BOOK III PART II
run head-long into every kind of injustice and
violence. These rules, therefore, are artificial,
and seek their end in an oblique and indirect
manner; nor is the interest, which gives rise to
them, of a kind that coued be pursued by the
natural and inartificial passions of men.
To make this more evident, consider, that
though the rules of justice are established
merely by interest, their connexion with in-
terest is somewhat singular, and is different
from what may be observed on other occasions.
A single act of justice is frequently contrary
to public interest; and were it to stand alone,
without being followed by other acts, may, in
itself, be very prejudicial to society. When a
man of merit, of a beneficent disposition, re-
stores a great fortune to a miser, or a seditious
bigot, he has acted justly and laudably, but the