The Works of Robert Riccaltoun

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1771 edition. Excerpt: ... enjoyment of every individual, the happiness of those sorts of beings must be very low and precarious, who, either from the necessity of their constitution, or a very ill-judged choice, are led to pitch upon any thing below the favour and friendship of the all-sufficient being. Every creature we know of, unless it is the light of the heavens, is capable of being ingrossed by a few; or at least must be divided, and so parcelled out, as that one shall want just as much as another possesses: and as they are but small parcels of sublunary goods that can fall to any one's share, the attainment will scarce balance the labour of the pursuit; and the uneasiness arising from his wants, will more than outweigh what he possesses; and thus, by marring the enjoyment, destroy his happiness, ESSAY II. Of the Human Constitution and Capacity, arising upon the proper improvement of it. HpO make any thing near a just estimate X of human happiness, one must be, in in the first place, furnished with the proper knowledge of his capacity and power, what sort of objects he can take in, and what advantage he can make by them; or, which is nearly the same, what measures of perfection he is limited and confined to by his frame and constitution: and therefore the first step one has to take, who. proposes to do any thing to the purpose in these inquiries, must be, to acquaint himself with the human constitution, and the several degrees of improvement it may admit of. That is the first part, and the very foundation of that knowledge of ones self, which has been allowed by the wisest masters the proper business of mankind; and without which, it is impossible to make any thing of the most useful knowledge, but error and confusion. There are only two direct ways of...