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

72 The Cfinsiderallon of, & c.
computation: the genel4l1 consequence is, the destruction
of one entire branch of public re\'enue; a
proportionable increase of the burthen upon other
branches; and the ruin of all fair and open trade in
the article smuggled.
The particular consequence of an officer's breaking
his parole is, the loss of a prisoner, who was possibly
DOt worth keeping; the general consequence is, that
this mitigation of cal~tivjry would be refused to all
others.
And what proves incontestibly the superior import.
ance of general consequences is, that crim~e the
same, and _ !~ted_jn ~~me man~r~though me
l'artiCular con~~l!ence be~_ tliifere~t.
The crime
and fate of tJ.e house-breaker is the same whether
his -booty be five pound~ or fifty.. And the reason
is, that th~ general~{)n~~urn.ce is _!-he_ ~~e._ . •
The ,,'ant otthls dIstInctIon betu'een partlcular
•
and geDeral consequences!, or ruther the not sufficient ..
ly atteDding to the latter, is the canse of that perplex~
ity which \ve meet with in ancient nloralists. On
the one hand, they were- sensible of the absurrlity of
pronouncingactioiis good or {:vil, without regard tc
the good or eli} they produced. On the other hand,
they were startled at the conclusions to which a steady
adherence to consequences seemed sOIr.etimes to condue:
tt·em. To relieve this difficulty, they contrived
the ~o :'J'~!'J:"; or the hones/am, hy which terms they
meant fo con~tilute a measure of right, distinct fronl
uti1i~y. 'Vhilst the utili served them, that is, whiJ st
it corresponded with their habitual notions of the
rectitlkic of actions, they went by it. When they
fell in with such cases as those merltioI!ed in the sixth
Cb:t:pter, they took leave of their ~uide, and re~orted
to the hOlleltum. The only account they could give
of the matter was, that these actions mip;ht be useful;
but, because they were not at the sanle time hotzesta,
they wer~ by no· means to be deemed just or right.