BOOK III PART III
applause, be sometimes disagreeable to oth-
ers, it is always agreeable to ourselves; as on
the other hand, modesty, though it gives plea-
sure to every one, who observes it, produces of-
ten uneasiness in the person endowed with it.
Now it has been observed, that our own sensa-
tions determine the vice and virtue of any qual-
ity, as well as those sensations, which it may
excite in others.
Thus self-satisfaction and vanity may not
only be allowable, but requisite in a character.
It is, however, certain, that good-breeding and
decency require that we should avoid all signs
and expressions, which tend directly to show
that passion. We have, all of us, a wonderful
partiality for ourselves, and were we always
to give vent to our sentiments in this particu-
lar, we should mutually cause the greatest in-