A Volume of Essays and Poems (Classic Reprint)

A thoughtful look at how people choose right from wrong, and how laws, nature, and opportunity shape our lives.

This volume surveys the foundations of conduct, the rise of moral sense, and how societies measure behavior. It follows the idea that humans are free moral agents guided by inner judgments, while also governed by time, place, and social rules. Readers will encounter clear explanations of virtue, virtue’s practical role, and how rules—whether civil, criminal, or etiquette—impact everyday life.

Across its pages, the book connects natural law, human-made laws, and the opportunities that propel action. It emphasizes careful analysis of circumstances, the importance of timely and well-placed decisions, and the value of thoughtful reason in judging conduct. Although rooted in its era, the work speaks to anyone considering how character and institutions shape civilization.

• Clear differentiation between virtue, vice, and the motives behind actions.


• Discussion of time, place, and opportunity as key factors in success and ethics.


• Examination of natural laws versus human-made laws and their social effects.


• Thoughtful examples of how standards of conduct vary by culture and circumstance.

Ideal for readers of philosophy, morality, and the history of law who want a concise, reflective view of how people live among rules and realities.