ABSTRACT
There is nothing people can think of in the whole world, or indeed outside it, which can be unreservedly looked upon as good, except a good will. Intelligence, wit, the power of judgment and all the rest of the talents of the intellect, or courage, determination and fixity of purpose as qualities of temperament are undoubtedly good and desirable in many respects; but these natural gifts may also become extremely evil and noxious in the service of a will, whose specific construction is, for this reason, called character, which is not good. The case is similar with the gifts of fortune. Power, wealth, honour, even health and that state of well-being and contentment with one's lot that goes by the name of happiness, give courage, which, where there is no good will to guide it into beneficent and purposeful channels of thought and action, often degenerates into pride.
