A Treatise of Human Nature

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BOOK II PART II


But though these reasons may induce us to
comprehend this delicacy of the imagination
among the causes of the respect, which we pay
the rich and powerful, there are many other
reasons, that may keep us from regarding it as
the sole or principal. For as the ideas of plea-
sure can have an influence only by means of
their vivacity, which makes them approach im-
pressions, it is most natural those ideas should
have that influence, which are favoured by
most circumstances, and have a natural ten-
dency to become strong and lively; such as our
ideas of the passions and sensations of any hu-
man creature. Every human creature resembles
ourselves, and by that means has an advan-
tage above any other object, in operating on the
imagination.


Besides, if we consider the nature of that fac-
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