On the other hand, we denounce with righteous indignation and dislike men who are so beguiled and
demoralized by the charms of pleasure of the moment, so blinded by desire, that they cannot
foresee the pain and trouble that
are bound to ensue; and equal blame belongs to those who fail in their duty through weakness of
will, which is the same as saying through shrinking from toil and pain. These cases are
perfectly simple and easy to distinguish.
In a free hour, when our power of choice is untrammelled and when nothing prevents our being
able to do what we like best, every pleasure is to be welcomed and every pain avoided. But in
certain circumstances and owing to the claims of duty or the obligations of business it will
frequently occur that pleasures have to be repudiated and annoyances accepted. The wise man
therefore always holds in these matters to
this principle of selection: he rejects
pleasures to secure other greater pleasures, or else he endures pains to avoid worse pains.
