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The phrases in their context!

Extract from A TREATISE OF HUMAN NATURE:

It is a quality of human nature, which we shall consider [Part II. Sect, 2.] afterwards, that the imagination naturally turns to whatever is important and considerable; and where two objects are presented to it, a small and a great one, usually leaves the former, and dwells entirely upon the latter.
As in the society of marriage, the male sex has the advantage above the female, the husband first engages our attention; and whether we consider him directly, or reach him by passing through related objects, the thought both rests upon him with greater satisfaction, and arrives at him with greater facility than his consort.
It is easy to see, that this property must strengthen the child's relation to the father, and weaken that to the mother.
For as all relations are nothing hut a propensity to pass from one idea ma another, whatever strengthens the propensity strengthens the relation; and as we have a stronger propensity to pass from the idea of the children to that of the father, than from the same idea to that of the mother, we ought to regard the former relation as the closer and more considerable.
This is the reason why children commonly bear their father's name, and are esteemed to be of nobler or baser birth, according to his family.
And though the mother should be possest of a superior spirit and genius to the father, as often happens, the general rule prevails, notwithstanding the exceprion, according to the doctrine above-explained.
Nay even when a superiority of any kind is so great, or when any other reasons have such an effect, as to make the children rather represent: the mother's family than the father's, the general rule still retains such an efficacy that it weakens the relation, and makes a kind of break in the line of ancestors.
The imagination runs not along them with facility, nor is able to transfer the honour and credit of the ancestors to their posterity of the same name and family so readily, as when the transition is conformable to the general rules, and passes from father to son, or from brother to brother.
SECT. X OF PROPERTY AND RICHES
But the relation, which is esteemed the closest, and which of all others produces most commonly the passion of pride, is that of property.
This relation it will be impossible for me fully to explain before I come to treat of justice and the other moral virtues.
It is sufficient to observe on this occasion, that property may be defined, such a relation betwixt a person and an.
object as permits him, but forbids any other, the free use and possession of it, without violating the laws of justice and moral equity.
If justice, therefore, be a virtue, which has a natural and original influence on the human mind, property may be looked upon as a particular species of causation; whether we consider the liberty it gives the proprietor to operate as he please upon the object or the advantages, which he reaps from it.
It is the same case, if justice, according to the system of certain philosophers, should be esteemed an artificial and not a natural virtue.
For then honour, and custom, and civil laws supply the place of natural conscience, and produce, in some degree, the same effects.
This in the mean time is certain, that the mention of the property naturally carries our thought to the proprietor, and of the proprietor to the property; which being a proof of a perfect relation of ideas is all that is requisite to our present purpose.
A relation of ideas, joined to that of impressions, always produces a transition of affections; and therefore, whenever any pleasure or pain arises from an object, connected with us by property.
we may be certain, that either pride or humility must arise from this conjunction of relations; if the foregoing system be solid and satisfactory.
And whether it be so or not, we may soon satisfy ourselves by the most cursory view of human life.
Every thing belonging to a vain man is the best that is any where to be found.