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T H E
H E R O.
From the Spaniſh of
BALTASAR GRACIAN;
WITH
R E M A RKS
Moral, Political, and Hiſtorical,
Of the LEARNED
Father J. de COURBEVILLE.
By a GENTLEMAN of OXFORD.
It muſt be obſervd That I do not here confine the Name and
Character of Heroes, only to Warriors and great Conquerors ;
I extend the Appellation to all Perſons that are eminent in an
high Degree, whether they belong to the Cabinet or the Bar, whe
ther they are converſant in human or divine Literature.
Hero, Chap. I. p. 23.
L O N D
:
Printed for T. Cox, at the Lamb under the Royal Exchange.
MDCCXXV I.
{
TO THE
RIGHT HONOUR A B L E
Peter, Lord KING,
BARON of Ockham, and LORD HIGH-
CHANCELLOUR of Great Britain.
This TRANSLATION of
GRACI A N'S HERO,
Is Moſt Humbly DEDICATED,
By Your LORDSHIP's
1
Moſt Devoted,
And Moſt Obedient Servant,
The EDITOR
+ L '
Race Ble Room
Regent R. L. Hubrand
que
8-8-1927
ha
1
113 ACTilbili
TESTILETTICIDIA
HAABIHIL BOMULETTE
A
Τ Η Ε
P R E F A CE
RACIAN is an Author of that Cha
racter, and has appear'd in the World
in ſo many different Languages, that
it may not be improper to give the
Reader ſome ſort Account of the
Nature and Number of his Works ;
of the Genius and Excellence of his Hero in parti-
cular; and what the Remarker and Tranſlator both
have
IL
The PRE FÄCE.
have done, to illuſtrate the Original, and make it
more instructive and more accommodate to the Eng-
liſ Taſte.
There is no {mall Diſpute among the Learned
World, whether the works of Gracian belong to
Baltaſar or Laurence, becauſe the Madrid, the Bru-
xelles and the Anvers Editions aſcribe them to the lat-
ter, and Don Laſtanofa, who was at the Pains of
publiſhing them firſt, has left them under his Name,
and thereby given them fome Authority for ſo do-
ing : The Opinion however of Don Nicolas Antonio
de Sevilla, who, in the beginning of the ſecond Tome
of his Catalogue of Spaniſh Writers, imputes them
to Baltaſar, and may be ſuppos'd to have inquir'd in-
to that Matter ex profello, is what weighs moſt
with every impartial Conſiderer, and his Words to
this purpoſe are very deciſive. Laurence, or rather
Baltaſar Gracian, ſays he, was born at Calatayud, a
Town in Arragon ; he was a Jeſuit, and a Man of
great Learning, as appears by the many Books, he
publiſh'd under the Name of Laurence, who proba-
bly was his * Brother ; was Rector of the College of
* This I conceive may be a Miſtake ; for Gracian, who in his
Agudeſa makes frequent mention of his Brothers, names but Three,
Peter, Philip, and Raimond all Religious.
Terragon
The PRE FACE.
iii
Terragon in Catalonia, which Office he then exercis'd;
when Don Vicencio John de Laftanoſa, in his Dia.
logues of Medals, gives him ſuch high Commenda-
tions : And the reaſon why the ſame Laftanoſa
publiſh'd his Work under the Name of Laurence,
was in Compliance to his Friend; who, out of Mo-
deſty or ſome ſcruple of Piety, might decline the Re-
putation of being their Author, or not think it la
conſiſtent with the Honour of his Profelion, to be
rank'd in the Number and Catalogue of profane Au.
thors. And this, in my Opinion, is what himſelf
Jeems to mean, in the Words of his Preface before
his Comulgador, or Meditations for the Communion,
where he tells us, that of the different Works the
World had been, pleas'd to father upon him, he is
willing to own none but that for his lawful Son, bea
ing not ſo deſirous to gratify his Wit, as his Tender-
neſs,
From theſe
, and many more Inftances that might be:
produced, it appears that our Author was. Baltaſar
Gracian, the Jeſuit; and, the firſt was el Heros
which was publiſ’d in 1637; ſome. Tears after
that, it was tranſlated into French by a Phyſician
named Gervaiſe; and very lately again, by J. de Cour-
3.
beyilles
iy
The PRE FAC E.
beville a Jeſuit, who added the Remarks that now
appear in Engliſh.
The ſecond was el Politico Fernando, in ſome
Men's Opinion one of his beſt Pieces. It is an ex-
ceſſive Panegyrick on Ferdinand the Catholick; for,
as he ſays towards the Concluſion of it, if the Spa-
niſ Monarchy were at any time to decline, the beſt
Remedy wou'd be, to raiſe Ferdinand again to be its
Reſtorer.
The third is the Agudeza, which, as Laſtanoſa
tells us, pleas'd a Genoeſe to ſuch a degree, that he
tranſlated it into Italian, and pretended to be the
Author of it. In this piece, the Praiſes of Igna-
tius, Francis Xavier, Francis de Borgia, and ſeveral
other Jeſuits are diſperſed bere and there, whereby
he intimates that himſelf had the Honour to be of
that fame Society.
The fourth is el Diſcreto, whereunto his Friend
Laſtanoſa has annex'd an incomparable Preface, and
therein defended his Writings from the Cavils and
Objections, that were at that time made againſt
them,
The
The PRE FACE.
V
The fifth is el Criticon, which is a kind of Satyr
againſt all the Vices and Extravagances of Mankind,
and a Theatre, as it were, whereon the different
Conditions of civil Life are repreſented.
The ſixth is el Oraculo Manuel, y Arte de Pruden-
cia, which Sieur Amelot has tranſlated, and annex'd
ſeveral moral and political Notes, by way of Illuſ-
tration, as our ingenious Jeſuit has done to the
Hero.
The ſeventh is his Comulgador, which I have menti-
on d before, and have only to add, that in his Preface
to this Piece he promiſes the World another Book of
Devotion, which, according to the Hints that he gives,
ſeems to have been a Preparation for Death ; but
that, and many more (Laſtanoſa reckons to the Num-
ber of twelve) never appear'd in the World, whether
loft by any Accident, or prevented by the * immature
Death of their Author; Nam inihi videtur
acerba ſemper & immatura inors eorum, Plin. Ep.
Lib.s. Ep.5.
qui immortale aliquid parant, ut quæ femper
inchoatum aliquid abrumpat.
* Gracian died at $4.
a
As
vi
The PRE FAC E.
As to the Hero in particular, it was a bold Flight
for his firſt Eſay; nor is it ſo much to its Commenda-
tion (Jays Laſtanoſa in the abovemention d Preface)
that it has undergone ſo many Impreſſions, been tran
1918-
lated into ſo many different Languages, been ap-
plauded by ſo many learned and polite Nations, been
efteem'd by ſo many Writers, and by many of them,
even to whole Chapters, adopted into their Works ;
its greateſt Glory and Honour is, that it had the
Praiſe and Approbation of Philip IV. of Spain, who,
after reading it, was heard to ſay, This little Piece
is very agreeable, and, I can aſſure you, has many great
Things in it; and who, in proceſs of reading, came
at laſt to conceive ſo great an Idea of it, as to give it
a prime Place among the ſelect Books of his Study.
El Heroe ſe admiro en la mayor Esfera del ſelecto
Muſeo Real, as the learned Preface expreſes
it.
And indeed the Dignity of his Subject, the Wiſdom
of his Precepts, and the ſublime and nervous Manner
of his Writing, jew him to be an Author too far
rais'd above the vulgar Capacity, and fit only to be
entertaind in the Cloſets of great Men, of noble
Warriors, able Politicians, wife Magiſtrates, and
complete
The PRE FAC E.
vii
complete Scholars; for all theſe Gracian includes un
der the common Title of Heroes, and all theſe, and
ſuch as theſe, the Intendment of this Book is to form
or perfect.
P. Bohours,
"T'is a thing leſs to be wonder'd at therefore, that
we find Gracian ſo often charg'd with Ob-
ſcurity, and a French Critick of no ſmall
Dialogues.
note, reckoning him among the Number
of incomprehenſible Genius's ; his Elevation, and
Strength, and good Senſe, be allows; but fancies, ,
that in many Places he knew not even himſelf his own
Meaning, or wrote on purpoſe not to be underſtood.
Gracian indeed wrote not for common Readers, his
Subje£t wou'd not permit him ; and therefore he was
minded to conceal his Sentiments from them, and re-
veal them only to ſuch as bad Capacities fit to compre-
hend, and Souls congenial to receive them. He laid
it down to himſelf therefore as a Rule, in Deference
to thoſe whom he intended to inſtruct, to be ſhort and
ſuccinct in what he ſaid; to ſpeak Things rather than
Words; and, in ſome Paſſages, to abſtract bis Mean-
ing, as Ariſtotle is ſaid to have wrote obſcurely, on
purpoſe. to conceal from others what he was willing
to teach his Pupil Alexander.
a 2
Тbe
viii
The Pre FAC E.
The truth is, Gracian's Maxims, whereon he
founds bis Diſcourſes, are taken from Homer, from
Ariſtotle, from Seneca, from Tacitus, from Plutarch,
from Eſop, from Lucian, and ſeveral other the
Jubtleſt and moſt refined Authors of Antiquity, that
lie far above the Level of common Comprekenſions .
Since therefore, by the Nature of his Subject, he was
to write to the ſublimer Part of Mankind only, it
was not amiſs in him, not ſo much to employ a plain
as an enigmatick Stile, to procure Veneration to the
Sublimity of bis Matter, as the ſpeaking Things
myſteriouſly is known to make them more au-
gut.
This Obſcurity however is a ſufficient Reaſon for
adding Remarks to our Author's Text; which the
Reader will find taken from the beſt moral Writers,
ſuch as Montagne, la Hoguette, de Mere, Bruyere,
St. Evremond, Collier, buc. and placed ſubſequent to
every Chapter, to leave him to bis Diſcretion, ei-
to read or omit them.
Some of them he will find to be Hiſtorical, and
ſome Moral; fome Commendations, but without Af-
feftation or Flattery; others Criticiſms, but with-
out
The PRE FAC E.
ix
out Bitterneſs or Partiality : Some ſerve for the
Illuſtration of Paſſages that ſeem to want it, and o-
thers for Amuſement, but ſuch as is always inſtruc-
tive, and agreeable to the Spirit of the Original.
The Tranſlator has done his utmoſt to render Gra-
cian's Senſe in as clear Terms as poſſible; in the Re-
marks, to imitate the Spirit of the ſeveral Authors
from whence they are extracted; and in the Poetick
Pieces, to make uſe of the beſt Verſions that are ex-
tant, thinking it always, in Things of this Nature,
the ſafeſt Way, alienæ incumbere Famæ.
ใน
ARRITUTIERRAMID:11
THE
4
1
-
Τ Η Ε
CONTENTS
Char.I. THAT be ſhori'd conceal the Extent of his Capacity
Page 1
CHAP. II. That he should conceal his Paſſions
Chap. III. Of what Make and Character his Mind ſhould be
IO
21
CHAP. IV. Of what Make and Character his Heart should be
35
CHAP. V. That he ſhould have an exquiſite Taſte
CHAP. VI. That he jould excel in what is Great and Noble
45
56
68
CHAP. VII. That he ſhould aim at a Priority in Mind
CHAP. VIII. That be ſhould chooſe bright and ſhining Qualities before
others
78
CHAP. IX. That he ſhould know his predominant good Quality
89
CHAP. X. That he ſhould know tbe Caſt and Character of his Fortune
Іоо
Chap. XI. That he should know when to retreat before Fortune leaves
bim
CHAP. XII. That he should gain the Love of all the World
СНАР.
II3
127
|
1
:
The GONTENTS
141
CHAP. XIII. That he ſhould have the Je ne ſais quoi in him
CHAP. XIV. That he ſhould have the natural Afcendant in him
ISI
CHAP. XV. That he ſhould often be renewing his Reputation
161
CHAP. XVI. That he ſhould have all good Qualities without Affectation
173
CHAP. XVII. That he ſhould have Emulation in him
183
CHAP. XVIII. That he ſhould have a noble Sympathy himſelf, and make
his Advantage of it in others
CHAP. XIX. Whether an Hero mould have any voluntary Faults
192
203
CHAP. XX. The laſt Perfection of an Hero, that he ſhould be Reli-
gious
2 IZ
Τ Η Ε
g
Hina MIR
Τ Η Ε
H E R O.
FILTER BERBEDA
CHAP. I.
That he ſhou'd conceal the Extent of his Capacity.
HE firſt and leading Point in any great
Man, is to be well acquainted with the
Fond of his own Abilities, in order to
husband them with Diſcretion ; for
this is the only ſure and certain Rule,
that either can, or ought to direct him
in what manner he is to exert his Merit. (a) 'Tis a great
B
Art
¢
1
2
The H ER O. Chap 1
Art to know, both how to gain the Eſteem of Man-
kind, at our firſt ſetting out into the World, and not
to diſcover ourſelves intirely to them; and the Way
to do it muſt be, to keep up always an advantageous
Expectation of us in their Minds, without exhauſting
it; in ſuch a inanner, as ſtill(b) to make one great En-
terprize, one glorious Action, or whatever is diſtin-
guiſh'd in its kind, the Pledge of others, and theſe
again a Foundation of future Hope, to ſee, every day,
inore and more of the like nature from us.
The Truth is, he that wou'd preſerve the Admirati-
on of the Publick, has no other way to do it, but
by inaking a Concealment of the Meaſure of his Ca-
pacity; for as a River ſtrikes us with Dread 110
longer than we are ignorant of its Ford, fo Venerati-
on accompanies a Man only, while the Bounds of
his Ability are undiſcover'd : 'Tis our Ignorance, or
Preſumption, of the Vaftneſs of his Merit that pre-
ferves him, all along, in the Poffeffion of Eſteem and
Preeminence.
It is a Maxim of Policy therefore, founded upon a
right Judgment of Things, That to let others find out
our Bottom, is much the ſame thing as giving them a
Right to rule abſolutely over us : For this.Penetra-
tion
Chap. I The HERO.
3
tion into the Abilities of others is in a manner a ſure
Means (when duly put in practice) to change the
whole Face of Men's Conditions, to make the ſupe-
rior Perſon but a Phantom and a Name, and to fub-
ſtitute the inferior in his Place and Authority. Now
if a Man, that has found out the Bottom of another,
is in a Capacity to rule over him; he certainly, whom
no one can fathom or find out, lives always in a Re-
gion inacceſſible to dependence.
It ſhou'd be no finall Part of your Care therefore,
to endeavour to defeat the Vigilance of ſuch, as are
continually prying into the Meaſure of your Suffici-
ency, and to imitate in this particular, the able
Maſters of any Art or Science, who never diſcover
to their Apprentices all they know at once, but
teach them by Degrees, and explain Things to them
by little and little; making what is properly the
Fundamental of their Science a Myſtery, whereinto
none are
are initiated but themſelves ; which Se-
crer they reſerve, to ſupport them in the Reputa-
tion of being Maſters of the firſt Rank, and Men of
an unlimited Capacity.
To aſpire in this wife at a Kind of Infinity, is cer-
tainly to have the Glory of reſeinbling, inore than
the
B 2
1
4
The H E R 0. Chap. I.
the Groſs of Mankind do, the Soveraign Being. This
is the firſt Foundation of Heroiſin and true Gran-
deur ; and, tho' by the Means hereof no Man's Me-
Tits can become inexhauſtible, yet (what is the Work
of no ſmall Genius) they may at leaſt appear to be fo.
He therefore that can taſte the Delicacy of this Max-
im, need not wonder at the Praiſes given to that
ſeemingly ſtrange Paradox of the wiſe Man of Miti-
lene, That the half is better than the whole. For to
give it this Application ; (c) One half of our Abilities
kept in reſerve, while the other only is diſcoverd,
is of more ſignificance, than if the whole were pro-
fuſely ſquander'd away at once.
'Twas in this Art of keeping always a Stock in Rie
ſerve, to ſupply the Expectance of the Publick, that
the firſt King of the new World, and the laſt of Ar-
ragon, Ferdinand the Catholick, a Prince of more
Accoinpliſhments than all his Predeceſſors, was ſo ex-
cellent. He kept all Europe in perpetual Admirati-
on of him, but he did it more by the prudent Ma-
nageinent of his rare Qualities, which ſucceſſively pro-
duc'd glorious Effects, than by all the numberleſs
Laurels, that ſurrounded his Brows. (d) His Poli-
ticks, wherein he was ſuperior to all his Rival-
Princes, were more eminently fo, in that he knew
how
*
Chap. r. The H ER 0.
