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But he； who strives to conquer hatred with love； fights his battle in joy
and confidence； he withstands many as easily as one； and has very little
need of fortune's aid。 Those whom he vanquishes yield joyfully； not through
failure； but through increase in their powers； all these consequences
follow so plainly from the mere definitions of love and understanding；
that I have no need to prove them in detail。
Prop。 XLVII。 Emotions of hope and fear
cannot be in themselves good。
Proof。… Emotions of hope and fear cannot exist without pain。 For fear is
pain （Def。 of the Emotions：xiii。）； and hope （Def。 of the Emotions；
Explanation xii。 and xiii。） cannot exist without fear； therefore （IV。 xli。）
these emotions cannot be good in themselves； but only in so far as they
can restrain excessive pleasure （IV：xliii。）。 Q。E。D。
Note。… We may add； that these emotions show defective knowledge and an
absence of power in the mind； for the same reason confidence； despair； joy；
and disappointment are signs of a want of mental power。 For although
confidence and joy are pleasurable emotions； they； nevertheless imply a
preceding； pain； namely； hope and fear。 Wherefore the more we endeavour to
be guided by reason； the less do we depend on hope； we endeavour to free
ourselves from fear； and； as far as we can； to dominate fortune； directing
our actions by the sure counsels of wisdom。
Prop。 XLVIII。 The emotions of over…esteem
and disparagement are always bad。
Proof。… These emotions （see Def。 of the Emotions； xxi。； xxii。） are
repugnant to reason； and are therefore （IV。 xxvi。； IV：xxvii。） bad。 Q。E。D。
Prop。 XLIX。 Over…esteem is apt to
render its object proud。
Proof。… If we see that any one rates us too highly； for love's sake；
we are apt to become elated （III：xli。）； or to be pleasurably affected
Def。 of the Emotions：xxx。）； the good which we hear of ourselves we readily
believe （III：xxv。）； and therefore； for love's sake； rate ourselves too
highly； in other words； we are apt to become proud。 Q。E。D。
Prop。 L。 Pity； in a man who lives
under the guidance of reason； is in
itself bad and useless。
Proof。… Pity （Def。 of the Emotions：xviii。） is a pain； and therefore
（IV：xli。） is in itself bad。 The good effect which follows； namely； our
endeavour to free the object of our pity from misery； is an action which
we desire to do solely at the dictation of reason （IV：xxxvii。）； only at
the dictation of reason are we able to perform any action； which we know
for certain to be good （IV：xxvii。）； thus； in a man who lives under the
guidance of reason； pity in itself is useless and bad。 Q。E。D。
Note。… He who rightly realizes； that all things follow from the necessity
of the divine nature； and come to pass in accordance with the eternal laws
and rules of nature； will not find anything worthy of hatred； derision； or
contempt； nor will he bestow pity on anything； but to the utmost extent of
human virtue he will endeavour to do well； as the saying is； and to rejoice。
We may add； that he； who is easily touched with compassion； and is moved by
another's sorrow or tears； often does something which he afterwards regrets；
partly because we can never be sure that an action caused by emotion is
good； partly because we are easily deceived by false tears。 I am in this
place expressly speaking of a man living under the guidance of reason。 He
who is moved to help others neither by reason nor by compassion； is
rightly styled inhuman； for （III： xxvii。） he seems unlike a man。
Prop。 LI。 Approval is not repugnant
to reason； but can agree therewith
and arise therefrom。
Proof。… Approval is love towards one who has done good to another （Def。 of
the Emotions：xix。）； therefore it may be referred to the mind； in so far as
the latter is active （III：lix。）； that is （III：iii。）； in so far as it …
understands； therefore； it is in agreement with reason； &c。 Q。E。D。
Another Proof。… He； who lives under the guidance of reason； desires for
others the good which he seeks for himself （IV：xxxvii。）； wherefore from
seeing someone doing good to his fellow his own endeavour to do good is
aided； in other words； he will feel pleasure （III：xi。Note） accompanied by
