A Treatise of Human Nature

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BOOK II PART II


lations of impressions and ideas, if we regard
only the present sensation. For takeing the first
case of rivalship; though the pleasure and ad-
vantage of an antagonist necessarily causes my
pain and loss, yet to counter-ballance this, his
pain and loss causes my pleasure and advan-
tage; and supposing him to be unsuccessful, I
may by this means receive from him a supe-
rior degree of satisfaction. In the same man-
ner the success of a partner rejoices me, but
then his misfortunes afflict me in an equal pro-
portion; and it is easy to imagine, that the lat-
ter sentiment may in many cases preponderate.
But whether the fortune of a rival or partner be
good or bad, I always hate the former and love
the latter.


This love of a partner cannot proceed from
the relation or connexion betwixt us; in the

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