5
how to conceal the Springs of them from the Eyes
of all the World, nay even from the Eyes of thoſe
that were neareſt and deareſt to him. Queen Iſa-
bella his illuſtrious Confort, tho' paſſionately belov'd
by him, was not adınitted to them; and his Courti-
ers, with all their Application to ſpy them out, un-
ravel, and gueſs at thein, cou'd not come to the
Knowledge of thein.
All their Diſquiſitions were
but like ſo much beating of the Air : They never
knew their Prince, but by Events, that ſucceeded one
another, and ſtill ſurpriz'd them more and more by
the newneſs of their Splendour.
My Advice becomes applicable therefore to you,
(e) O young Heroes, who are charın’d with Glory
and aſpire at true Greatneſs, that you endeavour ear-
neſtly to acquire the Perfection I have been ſpeaking
of; that you let all Men indeed know you, in order
to be eſteem'd by all, but lay yourſelves open to
none; (f) for by this Conduct, a mean Stock of A-
bilities paſſes for a great one, and a great one for al-
mnoſt Infinite.
REMA R-K&
6
Chap. I.
The H ERO.
REMARKS on Chap. I.
1
That he ſhould conceal the Extent of his Capacity.
Orac.
Man.
G
C
RACIAN, in another Place, reduces the Subſtance of this
Chapter into two ſhort Maxims, which may be joyn'd well
enough together, and are compriz'd in this ſhort Abſtract :
A wiſe Man
fhou'd be ſo far from diſplaying his Ability all at once, that he ſhou'd be
very cautious how he diſcovers himſelf to any one whatever. He ſhou'd hus-
band his Merit with the ſame Diſcretion that he does his Money; fer Merit
will waſte and melt away, eſpecially if he does not manage and regulate
' his Expenceș, as I may fay, according to his Subſtance. If you make a
Shew, for inſtance, of all your Politicks, Learning, and Induſtry to-day,
what will remain to-morrow to ſupport that Eſteem the World has of
you, when you are thus quite exhauſted'?
I cannot tell, ſays Bruyere, whether of the two is more to be blam’d,
he that knows not how to manage his Eftate, or he that knows not
how to manage his Wit and Learning. In both Caſes, there may be Extra-
vagance; for it is not enough for a Man to have good Qualities, ſays
the Author of Moral Reflections, unleſs he has likewiſe the right OE-
Bru.
Char.
· Mor.
Reflec.
conomy of them.
(a) 'Tis a great Art to know how to gain the Eſteem of Mankind, at our firſt
ſetting out into the World.] Mark Antony went in his Youth to ſerve in Syria,
under the Governour of that Province, who gave him the Command of the
Cavalry; and in the firſt A&ion he engag'd in, he ſignaliz’d himſelf againſt
Ariftobulus, King of the Jews, whom he took Priſoner with his own Hands,
after he had won the Battle by his fole Valour. A Man makes his Entrance
into
L
Chap. I.
The HERO.
7
into the World, ſays the Abbot de St. Real, with Glory, when he thus ber
gins with a Victory, and the taking of a King. For the Acquiſition
of Honour is both a Caution and Encouragement to the Perſon to
proceed.
Mor.
Ref.
(6) To make one glorious Enterprize, &c. the Pledge of others ] This Maxim
was obſerv'd by a general Officer of the Romans in a very nice and noble
manner. Agricola, when he was order'd to make War againſt the Britons,
obrain'd a very ſignal Vi&ory, but he wrote only to the Emperor that his
Arms had gain' d an Advantage; without encloſing his Letter in Laurel, with.
out giving this glorious A&tion the Name of a Victory, or fo much as a
military Expedition. But Agricola's Glory increas'd the more, ſays Tacitus,
the leſs ſenſible he ſeem'd to be of it, and his Country afterwards promis'd
themſelves every Thing from a Man, that accounted fo great a Matter of.
Triumph no more than a Trifle.
1
(c) One half of our Abilities kept in reſerve, while the other only is diſcover'd, is
of more Significance, than if the whole were perfe£tly ſquander'd away at once.]
Philip II. did not then rightly comprehend the full Senſe of this Axiom,
when he went to the Diet of Ausbourg in hopes of being choſen King of the
Romans. His Father, Charles V. had taken wiſe Meaſures to make him ſuc-
ceed in the great Deſign ; but the Son, ſays a Spaniſh Author, diſconcerted all,
by affecting too much Ability, thro' a vain Indiſcretion of Youth, and ſo the
Affair miſcarried. However this be, he took care never afterwards to fall
into the like Indiſcretion, but cur'd himſelf ſo effectually of it, that his whole
Conduct was a kind of Myſtery, which procur'd a certain reſpe&ful Admi-
ration of his Perſon. He very ſeldom came to Council, for fear of appearing
inferior to his Miniſters, tho' he was certainly a very great Prince; and when,
at any time, he was oblig'd to ſpeak, he did it always in ſuch conciſe Terms
as left thoſe, that heard him, to gueſs at his Meaning.
It is not enough, ſays Montagne, that thoſe who rule and command
us, and hold the World, as it were, in their Hands, ſhou'd have Mont,
but a common Underſtanding, and be able to do only what we can.
They are a great way beneath us, if they be not very much above us ;
and therefore their Silence has not only the Appearance of Reſped and
Gravity,
Elr,
8
The HERO. Chap, I.
Gravity, but is of Uſe and Management likewiſe to ſet off their
Scnſe.
(d) His Politicks, wherein he was ſuperior to all his rival Princes, were more
eminently So, &c.] Lewis XII. King of France, was one of theſe Rivals, that
Gracian omits to name, as he does the reſt. He was indeed far. inferior to
Ferdinand in ſuch Politicks, as he was accuſtom'd to, and when one Day he
complain'd to his Ambaſſadors of their Maſter's want of Sincerity, and the
Secretary Quintana acquainted him with it; adding that Lewis accus'd him
with twice breaking his Faith, "Twice, anſwer'd Ferdinand, by G --- the Sot
lies, I have cheated him above ten times. 'Tis no hard Matter for a Man to
make a Secret of the Extent of his Capacity, when it is of this Comple&ti-
on, and he has to deal with a Prince that is not us’d to ſeparate good
Faith and Honeſty from his Politicks.
(e) O young Heroes, that are charm'd with Glory, and aſpire at true Greatneſs.]
M. St. Evremord makes an happy Uſe of this whole Chapter of Gracian's, in
his Anſwer to the Earl of St. Albans, who deſir'd to know of him in
a few Words, all that was neceſſary for a young Gentleman of good Hopes, St. Evre.
to enter into the World with Advantage, and ſupport himſelf therein with
Honour. There is a good deal of Art in acquiring the Eſteem of the Pub-
lick, and diſplaying one's Talents in ſuch a manner, as never to ſatiate the
World with them. The Way to preſerve one's Reputation, is to produce
Things every Day more and more excellent, to ſupply, as it were, the gene-
ral Admiration with ſufficient Nouriſhment. The great Actions that we
have already done, ſhou'd be Pledges of greater, and our good ones be fol-
lowed with better. A great Man, if he deſires the Continuance of the
Vulgar's Admiration, thou'd never let the Bottom of his Capacity be fa-
thom'd : He ſhou’d, on the other hand, condu& himſelf in ſuch wife, as
never to diſcover what he knows, nor give any one an Opportunity to ſay,
that he comprehends the Compaſs of his Learning: For how great foever a
Man's Knowledge may be, yet thic Nction we have of his Merit, when we
only know it in part, gocs much farther than what we have of it, wlien we
come to know it intirely. A Man muſt therefore take care not to ſhew all
his Forces at once, but manage Matters ſo, as to liave always a Body of Re-
ferve,
Chap. I.
The H E R O.
:9
upon Occaſion
ſerve, ready to draw Succours from
The great Art con-
ſiſts in not making a Parade with your Knowledge all at once, but in bring-
ing it out, as I may ſay, piece by piece --- For this reaſon it is, that the
great Maſters of any Art or Science, nerer teach their Scholars, in the firſt
Leflons they give them, the whole of their knowledge, but keep them in lg-
norance, that thereby they may ſtill continue Maſters, and have always a
Reſerve of what will ſupport their Reputation.
In the fame Place may be found all the Rules, Precepts, and Maxims, that
occur in a Book of our Spaniſh Author, entitled L'Homme Univerſel. I do not
however accuſe M. St. Evremond of Ingratitude, for concealing the Name
of his Benefactor ;, I rather think it an Honour done to Gracian's Merit, in
having the Approbation of one of our moſt nervous and judicious: Writers.
(f) By this Conduét, a mean Stock of Abilities paſſes for a great one, and.
great one for almoſt Infinite.]' The Court is never deſtitute of a Sort
of People, with whom Faſhion, Póliteneſs, and Fortune, ſerve inſtead Bruyere
of Senſe, and ſupply the Flace of Merit. They know how to come
in and go out of a Room ; diſengage themſelves from Converſation by never
entering into it; affect to ſay nothing, and make themſelves Men of Conſe-
quence by their long Silence, or now and then ſpeaking but in Monofylla-
bles. Their Meen, Voice, Geſture, and Smiles are what they give in re-
turn to what you ſay to them; their Underſtandings, if I may venture to
expreſs myſelf fo, are not two Inches deep; fathom them, and you will ſoon
come to the Mud and Gravel; and yet they have the good Luck to be e-
ftcemed in Men's Eyes, twice as much as Men of real Merit.
As to a great Stock of Abilities, that may almoſt paſs for Infinite, Hannibal
is a very remarkable Example: And his placing himſelf next to Alexander and
Pyrrhus in the Art of War, was no more than what he deſerved. What a
vaſt Extent of Knowledge, and what Addreſs and Dexterity in imploying it!
To know how to unite ſeveral Nations together, and make them all obey him ;
to enter into the different Characters of the Generals, that are ſent againſt
him, and vary his Condu& according to their Genius ; and to multiply his
Vi&ories under almoſt the continual Want of Money and Nećéſaries; this
is fir.ding ſuch a Reſource and Support in a Man's own Valour and Manage-
ment, as ſome of your greateſt Heroes know nothing of.
C
C H A 8.
10
మటన,
5 పంచం
కారత రత్వ, పర ర రంలో
Seca
go
CHAP. II.
L
That he ſhould conceal his Paffions.
T
HE Art of conducting yourſelves ſo, as to
ſuffer no Man, of what Sagacity ſoever, to
find out the Meaſure of your Capacity, will
be of no Advantage to you, unleſs you add to it
likewiſe the Art of concealing the Paſſions and Affec-
tions of your Heart. The Emperor Tiberius, and
Lewis XI. of France, were ſo ſenſible of the Truth
of this double Maxim, that they made all their Po-
liticks center in it. For (a) tho' a Paſſion is never the
leſs fo, for being kept ſecret; yet it is ſtill a great
Point, and a Matter of vaſt importance to conceal
it : And tho' the Movements of the Heart, when
once they become weak and irregular, are generally
Symptoms of an expiring Heroiſi; yet after all
,
Heroiſm never receives a mortal Wound, until theſe
Weakneſſes come to be diſcover'd.
(b) It
Chap. 2.
II
The H ER O.
(b) It ſhould be no finall part of our Care there-
fore to put a Stop to all evil Inclinations, as ſoon as
they ariſe ; but if that cannot be done, at leaſt to
diffemble them? The one requires inuch Courage
and Reſolution ; and the other; a great deal of Art
and Dexterity: - And (not to mention the indiſpen-
ſable Duty of ſubduing our Paſſions) the former per-
'haps may not be ſo difficult as the latter, tho' the
Heart of Man (whoſe Deciſions in Matters of Mora-
lity may be rational enough.) ſeems to give in to
the contrary Opinion. But however that be, thoſe
that appear Slaves to a Paſſion, degrade and vilify
themſelves in the Opinion of wiſe Men ; wliereas
ſuch as know how to hide it, withdraw themſelves,
as it were, from the Diſgrace of it, which foon be-
comes general. In a word, as it is a Maſter-piece of
Art to enter into the Mind, and comprehend the
bottom of another, Man's Heart ; ſo it is the great-
eſt Inſtance of a Man's Command over himſelf, to
keep his Heart undiſcover'd, even to ſuch as arc
able to inake the ſtricteſt Scrutiny.
mencarian
I have already ſaid, that ſome great Politicians
are of Opinion, that to find out the Extent of a
Man's Capacity, and to gain the Dominion over him,
C 2
is
I 2
Chap 22
The HIERO.
is much the ſame thing; and what I account every
whit as true, (c) to let a Man into the Knowledge of
our Paſſions, and to furniſh him with Weapons that
will certainly ſubdue us, is no very different Mat-
ter. How many people, whoſe Intereſt it is to know
our weak Side, will be highly pleas'd and delighted,
when we offer it to .thein ourſelves. By it they
will ſoon attack us, and attack us with Succeſs :
They will return ſo often to the Charge; they will
renew their Aſſaults in ſuch an artful manner, and
with ſo inuch Force and Subtlety both at once, that
at length we ſhall be ſurpriz’d, overcome, and fall a
Prey to be treated at their Diſcretion. The Incli-
nations of the Heart are like a private ſafe Way into
an Houſe; which, when once à Man knows, every
thing is eaſy and open for him to take Poſſeſſion
He goes in, and diſpoſes of the Man's Heart, juſt as
he wou'd of Goods that have no certain Owner, and
whereof he becomes Proprietor, only becauſe he is
the firſt Seizer.
:
The ancient Heathens rais'd Men to the Rank of
Gods, that had not done half ſo many gallant Ac-
tions as Alexander ; but they refus'd an Apotheoſis,
and would not aſſign the leaſt Place in Heaven to
him, who had fill'd all the Earth with the Won-
der
Chap 2. The H ER 0:
13
der of his Exploits. Now what ſhou'd occaſion this.
Inequality of Conduct in theſe ancient Sages? Why di
ſlou'd they be ſo rigorous in one Caſe, and ſoovery
eaſy and flexible in another ? The Reaſon is, be-
cauſe Alexander tarniſh'd his Glory:by : the Exceſſes
of his Rage and Fury ; a thouſand times he belies
the Character of an Hero, becauſe a thouſand tiines
we ſee him, like a common Man, a Slave to his Paf-
ſions.; and his conquering the whole World avails.
him nothing, ſo long as he loſes the Qualification
and Requiſite .of a great. Man, which is, to know
how to govern himſelf. ***
$
1
.
!
But to proceed : Unbridled Paſſion, and inordinate
Luſt, are the two greateſt Rocks, whereon the Re-
putation of an Hero moſt comninonly ſtrikes. Men
of extraordinary Parts and Qualities are ſeldom ino-
derate in their Paſſions, if they have any; and are
indeed inore liable than other People to ſuch as I
have juſt now mention'd; becauſe they enter, as it
were, into the very Complection of an Hero, inore
eſpecially an Hero train d up in War. (d) There is
great reaſon to apprehend, that the Heat of his Cou-
rage may be ſometimes changed into the Fire of
Paſſion; and his extream Love for Glory carry him,
by the force of the fame Viyacity, to ſome unwor-
thy
14
The HERO. .
Chap: 2:
thy Object. So that (e) there is no Violence a Man
1:0t ſhou'd put upon himſelf
, to extinguiſh theſe two Paf-
fions, or, if they be not yet perfectly extinguiſhºd,
to hinder them froin flaming out. A ſudden Sally
may, at certain times, reduce the Hero to the level
of a comninon Man, if not inake the latter his Su.
perior ; and one ſingle Inſtance of this kind is more
than enough to give the cunning People that are
about you, an Opportunity ever after of managing a
Foible, whoſe Conſequences they are no Strangers to,
to their own Advantage. In the Palaces of the Great,
how many idle and vicious, Courtiers are there !
How many ambitious Men, deſtitute of all Merit,
that are ſearching into their Prince's Temper and In-
clinations, only to gratify them, and advance.them-
ſelves at the Expence of his Virtue! So that a So-
veraign ought to be very circumſpect, and always
upon his Guard to diſappoint the dangerous Idleneſs
of the one, and the ſelf-intereſted Vigilance of the
other.“
Never was Perſon inore expert in the Diffiinula-
tion I am now ſpeaking of, than Iſabella of Caſtille,
that Chriſtian Amazon, that Gallant Woman, whoſe
Age had no reaſon 30 envy the Glory of Zenobia,
Tomiris, Semiramis, Penthefile, or any other of
3
thoſe
5
Chap. 2. The HERO.
