mon to hear persons assert they have themselves endured more suffering in their own minds, than the gratification of their passions has caused to their opponents. Nature seems to have attached this penalty to the exercise of this passion, in order to remind men, at the most appropriate moment, of the necessity of keeping it in due subjection. SECOND. Whenever our resentiment passes the proper bounds, the feelings of the community, which were before in our favor, immediately turn against us. We are so constituted, that we naturally desire the good opinion of others; and consequently the loss of their good opinion operates upon us as a punishment, and not unfrequently a severe one. Under the influence of the experience or the anticipation of this incidental retribution, it is not unfrequently the case, that men restrict within proper bounds those angry feelings, which under other circumstances they would probably have indulged to excess. THIRD. The tendency of the indulgence of anger, is to lower a man in his own estimation; and still more so in the estimation of others, who will be less ready to admit those mitigating circumstances, that partially justify his feelings to himself. The mere outward signs of the angry passions give a shock to our sensibilities, and are hateful to us; while those of an opposite character beam upon the soul with the pleasantness of a tranquil morning's light. The smile of benevolence wins upon our affections; but the scowl of anger, whether it be directed against ourselves or others, fills us with pain and dread. And, moreover, while the indulgence of anger tends, as a general thing, to degrade the subject of it in our view; we look with increased respect and honor on those, who successfully resist its approaches, and are calm and forbearing amid insult and injury. §. 158. Other reasons for checking and subduing the angry passions. In addition to those checks to the angry passions, which nature herself seems to have furnished, it may be proper to mention a few considerations, drawn from reason and the Scriptures, which, if they have the weight, they are entitled to, will tend to the same desirable result.(1) We should always keep in recollection, in the first place, that, when the mind is much agitated by passion, it is rendered by that circumstance itself incapable, to a considerable degree, of correct judgment. Actions, considered as the indications of feeling and character, do not at such times appear to us in their true light. They are seen through an unfavorable medium; and represented unnaturally, with distorted and discolored features. It is said to have been a saying of Socrates to his servant on a certain occasion, that he would beat him if he were not angry; a remark, which seems to indicate, that, in the opinion of the author of it, anger is a state of mind unfavorable to a correct judgment of the merit or demerit of the person, towards whom it is directed. (2) We should consider, in the second place, even if we have no particular reason to distrust our powers of judging, that we may, by possibility at least, have mistaken the motives of the person, whom we imagine to have injured us. Perhaps the oversight or crime, which we alledge against him, instead of being premeditated or intentional, was mere inadvertence. It is even possible, that his intentions were favorable to us instead of being, as we suppose, of a contrary character. And if it were otherwise, if the wrong done us were an intentional wrong, it is still possible, that this hostile disposition may have originated from serious misconceptions in regard to our own character and conduct. And obviously the easiest and best way would be to correct these misconceptions and thus to secure safety for the future and in all probability recompense for the past. (3) There is another consideration, which ought to prevent the indulgence of this passion, and to allay its effects. It is, that all have offended against the Supreme Being, and stand in need of pardon from Him. If we ourselves were without sin, if we could boast of perfect purity of character, there might seem to be some degree of reasonableness in our exacting from others the full amount of what is due to perfect and inflexible rectitude. But the actual state of things is far different from this. Every one, who knows his own heart, must see and feel himself to be a transgressor. How unsuitably, therefore, to the circumstances of his own situation does that man conduct, who talks largely of satisfaction and revenge, when he is every moment dependent on the clemency and forgiveness of a Being, whom he has himself so often sinned against. In the fourth place, there are many passages of Scripture, which expressly require us to subdue the malevolent passions, and to forgive the injuries, which have called them into action. And this, we may here take occasion to remark, is one of the great and striking characteristics of the Gospel revelation. The doctrine, that we are to love and do good to our enemies, obviously distinguishes the Christian Code from every other; and gives to it, as compared with mere human systems, an inexpressible elevation. Its language is; "Ye have heard, it hath been said, thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies; bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you." §. 