Chapter 05
Two Types of Virtue
Of the amiable and respectable virtues. Upon these two different efforts, upon that of the spectator to enter into the sentiments of the person principally concerned, and upon that of the person principally concerned, to bring down his emotions to what the spectator can go along with, are founded two different sets of virtues. The soft, the gentle, the amiable virtues, the virtues of candid condescension and indulgent humanity, are founded upon the one: the great, the awful and respectable, the virtues of self-denial, of self-government, of that command of the passions which subjects all the movements of our nature…
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Key Quotes & Analysis
"How amiable does he appear to be, whose sympathetic heart seems to re-echo all the sentiments of those with whom he converses, who grieves for their calamities, who resents their injuries, and rejoices 28at their good fortune!"
Context: Smith introduces the amiable virtues of sympathy
Warmth and responsiveness earn love. The amiable person feels with others openly and makes their emotions welcome.
In Today's Words:
We are drawn to people whose hearts visibly answer the hearts around them. Their sympathy feels like hospitality for emotion: you do not have to compress yourself to be near them. Smith calls this amiability, and it is one of two major paths to virtue in his system.
"The soft, the gentle, the amiable virtues, the virtues of candid condescension and indulgent humanity, are founded upon the one: the great, the awful and respectable, the virtues of self-denial, of self-government, of that command of the passions which subjects all the movements of our nature to what our own dignity and honour, and the propriety of our own conduct require, derive their origin from the other."
Context: Naming the first family of virtues
These virtues soften self-interest through tenderness. They are outward-facing and relational.
In Today's Words:
Gentleness, candor, and indulgent humanity are Smith's language for virtues that bend the self toward others. They show up as patience, warmth, and willingness to enter another person's feeling. Cultures may name them differently, but the pattern is consistent: people trust those who make room for them.
"how disagreeable does he appear to be, whose hard and obdurate heart feels for himself only, but is altogether insensible of the happiness or misery of others!"
Context: The opposite pole of moral ugliness
Self-enclosure reads as moral failure even when the person obeys rules. Hardness repels because it refuses imaginative sharing.
In Today's Words:
Someone who feels only for himself may be efficient, even correct, yet still seem morally ugly. Smith is not saying self-care is wrong; he is naming the social cost of a heart that will not re-echo others. People experience that hardness as danger because they know they will not be felt with when it matters.
"And hence it is, that to feel much for others and little for ourselves, that to restrain our selfish, and to indulge our benevolent affections, constitutes the perfection of human nature; and can alone produce among mankind that harmony of sentiments and passions in which consist their whole grace and propriety."
Context: Smith's summary of moral excellence through sympathy
Perfection is a balance: generous outward feeling, restrained selfishness. Neither extreme self-erasure nor naked self-interest.
In Today's Words:
Smith defines moral excellence as feeling strongly for others while keeping selfish impulses in check. That is not martyrdom and not cold calculation. It is a trained habit of letting benevolence lead and self-interest follow at a disciplined distance. Smith's point is that moral spectatorship begins in imagination: we picture another's situation before we approve or condemn the feeling that situation provokes.
Thematic Threads
Class
In This Chapter
Different classes value different virtue tracks - working class often prizes empathy, upper class often rewards self-control
Development
Building on earlier discussions of social expectations and judgments
In Your Life:
You might feel judged for being 'too emotional' in professional settings that value restraint over connection
Identity
In This Chapter
Your virtue track becomes part of who you are - the caring person versus the steady person
Development
Extends earlier themes about how we see ourselves through others' eyes
In Your Life:
You might struggle with identity when your natural virtue track doesn't fit your role's expectations
Social Expectations
In This Chapter
Society expects different virtues from different people based on their position and circumstances
Development
Deepens understanding of how social rules vary by context and person
In Your Life:
You might face different virtue expectations as a parent versus employee versus friend
Personal Growth
In This Chapter
Growth means developing your natural virtue track rather than trying to master both
Development
Shifts from general improvement to strategic self-development
In Your Life:
You might waste energy trying to be both deeply empathetic and perfectly controlled instead of excelling at one
Human Relationships
In This Chapter
Understanding others' virtue tracks helps you appreciate different types of people and their contributions
Development
Builds on earlier relationship dynamics with specific framework for evaluation
In Your Life:
You might misunderstand why some people seem cold when they're actually showing respectable virtue through self-control
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
This is not a test. Five prompts guide you through the chapter, from how it opens to how it closes, so you notice context and rhythm rather than facts to memorize. Sit with each question in your own words. When you see "One way to read it," treat it as a starting point, not the only answer.
- 1
What are the 'amiable virtues' in this chapter, and how do they differ from mere politeness?
analysis • surfaceOne way to read it
Amiable virtues are genuine sympathetic responsiveness: candid condescension and indulgent humanity. Politeness can be performed without entering another's feeling. Smith praises hearts that re-echo emotions, not surfaces that merely avoid offense.
- 2
Smith also praises self-command later in the book; how does this chapter prepare that second track?
analysis • mediumOne way to read it
Here he celebrates feeling with others; elsewhere he will celebrate restraining oneself. Both exceed ordinary self-interest. The chapter establishes that virtue is multidimensional rather than a single personality type.
- 3
Who in your life demonstrates amiable virtue in a way that changes the mood of a group?
application • mediumOne way to read it
Personal answer. Smith invites readers to notice people whose sympathetic hearts make others braver, softer, or more honest. That person is not necessarily loud; they are emotionally hospitable.
- 4
When can an 'obdurate heart' masquerade as professionalism or strength?
application • deepOne way to read it
Workplaces often reward emotional hardness as objectivity. Smith warns that refusing to feel with others may look competent while eroding trust. The cost appears later as isolation, fear, and silence around problems.
- 5
Is Smith asking us to feel little for ourselves? How would you state his balance in your own words?
reflection • deepOne way to read it
He asks us to restrain selfishness, not erase selfhood. Perfection is benevolence leading and self-interest disciplined, not annihilated. Healthy morality includes boundaries; amiability without self-command can burn people out.
Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Virtue Track
Think of three people you genuinely respect or admire. For each person, identify whether you respect them more for their ability to connect emotionally with others (amiable virtues) or for their self-control and steady leadership (respectable virtues). Then reflect on yourself - which track comes more naturally to you, and how could you develop it further?
Consider:
- •Most people excel more in one track than the other - this isn't a failure, it's specialization
- •The same person might show different virtues in different situations
- •Consider whether you're judging people fairly based on their circumstances and natural strengths
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you had to choose between being emotionally supportive and staying professionally composed. Which felt more natural to you, and what did you learn about your own virtue track from that experience?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 6: When Your Body Betrays Your Image
Smith will examine how our physical needs and bodily sensations create their own category of emotions, exploring why some feelings seem to arise purely from our animal nature rather than our social connections.