15
thoſe famous Heroines; for ſhe equall'd, if not ex-
cell'd them all in Courage, and diveſted herſelf of
every thing, that ſeem'd to be the leaſt Indication of
Weakneſs in her. Nay, ſhe carried her Nicety in
this reſpect to ſuch a degree, that becauſe in the bit-
ter Pains of Child-bearing ſhe could not refrain froin
complaining, ſhe choſe always to be alone at that
time, leſt any ſhou'd be a Witneſs of the leaſt Sign
of Senſibility, that might poſſibly then eſcape her.
And what Power might not a Princeſs, ſo obſer-
vant of herſelf upon this Occaſion, have in the O-
ther Parts of her Conduct, neyer to diſcover any
Weakneſs at all?
I ſhall conclude this Chapter with the Sentiment
of Cardinal Madrucio. “ We are all liable to do a-
miſs, ſays he; but I cannot abſolutely call him a
“ Fool, that happens to commit a Fault ; I rather
“ think him deſerving of that Name, who, when he
“ has committed one, has neither the Senſe nor Di-
ligence inſtantly to ſuppreſs it. The Dexterity of
amuſing other Men's Attention iinmediately, and
not allowing them leiſure to reflect upon a. Fault,
" is the Part of no ſmall Genius. It muſt be own'd
“ however, that this Turn is only to be given to
“ ſmall Faults; for as for great ones, there is no
“ ftifling
1
16
Thes HERO Chap2.
Itifling them; all that can be done in this Caſe, is,
“ to ſuſpend the Knowledge of them for a Seafon.
C. (f):Let it then coſt us what pains it will, we muft,
* by, nieans, ſubdue the Affections of our Heart, if
we are deſirous not to have thein appear to the
". World, or if we make any Pretenſions to Heroiſm.
(8). Șome indeed are born with virtuous. Diſpoſi-
“ tions ; but Care, Reflection, and earneſt Endea-
vours will confer on others, what Nature has de-
is nied them.
CC
1
ic
1
REMARKS on Chap. II.
That he ſhould conceal, his. Pallons sal
:
T:
(a) Hór Paſſion be never the leſs ſo, for being kept ſecret ; yet it is Nilla
Matter of great Importance to conceal it.] It is fome way or other,
ſays Montagne, more required in great Men to hide and conceal their Faults;
for that which paſſes in us for Indiſcretion, is thought in them to proceed
from a Contempt' of the Laws : And for this reaſon, the very Appearance
or Preſumption of Viće' in them younds them morë, than Vice itſelf in
others. They are cenſured even in their Looks and Thoughts, and the
whole Nation thinks they have a Right and Intereſt to judge them : Beſides
that their Blemiſhes are inhanced according to the Eminence of the 'Place
where they are ſeated, and the ſmalleſt Wart on their Forehead is nore ap-
parent, than an huge Scar upon another's.
'Tis better for us, ſays the Author of the Moral Reflections, to appear
what we really are, than to endeavour to appear what we are not. This
Propoſition is a little too general to be true ; for ’tis a great, Detriment
to
Chap, 2.
The H ER O.
17
to a Man to appear vicious, when he is ſo, and a conſiderable Advantage to
appear otherwiſe : This Conduct, in ſhort, is an Authority to Vice and
a Fault even in the Vicious.
(0) It ſhould be no Small Part of our Care to put a Stop to all evil Inclinations.]
The World is very apt to take notice of the leaſt Faults we commit,
and when this Misfortune happens, a Man cannot recover himſelf
as he would ; for Falls are like Wounds, hard to be cured, without
leaving a Scar behind theni.
M.St.
Evre.
Orac.
Man.
(c) To let a Man into the Knowledge of our Paſſions, and to furniſh him with
Weapons that will certainly ſubdue us, is no very different Matter.] To catch the
Foible of any one, ſays Gracian in another Place, is the way to get the
Maſtery of his Heart; but there is more Dexterity than Force requir-
ed in feizing the Place, that muſt give us Poſſeſſion of it. Every. Man
has a prevailing Paſſion, but this paflion differs according to his particular
Taſte. All are Idolaters, ſome of Glory, fome of Intereſt and the like;
and therefore the Art is, to find out their Idol, their Paſſion, and Inclination,
for this is the Maſter-Key to let us into their Hearts, which when we have
once gor in our Pofleffion, we can enter with eaſe, and become abſolute Ma-
Iters there.
(d) There is great Reaſon to apprehend, that his extreme Love for Glory may carry
him to ſome unworthy Obje£7.] Antony's Paſſion for Cleopatra is an egregious
Proof of this. Antony, who, next to Cæfar, was the greateſt Man in the
W'or!d, at a Time when in Rome every Citizen was an Hero, carried his firſt
Arms in the Eaſt, where he fell upon the King of Egypt, vanquiſhed him,
and took him Priſoner; and thence flying to the Succour of another, was
the firſt Man that entered the Breach; and ſtormed the Town, and reſtored
Ptolomy to his Kingdom. In the Plains of Pharſalia, where he commanded the
left Wing of the Army, he ſhared with Cæfar the Glory of a Victory, that
decided the Empire of the Univerſe. At the famous Battle of Philippi, he
obtained the Name of The Invincible General; he entirely defeated the Wing
which he engaged, and where Caſius commanded, and did the ſan:e to thạt
where Brutus was, when Auguſtus was beat back, and ſo triumplied himſelf
D
alone
h h
IS
The H E R 0.
Chap: 2
az
alone over the two greateſt Men then living: Peſides this, he was born with
the happieſt Inclinations imaginable, he was liberal, generous, a faithful
Friend, and a kind Benefactor ; and indeed wanted no Qualification to make
him a worthy Succeſſor to Caſar, could he but have defended himſelf againſt
the Charms of the inſinuating Cleopatra. But 'twas here that the Hero, that
the Great Man left him. His Weakneſs for this Queen made him commit a
thouſand Acts of Injuſtice, Oppreſſion, and Extravagance, unbecoming his
Character, and impoſſible for him to repair. He gave the Son, he had by
her, the Kingdom of Artabafus, which he took by Surprize; he made her
Preſent of Phenicia, the lower Syria, the Iſle of Cyprus, a great Part of Cilicia,
Arabia Felix, and the richeſt Provinces in the Eaſt. He raiſed her very
Slaves and Freed-Men to the higheſt Offices and Employments, while the
Roman Nobility lay languiſhing in Miſery and Obfcurity. His Intoxication
grew every day more and more upon him, and hindered him at laſt from fee-
ing the Ridiculouſneſs of his own Conduct : For he gave a very conſide-
rable City to his Cook, for no other reaſon but becauſe he had the good
Fortune to pleaſe Cleopatra, in a magnificent Entertainment his Maſter made
for her. But Rome at length is informed of his Diſorders. Auguſtus goes
into the Eaſt, with a ſtrong Fleet, and an Army. of Land-Forces to attend
it: Antony, on the other hand, comes with his Army, having liis Naval
Force augmented with fixty Ships, which Cleopatra fitted out and
but all on a ſudden Me runs away with her Ships, and betrays the Man to
whom ſhe was indebted for ſo much Wealth and Grandeur; whereupon An-
tony, ſtill more blind and bewitched than ever, follows Cleopatra, and, upon a
falſe Report of her Death, plunges his Sword into his Breaſt, and dies ſoon
after, expreſſing the Sentiments of a Paſſion, that had degraded him, from the
Character of an Hero.
gave him
(e) There is no Violence a Man ſhould not put upon himſelf, to extinguiſh the Paf-
fion of Anger, at leaſt to hinder it from flaming out. ] Montagne ſeems
Mont. Ef. in this point to be of another Opinion than Gracian, and the Fire
of the Gaſcon does not ſo well agree with the Flegm of the Spaniard.
We ler Paffion into our Conſtitution, ſays he, by hiding it, as Diogenes told
Demosthenes, who, for fear of being ſeen in a Tavern, ran to hide himſelf;
the farther you go backwards, the more you enter into it. I ſhould there-
fore
!
Chap. 2.
19
Tihe H ERO
fore rather adviſe a Man to give his Servant a Box on the Ear, thio'a little
unſeaſonably, than ſpoil his Fancy by putting on a fage Countenance. As
for me, I had rather diſcloſe my Paflions than conceal them to my own Coſt :
Vent and Expreſſion will make them loſe their Violence, and ’tis better to
liave their Point fall upon others, than ourſelves. This is the Counſel that
he likewiſe gives to Perſons of eminent Quality, upon whoin every one has
their Eyes
He is not for buying his Wifdom at fo dear a Rate. And
yet it is but fome Lines before, where the ſame Author tells us, that when
Rabirius was condemned by Cafar, he carried his Cauſe at the publick Tribu-
nal, whereunto he appealed, becauſe Cafar diſcoverd too much Heat and
Paſſion in his Accuſation againſt him. Perhaps Montagne, when he was upon
this Paragraph, was interrupted by ſome of his Doineſticks, whoſe Impudence
might raiſe his Anger, and diſturb his Ideas.
However this be, Gracian's Notion is ſtill very true, viz. That one of the
chief Rocks of Heroiſm and true Greatneſs, is an unbridled Paſſion. The
Examples that confirm this Opinion are as many, as there have been He-
roes and great Men ſubje&t to the Vice that he condemns ; and I need only
mention one among many, whoſe Violence of Temper has fullied their Glory,
and often proved their Ruin. Into what Diſgrace and Misfortune did not
an unruly Paſſion carry the famous Duke of Burgundy ? In the Heat of his
Furry he was a Terror to his Confidents, nor durſt they, at ſuch a time,
repreſent any thing to him tho' it tended to his own Intereſt; nay, even at
a Council of War, if any Advice, tho'never ſo good, was given, that did not
pleaſe him, he generally anſwered it with a Cuff on the Ear: So that he
foon died in Diſhonour, and abandoned by his Officers, who cared not to be
every day expoſed to ſuch Treatment. And in like manner Alexander's via
olent Paſſions would have made his Officers forſake him, had they but known
how to get back again into their own Country.
(f) Let it coſt us what Pains it will, we muſt, by all means, ſubdue the Affections
of our Heart.] It coſts fome Men leſs to acquire a thouſand Vir-
tues, than to correct one Vice ; and what is a greater Misfortune, Bruyere.
this Vice is what leaſt of all agrees with their Condition of Life,
tho' it weakens the Luſtre of their other good Qualities, hinders them from
being accompliſhed Men, and their Reputation from being perfect. There is
D 2
no
1
20
The HERO, Chap. 9.
no need for their having more Knowledge or better Abilities, &c. all that is
to be wiſhed is, that they were not polluted with unlawful Love..
St. Evre,
Some indeed are born with virtuous Diſpoſitions, but Care, &c. will confer on others,
what Nature has denied them.] The Study and Acquiſition of Vir-
tue is a painful State, where there is an eternal Conteſt between
Inclination and Duty, A Man muſt ſometimes embrace what he
diſlikes, and reſiſt what pleaſes him, beſides the perpetual Torment that he
undergoes in doing, and in abſtaiņing from what is contrary to his Temper.
But the State of Wiſdom, which is nothing elſe but Virtue at length acquired
by our Induſtry, is a Condition eaſy and quiet ; it reigns. peaceably over all
the Movements of our Heart ; for 'tis only in order to govern irs Subjects
well, that Virtue, at the Beginning, is obliged to ſuch vigorous Conflicts.
2012
СНАР.
.
Chap 3:
2 I
The H E R O.
t?
CH A P. III.
Of what Make and Character his Mind
ſhould be.
T
AHE Parts, where the whole is great and ma-
jeſtick, ſhou'd be of the ſame nature; and ſo
ſhou'd great Qualities go to the Coinpoſition
of an Hero. Among theſe Qualities, thoſe that have
fearch'd fartheft into the Nature of Heroiſin, are of
Opinion, that (a) a bright and extenſive Underſtand-
ing ſhou'd have the Preeminence. For, according
to them, (b) there is no great Man without it; and
every one, that has it, inuſt of neceſſity be ſuch.
Among all the Beings, that fall under our Senſes in
this viſible World, Man, ſay they, is the moſt per-
fect; and in him, that which is moſt ſublime and
excellent, is a large and luminous Intellect, the Prin-
ciple of all his wiſeſt and moſt ſurprizing Operations.
But from this Intellect, from this fundamental Prin-
ciples
322
Chap 3
The HERO.
ciple, as it were, ariſe two Qualities, like two Bran-
ches from the ſame Stem, (c) a ſolid and found Judg-
ment, and a quick and ſprightly Imagination ; which,
when they meet together, make the Man, that has
them, the Miracle of his Age.
The ancient Philoſophers were very laviſh of their
Praiſes upon the other Faculties of the Soul, which
they multiplied according to their different manner
of conceiving things : But the Politician may be ex-
cus'd for transferring his Encomiums upon the Judg-
ment and Imagination only; the former he conſiders
as the Tribunal of Juſtice, where every thing is exa-
min'd and adjuſted ; and the other, as the Sphere of
that ſubtle and quick Fire, that catches immediately
whatever is thus prediſpos'd ; and the Conjunction of
theſe two only he accounts eſſential to Heroes and
great Men, in order to furniſh them, upon all Occa-
fions, with a ſure and ready Retreat. For to what
purpoſe is it, to clothe the Soul with ſo many diffe-
rent Forms and Notions, when this Multiplication of
Ideas only produces Obſcurity, and makes us loſe the
Sight of our principal Object ?
But let that be as it will ; I aſſert in the firſt place,
that the Turn of Spirit and Imagination, proper for
an
Chap 3
23
The HERO.
an Hero, muſt be all Life and Fire; nor did I ever
know one of the firſt Rank, that was not of this
Stamp and Character. The Speeches of Alexander
which were full of Vigour and Vivacity, were like ſo
inany Flaſhes of Lightning that went before the ra-
pid Enterprizes of that Thunderbolt of War. Ceſar,
his Succeſſor in the Race of Conqueſt, was quick in
comprehending, and expeditious in acting. The man-
ner of thinking and expreſſing themſelves, which in
both was equally lively, was a fit Repreſentation of
their manner of enterprizing and conquering, which
was equally with Expedition. (d) What then is this
Perfection ? and by what Name ſhall we call this hap-
py. Fire of the Imagination ? 'Tis as difficult perhaps
to define, as it is rare to poſſeſs, a Gift of this nature;
and if it be not a pure Ray of the Divinity, it
however the Imitation, the Reſemblance, and the
Symbol of it.
It muſt be obſery'd however by the by, that (e) I
do not here confine the Name and Character of He-
roes, only to Warriors and great Conquerors ; I ex-
tend the Appellation to all Perſons, that are eminent
in an high Degree, whether they belong to the Cabi-
ner or the Bar, whether they are converſant in Hu-
man or Divine. Literature.; and in them I require
thic
24
The HERO. Chap :
3
the ſame Qualities of Mind, as in the former. Such
an one, for inſtance, in the Sacred way was the great
St. Auſtin, in whom Brightneſs and Solidity are hap-
pily united ; and ſuch in the Profane was that raré
Genius, wherewith Spain inrich'd Rome, and whoſe
Vivacity is always guided by his Judgment.
To ſpeak in general, there (f) are ſome Strokes of
a lively Spirit and Imagination that are not leſs hap-
py, on ſeveral Occaſions, than adventerous Actions,
done from the fame Principle ; and they both, in
their turns, have prov'd Wings as it were to carry
Men to the top of Greatneſs, and to raiſe them from
the loweſt Stations of Life to. Places of the moſt éimi-
nent Splendor and Renown.
There was a certain Emperor of the Turks, who
took delight ſoinetimes to give his whole Court the
Pleaſure of ſeeing him from a Balcony. And as he
was walking one day reading, or pretending to read
a Letter, he held it fo looſë, that the Wind blew it
out of his Hand, or perhaps he let it ſlip on purpoſe
to divert himſelf with what wou'd follow. As ſoon
as his Pages, who were always attentive and obſer-
vant of their. Maſter, ſaw the Letter flying in the
Wind, eyery one ſtrove who could catch it firſt, and
try'd
Chap 3
.
The H™ER O.