159. Modifications of resentment. Peevishness. When in all ordinary cases the resentful feeling shows itself, we variously denominate it by the terms resentment, hostility, anger, hatred, indignation, and the like; but there are some modifications of the feeling, distinguished either by excess or diminution or in some other way, which may be regarded as possessing a distinctive character. One of these is PEEVISHNESS or FRETFULNESS; a species of malevolent passion, which, probably with more frequency than its decided manifestations, interrupts the peace and happiness of life. Peevishness differs from ordinary anger in being excited by very trifling circumstances, and in a strange facility of inflicting its effects on every body, and every thing within its reach. The peevish man has met with some trifling disappointment, (it matters but little what it is,) and the serenity of whole days is disturbed; no smiles are to be seen; every thing, whether animate or inanimate, rational or irrational, is out of place, and falls under the rebuke of this fretful being. Anger, in its more marked and decided manifestations, may be compared to a thunder shower, that comes dark and heavily, but leaves a clear sky afterwards. peevishness is like an obscure, drizzling fog; it is less violent, and lasts longer. In general, it is more unreasonable But and unjust, than violent anger, and would certainly be more disagreable, were it not often, in consequence of being so disproportioned to its cause, so exceedingly ludicrous. 160. §. Modifications of resentment. Envy. One of the most frequent forms of resentment is Envy. By this term we are accustomed to express that ill-will or hatred, which has its rise from the contemplation of the superiority of another. Considered as a mere state of the mind, Envy is to be regarded as only one of the perversions of resentment; but considered in respect to the occasions of its origin, it must be added, that it is one of the most degrading and hateful perversions. There is no passion, which is more tormenting in the experience, as might be expected from its hatefulness; and none, which is more decisively condemned by the sentiments of justice. If we are asked, why it is that, on the mere contemplation of the more favorable situation and the greater advancement of another, we experience such an odious perversion of a principle apparently good in itself, we shall probably find a reason in the irregular and inordinate action of the principle of Self-love. Men frequently become so intensely selfish, that they cannot admit others to an equal participation of what they enjoy, much less see them advanced to a higher situation, without a greater or less degree of repining and discontent. And it is this state of mind, which is appropriately denominated Envy. There are still other varieties of that Resentment or Hostility, which may be regarded, in some important sense, as the basis of the whole series of the Malevolent passions. Among these is Jealousy, which includes a painful emotion, caused by some object of love,and attended with a desire of evil towards that object. The circumstance, which characterizes this passion and constitutes its peculiar trait, is, that all its bitterness and hostility are inflicted on some one, whom the jealous person loves. The feeling of suspicious rivalship, which often exists between candidates for fame and power, is sometimes called jealousy on account of its analogy to this passion. There are various degrees of jealousy, from the forms of mere distrust and watchful suspicion to its highest paroxysms. In general the strength of the passion will be found to be in proportion to the value, which is attached to the object of it; and is perhaps more frequently found in persons, who have a large share of pride, than in others. Such, in consequence of the habitual belief of their own superiority, are likely to notice many trifling inadvertencies; and to treasure them up as proofs of intended neglect, which would not have been observed by others, and certainly were exempt from any evil intention. The person under the influence of this passion is incapable of forming a correct judgment of the conduct of the individual who is the object of it; he observes every thing and gives it the worst interpretation; and circumstances, which, in another state of the mind, would have been tokens of innocence, are converted into proof of guilt. Although poetry, it is no fiction; "Trifles, light as air, "Are to the jealous confirmations strong, Hence it is justly said to be the monster, that 'makes the meat it feeds on ;' for it perseveringly broods over the slightest suggestion, even when made with the most sincere kindness, and rears up a shapeless and frightful form, which in turn nourishes the baleful passion, from which is derived its own existence. It may be remarked of this passion, that it is at times exceedingly violent. At one moment the mind is animated with all the feelings of kindness; the next, it is transported with the strongest workings of hatred, and then it is suddenly overwhelmed with contrition. Continually vacillating between the extremes of love and hatred, it knows no rest ; it would gladly bring destruction on the object, whom it dreads to lose more than any other, and whom at times it loves more than any other. §. 162. Modifications of resentment. Revenge. Another of the marked modifications of Resentment is REVENGE. By the spirit of revenge, as we sometimes express |