ends, which we also called standards, are reconciled. In the matter of eating and drinking, health permits enjoyment to put herself forward as the ultimate aim, provided her claims be not compromised, while enjoyment finds her advantage in conciliating health by never being inordinate in her excesses.
34. The application of this somewhat lengthened illustration is this, that just as the preservation of life and health, and the attainment of enjoyment in regard to our body, are two ends quite compatible with each other in the humble and perhaps rather ignoble occupation of eating and drinking; so the maintenance of our rational life, and of the health of the soul, is an end quite consistent with that other, and generally more eagerly pursued end, which goes by the name of happiness. It also sometimes happens that the pursuit of what we regard as happiness is not consistent with the rational life and health of the soul, in which case happiness must be foregone in favour of the soul's preservation, just as in analogous cases pleasure must be surrendered out of consideration for the health of the body. But this being understood, it being understood that man, in the affections which he harbours, and in the actions which he performs, is bound not to do violence to his true and rational nature, this being taken for granted, the other end, his own happiness, namely, and that of others, may now be set full in his view as the proper and only object of his pursuit; and to