25
try'd a thouſand Tricks, that gave his Highneſs no
finall Diverſion ; till one, more witty and niinble
than the reſt, ſnatch'd the Paper in the Air, and by
the Help of ſome finall Twigs, that in a Moment he
twiſted together, ſprang up to the Balcony, and pre-
ſented the Letter with theſe Words, A vile Infect,
Sir, has Wings, you ſee, and can make a shift to
fly, for your Highneſs's Service. The Briskneſs of
the Action, and the ready Turn of the Speech both
together ſo pleaſed the Emperor, that he gave him
immediately one of the moſt honourable Employs in
the Army; thereby declaring, that tho' Sprightlineſs
of Wit alone is not to have the chief Command, it
ought nevertheleſs to have the ſecond.
A quick and lively Wit is like Salt, that gives an
agreeable Reliſh to the fine Qualities, and with a
certain Brightneſs ſets off the more ſolid Perfections
of the Mind, giving them a Luſtre anſwerable to
their Richneſs. The Words of a King therefore
(when he ſpeaks in the Character of a King) ſhou'd
be like ſo many Rays of Light, to ſtrike our. Ima-
gination, and command our Attention. The im-
menſe Riches of the inoſt powerful Monarchs are
waſted and gone, but Fame has collected and pre-
ſerv'd their ſprightly Sayings; nor has Fire and
E
Sword
26
The HE R 0.
Chap 3
Sword given more Succeſs to inany a great Captain,
than an ingenious Vivacity: employ'd at a proper
Seaſon; ſo that Victory ſometimes has been the
Fruit of Wit.
The Proof of Merit' in the inoſt accompliſh'd of
Kings, and the Riſe of that great Reputation he af-
terwards acquir’d, was owing to the Sentence he in-
ſtantly pronounc'd, upon the Occaſion of two Women
diſputing a 'inaternal Right to one and the ſame
Child. Now that Turn of Thought and Invention,
which made Solomon ſo famous, after this quick and
judicious Deciſion, is abſolutely neceſſary in a thouſand
nice Circumſtances;- where the Leiſure of a long De-
terinination is not allow'd us. It is then like a
Torch, that diſpels our Darkneſs and Doubts; like a
Sphinx; that reſolves all our hard Queſtions; and
like Ariadne's Thread, that carries us out of the La-
byrinth of the moſt perplex'd Affairs.
2
1
Soliman, Emperor of the Turks, inade a wiſe Uſe
of his ready Turn of Thought, on an Occaſion fome-
what ſingular, but not much unlike this of Solomon's.
A Jew was for cutting an Ounce of Fleſh from off a
Chriſtian, upon an uſurious Contract he had forc'd
him to make, when he lent him a. Sum of Money
-4
that
"
Chap 2 Tihe H E RIO.
27
that the other had great need of. The Cauſe was
brought to the Emperor's Tribunals where the Jew
open:d and defended it with a good deal of Inſolence.
Soliman, when he had heard him out with great Pa-
tience, very gravely order'd them to bring a pair of
Scales, an Ounce Weight, and one of the ſharpeſt
Cutlaſſes that cou'd be got. Hereupon the Uſurer
began to look pleas'd, and applaud himſelf in ſecret ;
but the poor Debtor turn'd pale, and was all over
in a fhiver ; when the Emperor addreſſed himſelf
to the Jews and faid,. F hy Head shall bel ftruck off
from thy Shoulders, 'if thor cutteſt the leaſt Parti-
cle:of Fleſh more or leſs than what is ſtipulated in
thy Contract... This. Sudden and unexpected' Sén-
tence inade the Jew defiſt from his purpoſes and
gain'd Söliman no finall Glory, in all the Parts of
the Empire, where the Fame of it was ſpread a-
broad..2
dovli islav
12:
9
This Life and Sprightlineſs of Thought however
muſt not be expended, but on Subjects that deſerve
it; as Lions reſerve their Strength for ſuch Daigers
ónly, as-are wörthy of thein. For, not to mention
thoſe that ſquander it away, as -Prodigals - døl their
Money, how many do we ſee that'einploy-it to ve-
ry vile Purpoſes ; thoſe ſnarling and ſatyrical Tein-
pers
E 2
ܝ
28
The H ER O.
Chap 3
pers'I mean, every Cut of whoſe Tongue is like the
Stab of a Poinard to the Breaſt. But the unworthy
Abuſe they make of this ſo eſtimable a Talent, when
rightly applied, goes not unpuniſh’d; as they ſpare
none, ſo none ſpare thein ; inſomuch that were they
at the higheſt top of Exaltation, the loweſt Mortal
upon Earth wou'd think he had a Right to fall upon
them, and to rob them even of good Qualities they
otherwiſe.haye.
1
A
It is to be obſery'd laſtly, that tho' this Vivacity of
Mind: be properly the Gift of Nature, yet Art inay
have ſome hand both in aſſiſting and perfecting it; as
-when we improve, i by the lively. Strokes of others,
or by Reflections on Circuinſtances parallel to our
own: For where there is a Fund of good Parts, Dif-
courſes and Facts, that have an Agreement there-
with, are like ſuch Seeds as feed and inrich the Soil
where they are ſeen.
1
I have inſiſted the longer on this Quality, becauſe
every one perhaps inay not be perſwaded, that it is
eſſential to an Hero. As for the other Perfection,
which' belongs likewiſe to the Intellect, as I have
defin'd it; and which I call a folid and found Judg-
inent,
1
1
Chap 3
The HERO.
29
ment, there need no Time be ſpent; in ſhewing its
abſolute Neceſſity, for the thing ſpeaks itſelf.
REM AR KS on Chap. III.
Of what Make and Charactèr his Mind fou'd be:
1
(a) A
Bright and extenſive Underſtanding, among other Qualities of an:
P.Bohours.
Hero, shou'd have the Preeminence.] The Author of the Di-
alogues between Ariſtus and Eugenius, ſays much the ſame thing
of true Wit and Ingenuity, that Gracian ſays of the Chara&er of Mind.
that is proper for an Hero. Tis a Miſtake tò confound a ſprightly Wit
with that kind of Vivacity, which has no Solidity in it. The Judgment is;
as it were, the Fund of the Beauty of Wit; or rather, a fine Wit is like
precious Stones, ſolid as well as ſparkling. There is an equal degree of
Solidity and Luſtre in it ; or, to ſpeak properly, 'tis good Senſe that gives
it the Luſtre. For there is one kind of good Senſe, that is grave: and me-
lancholy; whereas the good Senſe, I am now ſpeaking of, is lively and full.
of Fire, ſuch as appears in Montagne's Eſſays, and Hoguette's Teſtamenta
{pringing from a found and bright Underſtanding. A juſt Mixture of this
Vivacity and good: Senfe together, makes the-Mind a&tive and ſagacious,:fa:
as to conceive quickly, and judge rightly of every thing.
(6) There is no Great Man or Hero without a. bright Underffand-
ing). Why, in giving your Eſteem of a Man,, do you prize him,. Montagne.
wrapt and muffled in Cloaths ? You are to judge of him by him-
felf, and not by what he wears; and as one of the Ancients very pleaſantlý:
ſaid,. Do you know why you, repute him tall ?. You reckon him fog. becauſe
of the Height of his Patens, whereas the Pedeſtal is no Part of the Statue..
Meaſure him without his Stilts ; let him lay. aſide his Revenues and his Tie
tles; let him preſent himſelf in his Shirt; then:examine. if his Body be.
Sound and ſprightly, active, and diſpoſed to perform its. Funcions? What
Soul
26
:
Chap: 3.
30
The HERO.
Soul has he? Is it of a good Capacity, and happily provided with all
its Faculties? Is it rich of what is its own, or what it has borrow'd
?
Has Fortune no hand in the Affair ? Such a Man is rais'd five Hundred
Fathoms above Kingdoms and Dutchies. We commend a Horſe for his
Strength and Sureneſs of Foot, and not for his rich Capariſons ; a Grey-
hound, for his Share of Heels, and not for his fine Collar ; an Hawk, for
her Wing, and not for her Geſſes and Bells ; and why do not we in like
manner value a Man for what is properly his own ? He has a grear Train,
a beautiful Palace, ſo much Credit, ſo many Thouſand Pounds a Year; but
all theſe things are about him, not in him.
The Prince of Conde, whien he retreated to Chantilly, appear'd as great a
Man as when he was ſurrounded with the Splendor of the moſt famous
Conquerors, whoſe great Actions he equaliz’d. After 'all, ſays
P. Rapin. · P. Rapin, tho' that agreeable Habitation’ is a Retreat to all the
Graces, and eſpecially to thoſe learned Graces which we call
the Muſes, which are now ſcarce known among great Men; tho' that Re-
treat was become the Rendez-vous of Wir and good Senſe, where nothing
reign'd ſo much as Politeneſs, and every thing that was exquiſite and deli-
cate in the Sciences; yet we muſt agree, thar the Charms of the Place was
nothing. comparable to the Charıms of him that was the Maſter of: it.
What Penetration, what Diſcernment, what Reaſon, what Wir; what
Light, what Knowledge, what Elevation and Clearnefs of Thought did
there appear, whenever he open'd his Mouth! For there is no hearing
him without feeling all the Impreſſion that the Force of ſo wonderful a Ge-
nius is able to make, and a Man'is at the Fountain-head of all theſe Won-
ders and Beauties, when he has the Honour of approaching him. Tho'
others therefore may think him ſo wonderful in the Glories of his military,
yet to me he appears inore fo, in the Glories of his private and retir'd
Life.
(c) A ſolid and found Judgment, and a quick and ſprightly Imagination, Spring
froin the Intelle:7, like two Branches froin tlie: Same Stern. ] We are miſtaken
ſays the Author of the Moral Refletions; when we believe that the Judga
ment' and Imagination are two different Faculties. The Judgment is no-
thing elſe but the Greatneſs of the Light of the Mind, which penetrates
to
Chap 3
The H ER O.
31
1
to the bottom of things, obſerves whatever is remarkable, and perceives
what feems to be imperceptible : So that we muſt agree, that the Extent
of the Light of the Mind produces all the Effects, which we impute to the
Judgment.
Gracian is ſometimes accus'd of being ſo obſcure, that a Man is forced to
gueſs at his Meaning ; and I cannot altogether deny the Charge. But how
can a Man conceive, that the Judgment is nothing elſe but the Greatneſs of
the Light of the Mind, that perceives what ſeems to be imperceptible. As for my
part, I neither underſtand nor can gueſs at the Meaning of all this; and
thoſe that do, underſtand things that in my Opinion are incomprehenſible.
Tis certain that the Judgment and Imagination always were, and ſtill are,
two different things. We ſee every day People that have an infinite deal of
Wit, and yet are very defective in point of Judgment. Thoſe of brisk
and lively Spirits, ſays St. Evremond, have uſually Imagination enough, but
very little Judgment.
1
yer
(d) What is this. Perfe£tion of the Judgment? And by what Name. Shall we call
this happy Fire of the Imagination ? Eugenius, in P. Bolours's Dialogues, makes
this very Queſtion ; and the Anſwer that Ariſtus returns him, is this. The
Qualities of the Wit and Sprightlineſs of a Man come from an happy
Temperament of Body, and a certain Diſpoſition of his Organs. They are
the Effects of a well made, and well proportion'd Head ; of a Brain rightly
temper'd, and full of fine Subſtance; of an hot and luminous Bile, fix'd by
Melancholy, and ſweeten'd by the Blood. The Bile gives the Brightneſs
and; Penetration ;. the Melancholy gives the Senſe and Solidity; and the
Blood gives the Agreeableneſs, and Delicacy, &c. Eugenius acknowledges,
that there is a good deal of Truth in what Ariſtus ſays ; but he concludes,
that the ſafeſt way is, to pronounce nothing peremptorily concerning ſuch
Matters as we cannot come to the Certainty of; and that the moſt rea-
fonable People perhaps reaſon leaſt about them. The Opinion of this
learned Writer agrees very well with Gracian's ; but the Author of the
Moral Reflections decides the Matter boldly and without the leaſt Heſita-
tion. The Strength or Weakneſs of the Wiț or Imagination, ſays he, is
wrongly termd ; it is in reality, nothing.elſe but the good or bad Diſpo-
ſition of the Organs of the Body.
I do
1
32
Chap. 3
The HER 0.
Converſ.
(e) I do not confine the Name and Character of Heroes only to Warriors and
great Conquerors.] Alexander in like manner did not confine himſelf to the
Heroiſm of War only ; he had an equal Ambition to be as eminent in the
Sciences; as the Letter, wherein he reproaches his Maſter Ariſtotle, ſuffici-
ently ſhews. The Letter runs thus. “ You ought not to publiſh ſo many
excellent Things, which I have learnt of you, for wherein ſhall I excel
others for the time to come, if they know all that you have taught me?
Perhaps you may not have conſider'd, that I ſhould rather chooſe to ex-
cel the reſt of Mankind in my Wit and Knowledge, than in Power and
« Greatneſs.
· Alexander wrote this teſty kind of Letter in the midſt of his Glory, and
the Strength of his Ambition. Whereupon the Marſhal de C.
one of the Speakers in the Converſations, cries out, What a Man
is this! He's for being great, he's for being the firſt in every
thing; and after this, can any one think that Fortune had all the hand,
and not his own Merit the greateſt Share, in his Advancement ?
M St. Evremond does not flatter the Memory of the Macedonian Hero fo
much, as the Marſhal does. In the Inſtitution of Alexander, ſays hé, there
was ſomething too vaſt and expenſive: He was taught to know every thing
in Nature, except himſelf: His Ambition afterwards went as far as his
Knowledge ; and upon his Deſire to know all, he conceiv'd another, which
was to conquer all. But he had too little Regularity in his Conqueſts, and
too many Diſorders in his Life, ever to have learnt his Duty to the Publick,
to his Neighbour, or to himſelf. Theſe two Pictures, tho' both drawn by
able Hands, are ſomewhat different; but if we fer them each in its proper
Light, we may perceive a Likeneſs in them to the Perſon they repreſent.
(f) Some Strokes of a lively Wit are not leſs happy, on ſeveral Occaſions, than
adventurous Actions done from the ſame Principle. 'Twas by one of theſe quick
Turns of Thought that Scipio brought himſelf off, in a Matter that might
have been of bad conſequence. A Tribune of the People one day (as the
Cuſtom of thefe Magiſtrates was) haranguing the People againſt this De-
liverer of his Country, charged him with fi&titious Crimes ; when he,
never fceming to give the leaſt Attention to the Tribune's Inveđives, ad-
drelles
1
Chap 3 The HERO
33
dreſſes himſelf to the People, and with a Voice of Aſſurance ſaid, Rom
mans, it was juſt on ſuch a: Day as this, that. I conquer'd Carthage for
prevers; let us all then agree to go, and renew our Thankſgiving to the
Immortal Gòds." At which Words, all the People, and even the Tri-
bune: himſelf ivent dire&ly to the Temple, with Scipio at the Head of
them.
This was the ſame Scipio, to whom Hannibal once gave a remarkable An-
ſwer. After the Defeat of the Carthaginian General, Scipio one day, in the
way
of Converſation, ask'd him, who, in his Opinion, had been the great-
eſt Men; Alexander, ſaid he, the firſt, Pyrrhus the ſecond, and myſelf the
third : But if you had conquer'd me, ſaid Scipio, where wou'd you have
rank'd yourſelf then? I wou'd have been the firſt, replied Hannibal.
This certainly is employing the Vivacity of our Parts on Subje&s that
deſerve it, as our Author preſcribes ; and is a full Confirmation of what
he ſays before : viz. That the immenſe Riches of the moſt powerful Monarchs
are waſted and gone, but Fame has colleſted and preſerv’d the happy Turns of their
Sprightly and Sagacions Wit.
Montagne is full of Examples of the happy. Application of this Vivacity ;
but I ſhall only produce two, out of the many that he gives us. The An.
baſſadors of Samos, when they came to Cleomenes King of Sparta, had got
ready a long fine Speech, in hopes of perſwading him to engage in a War
againſt the Tyrant Polycrates. After he had let them ſay what they were
minded, he anſwer'd them in theſe Words. As to the Beginning of
your Speech, I have forgot it, and conſequently the middle ; and as to
the Concluſion, it has not mov'd me; and therefore I will do nothing".
An Anſwer very ſhort and pithy; and what cou'd not but abaſh theſe
long-winded Haranguers. The other is much of the ſame kind. When
the Athenians were to make choice which of the two Architects they would
have to carry on a great Fabrick; he that preſented himſelf firſt, being a
Man full of Affectation, began with a long premeditated Speech on the
Subject of the Enterprize, and gain’d the Judgment of People in his Fa-
vour ; but the other had only two or threc Words ; Gentlemen of Athens,
ſays he, what this Man has ſaid, I will perform. For my part, I am of the
fame Opinion with Socrates, that he that has a clear and lively Imagination
will ſhew it either by Sentures or Looks, even though he be dumb.
