BOOK II PART I
tages, which he reaps from it. It is the same
case, if justice, according to the system of cer-
tain philosophers, should be esteemed an arti-
ficial and not a natural virtue. For then honour,
and custom, and civil laws supply the place of
natural conscience, and produce, in some de-
gree, the same effects. This in the mean time is
certain, that the mention of the property natu-
rally carries our thought to the proprietor, and
of the proprietor to the property; which be-
ing a proof of a perfect relation of ideas is all
that is requisite to our present purpose. A re-
lation of ideas, joined to that of impressions,
always produces a transition of affections; and
therefore, whenever any pleasure or pain arises
from an object, connected with us by property.
we may be certain, that either pride or humility
must arise from this conjunction of relations; if
the foregoing system be solid and satisfactory.