Moral Culture as a Science (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 Excerpt: ...deeds, have been produced in part by this ennobling feeling of good will. But good will alone is not very effective. A man may have much good will towards others, but if he have still more towards himself, it will not prevent him from being selfish in his actions; and this selfishness is the more objectionable when it is constantly accompanied by words of benevolence which may be honestly meant, --i.e., that they are not prompted by a spirit of hypocrisy; but they are nevertheless often utterly at variance with the man's actions. Such false benevolence may deceive not only the man himself into the belief that he is really noble, true, unselfish, and highly benevolent, but others also. He deceives by his words and manner, and also by occasional injudicious acts of charity which he sometimes performs, less from a desire to benefit the person upon whom it is bestowed, than to awaken in others and himself the admiration which generosity usually calls forth. A benevolent man of this sort loves to give of that which he does not need, because to give is " godlike," and to give alms to the poor greatly exalts the giver. Hence benevolence is of two kinds: the true and the false, --good will and good wish. As has been said, true benevolence, to be useful, must be directed in its actions by judgment. Yet better is this, when combined with self-forgetfulness, even without being so directed, than the spurious article, which needs no directing, there being not enough of real good will in it ever to influence actions, or to do more than to produce a crop of fine-sounding words. Kindness is an active good will, manifesting itself in a desire to do that which will give others pleasure and benefit. It is always prompted by a feeling of sympathy, so cheering and pleas...