F
то
34
The 'HERO.
Chap 3
To theſe two Examples I will add one, for Variety's fake, that Amelot
tells us. Charles V. was detain'd ten Days in Villadolid, to receive the laſt
Complements of that City; among the reſt, there came a ſort of Buffoon,
call'd Pedro del San-Erbas, to pay his Refpects ; and when he ſaw that the
Emperor ſaluted him, Sir, faid he, you are very gracious in being uncover'd.;
Ptis as much as telling us, youl are no longer Emperor. No, Peter, replied the Em-
peror ; 'tis becauſe I have now nothing elſe to give thee, but this Mark of
my Civility.
1
LinnITIT:
A
het
1
CHAP
Chap 4
35,
TheHERO
1
.
.
6
WWWWWWWW
DO
ye
Som
300**
MANTAVIMO
CHAP. III.
Of what Make and Character his Heart
Joould be.
'T
IS the Sentiments of Plato, in his Book
Of the Gods ,' that Subtlety of Reaſon-
ing is for Philoſophers, Beauty of Diſcourſe
for Orators, Strength of Body for Champions, and
(a) Greatneſs of Heart for Kings; for what avails
it to have a ſuperior Wit and Genius, if the Heart
do not anſwer it? The Mind thinks, and ranges
thoſe Thoughts very eafily, which coſt the Heart a
great deal to put in practice, and many tiines (6) the
wiſeft Counſels about the greateſt Enterprizes, paſs
not in the Cabinet; but are dropt there, for want
of Courage when their Execution comes to be de-
bated. Great Effects are produced by a proportio-
nate Cauſe, and (c) Actions that are of an extraor-
dinary nature proceed only from an Heart, that is
fo.
F 2
36
The H ER O. Chap 43
fo. When the Heart of an Hero forms any Deſigns,
they are always anſwerable to his Character ; his
Greatneſs is the Meaſure of his Vigour in acting,
and Wonder and Amazeinent the Effect of his Suc-
celles.
Alexander had a great, had an immenſe Soul,
when he found the whole world too narrow for him,
and wanted'inore : And Ceſar perceiv'd in himſelf
the ſame Sentiments, when he was for no Medium
between all or nothing. (d) The Hearts of Heroes
are like Stomachs, that are ſtrong and large, and
able to digeſt every thing; what wou'd fit a Dwarf,
and quite ſtuff him up, is ſcarce enough to whet the
Appetite of a Giant ; that is to ſay, a Great Soul,
inſtead of being puff’d up with the moſt aſtoniſhing
Succeſes, is continually panting after more ; inſtead
of being ſatisfied with the Glories it has already won,
is inſatiable in this reſpect, and always purſuing new.;.
(e) inſtead of being impair’d by Diſgrace or Diſaſters,
ſwallows them all with eaſe, and finds in it ſelf a ſafe
Reſource, in the moſt calamitous Revolutions of For-
tune.
+
Of all the Heroes I ever read of, I never knew
one that appear'd greater in the utmoſt Exceſs of
Adverſity
5
2
+
Chap 37:
"
4
The H ERSO
Adverfity, than did Charles VII. King of France,
who, in my Opinion, was a Prodigy, of courage..
While he was yet but Dauphin, the King his Father,
and his Rival the King of England, had concerted, a.
moft terrible Sentence againſt him, and authorita-
tively declar'd him uncapable to fucceed to the
Crown of France. Which when he was told, with
all the Calinneſs and Unconcern imaginable he ſaid,
He would appeal; and when he was ask'd, to what
Tribunal he would appeal ? To my Courage and my
Sword, anſwerd he, therein diſcovering the true.
Spirit of Heroiſin, and accordingly the Event yeri-
fied the Greatneſs of it,
ü
?
As a Diainond never ſhines brighter than in a dark
Night; fo an Hero never appears ſo much to Ad-
vantage, as when he is ſurrounded with Circużnſtan-
ces enough to obſcure the Glory of any other Man.
Charles-Emanuel, Duke of Savoy, who juſtly deſer-
ved the Name of Achilles that his
. Soldiers gave him,
is an eminent Example of this kind. That Prince,
with no more than Four of his Men, forc'd his Way
through the midſt of Five Hundred of the Enemies.
beſt-arın'd Forces, that were going to furround him.
And as he return’d in Triumph to his Army, great-
ly alarm'd with the Senſe of his Danger, he was
only
38.
TheHERO
Chap 4
only heard to ſay, anã with all the Coolneſs imagi-
nable, 'that (f) in all ſuch dangerous Adventures the
beſt Convoy was a Man's own Courage. And indeed
Courage, in ſome meaſure, fupplies all the reſt ; it
marches as it were at the Head of every Man,foine
times to conquer Difficulties that are inſuperable by
any form'd Project, and fometimes to beat down
Obſtacles that were ſudden and unexpected before.
1
he was.
A certain Perfön onċe prefented the King of Ara-
bia with a Sabre inade åt Damaſcus ; a very fine Pre-
ſent in thoſe Days; and very proper for a Warrior as
The Grandees of the Court, who were by
when the Preſent was made him, admir'd it much,
not out of Flattery to the King, but becauſe of the
real Goodneſs of its Workmanſhip: They highly
cöminended the Cleverneſs of its Make, the Fineneſs
of its Guilding, and the Brightneſs of its Blade; in
a word, it was, in their opinion, a complete Piece
of Work, but it had one Fault;- it was too ſhort.
The King call'd his Son Jäčob. Almanzor, who was
Heir apparent to the Crown, to know his Opinion
of it; and as foon as he was come into the Rooin,
the King ſhewd hiin the Sabre, who, after he had
well examin’d and confiderd' it, ſaid that he look'd
upon it of inore Worth than a fortified City; an Eſti-
ination
Chap 4 The FI ER NO.
39
ز
mation very well becoining a gallant Prince! But do
you find no Fault in it, ſaid the King ? None at all,
replied the Prince ; 'tis perfect, I think, in its kind.
But ſome Officers here were thinking, that it was a
little too ſhort, ſaid the King: Whereupon the Prince,
ineaſuring it with his Arm, replied, 4. good Officer.
cannot bave his Arins too ſhort; for what they want
in length, his Courage knows how to ſupply.
But-(g) the inoſt:deciſive. Proof of an heroick Heart
is, when a Man has his Eneiny in his
Power, and
"
can revenge himſelf as he pleaſes, but inſtead of:gra-
tifying a Paſſion, which common Men give a "Looſe
to on ſuch an Occaſion, he overlooks his unjuſt Ha-
tred againſt him, and returns him :good...for: evil.
There is án' Action of the Einperor. Adrian's, 'Thất
ſeems to me to be a Model of this Greatneſs of Soul,
that is now ſo rare to be found. One of the princi-
pal'Officers of his "Armywhoin he knew to be a
Malecontent, and Maligner of his Glory, was.going
to run away in the midſt of a Battle of great Impor-
tance, which when Adrian perceiv’d, and might have
ruin'd his Honour by letting him do fo baſe an Ac-
tion in the fight of the whole Army, he rather choſe
to ſtop him, and with a ſweet and affable Air faid
only, You are going wrong, I perceive, this is your
Way: Whereupon the Officer turn'd his Horſe, as if
it
20
40
The HÉRŐ
Chap 4
in die
it had been a ſimple Miſtake of his, and no medita-
ted Flight or Treaſon.
F
+
.
?
REMARKS on Chåp. IV.
Of what Make and Chårafter his Heart ſpou'd be.
+
1 Reatneſs of Heart is for Kings.] But all have it not, ſays Montagne.
I If we conſider a Peaſant or any mean Man, and a King or Em-
peror, there ſeems to be a great Diſparity';between them ; but they are
,oftentimes no more than Pictures that have no eſſential Reſemblance to
what they repreſent Like 'A&ors on the Stage, that aſſume the Figure
of
gallant Men, of Dukes and Emperors, but as ſoon as the Play is done be.
come abject and cowardly again, which is their native and original Condi-
tion: So, the Emperor, whoſe Pomp dazles :you in, publick, were you to
-
-
more vile tha'n his meaneſt Subject. '. Irreſolution and Cowardiſe 'haunt him
as much as another, and Care and Fear lay hold upon him in the midſt
of his Guards.
+
}
(): The wiſest Counſels, paſs. 'not in the Cabinet, for want of Courage when tħe
Execution.comes to be dębated.] The.Writer of French: Fables, in the Coun-
cii of Råts, has compriſed, this Thought of Gracian's in four Lines which
may be render'd thus.
When grave Debate the Buſineſs is,
All Courts with Heads abound;
Whën Execution is the Thing,
No Hands are to be found.
3
This
Chap. 4.
41
The HERO.
This Citation out of a Poet, upon a ſerious Subject, may perhaps be
thought incongruous, if all the World were of St. Evremond's
Opinion; for Poetry, according to him, requires a particular St. Evre.
Genius, not ſo compatible with gocd Senſe.
" Tis ſometimes the
Language of the Gods, ſometimes that of Fools, but feldom of a Man of
fine Senſe: Its Figures and its Fi&ions pleaſe us, but there is neither Truth
nor Reality in them, and yet Reality is the only 'Thing that can ſatisfy a
found Underſtanding,
I leave the Poers to defend themſelves in an Affair, wherein they are
fo deeply concerned ; and, to pleaſe different Taſtes; ſhall now produce an
Authority in. Profe, taken from the Author of the Political Teſtament,
who has one vyhole Chapter about what Courage and Reſolution of Mind is re-
quired in a Counſellor of State. 'Tis not required, fays he, that a Man ſhould
be ſo hardy as to deſpiſe all Kind of Dangers ; nothing is liker to ruin and
undo Governments,'; than ſuch a Tenper as this. So far mould a Mini-
fter of State be from conducting himſelf in this wiſe, that, on the contrary,
he ſhould proceed ſlowly and gradually on all Occaſions, and never un-
dertake any thing without due Conſideration of the Time and Purpoſe
But the Courage required in him certainly implies thus much,
that he ſhould be exempt from Weakneſs and Fear, which make a Man
incapable not only to take wholſome Reſolutions for the Publick Good, but to
execute likewiſe thoſe that he has taken. It requires a certain Fire and
Vigour of Mind, that makes him deſire and purſue great. Things with an
Ardor, equal to the Wiſdom wherewith his. Judgement embraces them.
It requires a certain Firmneſs of Soul, that makes him bear Adverſities
with ſuch a Bravery, as, neither to be changed, nor even ſeem changed,
with the greateſt Viciſſitudes of Fortune.
It ſhould give him ſtrength to
reſiſt, without any Surprize, all the Envy, and Hatred, and Calumny, and
other croſs Accidents, that uſually occur in the Adminiſtration of
publick
Affairs. Great Men, that are employ'd in the Government of States are
like thoſe, that are condenined to Puniſhment; with this Difference only, that
the one ſuffer for their Faults, the other for their Merit; He ſhould chere-
fore know, that great Souls only are qualified to ſerve Kings faithfully,
and to bear the Calumnies that wicked and ignorant Men caſt upon them,
without being diſcouraged with theſe Croſſes and Oppoſitions from doing
G
good.
42
The H ER O.
Chap. 4:
good. He ſhould know, that the Condition of thoſe, that are called to the
Management of publick Affairs, is much to be pitied, even in that they do
well; becauſe the Malice of the World often leflens the Honour of it,
pretending that it might have been done better, even when it was impoffi-
ble. A Counſellor of State ſhould deſpiſe ſuch Injuries as theſe, ſo as not
to ſuffer his Virtue to be ſhaken, nor himſelf to be diſcouraged, from
pur-
ſuing, with Courage, the Ends that he hath propoſed to himſelf, for the
Good of the Nation.
Mor. Ref.
(c) Aétions that are of an extraordinary nature proceed only from an Heart that
is fo.] Thoſe great and bright Actions, that dazle our Eyes, are
repreſented bŷ Politicians, as the Effects of great Deſigns; where-
as they are commonly nothing elſe but the Product of Men's Hu-
mours and Paſſions : And accordingly, the War between Auguſtus and An-
tony, which is generally imputed to their Ambition of making themſelves
Maſters of the World; was perhaps nothing elſe but the Effect of ſea-
louſy.
It is not natural tö•believe, that the War between Auguftus and Antony was
the Effect of Jealouſy ; at leaſt it muſt have been a noble Jealouſy, and then
our Author's Reflections is no longer Senſe. The Jealouſy, which he oppoſes
to Ambition, is, in my Opinion, 'too mean a Paſſion, to form fo
great an
Enterprize as that of becoming Maſter of the whole World. Nay, Ambi-
tion itſelf, whoſe utmoſt Aim is a natural Obje&, will never conceive fo
high a Deſign, unleſs it be in menfurate. It was certainly therefore this
Paffion that eſtabliſhed the Triumvirate, whereby Auguſtus and Antony go-
verned the Univerſe; under a leſs odious Title than that of Maſters, But,
to be ſhort, the War between Augustus and Antony; was no more-thé! Effect
of their Ambition, than it was of their Jealouſy : For it was Rome that
made the Decree that Auguftus ſhould go into the Eaſt, to put a Stop to the
Diſorders that Antony had occaſioned.
The Hearts of Heroes are like Stomachs that are ſtrong, large, and able to
digeſt every thing.) At the Battle of St. Quintain, ſays Montngue,
Montagne. why did not the Spaniſh puſh their Advantage better ? This might
proceed from a Mind intoxicated with good Fortune, from a
5
Courage
:
4
Chap 4
43
The H ERO
gorged, as it were, with Succeſs at firſt, too full to take any more, and
hardly able to digeſt what it had got. Fortune had given them ſuch an
Armful at once, that they could hold no more, and being vext at herſelf
for having put ſuch an Advantage in their Hands to no purpoſe, the gave
their Enenzy an Opportunity to fall on again.
(e) A great Soul inſtead of being impaired by Diſgrace, &c. finds in itſelf a Sife
Reſourſe.] When great Men are overcome by the length of their
Misfortunes, they let the World ſee that it was the Strength of Mor. Ref.
Ambition, and not the Virtue of their Minds, that ſupported
them before, and that, ſetting aſide their Vanity, Heroes are made like o-
ther Men.
I readily agree, that great Men may be overcome by the long Continuance
of their Misfortunes ; but I can never be of Opinion, that they ſuſtain
them by the Strength of their Ambition, and not by the Power of their Minds,
For why ſhould weat.once take from them a Virtue, and ſubſtitute a Vice
in its Place ? 'The Condition of Mankind affords a very good Reaſon for
their Weakneſs, and great Men ſometimes ſink under the Load of Misfor-
tunes, becauſe every thing in Man is finite; his Strength, his Firmneſs, his
Conſtancy are Virtues that have their Bounds; but it does not therefore fol-
low, that, bating a good deal of Vanity in them, Heroes are like other Men.
Other Men yield to Trials that are but of a common Kind, and no long
Continuance ; whereas Heroes ſurmount them, and never yield themſelves
conquered, but when their Sufferings are intolerable, and the long Continu-
ance of them has quite, exhauſted Virtue.
(f) In ſuch dangerous Adventures the beſt Convoy is. a Man's Courage ] We
have a remarkable Inſtance of this Courage in Alexander, when he came to
paſs the River Hydaſpes, and the A&ion indeed is almoſt incredible to the
moſt intrepid Valour. On the other side of the River, he ſaw a numerous
Army, commanded by a valiant, powerful, and warlike King, whoſe Do-
minions he came to invade, fortified with an infinite Number of Chariots
all ſurrounding it, and ſupported by monſtrous Elephants accuſtomed to
fight furiouſly. The Heavens all on Fire, continued Lightings, frightful
Thunder, and an horrible Tempeſt made all other Hearts quake for fear ;
F2
but
44
The HERO.
Chap 4:
but Alexander was unmoved at this Spectacle, and only declared that he had
met with the Danger worthy of himſelf, and ſo paſſed a large River, with an
Army much inferior to the Enemies, only on Skins.
