People might love themselves with the most entire and unbounded affection, and yet be extremely miserable.

Thus self-love as one part of human nature, and the several particular principles as the other part, are, themselves, their objects and ends, stated and shown.

Pain and sorrow and misery have a right to our assistance: compassion puts us in mind of the debt, and that we owe it to ourselves as well as to the distressed.

Virtue, as such, naturally procures considerable advantages to the virtuous.

It is not at all incredible, that a book which has been so long in the possession of mankind should contain many truths as yet undiscovered.

Happiness or satisfaction consists only in the enjoyment of those objects which are by nature suited to our several particular appetites, passions, and affections.

The satisfaction that accompanies good acts is itself not the motivation of the act; satisfaction is not the motive, but only the consequence.