MORAL PHILOSOPHY. BOOK IV. DUTIES TO OURSELVES. XXXX T HIS division of the fubject is retained merely for the fake of method, by which the writer and the reader are equally affifted. To the fubject itfelf it imports nothing; for, the obligation of all duties being fundamentally the fame, it matters little under what clafs or title any of them are confidered. In ftrictness, there are few duties or crimes, which terminate in a man's felf; and, fo far) as others are. affected by their operation, they have been treated of in some article of the preceding book. We have referved however to this head the rights of * VOL. 11. B Self felf-defence; also the confideration of drunkenness and fuicide, as offences against that care of our faculties, and preservation of our person, which we account duties, and call duties to our felves. CHAP. CHA P. I. THE RIGHTS OF SELF-DEFENCE. T has been afferted, that in a state of nature we might lawfully defend the most infignificant right, provided it were a perfect determinate right, by any extremities which the obftinacy of the aggreffor rendered neceffary. Of this I doubt; because I doubt whether the general rule be worth fuftaining at fuch an expence; and because, apart from the general confequence of yielding to the attempt, it cannot be contended. to be for the augmentation of human happiness, that one man should lose his life, or a limb, rather than another a pennyworth of his property. Nevertheless, perfect rights can only be diftinguished by their value; and it is impoffible to afcertain the value, at which the liberty of using extreme violence begins. The perfon attacked . · must balance, as well as he can, between the general confequence of yielding, and the particular effect of resistance. |