The Author of the Moral Reflections defines Intrepidity in a Manner that
repreſents this of Alexander too fully to be here paſſed by. Intrepidity, ſays
he, is a certain extraordinary Force of the Soul, which raiſes it above the
Troubles, Diſorders, and Emotions that the Proſpect of great Dangers can
excite in it. And 'tis by this Force, that Heroes maintain themſelves in a
peaceable State, and preſerve the free Uſe of their Reaſon, in the moſt ſur-
prizing and terrible Events.
(8) The moſt deciſive Proof of an heroick Heart, is when a Man has power to re-
venge himſelf on his Enemy, and does it not, &c.] If what Gracian ſays here be
true, as no doubt it is, the Romans Thewed themſelves all to be Men of hero-
ick Minds, upon an Occaſion, when the whole Safety of the Commonwealth
ſeemed to depend on the Death of their Enemies General. When the Phy-
ſician of Pyrrhus offered the Conſul Fabricius to eaſe him of ſo terrible an Ene-
my by Poiſon, the Propoſition ſhocked the Conſul; however, he immediate-
ly communicated it' to the Senate, who being ſtruck with Horror at the
hearing of it, did all agree to ſend Pyrrhus Word to take more eſpecial Care
of himſelf, and to aſſure him, that the Roman People pretended only to con-
quer in an honourable Way, and not to get rid of an Enemy by the Perfidy of
thoſe about him, in whom he repoſed an implicite Confidence ; but in the
Sentiments of Darius, this kind of Heroiſm was no Virtue, who, to make
him always remember that the Athenians had offended him, ordered one of
his Oficers, as he was ſitting down at Table, every day to tell him thrice,
Șir, remember the Athenians.
L
om
C H A P.
Chap 5:
45
The H E R O.
en
PEN Brother
LES
590123
CHAP. V.
That he ſhould have an exquiſite Taſte.
'T
IS not enough for this great Man, this Hero
we are now treating of, to have a good Share
of Wit and Ingenuity, and the Gifts of Na-
ture accompliſh'd by Art ; he muſt likewiſe be born
with an Elegancy of Taſte, and have it perfected by
Erudition. Wit and Taſte are like two Brothers of
the ſame Origin, and their Qualities are of near Pro-
portion to each other. An elevated Wit is never al-
lied to a mean Taſte; the Taſte muſt have an Equa-
lity, or otherwiſe it is degenerate ; or rather the Wit
it ſelf was but mean at firſt : For there are Perfec-
tions of different kinds, according as the Senſe is
more or leſs noble from whence they ſpring. A
young Eagle can amuſe itſelf with looking upon the
Sun, while an old Butterfly is dazled, and loſes the
Sight of its weak Eye by doing it ; and in like man-
ner,
40
The H ER O.
Chap. 5.
ner, (a) the Strength and Compaſs of any Man's Parts
is known by the Taſte that is obſervable in hiin. It
is a very valuable thing, no doubt, to have a good
Taſte ; but in a () great Man this is not inuch : His
Taſte inuſt be excellent. And tho' it be one of thoſe
(c) Talents, that may be communicated to others,
and conſequently acquir’d where there is an apt Dif-
poſition ; yet (d) where ſhall we find any that have
done it ? This is an Happineſs that accrues to very
few.
It may not be amiſs to jake notice by the by, that
a great many People are perpetually applauding their
own particular Taſte, and, with a good deal of Ar-
bitrarineſs, condemning that of others; but others are
generally even with them : For they too, in their
turn, admiring their own Taſte, look upon their Ad-
werſaries with Scorn and Contempt. Thus has one
part of the World been always bickering with the
other; and tho' on one ſide there may be more Folly,
on both ſides there is enough. But to return. An.
excellent Taſte is a formidable Qualification, and the
Terror of every thing that is bad or indifferent in
its kind ; nay more, the beſt things dread it, and the
moſt acknowledg’d Perfections are not ſecure of the
Şentence of its Tribunal; for ſince it is the Rule of
the
*
Chap. 5.
47
The HERO.
+
the juſt Worth of things, it (e) examines them to the
bottom, and makes as it were a Diffection of them
before it gives in its Valuation. As Eſteem is a very
deſirable Good, 'tis a Part of Wiſdom and Juſtice to
covet it; and the natural Puniſhment of ſuch as are
too prodigal of it, ought to be a Contempt of their
Suffrage. Admiration is generally the Cry of Igno-
rance, and ariſes not ſo much from the Perfection of
the Object, as from the Imperfections of our Under-
ſtanding : Qualities of the firſt Rank only deſerve
our Admiration, and herein we ought to be very re-
ſery'd.
Philip II. King of Spain, had this Excellence and
Juſtneſs of Taſte to a great Perfection; for as he was
accuſtom'd to nothing but what was perfect from his
very Youth, he never prais d any thing but what
was a ſort of Miracle in its kind. When a Portu-
gueſe Merchant came once to ſhew him a very fine
Diamond, that he had brought from the Eaſt-Indies,
the Grandees, that were at the Audience, made no
doubt but that the King wou'd be tranſported with
the Diamond, and inind nothing elſe but the extraor-
dinary Beauty of it. But he hardly ſo much as caſt
an Eye upon it; not that he affected a diſdainful
Majeſty on this occaſion ; but only becauſe his Taſte,
which
.
48
Chap. 5.
The HERO.
which had long been us'd to the Wonders of Art and
Nature, was not eaſily charm'd. He ask'd the Mer-
chant however what the Value might be of that coſt-
ly Trifle ? Seventy Thouſand Ducats, Sir, ſaid the
Merchant; for the value of theſe finiſh'd Works
of Nature lies in their Caſt and Luſtre. I under-
ſtand you, ſaid the King; but what made you give
ſo much Money for it? Sir, replied the Portugueſe,
I knew that there was one Philip II. in the Univerſe.
The King, who was more taken with the Anſwer,
than with the Richneſs of the Diamond, order'd the
Merchant to be paid in Portugal-Money, and ſuch a
Recompenſe given to his Ingenuity, as became the
Dignity of Philip II; (f) by which Action alone he
gave the World at once a Specimen of his ſuperior
Taſte in different kinds.
2
1
1
4
Some are of Opinion, that not to commend ex-
tremely, is next to diſparaging; but, in my Notion,
the Exceſs of Praiſe is a Default both in point of Ci-
vility and good Senſe. In Civility, becauſe it is ma-
king a Jeſt of another Perſon; and in good Senſe, ,
becauſe it is trifling with one ſelf. Argeſilaus, King
of Greece had therefore very good reaſon to call the
Man, that was for giving the Shoos and Stockings of
Enſeladus to a. Pigmy, a very filly and incongruous
Fellow:
1
*
i
1
Chap 5
The H ERO
49
Fellow : For, in truth, the whole Dexterity in the
matter of Praiſe conſiſts in fitting it exactly to the
Subject, without either going beyond, or falling ſhort
of it.
Don Ferdinand Alvares of Toledo was diſtinguiſh'd
in War, by a Train of Victories that attended him
for forty Years; and all Europe, that was the Field
of his Battles, loaded hiin with Praiſes ſuitable to his
Valour. But as he ſeemed no ways affected with
this Afluence of Glory, a Friend of his asked hii
one day, why he was foʻindifferent. All this does
not hit iny Tafte, ſaid he ; I want to have an En-
gagement with the Turks. When a Victory is the
Effect of Conduct and Ability, and not of a ſuperior
Force; and when ſuch a mighty Power, as the Otto--
man Empire, is humbled by virtue of that only; 'tis
then that the Bravery and Experience of a General
may juſtly receive Coinmendation. So much is there
requir'd to pleaſe and ſatisfy the Taſte of an Hero !
After all, I am not here teaching the Art of beco-
ining a Zoilus, that likes nothing, and finds fault
with every thing A vile Character ! the Corrup-
tion of Criticiſin, odious, and unbecoining a Man of
fine Senſe! the ignorant Vanity of ſeveral Great Men,
H
who
j
50
The HER.O. Chap 53
who think it much prettier to deſpiſe every thing,
than approve any ; and among many more (to make
uſe of theſe Terms) the Decay of Reaſon, and the De-
pravation of Philoſophy, that has neither Smell nor
Taſte in it.
F
We wou'd have our Hero then, after he has taken
a thorough Survey of things, to paſs an. Eſtimate
upon them according to their Value, and to inake
Equity, as well as Juſtice, the Meaſure of his Decifi-
on; for there are but too many that ſacrifice their
Judgment to their private. Affection or Prejudice,
their Gratitude or Hatred, their Reſentment or Jea-
louſy. But what a Shame and Baſeneſs of Soul is,
this, to prefer Darkneſs before Light;..and Paſſion be-
fore Reaſon! Let a Man therefore have the Inte-
grity and Courage to eſteem every thing according
to its juſt Value, and let his. Taſte never become a
Slave to his
. Prejudice.
)
To conclude: 'Tis the Privilege only of an happy
Diſcernment, and ſuch as has been long cultivated by
Uſe, to know how to value a Perfection of any kind,
without inhancing or debaſing it; and therefore, if
we think (8) our Taſte not yet ſufficiently confirm'd
to give our Judgment with Honour, our ſafeſt way.
will
Chap 5 The H ER Ö.
5
51
will be, not to veñture it, leſt we diſcover our In-
fufficiency, by finding a Fault or Perfection where
there is none.
11
REMARKS on Chap. V.
That he Morid have an exquiſite Tdſtė.
TH
HERE is a certain point of Perfe&tion in Art, as there is Bruyeres
::of Goodneſs and Maturity in Nature ; lie that perceives
it and likes it, has a right-Taſte ; he that perceives: ic not, and likes what
is on either ſide of it; hấsa vicious one : So that there is a good and a
bad-Taſte; and ſome Foundation for Men-to diſpute about it.
(a) The Strength and Compaſs of a Man's Parts is known by his
Taſte, &c.] When People judge in univerſal Terms, as this is Montagna
right, or this: is wrong, and happen not to be miſtaken, 'tis Luck
more than any thing elſee.. They ought to limit and circumſcribe their
Opinion'a little, why, and how it comes to be fo ; for theſe univerſal Judge
ments, which we commonly meet with, ſay nothing. They are like Men,
that falute a whole Multitude and Company together ; whereas thoſe that
are acquainted with them, take notice of them ſeparately, and falute them
by their Names. I have ſeen more than every day Men of ſhallow Parts,
who, affecting to ſew their Wit by pointing out the Beauties of an Au-
thor, have fell upon admiring the worſt things in him, and inſtead of fhewan
ing us his Excellency, have only inform'd us of their own Ignorance. There's
no danger in ſuch an Exclamation as this, oh! bow fine is that Pallage :
The cunning Blades ſave themſelves this way. But to undertake to follow
an Author. cloſe, and to remark preciſely wherein he excels ; to weigh his
Words, his Phrafes, and all his other Virtues, one after another:
Not a word of all that ; tho' a Man of critical Knowledge fou'd Cic. Offic.
H2
be
4
52
The H ER 0, Chap 5.
!-
be able even to go farther : Nam videndum eſt non modo quid quiſque loquatur,
ſed etiam quid quiſque ſentiat.
Converſ.
(1). A Great Man Sou'd have an excellent Taſte..) Great Care
fhou'd be taken, ſays the Chevalier de Mere, to give a young
Prince a good Taſte ; for I muſt, to be underſtood, make uſe of
a Term that ſo many people abuſe; a good Taſte will teach him the right
way to excel in every thing; and if he has beforehand a juſt Notion of good
and evil, what he fees about him will inſtruct him without a Governor.
He cannot have a Taſte too delicate to remark what is becoining in every
kind, and not be miſtaken therein.“ What we call a good Taſte, anſwers.
the Marſhal of C, cannot be expected in young People, unleſs they have vee
ry quick Parts indeed, or have had much Pains taken with their Educa-
tion. It is a very hard matter, when one is young, not to be ſur-
priz?d with what is gliſtering and ſtrikes the Eye. Even thoſe that
are born Princes have this in common with other people, to be taken with
what is gay and ornamental ; but ſuch as judge right, do not love ſplendid
things, unleſs they bc valuable; things that arc of real Worth in their kind.
pleaſe them, thoºtheir Shew and Luſtre be never ſo ſmall.
함
​1
14
L
1
(c) Taſte is one of thoſe. Talents that is communicated; and may con-
Bruyere. Sequently be acquir’d.} Princes, without any other Science or Rule,
,
have the Taſte of Compariſon: They are born and bred, up, as
it were, in the Center of the beſt things, to which they apply all that they
read, fee or underſtand ; and whatever agrees not with Lully, Racine, and
le Brun, that they condemn.
I acknowledge indeed, that Princes are born and brought up among the
beſt things ;, but this is not enough to give a Man the Taſte of Compariſon ;
he muſt likewiſe perceive that they are ſuch excellent things in their kind,
before he can refer to them what he ſees, reads and underſtands. There is
a certain point of Perfeſtion in Art; which he that perceives. has a perfekt Taſte.
"Theſe are Bruyere's own Words ; and therefore I cannot but imagines that
he cither did not think or ſpeak as juſtly as Gracian: Taſte may ber acquir:d;
fays he, where there is an apt Diſpoſition ; but without this natural Diſpoſition,
the beſt things spill not give it us. The greateſt Dainties are of no Uſe to
Man
Chap 5 The H ERO.
53
Man that has no Appetite; and therefore M. Bruyere might have faid of
Taſte, what he ſays of Wit almoſt in the fame Place. All the Wit irr
the World is of no Significance to him that has none ; he has no Views
as that way himſelf, and is conſequently incapable of profiting by other
People's.
St. Evremont is of Gracian's Opinion. That which we call
Talte, in a figurative Senſe, ſays he, is a rare thing, and to be Evremont,
found in very few. A Man can hardly tell how to teach or
learn it ; it muſt be born with us. What we call ſublime Knowledge ſeems
to be above it, and to have more Extent ; but in our Commerce in the
World and in the Affairs. of Life, Taſte has its Value and holds its Rank.
When a Man has this Talent, he ſhould not abuſe thoſe that have it not;:
nor is, he obliged to convince them, and ſhew them their Error; he wild
find it an eaſier matter to new-mould, than perfwade them..
+
ز
..(a) Where. Szalliue find a Man that has an exquiſite Taſte ? "Tis
an Happineſs that accrues to few.) Great Men have an immenſe Bruyere.
Advantage above other People in this refpe&. I give them up
their good Chear, their rich Furniture, their Dogs, their Horſes, their
Monkeys, their Dwarfs, their Fools, and Flatterers ; but I envy then the
Happineſs of having in their Service Perſons, that equal, and ſometimes fure
paſs them in Courage, Wit, and Taſte.
M. Bruyere. had not much reaſon to envy the Happineſs of great Mens:
but their Happineſs may perhaps be an Object of juſt. Envy to many others..
Men of Virtue and Merit, that are in the Service of the Great, are Suc-
cours always ready at hand to a liſt, ſupport, and perfect the good Quali...
ties of their Mind. What an Advantage is this that they have above other
Men, if they did but know and.eſteem it ſo,, as. not. to neglect it.!
(e) We should examine things to the bottom, and make as it were
a. Dillection of them, before we give them our Valuation] Every day Mantagne.
I hear Fools ſaying things, that are not fooliſh :: When therefore
they ſay any ſuch thing, how is it they come by it.?.. 'Tis we; in ſhort,
that help them to ſuch a Witticiſm, or fuch a good Argument as they had
not beforc; they have it but in keeping, and.come out with.it hap-hazard and
n
Chap 5
54
The H ERO.
:
Your Ut:
at a venture ; we give it Credit and Value with them; we lend them our
Hand to help them out, and it makes them but more impertinent. If we
are minded to confirm any Point we have advanced, they immediately take
our Explanation out of our Moutlis ; fo I wou'd have ſaid, I had exa&ly
the fame Thought, and wou'd have expreſs'd my ſelf ſo had I
terance. Smoke the Sor.
This I take to be the Character of thoſe filly and impertinent People
that are wiſe Men's Ecchos. Nothing is more common, than to hear Men
of this Comple&tion commending or blaming with ſuch an Air of Confidence,
as their Principals, and thoſe they-prate after, pretend not to. But if they
chance to meet with ſuch People, as will not acquieſce in their Deciſion, but
debate the Matter with them ; they have nothing to ſay, but that it is the
Opinion of Men of good Taſte; an Eccho, that they return juſt as they have
Teceiv'd it.
i
.
