BOOK II PART III
tune, in the search of such truths, as they es-
teemed important and useful to the world,
though it appeared from their whole conduct
and behaviour, that they were not endowed
with any share of public spirit, nor had any
concern for the interests of mankind. Were they
convinced, that their discoveries were of no
consequence, they would entirely lose all rel-
ish for their studies, and that though the conse-
quences be entirely indifferent to them; which
seems to be a contradiction.
To remove this contradiction, we must con-
sider, that there are certain desires and incli-
nations, which go no farther than the imagina-
tion, and are rather the faint shadows and im-
ages of passions, than any real affections. Thus,
suppose a man, who takes a survey of the for-
tifications of any city; considers their strength