BOOK II PART I
once to such a prince or great man: All objects,
in a word, that are useful, beautiful or surpris-
ing, or are related to such, may, by means of
property, give rise to this passion. These agree
in giving pleasure, and agree in nothing else.
This alone is common to them; and therefore
must be the quality that produces the passion,
which is their common effect. As every new in-
stance is a new argument, and as the instances
are here without number, I may venture to af-
firm, that scarce any system was ever so fully
proved by experience, as that which I have here
advanced.
If the property of any thing, that gives plea-
sure either by its utility, beauty or novelty, pro-
duces also pride by a double relation of impres-
sions and ideas; we need not be surprized, that
the power of acquiring this property, should