(f) By this Action alone, Philip II gave the World a Specimen of bis Superiori
Taſte in different kinds.] Auguſtus had this perfect and univerſal Taſte. For
thus St. Evremont ſpeaks of him : “ He liv'd in great Familiarity with Men
*. of Letters ; among others, with Livy, Virgil, and Horace ; whereby he
« diſcover'd the Goodneſs of his ſudgment in the Works of Witas well as
16 the Affairs of State. He lik’d' the exquiſite Taſte of his own Age, whore
" Delicacy was little known in any other ; but he was afraid of ſuch Sin-
gularities, as ſpring from a falſe Wit, and which Men of a vitiated Taſte
« make ſuch a vaſt Merit of.
The Taſte of Auguſtus wou'd find but a bad Reception in our Age,
where a falſe Wit has the Predominancy ; where Singularities are the only
things admir'd in a Work, and People of depraved Taſtes accounted Maſters
of the greateſt Merit. For the number of ſuch as Bruyere de-
Charact. ſcribes, under the borrow'd Name of Arſenus, is ſtrangely increa-
ſed among us. Arſenus, ſays he, from the Eminence of Wit looks
down upon Men, and, at the diſtance he ſees them, is as it were frighten'd
at their Littleneſs. Being prais'd, exalted, and even rais'd to the Hea-
vens, by a Set of People who have engaged to admire one another, he fan-
cies he has the Merit he never will have. Being buſy and fill'd with his
own Ideas, and rais'd above the Judgment of all Mankind, he thinks him-
ſelf
Chap 5
55
The: H É R0.
ſelf accountable to none, but the Circle of his Friends that idolize him ;,
Tis only they who know how to judge, how to think, how to write,
and that ought to write. Be there any Compoſition of Wit, however, well:
receivd in the World, and never fo univerſally approv'd by Perſons of fine..
Senſe; I do not fay that he will approve it, but he will perhaps.vouchſafe
to read it.
(8) When a Man's Taſte is not ſufficiently confirm.d, his fafeſt' way will be 320*
to venture it.] Magabyſus, ſays Montagire, going to ſee Apelles at Work, was
a long while without ſaying any thing ; but when he began to ſpeak about
his. Pieces, he receiv'd this rude Rebuke from him: While you held your.
Tongue, you ſeem'd to me to be ſomething; but now ſince I' have heard
you.
ſpeak, there is not the leaſt Boy in the Shop, but who deſpiſes you. His.
fine Cloaths, and great Fortune was no Privilege to ſpeak impertinently,
about Painting. His ſuperficial and preſumptive Sufficiency
ſhould have been kept, a Secret ;- for *Silence, is the ſafeſt way Mos, ReA
:
when a Man is diffident of himſelf..
What
.:
CHAP
56
*****
The; HER 0
Chap 6.
+
+
1
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RSS
po
2
3
mani
Phone
PA
CH AP, VI.
3
That he ſaould excel in what is Great and
Noble.
«**** ***** **** ************ , ;** *** 1- ." ***
+
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{
T.
T is God alone, that has all Perfections unie.
ted in himſelf, and all in the higheſt degree;
becauſe he alone receives his Being froin 110
other, and conſequently adinits : ofi 'no Liinitations.
(a) Man however, who is the Image of God, is not
without ſome good Qualities, tho theyı be bounded
in their Perfection. Now; of itheſe good Qualities,
ſome are given us. by Heaven, and others left to our
Induſtry; that is, thoſe natural Qualities that Hea-
ven has not beſtow'd: upon-ús o our Labour muſt fup-".
ply by acquir'd ones : The former of theſe inay not
improperly be call'd the Daughters of a lucky Fate ;
and the latter, the Daughters of laudable Induſtry;
nor are the latter, for the moſt part, leſs honourable
than the other.
A few
**
Chap. 6.
57
The HERO.
A few good Qualities are certainly ſufficient for a
private Perſon ; but for a Man of Univerſality, what
a numerous and various Complication of them is re-
quired ? Inſomuch that the Queſtion may be ask'd
Who ever knew ſuch an one, or has he yet appear'd
in the World ? (b) We may form ſuch an Idea indeed,
but can hardly believe it real ; for it is not enough
that one Man, be equivalent to many, every one of
which has his particular Worth ; his Merit muſt be
ſo various and extenſive, as to compriſe, in it all that
the whole Race has to boaſt of
It is not one Perfection alone, whether natural or
acquir'd, that can raiſe a Man to the Dignity of an
Hero, eſpecially if that Perfection be not of an ex-
traordinary kind : For every Talent (to ſpeak pro-
perly) deſerves Eſteem no more, than every. Employ
deſerves Credit and Reſpect. No Man indeed is to
be blaın'd for having Skill, in every thing, as far as it
is poſſible ; but if he undertakes to exerciſe every
Part he knows, this will only be the way to degrade
himſelf. Beſides that, (c) to excel in what is but mean
in itſelf, is neither better nor worſe than being great
in finall Matters, and ſuperior in a thing of no con-
fideration; whereas the Hero's Aim muſt be, to ex-
I
cel
**
58
The HERO. Chap. 6.
cel in what is great and noble, otherwiſe the Title of
an extraordinary Perſon will be obſtinately refus'd
him.
1
There was a very remarkable difference between
the Heroiſm of Philip II. King of Spain, and Philip
King of Macedon. The former of theſe, who was al-
moſt equal to his Father in the number of his Suc-
ceſſes, had no one that cou'd compare with him in
the manner of his attaining them. He was always
ſhut
up
in his Cloſet, where he adjuſted his Deſigns
ſo well, that an happy Execution was the infallible
Conſequence of them; ſo that a conſummate Prudence
was the fingular Character of his Heroiſin. Philip
of Macedon, on the contrary, never left-the Field of
Mars, as he expreſſes himſelf to his Son Alexander
when he was training him up in the Art of War : So
that Courage and Bravery, and indefatigable Ardor
to extend his little Dominions, and the proſperous
Chance of War, had more hand, in his Succeſſes, than
any means deeply contriy'd to attain that End; and
in this Senſe Philip II. was the great Man, and Phi-
lip of Macedon the great Conqueror. As for Alexan-
dër, he indeed conquer'd all Kings, nor was there
any one that eſcap'd his Valour : But is the Spirit
of an Hero conſiſtent with the Slavery, he debas'd
himſelf
Chap. 6. The H ER 0.
59
himſelf to ? (d) Can a Man be great, when he is ſo
weak as even to hug his diſgraceful Chains ? Glory is
too inuch injur'd by Voluptuouſneſs, ever to agree
or march hand in hand with it.
Nor is it in one Kind only, that an extraordinary
Perſon is content to excel ; he deſires and endeavours
to be perfect in all, as far as he is able, and therefore
makes the Extent of his Underſtanding anſwer the
Faculties he applies himſelf to. He deſpiſes, for in:
ſtance, a flight Tincture either of Politicks or Learn-
ing which is an 'eaſy Acquiſition, and rather the Sign
of a childiſh Fondneſs to make a Glare and a Figure,
than the profitable Fruit of a noble Emulation. 'Tis
true indeed, that to excel in every thing may well be
reckon'd, according to the Compaſs of our preſent
Capacity, ainong the number of Impoſſibilities. But
is the Impotence or Inactivity of our Deſires the
Cauſe of this? No : Tis becauſe we have not Cou-
rage enough to ſet about ſo painful a Work; 'tis be-
cauſe the Weakneſs of our Health, or the Shortneſs
of our Lives, puts a Stop to our Progreſs. Exerciſe
is the only means to make a Man perfect in his Pro-
feffiòn, but very often we have not time even for
chat; beſides that, the Pleaſure which we reap from
I 2
our
1
60
The H E " È
1
.
RO. Chấp''6.
oùr Pains, , ſeems, otoo ſhort and a little too dearly
bought
..
1919T
w
|
tani vor
or
5
However this be, ſeveral good Qualifications of a
inoderate. Size cannot make a great Man ; whereas
(e) bone only of a diſtinguiſh'd Eminence gives him
that Superiority, as I ſaid before. There never was
an Hero that did not excel in ſome fublime
way
other; for this is the Characteriſtic Proof of Glän-
deur ; and the more noble a Profeſſion is in it félf;
the’ğreater is the Honour and Diſtinction of him that
excels in it. Excellence in what is great, is a kind of
Soveraignty that exacts a Tribute of Eſteem and Ve-
neration. ... A Pilot, that is a perfect. Maſter of his Art,
gains Reputation, and is thought worthy of Praiſe :
What Glory muft then be due to a General of an
Army; to an able Stateſman, a great Scholar, a Ma-
giſtratè, a King, ſince all of theſe excel in Functions
that are confeſſedly of the firſt Rank and Order
Rank
is
F
om
Thë: Caſtilian Mars; Don Diego Perez de Vergås,
who founded this Proverb, That Caſtile ſupply'd the
World' with Captains, and Arragon 'wit] Kings,
(f) being ſated with Glory, retir'd to a Place called
Xeres, near the Frontiers. In this Retreat he liv'd
very quietly, never thinking that any troubled their
Heads
I
Chap 6. The H ERO.
60
Heads with himn ; but his great Actions, which were
ſpread all the World over, 'made now the inore. Noiſe,
by reaſon of his withdrawing hiinſelf from iti: , The
new King Alphonfo of Arragon, who was a great Ad-
mirer of all rare Merit, and' eſpecially in what rela-
ted to War, was ſo taken with the Fame of Vergas;
that he reſolv'd to go himſelf and viſit him ; and ac-
cordingly next day ſet forward on his journey, in a
Diſguiſe, and only attended with four Horſemen. .
What a Loadſtone is a ſuperior. Merit to ſuch as know
how to value it! Alphonſo arriv.d at Xeres, and
caine to Vergas's-Houſe, but he was not, at home.
The Warrior, who had been inur'd to Action, was
gone, according to his Cuſtom, to a little Farm of
his, where he was us’d to work with his own Hands.
The King, who had made it his Pleaſure to come
from Madrid to Xeres-on-purpoſe to ſee him, grudg’d
not the, Pains of going from 'Xeries to the little Farm.
The Horſemen, that attended the King, ſaw Vergas
firſt, as he was pruninga à Vine ; and when they told
the King thereof, he made them ſtop, ordering them
to retire a good diſtance off out of Sight ; and then
lighting from his Horſe, he began to gather up the
Branches that Vergas had cut off. Vergas, hearing
a Noiſe, turn'd about, and perceiving that it was the
King, threw himſelf at his Feet, and ſaid, Sir., what
are
ܪ
62
Tbe HERO. Chap. 6.
1
are you doing? Go on with your Work, Vergas, ſaid
Alphonſo ; for ſuch a Pruner de ſerves ſuch a Binder.
After a very faimiliar Converſation with Vergas, the
King immediately return’d to Madrid, highly ſatis-
fied with having ſeen this Hero, to whom he gave
infinite Aſſurances of his Eſteem.
Thus is Excellence in what is great and noble,
always ſought after and reſpected. The Acquiſition
of it, I muſt own, is not ſo eaſy; but the Glory, that
accrues from it, inakes an ample Amends for the
Pains it coſts us ; and therefore it was not without
reaſon, that the moſt laborious of all Ani-
Hercules mals was conſecrated to one of the moſt
'illuſtrious' Heroes of the Pagan World.; for
this intimates to us, that generous Labour is the
Seed of gallant Actions, and that Fatigue and Toil
produce an Harveſt of Praiſe, Honour, and Ap-
plaufe.
+
1
:
con
:
RE-
i
Chap 6.
63
The H ER O.
7
isit
1
REM AR Ks. On Chap. VI.
That he fou'd excel in what is Great and Noble.
A
j
Man cannot, in my Opinion, ſays the Chevalier de Mere,
know too many things, in order to be a good Prince, and Converf.
to govern the World But there is a great deal of difference
between inſtru&ing him, and an Artiſan who deſires only to excel in his
Craft, or to have a clear Notion of ſome Matters that lie before him
on-
ly to know their Nature, and not be deceiv'd in them What I would
have a King to know thoroughly, is to be a Man of fine Senſe, Honour,
and Sincerity; for he cannot, in my Opinion, be too well accompliſh'd
herein He ſhould likewiſe endeavour to become a Man of Ability,
and begin with that if, he can-This Talent of Ability is a certain
Addreſs and Genius, which conſiſts in making the beſt Uſe of one's Know-
ledge and Power There are ſome Puints of Knowledge, that ſeem
more curious than neceſſary, and I cannot believe, that
he, who very well knew what kind of Education gave ſome
Ariſtotle.
Princes a Superiority over others, ever burthen'd Alexander with
theſe. His Intent was to make this young Prince an Hero, which he does,
and forms him after Homer's Model ; but in what moſt nearly concern'd
him, he took great Care to inſtruct him fully, and conceald no part of the
moſt ſublime Knowledge he was Maſter of.
I
put theſe two Quotations out of the Chevalier de Mere together, becauſe
they compriſe in the main what Gracian has more fully explain'd in this
Chapter; and both theſe Writers eſtabliſh it as a prime Principle, that how
many good Qualities foever a Man may have, he cannot be accounted an
extraordinary Perſon, unleſs he excel in what is great ; for it is an Excel-
lence in ſome elevated kind, that is the only Standard and Characteriſtick
of true Heroiſm. They both agree in commending inferior Qualities in an
Hero, but they conſider them as Qualities of Supererogation, and ſuch as
really
i
Chap: 6.
64
The H ER 0.
really diſhonour him, when he values himſelf upon them, in the ſame man-
ner as an Artiſt in his Trade.
*
- 4 -
*
(a) Man is not without some good Qualities, tho' they be bounded in their Perfe-
Etion] 'Tis much to be wiſh'd, that one could fairly ſee ſuch a Declara-
tion as this in the Book of Moral Reflections ; it had not then been reproach’d,
as it now is, with deſtroying all Virtues. But without concerning my felf
dire&ly in this Matter, I ſhall only ſay, that the Apologiſt has but badly
afſoil'd his Hero, in his Diſcourſe by way of Preface; tho' he has made uſe
of all the Subtleties of Sophiſtry to do it in. But does not this very way
of juſtifying a Book, wrote upon Points of Morality, and to the Capacity of
every body, look like the laſt Shift to defend a bad Cauſe? “ The Author
" of the Reflections, ſays the Apologiſt, expoſes to View all the Miſeries
c of Man ; 'but it is Man, left to his own Conduct, that he ſpeaks of, and
not Man aſſiſted by the Light of Chriſtianity, and ſuſtain'd by the Grace
ass of God.
In what City, in what Corner of the Kingdom do theſe unhappy People
live, that are thus abandon'd to their own Conduct, depriv'd of the Light of
*Chriſtianity, and unprovided with Saccours from above ? 'Tis in vain to
look for them in France, for there they cannot be found; and yet it is to
them, and ſuch as them, that the Reflections are addreſs’d, and whom they
repreſent, as the Apologiſt pretends. We do not find even among idolatrous
Nations, that human Nature is nothing elſe but a Maſs and Compoſition
of Vices Is every Pagan without Moral Virtue, without Probity, without
Sincerity? So that theſe Reflections do not regard: Man in any real Condi-
tion of Life ; and to judge of them by the Apologiſt's manner of defending
them, they may very well be thought to deſtroy all Virtue.
(0) We may form an Idea indeed of a Man of univerſal Perfections, but can hardly
believe it real.] Short Views, ſays Bruyere, I would ſay Minds that are
bounded and pent up in their little Sphere, cannot conprehend this Uni-
verſality of Talents, which one may ſometimes obſerve in one and the
fame Subject. Where they perceive Agreeableneſs, they exclude Solidity ;
where they ſee the Graces of the Body, Activity, Nimbleneſs, Dexterity,
&c. there they will not admit the Gifts of the Mind, Reflection, Wiſdom,
and
3
f
1
7
Chap. 6. The HERO
65
and deep Meditation. They will not let it ſtand in the Hiſtory of Socrates,
that he danced.
This Opinion of Bruyere's does not at all deſtroy Gracian's; for he only in-
cludes ſome few of the Talents of the ſecond Order, ſuch as Politeneſs, the
Graces of the Body, Agility, Dexterity, c, and even theſe are ſeldom found
in Conjun&tion with others of the firſt Claſs, and therefore cannot make that
Univerſality of Perfe&tions, which Gracian fays is not yet concluded to be
real: For your Cyrus's, your Alexanders, your Cæfars, your Charlemagnes and
Condes, are Examples a little too rare, to verify this Author's Opinion.
