In the opposite mood human misery is present to us only as a fact of knowledge, that is to say, indirectly.  We are mainly engaged in looking at the sufferings of others, and our attention is withdrawn from our own.  It is in their person that we become aware of human misery; we are filled with sympathy; and the result of this mood is general benevolence, philanthropy.  All envy vanishes, and instead of feeling it, we are rejoiced when we see one of our tormented fellow-creatures experience any pleasure or relief.

After the same fashion we may be in one of two opposite moods in regard to human baseness and depravity.  In the one we perceive this baseness indirectly, in others.  Out of this mood arise indignation, hatred, and contempt of mankind.  In the other we perceive it directly, in ourselves.  Out of it there arises humiliation, nay, contrition.

In order to judge the moral value of a man, it is very important to observe which of these four moods predominate in him.  They go in pairs, one out of each division.  In very excellent characters the second mood of each division will predominate.

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The categorical imperative, or absolute command, is a contradiction.  Every command is conditional.  What is unconditional and necessary is a must, such as is presented by the laws of nature.

It is quite true that the moral law is entirely conditional.  There is a world and a view of life in which it has neither validity nor significance.  That world is, properly speaking, the real world in which, as individuals, we live; for every regard paid to morality is a denial of that world and of our individual life in it.  It is a view of the world, however, which does not go beyond the principle of sufficient reason; and the opposite view proceeds by the intuition of Ideas.

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If a man is under the influence of two opposite but very strong motives, A and B, and I am greatly concerned that he should choose A, but still more that he should never be untrue to his choice, and by changing his mind betray me, or the like, it will not do for me to say anything that might hinder the motive B from having its full effect upon him, and only emphasise A; for then I should never be able to reckon on his decision.  What I have to do is, rather, to put both motives before him at the same time, in as vivid and clear a way as possible, so that they may work upon him with their whole force.  The choice that he then makes is the decision of his inmost nature, and stands firm to all eternity.  In saying I will do this, he has said I must do this.  I have got at his will, and I can rely upon its working as steadily as one of the forces of nature.  It is as certain as fire kindles and water wets that he will act according to the motive which has proved to be stronger for him.  Insight and knowledge may be attained and lost again; they may be changed,