the idea of the benefactor。 Therefore he approves of him。 Q。E。D。
Note。… Indignation as we defined it （Def。 of the Emotions：xx。） is
necessarily evil （IV：xlv。）； we may； however； remark that； when the
sovereign power for the sake of preserving peace punishes a citizen
who has injured another； it should not be said to be indignant with the
criminal； for it is not incited by hatred to ruin him； it is led by a sense
of duty to punish him。
Prop。 LII。 Self…approval may arise
from reason； and that which arises
from reason is the highest possible。
Proof。… Self…approval is pleasure arising from a man's contemplation of
himself and his own power of action （Def。 of the Emotions：xxv。）。 But a
man's true power of action … or virtue is reason herself （III：iii。）； as
the said man clearly and distinctly contemplates her （II：xl。； II：xliii。）；
therefore self…approval arises from reason。 Again； when a man is
contemplating himself； he only perceived clearly and distinctly or
adequately； such things as follow from his power of action （III：Def。ii。）；
that is （III：iii。）； from his power of understanding； therefore in such
contemplation alone does the highest possible self…approval arise。 Q。E。D。
Note。… Self…approval is in reality the highest object for which we can hope。
For （as we showed in IV：xxv。） no one endeavours to preserve his being for
the sake of any ulterior object； and； as this approval is more and more
fostered and strengthened by praise （III：liii。Coroll。）； and on the
contrary （III：lv。Coroll。） is more and more disturbed by blame； fame
becomes the most powerful of incitements to action； and life under
disgrace is almost unendurable。
Prop。 LIII。 Humility is not a virtue；
or does not arise from reason。
Proof。… Humility is pain arising from a man's contemplation of his own
infirmities （Def。 of the Emotions：xxvi。）。 But； in so far as a man knows
himself by true reason； he is assumed to understand his essence； that is；
his power （III：vii。）。 Wherefore； if a man in self…contemplation perceives
any infirmity in himself； it is not by virtue of his understanding himself；
but （III：lv。） by virtue of his power of activity being checked。 But； if we
assume that a man perceives his own infirmity by virtue of understanding
something stronger than himself； by the knowledge of which he determines
his own power of activity； this is the same as saying that we conceive
that a man understands himself distinctly （IV：xxvi。）； because （Land reads：
〃Quod ipsius agendi potentia juvatur〃… which I have translated above。 He …
suggests as alternative readings to ‘quod'； 'quo' （= whereby） and 'quodque'
（= and that）。） his power of activity is aided。 Wherefore humility； or the
pain which arises from a man's contemplation of his own infirmity； does
not arise from the contemplation or reason； and is not a virtue but a
passion。 Q。E。D。
Prop。 LIV。 Repentance is not a virtue；
or does not arise from reason ； but he
who repents of an action is doubly
wretched or infirm。
Proof。… The first part of this proposition is proved like the foregoing
one。 The second part is proved from the mere definition of the emotion in
question （Def。 of the Emotions：xxvii。）。 For the man allows himself to be
overcome； first； by evil desires； secondly； by pain。
Note。… As men seldom live under the guidance of reason； these two emotions；
namely； Humility and Repentance； as also Hope and Fear； bring more good
than harm； hence； as we must sin； we had better sin in that direction。
For； if all men who are a prey to emotion were all equally proud； they
would shrink from nothing； and would fear nothing； how then could they be
joined and linked together in bonds of union？ The crowd plays the tyrant；
when it is not in fear； hence we need not wonder that the prophets； who
consulted the good； not of a few； but of all； so strenuously commended
Humility； Repentance； and Reverence。 Indeed those who are a prey to these
emotions may be led much more easily than others to live under the
guidance of reason； that is； to become free and to enjoy the life of the
blessed。
Prop。 LV。 Extreme pride or dejection
indicates extreme ignorance of self。
Proof。… This is evident from Def。 of the Emotions：xxviii。