“The great source of both the misery and disorders of human life, seems to arise from over-rating the difference between one permanent situation and another. Avarice over-rates the difference between poverty and riches: ambition, that between a private and a public station: vain-glory, that between obscurity and extensive reputation. The person under the influence of any of those extravagant passions, is not only miserable in his actual situation, but is often disposed to disturb the peace of society, in order to arrive at that which he so foolishly admires. The slightest observation, however, might satisfy him, that, in all the ordinary situations of human life, a well-disposed mind may be equally calm, equally cheerful, and equally contented. Some of those situations may, no doubt, deserve to be preferred to others: but none of them can deserve to be pursued with that passionate ardour which drives us to violate the rules either of prudence or of justice; or to corrupt the future tranquillity of our minds, either by shame from the remembrance of our own folly, or by remorse from the horror of our own injustice.”
― The Theory of Moral Sentiments
― The Theory of Moral Sentiments
Our Shared Shelf
— 223072 members
— last activity Jan 26, 2026 06:48AM
OUR SHARED SHELF IS CURRENTLY DORMANT AND NOT MANAGED BY EMMA AND HER TEAM. Dear Readers, As part of my work with UN Women, I have started reading ...more
belletrist
— 3979 members
— last activity Feb 10, 2024 11:58AM
celebrating literature, authors, and the literary community, curated by Emma Roberts & Karah Preiss ...more
Ash’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Ash’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
More friends…
Favorite Genres
Polls voted on by Ash
Lists liked by Ash
























