That this mixture arises from a tacit comparison of the person contemned or respected with ourselves is no less evident.

The same man may cause either respect, love, or contempt by his condition and talents, according as the person, who considers him, from his inferior becomes his equal or superior.

In changing the point of view, though the object may remain the same, its proportion to ourselves entirely alters; which is the cause of an alteration in the passions.

These passions, therefore, arise from our observing the proportion; that is, from a comparison.
I have already observed, that the mind has a much stronger propensity to pride than to humility, and have endeavoured, from the principles of human nature, to assign a cause for this phaenomenon.

Whether my reasoning be received or not, the phaenomenon is undisputed, and appears in many instances.