding principle , between what may be termed self-regard ing prudence and efficient benevolence . The first law of nature is—seek your own happiness ; the united voices of self-regard ing prudence and efficient benevolence add—seek the happiness of others ; seek your own happiness in the happiness of others * * * ? * # #
* Trying by this test what sensations , Volitions , and actions it is fit that the human being should indulge and cherish , and what it is fit he should control and counteract , he constructed with this view an all-comprehensive system of morals ; an all-comprehensive code of laws , of procedure , of sanction , that is * of reward and punishment . In this manner he embraced almost an entire field of human interest and human enjoyment . For the accomplishment of a work so prodigious he put forth an energy commensurate to the end . The extent of mental labour required by this undertaking , and actually brought to it , is something truly extraordinary . Every day for nearly half a century did he devote to it never less than eight hours , often ten , and sometimes twelve . For this work he utterly disregarded fortune ; he despised what is called pleasure ; praise could as little bend him from his course as blame could check it ; human fear , human favour had no control , no influence over him ; he was labouring for human happiness , and the effect of the singleness and nobleness of this object , as well as of the energy of purpose with which he pursued it , was to raise him far above the ordinary infirmities of human nature , and to enable him to carry out his great principle in all its extent in reference to every subject to which he applied it , utterly regardless of all consequences to himself whether for good or evil , and the strong and deep conviction ever present to his mind , being that , whatever became of him , benefit would result to his fellowbeings .
' How his labours were appreciated by the master spirits of his own age , you know ; how they will be appreciated by the still nobler spirits that will probably arise in future ages , those who are the most profoundly acquainted with his labours are the most ready to acknowledge their inability to express . In the mean time , it is certain they have already completely changed the prevailing opinions of this country on the whole system of its juris- * prudence ; and they have caused utterly to vanish opinions and prejudices which the most industrious and subtle and influential men in the country have endeavoured to defend . with extraordinary acuteness and with fervent zeal . And yet the influence . he has exerted has been not by the diffusion of his works among a great mass of readers , for no works have been less read even by educated men ; on no works has greater ridicule been cast ; none have been the subject of so much misrepresentation and abuse , while none can possibly present to the ordinary mind a more
Untitled Article
ike late Jeremy Benlfitim . 455
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1832, page 455, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1816/page/23/
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