Beneficence, n.
Etymology: [L. beneficentia, fr. beneficus: cf. F. bénéficence. See Benefice.]
The practice of doing good; active goodness, kindness, or charity; bounty springing from purity and goodness. And whose beneficence no charge exhausts. Cowper.
Syn. -- See Benevolence.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for beneficence; he lists it under benevolence.
Where he writes about it:
According to the etymology and original usage, beneficence is the doing well, benevolence the wishing or willing well to others; but benevolence has come to include beneficence, and to displace it. — from benevolence