SECT. X Of respect and contempt
There now remains only to explain the passion of respect and contempt, along with the amorous affection, in. order to
understand all the passions which have any mixture of love or hatred. Let us begin with respect and contempt.
In considering the qualities and circumstances of others, we may either regard them as they really are in themselves; or may
make a comparison betwixt them and our own qualities and circumstances; or may join these two methods of consideration.
The good qualities of others, from the first point of view, produce love; from the second, humility; and from the third,
respect; which is a mixture of these two passions. Their bad qualities, after the same manner, cause either hatred, or pride, or
contempt, according to the light in which we survey them.
That there is a mixture of pride in contempt, and of humility in respect, is, I think, too evident, from their very feeling or
appearance, to require any particular proof. That this mixture arises from a tacit comparison of the person contemn'd or
respected with ourselves is no less evident. The same man may cause either respect, love, or contempt by his condition and
talents, according as the person, who considers him, from his inferior becomes his equal or superior. In changing the point of
view, tho' the object may remain the same, its proportion to ourselves entirely alters; which is the cause of an alteration in
the passions. These passions, therefore, arise from our observing the proportion; that is, from a comparison.
I have already observ'd, that the mind has a much stronger propensity to pride than to humility, and have endeavour'd, from
the principles of human nature, to assign a cause for this phaenomenon. Whether my reasoning be receiv'd or not, the
phaenomenon is undisputed, and appears in many instances. Among the rest, `tis the reason why there is a much greater
mixture of pride in contempt, than of humility in respect, and why we are more elevated with the view of one below us, than
mortify'd with the presence of one above us. Contempt or scorn has so strong a tincture of pride, that there scarce is any
other passion discernable: Whereas in esteem or respect, love makes a more considerable ingredient than humility. The
passion of vanity is so prompt, that it rouzes at the least call; while humility requires a stronger impulse to make it exert
itself.
But here it may reasonably be ask'd, why this mixture takes place only in some cases, and appears not on every occasion. All
those objects, which cause love, when plac'd on another person, are the causes of pride, when transfer'd to ourselves; and
consequently ought to be causes of humility, as well as love, while they belong to others, and are only compar'd to those,
which we ourselves possess. In like manner every quality, which, by being directly consider'd, produces hatred, ought always
to give rise to pride by comparison, and by a mixture of these passions of hatred and pride ought to excite contempt or
scorn. The difficulty then is, why any objects ever cause pure love or hatred, and produce not always the mixt passions of
respect and contempt.
I have suppos'd all along, that the passions of love and pride, and those of humility and hatred are similar in their sensations,
and that the two former are always agreeable, and the two latter painful. But tho' this be universally true, `tis observable,
that the two agreeable, as well as the two painful passions, have some difference, and even contrarieties, which distinguish
them. Nothing invigorates and exalts the mind equally with pride and vanity; tho' at the same time love or tenderness is
rather found to weaken and infeeble it. The same difference is observable betwixt the uneasy passions. Anger and hatred
bestow a new force on all our thoughts and actions; while humility and shame deject and discourage us. Of these qualities of
the passions, `twill be necessary to form a distinct idea. Let us remember, that pride and hatred invigorate the soul; and love
and humility infeeble it.
From this it follows, that tho' the conformity betwixt love and hatred in the agreeableness of their sensation makes them
always be excited by the same objects, yet this other contrariety is the reason, why they are excited in very different degrees.
Genius and learning are pleasant and magnificent objects, and by both these circumstances are adapted to pride and vanity;
but have a relation to love by their pleasure only. Ignorance and simplicity are disagreeable and mean, which in the same
manner gives them a double connexion with humility, and a single one with hatred. We may, therefore, consider it as certain,
that tho' the same object always produces love and pride, humility and hatred, according to its different situations, yet it
seldom produces either the two former or the two latter passions, in the same proportion.
`Tis here we must seek for a solution of the difficulty above-mention'd, why any object ever excites pure love or hatred, and
does not always produce respect or contempt, by a mixture of humility or pride. No quality in -another gives rise to humility
by comparison, unless it wou'd have produc'd pride by being plac'd in ourselves; and vice versa no object excites pride by
comparison, unless it wou'd have produc'd humility by the direct survey. This is evident, objects always produce by
comparison a sensation directly contrary to their original one. Suppose, therefore, an object to be presented, which is
peculiarly fitted to produce love, but imperfectly to excite pride; this object, belonging to another, gives rise directly to a
great degree of love, but to a small one of humility by comparison; and consequently that latter passion is scarce felt in the
compound, nor is able to convert the love into respect. This is the case with good nature, good humour, facility, generosity,
beauty, and many other qualities. These have a peculiar aptitude to produce love in others; but not so great a tendency to
excite pride in ourselves: For which reason the view of them, as belonging to another person, produces pure love, with but a
small mixture of humility and respect. `Tis easy to extend the same reasoning to the opposite passions.
Before we leave this subject, it may not be amiss to account for a pretty curious phaenomenon, viz, why we commonly keep
at a distance such as we contemn, and allow not our inferiors to approach too near even in place and situation. It has already
been observ'd, that almost every kind of idea is attended with some emotion, even the ideas of number and extension, much
more those of such objects as are esteem'd of consequence in life, and fix our attention. Tis not with entire indifference we
can survey either a rich man or a poor one, but must feel some faint touches at least, of respect in the former case, and of
contempt in the latter. These two passions are contrary to each other; but in order to make this contrariety be felt, the
objects must be someway related; otherwise the affections are totally separate and distinct, and never encounter. The
relation takes place wherever the persons become contiguous; which is a general reason why we are uneasy at seeing such
disproportion'd objects, as a rich man and a poor one, a nobleman and a porter, in that situation.
This uneasiness, which is common to every spectator, must be more sensible to the superior; and that because the near
approach of the inferior is regarded as .a piece of illbreeding, and shews that he is not sensible of the disproportion, and is no
way affected by it. A sense of superiority in another breeds in all men an inclination to keep themselves at a distance from
him, and determines them to redouble the marks of respect and reverence, when they are oblig'd to approach him; and where
they do not observe that conduct, `tis a proof they are not sensible of his superiority. From hence too it proceeds, that any
great difference in the degrees of any quality is call'd a distance by a common metaphor, which, however trivial it may
appear, is founded on natural principles of the imagination. A great difference inclines us to produce a distance. The ideas of
distance and difference are, therefore, connected together. Connected ideas are readily taken for each other; and this is in
general the source of the metaphor, as we shall have occasion to observe afterwards.