How To Forster A Refine-gentleman

The goal of the thought of Shaftesbury, who lived in the rising stage of the development of capitalism, is different from Hobbes and Locke. What Hobbes cares about is the safty of life. Locke’s concern is economic well-being. The society which Shaftesbury wants to establish not only can guarantee the security of life and the prosperity of economy, but also is cultural and polite, and the people who live in it are well-bred men. That is the concern of the thought of Shaftesbury.The first thing to do is to establish a new religion, on which virtue depends. What Shaftesbury cares about is not God itself but its attribute which is adapted to the society that he wants to realize. The new religion is founded on the basis of reason, not on Divine revelation or miracle. The order and beauty of nature reveals a superem wisdom. Men imitate such a perfection and promote themselves in accordance with deity.The natural moral sense and reflection make people acquire moral judgements. Virtue means to act according to public interest. And it means a just and equal disposition of affections between oneself and public. Although the fear of future pulishment and hope of future reward are somehow useful to virtue, but the perfection and height of virtue must be owing to the belief of a God. The public interest and one’s own is not only consistent, but inseparable. Virtue is the advantage and vice is the disadvantage of every creature. Such a man has to forster his character by social communication. Men get their good judging ability through raillery and free conversation with their friends. But meanwhile,we must talk to ourselves to avoid boasting in public. That means to know ourselves. Writers are teachers of the understanding in a society. What they have to do is not to satisfy readers’appetite but to imitate the proportion and order of nature.Such a bred-man has a temper of religion that makes him act according to public interest,and is able to express himself precisely like a philosopher and act politely.