Seite 527 von 734

And again, in certain cases no obligation lies on a man to lend

to one who has lent to him; suppose, for instance, that a bad man

lent to him, as being a good man, under the notion that he should

get repaid, whereas the said good man has no hope of repayment

from him being a bad man. Either then the case is really as we

have supposed it and then the claim is not equal, or it is not so

but supposed to be; and still in so acting people are not to be

thought to act wrongly. In short, as has been oftentimes stated

before, all statements regarding feelings and actions can be

definite only in proportion as their object-matter is so; it is

of course quite obvious that all people have not the same claim

upon one, nor are the claims of one's father unlimited; just as

Jupiter does not claim all kinds of sacrifice without

distinction: and since the claims of parents, brothers,

companions, and benefactors, are all different, we must give to

each what belongs to and befits each.