chief ends. They may be both valued for their own sake, and both
that loves honey puts it into his mouth for the sake of the pleasure of the taste, without aiming at anything further. So that an end which an agent has in view may be both his immediate and his ultimate end, his next and his last end. That end which is sought for the sake of itself, and not for the sake of a further end, is an ultimate end; it is ultimate or last, as it has no other beyond it for whose sake it is, it being for the sake of itself: so that here, the aim of the agent stops and rests (without going further) being come to the good which he esteems a recompense of its pursuit for its own value.
Here it is to be noted that a thing sought may have the nature of an ultimate, and also of a subordinate end, as it may be sought partly on its own account, and partly for the sake of a further end. Thus a man in what he does may seek the love and respect of a particular person, partly on its own account, because 'tis in itself agreeable to men to be the objects of others' esteem and love: and partly, because he hopes through the friendship of that person to have his assistance in other affairs; and so to be put under advantage for the obtaining further ends.
A chief end or highest end, which is opposite not properly to a subordinate end but to an inferior end, is something diverse from an ultimate end. The chief end is an end that is most valued; and therefore most sought after by the agent in what he does. 'Tis evident that to be an end more valued than another end is not exactly the same thing as to be an end valued ultimately, or for its own sake. This will appear, if it be considered
1. That two different ends may be both ultimate ends, and yet not be chief ends. They may be both valued for their own sake, and both sought in the same work or acts, and yet one valued more highly and sought more than another: thus a man may go a journey to obtain