BOOK I PART III
these parts. Thus a man, who desires a thou-
sand pound, has in reality a thousand or more
desires which uniting together, seem to make
only one passion; though the composition ev-
idently betrays itself upon every alteration of
the object, by the preference he gives to the
larger number, if superior only by an unite. Yet
nothing can be more certain, than that so small
a difference would not be discernible in the
passions, nor coued render them distinguish-
able from each other. The difference, therefore,
of our conduct in preferring the greater num-
ber depends not upon our passions, but upon
custom, and general rules. We have found in
a multitude of instances, that the augmenting
the numbers of any sum augments the passion,
where the numbers are precise and the differ-
ence sensible. The mind can perceive from its
immediate feeling, that three guineas produce