And the Self-Sufficiency which people speak of will attach chiefly to
the Contemplative Working: of course the actual necessaries of life are
needed alike by the man of science, and the just man, and all the other
characters; but, supposing all sufficiently supplied with these, the
just man needs people towards whom, and in concert with whom, to
practise his justice; and in like manner the man of perfected
self-mastery, and the brave man, and so on of the rest; whereas the man
of science can contemplate and speculate even when quite alone, and the
more entirely he deserves the appellation the more able is he to do so:
it may be he can do better for having fellow-workers but still he is
certainly most Self-Sufficient.
Again, this alone would seem to be rested in for its own sake, since
nothing results from it beyond the fact of having contemplated; whereas
from all things which are objects of moral action we do mean to get
something beside the doing them, be the same more or less.
Also, Happiness is thought to stand in perfect rest;[15] for we toil
that we may rest, and war that we may be at peace. Now all the
Practical Virtues require either society or war for their Working, and
the actions regarding these are thought to exclude rest; those of war
entirely, because no one chooses war, nor prepares for war, for war’s
sake: he would indeed be thought a bloodthirsty villain who should make
enemies of his friends to secure the existence of fighting and
bloodshed. The Working also of the statesman excludes the idea of rest,
and, beside the actual work of government, seeks for power and
dignities or at least Happiness for the man himself and his
fellow-citizens: a Happiness distinct[16] from the national Happiness,
which we evidently seek as being different and distinct.
If then of all the actions in accordance with the various virtues those
of policy and war are pre-eminent in honour and greatness, and these
are restless, and aim at some further End and are not choice-worthy for
their own sakes, but the Working of the Intellect, being apt for
contemplation, is thought to excel in earnestness, and to aim at no End
beyond itself and to have Pleasure of its own which helps to increase
the Working, and if the attributes of Self-Sufficiency, and capacity of
rest, and unweariedness (as far as is compatible with the infirmity of
human nature), and all other attributes of the highest Happiness,
plainly belong to this Working, this must be perfect Happiness, if
attaining a complete duration of life, which condition is added because
none of the points of Happiness is incomplete.