excellence contains a capability to possess or to communicate good. Nothing which deserves the name, can be in its own nature inert. An useless excellence is a contradiction.

The propensity to love what is productive of good, extends itself much farther than to the powers and properties of moral agents. We naturally acquire an attachment to every object, animate or inanimate, which has been the habitual instrument of good to us, or is capable of contributing to our gratification or advantage. Their latent powers first induce us to value them as treasures in reserve; our opinion of their capacity to become serviceable, inclines us to place our affections upon them; and in process of time, they will, by the association of ideas, excite pleasing emotions, although their powers of utility are not always in our recollection. (See Note E.).

II. HATRED.

HATRED expresses the manner in which we are affected, by our perception of whatever we suppose to be an Evil. It is not confined to absolute suffering; it marks also our abhorrence of whatever exposes to the danger of absolute suffering, or the diminution of that portion of good we enjoy, or wish to possess.

Hatred of misery and its causes, is a natural and necessary consequence of our solicitude to possess Good; and the affection of Hatred is as naturally inspired by that state, conduct, disposition, which is productive of, or threatens to induce pernicious or disagreeable consequences, as the affection of Love is attached to their contraries. Nor is our hatred at all times confined to that particular quality, or peculiarity of circumstance, which is immediately unfriendly to us. It is apt to raise unpleasant ideas, and to create prejudices against many things, which in themselves are far from being the objects of hatred, and which may be highly advantageous, merely because they have been displeasing or injurious to us in particular instances. As our predilection for whatever proves acceptable, will often prevent our discerning its pernicious qualities, thus do we frequently extend our hatred far beyond the just limits, until we betray our ignorance, or manifest that we are under the dominion of invincible prejudice.

Personal Hatred, or Malevolence towards an individual, commences with some circumstance, quality, or disposition which is displeasing to us; or with some species of injury committed or intended. It has these for its professed objects.

But here also a quick and powerful transition is instantaneously made, in our imaginations, from an incidental blemish, to the whole of character; -from a single act, we are prone to form unfa vourable sentiments of general conduct;-and the lively sense of an injury annihilates too frequently every species of merit in the offender. This is obviously the source of hatreds, long and inveterate.

But notwithstanding these excesses and exaggerations of Hatred and Malevolence, yet they cannot possibly be so extensive in their operations as the principle of Love. The affection of Hatred has particular and partial evils alone for its objects, while the principle of Love may embrace the universe. As nutritious aliments are infinitely more numerous than the substances which are of a poisonous quality, thus does the number of those things which are pleasing, beneficial, important in their nature, infinitely exceed those which are either in themselves comfortless, or detrimental, or calculated to foster a malevolent dispositon. The true object of Hatred is alone some particular and partial evil, which we experience or dread ;-some incidental interruption to the usual tenour of our feelings; -or some pernicious quality which may threaten

this interruption. The objects of our fears, our anger, or our grief, are considered in the light of robberies, or painful privations, and not as permanent causes of the malevolent affections. They are not looked upon as streams perpetually flowing from one inexhaustible source, but as interruptions to an usual or desirable state, by adventitious causes. Happiness appears to be our birth-right, of which all the painful sensations raised by hatred, are the professed guardians, The wish for happiness is perpetual and unlimited, while our evil affections expire with the causes which gave them existence. Nor can malevolence extend itself to every individual in the creation, in a manner similar to the contrary virtue. That happy cultivation of our nature, which inspires a benevolence towards all animated beings, cannot possibly have a perfect contrast, or complete parallel, in the most uncultivated and brutalized. This would constitute a ferocity of character which can scarcely be found in the most insane. When tyrants, cruel and ferocious, are diffusing misery, in the wantonness of their power, their conduct does not proceed from an abstract principle of universal hatred ;-but from some low policy of self. defence; from an infernal spirit of revenge for supposed injuries;-from inordinate self

D

love, which creates an insensibility to human woes;-from pride, vanity, and excessive ignorance, which induce men to imagine that they shall be revered as deities, because they imitate the destructive thunder of heaven; and to dream that their favorite idol Power, can only be made known and established, by deeds which excite consternation and horror!

Indeed the affection of Hatred is of so unpleasant a nature, that the Being who could hate every thing, would be his own tormentor. The sole pleasure of which malevolence is capable, proceeds from the gratification of revenge; which can only be directed against particular objects. Nor is it merely bounded; it is irritating, unsatisfactory, and purchased by the sacrifice of all the enjoyments which flow from the contrary disposition.

WITH the affections of Love and Hatred, are intimately connected the affections of Desire aud Aversion. That is, we constantly desire,