"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."
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