The Objects and Causes of Pride and Humility

Pride and humility are simple and uniform impressions.

We can never give a just definition of them or any of the passions.

We can pretend to describe them by enumerating the circumstances that attend them.

But the words ‘pride’ and ‘humility’ are of general use. ◦ The impressions they represent are the most common of any. ◦ Everyone will be able to form a just idea of them, without mistake. • This is why I shall immediately enter their examination.

Pride and humility are directly contrary, but have the same object. ◦ This object is the self or that succession of related ideas and impressions we have an intimate memory and consciousness of. • Here, the view always fixes when we are actuated by pride or humility. ◦ We feel elated by pride or dejected with humility as our idea of ourself is more or less advantageous. • All other objects comprehended by the mind are always considered with a view to ourselves. ◦ Otherwise they would never be able to excite these passions or produce the smallest increase or reduction of them. • When the self does not enter into the consideration, there is no room for pride or humility. • The self is always the object of pride and humility. ◦ It can never be their cause, or be sufficient alone to excite them. • Pride and humility: ◦ are directly contrary ◦ have the same common object. • If their object were also their cause, it could never produce any degree of the one passion. ◦ At the same time, it must excite an equal degree of the other. ◦ Opposition and contrariety must destroy both. • A man can never be proud and humble at the same time. ◦ These take place alternately depending on their reasons. ◦ If these two encounter, the stronger one annihilates the other. ▪ Only the superior one continues to operate on the mind. • But in the present case neither of them could ever become superior. ◦ The view of ourself alone is indifferent to pride and humility. ◦ If this excited pride and humility, this view: ▪ must produce both passions in the very same proportion; or ▪ can produce neither. • To excite any passion and raise an equal opposing passion at the same time, is immediately to undo what was done. ◦ It must leave the mind perfectly calm and indifferent in the end. • Therefore, we must distinguish between: ◦ the cause and the object of these passions ◦ between that idea which excites them, and the idea to which they direct their view, when excited. • Pride and humility, being once raised, immediately: ◦ turn our attention to ourself ◦ regard the self as their ultimate and final object. • But there is something needed to further raise them. ◦ This something: ▪ is peculiar to one of the passions ▪ does not produce both in the very same degree. • The first idea presented to the mind is the idea of the cause or productive principle. ◦ This excites the passion connected with it. ◦ When excited, that passion turns our view to another idea which is that of self. • Here then is a passion placed between two ideas of which the one produces it, and the other is produced by it. ◦ The first idea, therefore, represents the cause. ◦ The second idea represents the object of the passion. • To begin with the causes of pride and humility. ◦ Their most obvious and remarkable property is the vast variety of subjects, on which they may be placed.

Pride is caused by:

• every valuable quality of the mind, imagination, judgment, memory or disposition
• wit, good-sense, learning, courage, justice, integrity

Humility is caused by their opposites.

These passions are not confined to the mind. ◦ They extend their view to the body.

A man may be proud of his beauty, strength, agility, good mein, address in dancing, riding, and of his dexterity in any manual business or manufacture. ◦ But this is not all.

The passions, looking further, comprehend whatever objects are in the least allied or related to us. ◦ Our country, family, children, relations, riches, houses, gardens, horses, dogs, and clothes may become a cause of pride or humility. • We should make a new distinction in the causes of the passion, between that quality, which operates, and the subject, on which it is placed. ◦ A man is vain of a beautiful house belonging to him or which he built himself. ◦ Here the object of the passion is himself. ◦ The cause is the beautiful house. ▪ This cause again is sub-divided into two: • the quality, which operates on the passion ◦ The quality is the beauty. • the subject in which the quality inheres. ◦ The subject is the house, considered as his property or contrivance. ▪ Both these parts are essential. ▪ The distinction is not vain and chimerical. • Beauty in itself never produces any pride or vanity, unless placed on something related to us. ◦ The strongest relation alone, without beauty, or something else in its place, has as little influence on pride. • These two particulars are easily separated. ◦ There is a necessity for their conjunction to produce pride. • We should: ◦ consider them as component parts of the cause ◦ infix in our minds an exact idea of this distinction.