and virtue, to be sure, consists in the due proportion. What this
due proportion is, whether as a principle in the mind, or as exerted
in actions, can be judged of only from our nature and condition in
this world. Of the degree in which affections and the principles of
action, considered in themselves, prevail, we have no measure: let
us, then, proceed to the course of behaviour, the actions they
produce.

Both our nature and condition require that each particular man
should make particular provision for himself: and the inquiry, what
proportion benevolence should have to self-love, when brought down
to practice, will be, what is a competent care and provision for
ourselves? And how certain soever it be that each man must
determine this for himself, and how ridiculous soever it would be
for any to attempt to determine it for another, yet it is to be
observed that the proportion is real, and that a competent provision
has a bound, and that it cannot be all which we can possibly get and
keep within our grasp, without legal injustice. Mankind almost
universally bring in vanity, supplies for what is called a life of
pleasure, covetousness, or imaginary notions of superiority over
others, to determine this question: but every one who desires to
act a proper part in society would do well to consider how far any
of them come in to determine it, in the way of moral consideration.
All that can be said is, supposing what, as the world goes, is so
much to be supposed that it is scarce to be mentioned, that persons
do not neglect what they really owe to themselves; the more of their
care and thought and of their fortune they employ in doing good to
their fellow-creatures the nearer they come up to the law of
perfection, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.