xxx] ); the good which we hear of ourselves we readily
believe (III:[xxv] ); and therefore, for love's sake, rate ourselves too
highly; in other words, we are apt to become proud. Q.E.D.
Prop. [L] Pity, in a man who lives under the guidance
of reason, is in itself bad and useless.
Proof.- (50:1) Pity (III:[De.xviii] ) is a pain, and therefore ([xli] )
is in itself bad. (2) The good effect which follows, namely, our
endeavour to free the object of our pity from misery, is an action which
we desire to do solely at the dictation of reason ([xxxvii] ); only at
the dictation of reason are we able to perform any action, which we know
for certain to be good ([xxvii] ); thus, in a man who lives under the
guidance of reason, pity in itself is useless and bad. Q.E.D.
Note.- (50:3) He who rightly realizes, that all things follow from the
necessity of the divine nature, and come to pass in accordance with the
eternal laws and rules of nature, will not find anything worthy of hatred,
derision, or contempt, nor will he bestow pity on anything, but to the
utmost extent of human virtue he will endeavour to do well, as the saying
is, and to rejoice. (4) We may add, that he, who is easily touched with
compassion, and is moved by another's sorrow or tears, often does something
which he afterwards regrets; partly because we can never be sure that an
action caused by emotion is good, partly because we are easily deceived by
false tears.
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