PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

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he ~ha1] make, toany system vf public rneasures-is as mtlell
a qtlestjoll of personal duty, as much cnncerns the cons(:iencf:
of the individual ,vho cleliberatest as the deie:-nlinatiun ~i~
any (!oubt which relates to the conduct of private life; that
consequently political philosophy is, )roperly speaking, ~
continuation of moral philosophy; or 'Clther indeccl a IJ3\"t
of it, SUl)po~ing moral philusophy to have for its aito the infOI-mation
of the hurna,) cOllseience ill every deJibeleatir;D that
is likely to COlne before it. I might avail 11lyself of these ex·
cuses, if I \'!anted them; but the vindicdtion upon \\-hich I
J"ely is the following. In stating the principle of morals, the
'reader "'ill observe that I have employed some indtlstl"Y in
explaining the theory, and she,vlng the necessity tlf genrral
rules; without the full alld constant consideration of which,
I am per~uaded that 110 iystem of mora) }lhilosophy can be
satisfactory or consistent~ This foundation being laid, or ratIler
this habit being forlned, the discussion of political Stllljects,
to which, more thaI) to almost any other, general rules
are applicable, becam~ clear and easy. 'Vhereas; had these
tOI)ies been assigned to a distinct work. it \vould li4lVe beel}
lleccssary to ~ave repeated tIle same rudiments, to have es-
"tablishetl over again the same prin