Page:The Works of Samuel Johnson ... A journey to the Hebrides. The vision of Theodore, the hermit of Teneriffe. The fountains. Prayers and meditations. Sermons.v. 10-11. Parliamentary debates.pdf/423

 one mind," each feeling, by sympathy, the affections of another.

Sympathy, the quality recommended in the text, as it has been now explained, is the great source of social happiness. To gain affection, and to preserve concord, it is necessary not only to "mourn with those that mourn," but to "rejoice with them that rejoice."

To feel sincere and honest joy at the success of another, though it is necessary to true friendship, is perhaps neither very common, nor very easy. There is in every mind, implanted by nature, a desire of superiority, which counteracts the pleasure, which the sight of success and happiness ought always to impart. Between men of equal condition, and therefore willingly consulting with each other, any flow of fortune, which produces inequality, makes him who is left behind look with less content on his own condition, and with less kindness on him who has reduced him to inferiority. The advancement of a superiour gives pain by increasing that distance, by difference of station, which was thought already greater than could be claimed by any difference: and the rise of an inferiour excites jealousy, lest he that went before should be overtaken by his follower. As cruelty looks upon misery without partaking pain, so envy beholds increase of happiness without partaking joy.

Envy and cruelty, the most hateful passions of the human breast, are both counteracted by this precept, which commanded the Christians of Asia, and now commands us, who succeed them in the profession of the same faith, and the consciousness of the same frailties, to feel one for another. He whose mind is so harmonized to the interest of his neighbour, that good and evil is common to them both, will neither obstruct his rise, nor insult his fall; but will be willing to cooperate with him through all the vicissitudes of life, and dispensations of providence; to honour him that is exalted, to help him that is depressed. He will control all those emotions which comparison produces; he will not consider himself as made poorer by