[22] Either that of the bodily senses, or that of the moral senses.
“Fire burns,” is an instance of the former, “Treason is odious,” of the
latter.
[23] I have thought it worthwhile to vary the interpretation of this
word, because though “habitus” may be equivalent to all the senses of
[Greek: exis], “habit” is not, at least according to our colloquial
usage we commonly denote by “habit” a state formed by habituation.
[24] Another and perhaps more obvious method of rendering this passage
is to apply [Greek: kalon kagathon] to things, and let them depend
grammatically on [Greek: epaeboli]. It is to be remembered, however,
that [Greek: kalos kagathos] bore a special and well-known meaning also
the comparison is in the text more complete, and the point of the
passage seems more completely brought out.
[25] “Goodness always implies the love of itself, an affection to
goodness.” (Bishop Butler, Sermon xiii ) Aristotle describes pleasure
in the Tenth Book of this Treatise as the result of any faculty of
perception meeting with the corresponding object, vicious pleasure
being as truly pleasure as the most refined and exalted. If Goodness
then implies the love of itself, the percipient will always have its
object present, and pleasure continually result.
[26] In spite of theory, we know as a matter of fact that external
circumstances are necessary to complete the idea of Happiness not that
Happiness is capable of addition, but that when we assert it to be
identical with virtuous action we must understand that it is to have a
fair field; in fact, the other side of [Greek: bios teleios].
[27] It is remarkable how Aristotle here again shelves what he
considers an unpractical question. If Happiness were really a direct
gift from Heaven, independently of human conduct, all motive to
self-discipline and moral improvement would vanish He shows therefore
that it is no depreciation of the value of Happiness to suppose it to
come partly at least from ourselves, and he then goes on with other
reasons why we should think with him.
[28] This term is important, what has been maimed was once perfect; he
does not contemplate as possible the case of a man being born incapable
of virtue, and so of happiness.
[29] [Greek] Plato. Phædon. xlvi.
[30] But why give materials and instruments, if there is no work to do?
[31] The supposed pair of ancestors.
[32] Solon says, “Call no man happy till he is dead.” He must mean
either, The man when dead _is_ happy (a), or, The man when dead _may be
said to have been happy_ (b). If the former, does he mean positive
happiness (a)? or only freedom from unhappiness (β)? _We_ cannot allow
(a), Men’s opinions disallow (β), We revert now to the consideration of
(b).