estate to one who before had an affluence, will in many instances
yield him less new enjoyment or satisfaction than an ordinary
charity would yield to a necessitous person. So that it is not only
true that our nature, i.e., the voice of God within us, carries us
to the exercise of charity and benevolence in the way of compassion
or mercy, preferably to any other way; but we also manifestly
discern much more good done by the former; or, if you will allow me
the expressions, more misery annihilated and happiness created. If
charity and benevolence, and endeavouring to do good to our fellow-
creatures, be anything, this observation deserves to be most
seriously considered by all who have to bestow. And it holds with
great exactness, when applied to the several degrees of greater and
less indigency throughout the various ranks in human life: the
happiness or good produced not being in proportion to what is
bestowed, but in proportion to this joined with the need there was
of it.

It may perhaps be expected that upon this subject notice should be
taken of occasions, circumstances, and characters which seem at once
to call forth affections of different sorts. Thus vice may be
thought the object both of pity and indignation: folly, of pity and
of laughter. How far this is strictly true, I shall not inquire;
but only observe upon the appearance, how much more humane it is to
yield and give scope to affections, which are most directly in
favour of, and friendly towards, our fellow-creatures; and that
there is plainly much less danger of being led wrong by these than
by the other.

But, notwithstanding all that has been said in recommendation of
compassion, that it is most amiable, most becoming human nature, and