() To excel in what is but mean in its own Nature, is being great in little Mat-
ters; whereas the Hero muſt excel in what is really great.] A rare and
uncommon Excellence in Things that are frivolous, is whar badly Montagne
becomes a Man of Honour. 'Tis a Kind of Mockery and Injury
We do him, when we value him for Accompliſhments, though otherwiſe
commendable, if they do not become his Rank, nay even for Qualifications
that do not principally belong to him ; as if one ſhould commend a King
chiefly for being a Painter or Architect: Such Prađices as theſe do him no
Honour, unleſs they be preſented along with others, that are proper and
pecu-
liar to him. When thoſe that went along with Demofthenes, in the Embaſſy
to King Philip, commended hiın for being Beautiful, Eloquent, and a good
Drinker; Demoſthenes told them, that ſuch Praiſes as theſe did niore properly
belong to a Woman, á Lawyer, and a Sponge, than to a King A King
ſhould anſwer, as Tiphicrates did the Orator when he thus urged him in his
Inveđivé, What are you then, that you make ſuch bouncing? Are you a Man
of Arms ? Are you a Buw-mar? Are you a Pike-man? I am nothing of
all this, replied the King; but I am be, that knows how to command all theſe Merz
that you Speak of.
(d) Cana Man be great, when he is ſo weak as even to hug his diſgraceful Chains ?)
This is ſaid of Alexander, when he was in the Heat of his Paſſion, but not of
Alexander when upon the Banks of the Granicus and the Hydaſpes
, where his
noble Ardor for Glory, the Firmneſs of his Courage, and the Greatneſs of
his Soul exalted him, as it were, above his Humanity. This great
Difference
of the Man and the Hero, in the fame Perſon, has not at all been obſerved
K
by
66
Chạp. 6.
The H E R 0.
by one of our beſt Genius's, next to Corneille, for Dramatick Poetry. Alexan-
der, in hin, is no more than a weak Antony and a Prince of mean Accom-
pliſhments ; and even Porus himſelf, whom he ſeems to ſet above the Con-
queror of the Univerſe, is not ſo much an Hero in Valour, as he is in Gal-
lantry. How could any one degrade Alexander more ?
(e) One Quality alone of a diſtinguiſhºd Eminence makes a great Max.] Obſervez:
ſays Montagne, how mightily Cafar lays himſelf out to make usun-
Montagne, derſtand his Inventions for making Bridges and Engines ; and how
very ſhort he is, when he ſpeaks of the proper Offices of his Pro-
feſſion, his Vigilance, and military Conduc. His Exploits Thewed him ſuf-
ficiently to be an excellent Captain, and he was minded to ſhew himſelf an:
excellent Engineer too. A Qualification intirely foreign to him. But,
Optat Ephippia bos piger, optat arare caballus.
Cafar no doubt was a very great Hero without his Skill in Engineering ;.
but I canno: conceive why this Qualification in him ſhould be any Diminu-
tion of his Greatneſs : I rather believe, that it contributed yery much to the
Confirmation of his. Glory. The moſt memorable Sicges of later Days have
Licen-formed upon that of Alexia, and 'tis to Cafar that we owe our Forts,
our Lines, our Contravallations, and almoſt every thing in general
, that ſe-
cures an Army before a Place.
+
Treatiſe of
(f) The Callilian Mars --- being Sated with Glory, retired to a place called!
Xeres, near the Frontiers.] P. Rapin, upon the Retreat of the
great
truc Great. Prince of Conde' to Chantilly, expreſſes himſelf in theſe Words. I
muſt own it was a fine Sight to ſee the Prince, all ſhining in the
Brie:htneſs of his Virtue, through a Cloud ſurrounding him in the Tempeſt
of the Battle, when he left the boldeſt far behind him, to go and face Danger
.
in thoſe Places syhere it was the greateſt; when all covered with Blood and
Duſt, he overthrew every thing that oppoſed his Pállage, cauſing Ruin and.
Confuſion wherever he appeared; when preceded with Terror, and acconi-
panied with Valour, and followed with. Glory, he fought Battles, formed.
Sieges, ſuccoured his Allies, defeated his Enemies, and made himſelf Mafler
of every Thing. But it was a fine Sight to ſee him in that happy Calm, in
that lovely 'Tranquillity he enjoied in a private Life, that made him. Maſter
of
Chap 6: The HERO.
67
of himſelf. For to ſee him in this Repoſe of Mind ſo worthy of him, re-
ceiving Company, doing the Honours of his finc Houſe, Sewing himſelf the
Beauties of the Caſcades, the Fountains, the Gardens, the Groves, and en-
tertaining thoſe that came to make their Court to him with the Candor and
Affability that is natural to him ; this is properly to ſee him in his Glory.
When laying aſide all his Grandeur, he looks upon the Spendor of his Mili-
tary Life, only as a Prelude to his private and peaceable one ; when he quietly
enjoys this illuſtrious Repoſe, which his Reaſon and Wiſdom have acquired
by glorious Means; when he taſtes all the pleaſures, that the Moderation of
his Deſires and the good Uſe of his Fortune ſuggeſts to his Reaſon; and when
he himſelf perceives that his Honour, which at other times he had been fo
jealous of, while he was in Arms, is now become greater ſince his Retreat,
where the Spirit of Peace fucceeds the Spirit of Tumult which had the Pof-
feflion of him in the Field.
نر
1
1
M
+
:
-"
K 2
CH A P.
68
Chap 7:
The HERO,
i
**
APPAA
CHAP. VII.
That he ſoould aim at a Priority in
Merit.
OW many people have liv'd in the World, that
H
wou'd have been Phoenix's in their kind, and
Patterns to all ſucceeding Generations, had
not others come before them! 'Tis a great Advan-
tage to be firſt in any thing: The Merit that a
Man otherwiſe has, is by this means doubled at
leaſt; he has Precedency above an equal Merit that
comes after him. Thoſe that ſucceed the Ancients:
in any Accompliſhments, we uſually look upon as
Copies; and let the Moderns do what they can, they
will never be able to overcome the inveterate Preju-
dice of being but Imitators. There is a ſort of Birth-
right, that gives the former an abſolute Preference:
The others are only like younger Brothers of a good
Family, where ſome finall Titles of Honour are left,
to
Chap 7 The -HERO.
69
to be divided among them. In the fabulous Ages of
Antiquity, it was not enough for Men to value and
boaſt of their Heroes, but they came in a ſhort tiine
to offer Homage and Incenſe to them; and (a) 'tis
an Error that ſtill prevails in the World, to inhance
the Value of things in proportion to the Diſtance
of our Times.
I
But (6) the Advantage I wou'd here recommend,
is that of making oneſelf the only, the ſingular, the
firſt in the point of Merit, . without any regard to
the Order of Time. A Plurality of Merit, if I may
ſo call it, is a Diminution, even tho it be eminent
in all that have it ; and, on the contrary, a Singula-
rity of true Merit, tho' inferior to that which many
havę, is more valuable. It is a work of no ordinary
Induſtry to open a new Way to Glory, to be the firſt
and the only one in any kind of Excellency. The
Ways that lead to this happy Singularity are many,
but all not equally practicable; and therefore we muſt
examine them well, and chooſe what is beſt adapted
to our Strength : However, in my Opinion, (c) the
leaſt frequented, tho' ſomewhat difficult, prove gene-
rally the ſhorteſt ; for a rough and unbeaten Path
does often bring the Traveller ſooneſt to his Jour-
ney's End
Solomon
70
Chap 7
The H E R 0...
رو
Solomon laid down to hiinſelf a Plan of Conduct
quite different to that of David, and got himſelf in-
rolld ainong the Liſt of Heroes, at a much cheaper
rate, than did his Father, who diſtinguiſh’d: himſelf
by his martial, as the other did by his pacifick Cha-
racter. (d) The Glory, that Auguſtus obtain'd by
his Magnanimity, Tiberius propos’d to get by his
Policy. Charles V. and his Şon: Pilip II: were both
of them Heroes in their way; the Father, in his
prodigious Power, and the Son in his extraordïnary.
Prudence. Nay, even great Perſons in the Church
have not all been of the ſaine Character and Denomi-
nation i Some have been diſtinguiſh'd for tlieir eini-
nent Sanctity, others for their profound Learning;
ſome for their Zeal for the 'Purity of the Faith, and
others for their Monificence to Teinples confecrated
to the Living God. Thus have feveral Herbes by
different ways attain’d the ſame End, viz. á Priority
of Merit in fome ſpecial and" ſingulair kind: 1:
is
or invisibovi:.is!
(4) Haveznot, the great Men of Humanity and po-
lite Literature diffinguiſh'd themſelves in their
way
?
Have they noty éven in the fame Art, found out dif..
ferent iueans to jiminortalize their Memories, and
make themſelves the firſt of their Name ?. Horace
pretends
1
1
Chap 7 Dhei H. È RIO
S
أن
pretends not to vye with Virgil in Epick Compofi-
tion, yet Martial gives up the Llyte 'to him fo Te-
rence excels in Comedy, aña Perfius in Satyr. ir pafs
by innumerable others, both 'Ancients and Modernisi
who aſpir'd at being the firſt in their kind, and did
attain it. Men of agreat: Genius diſdain the cafy,
and, as it were, fübfervient 'Honour of being•Imita
tators, and aſham'd of being copying Drudges càs
moſt Men are now) they attempt to ſtrike out fome-
thing new, and become Originals themſelves.
There was á certainable Painter, who, ſeeing with
Grief, that Titian, Raphael, and ſeveral others were
gone before him, and that their Reputation was in-
creasºd. Since the Time of their Death, as refolvd
to raiſe a ſeparate Merit, and at all adventures to
make himſelf a Compenſation for the Advantage of
Priority, that they had over him. He therefore ;ſét,
himſelf intirely to paint in Groteſque'; and when
ſome of his Friends blam'd him for not. continuing
in his ſoft and delicate manner, wherein he was like-
ly to ſucceed, and even become Titian's Rival, he:
anſwer'd very briskly; that (f) he thought it more
glorious to be the firſt in his Way, (wherein lie was
no mean Performer) than to be the ſecond in Titian's,
or any other's that had gone before him.
This
72
Chap 7.
The H ER 0.
1
I
This gallant and happy. Singularity will ſerve for
a Rule likewiſe in all Profeſſions, Arts and Em.
ploys. A Man muſt have Courage to diſtinguiſh,
and give himſelf a new Turn of Merit ; and he muſt
have ,Prudence likewiſe to determine his Choice ;
becauſe a Miftake in this kind will lead him into a
vicious Singularity, which he will not eaſily get
quit of.
.
REMARKS on Chap. VII.
That he foud aim at a Priority in Merit.
1
CHILLES has been a famous Hero of above Three Thouſand Years
A
ftanding, and 'tis thought an infinite Honour done his Succeſſors,
when they are compared to him; ſuch a Prince, ſuch a General of an Army
is an Achilles for Valour; ſay but this, and one needs ſay no more, the Com-
mendation's complete. And how much longer will this Compariſon be glori-
qus. to Heroes ? As long as the World ſubſiſts: For there will always be
Poets, and Hiſtorians, and Orators, and who will repeat after them, As vali-
ant as Achilles. 'Tis in vain for future Heroes to ſurpaſs them, as many
have already done ; by an old and obſtinate Tradition, Men will always
think they honour them enough, by comparing them to the Conqueror of
Heftor; as if his Merit were the Point of Perfe&ion, which none could
tranſcend. Such is she Advantage and Preference that Priority of Time
„£onfers!
(1) TIS
Chap 7:
73
The H ER O.
(a) 'Tis an Error that ſtill prevails in the World, to inhance the value of Things
in proportion to their Diſtance from our Times.] I ſhall produce the
Opinion of our Writers, which ſeems partly true, upon this M. de Is M.
Article ; and quote him in his own Words, for fear of Miſtake.
I only think Men make too great a Sound with the Names of the antient
Writers. To ſuch as are prejudiced in their Favour, they are like the Gi-
ants M. D. ſpeaks of, that grew every Year a Cubit in Thickneſs, and two
in Height; the more they are diſtant from us, the more their Authority in-
creaſes ; for we are not uſed to hear them mentioned in the manner we do
the Writers of our Age, but fix ſuch an Idea of Greatneſs upon them, as
quite bears down all modern Names. For my part, who cannot but think
that theſe great Men might, in many places, have been little in the Eyes of
their Contemporaries, and who ſee that among us Perſons of the fineſt Ta-
lents have not often the foundeſt Judgments, and that our beſt Wits are
often miſtaken ; I cannot but think, I ſay, that it was in all Ages the
ſame.
He that ſhould ſpeak of the manner of our making War at this day,
compared with that of the moſt expert Romans, with no more Reſtri&ion
than this, wou'd be reputed, I doubt, by reaſonable Men, a Deſpiſer of
thoſe that were our ancient Maſters in this Art as well as many others.
(6) The Advantage I would here recommend, is that of making one's ſelf the only,
the fingular, and the firſt in Point of Merit, without any Regard to the
Order of Time.] There are ſome Artiſts, and Men of Ability, Bruyere.
whoſe Minds are as large and extenſive as the Art and Science
they profeſs ; what they have from it and its Principles, they by their Ge-
nius and Invention return to the World with Advantage. They go out of
their Art, as it were, to ennoble it; and leave its Rules, when they do not
lead them to what is great and fublime. They march alone, and without
Company ; but they aim high and penetrate deep, always ſure, and confirm-
ed by the Succeſs of the Advantages they gain by their Irregularity.
Theſe Ways of making one's ſelf a ſeparate Merit, are hazardous ; it be-
longs to none but ſuperior Genius's to attempt them, and ſee them ſucceed;
And to this purpoſe Gracian lays down for a Maxim, Thaç it is not the Effort
L
of
74
The H E R 0.
Chap 7:
of an ordinary. Induſtry, that can open a new Way to Glory. In another Place,
M. Bruyere enters ſtill farther into our Author's Sentiments, and expreſſes
himſelf to this Effect : When a Man excels in his Art, and gives it all the
Perfection it is capable of, he goes, as it were, out of the comnion Road, and
whatever is moſt Noble and Sublime in it, that he equals. V is a Painter,
C a Muſician, and the Author of Pyramus a Poet ; but Magnard is Magnard,
Lully is Lully, and Corneille is Corneille. There has appeared in the World,
continues he, from time to time fome admirable extraordinary Men, whoſe
Virtue and eminent Qualifications caſt a prodigious Luſtre, like thoſe un-
uſual Stars in the Heavens, whoſe Cauſes we are ignorant of, and know as
little of them when they diſappear; they have neither Anceſtors nor Poſte-
rity, they alone compoſing their whole Race.
(c) Ways that are leaſt frequented, tho' ſomewhat difficult, prove generally the
Sorteſt.] Alexander propoſed to himſelf this Heroiſm; and it was by the
ſhorteſt, leaſt uſed, and moſt difficult Way that he attained it. When he was
King but of a ſmall Dominion, he formed a Deſign to make himſelf Maſter
of the whole World, and immediately ſet about the Execution of it. At the
Head of no more than Five and Thirty Thouſand Men, with but little
Money, and not much Proviſion, he left Macedonia, never to return again ;
and carried a War into Perſia, with a Reſolution either to conquer all Afia
very ſpeedily, or to make his Grave there. Darius, who, for his Power,
and Riches, and immenſe Strength, was called by the Grecians, The Great
King : Darius, whoſe bare Lieutenants made all the People in the Frontiers
tremble, and when he went to War, had a Thouſand gallant Combatants
following him, is the Monarch whoſe Kingdoms Alexander invades; whom
he attacks, fights, defeats, ſpoils of all his Grandeur, and reduces to the
Condition of one of his Subjects; and by this Vi&tory, which was the moſt
complete that ever was known, he gained the Conqueſt of all Aſia, "Tis
ſuch an Action as this, ſo full of Vigor and Expedition, ſo full of Hazard
and Greatneſs, of Mind, even beyond our Imagination, that deſerves the
Words of Cafar, Veni, Vidi, Vici.
How many Heroes have attempted to follow Alexander in this glorious and
dangerous Career, and have been undone for want of conſulting their
Strength! Witneſs Don Sabaftian King of Portugal, and Charles King of
Sueden
Chap 7
75
The H ER O.
+
Sueden. Even Cafar himſelf, that conquered on the Plains of Pharſalia, could
ſcarce have done the ſame on the Plains of Perſia. Alexander, at the Battle.
of Arbella, helped Parmeno ; but in an A&ion that was not near ſo hot,
Cafar wanted the Succour of Labienus. We may therefore abide by this Prin-
ciple of Gracian's, That all the Ways to Heroiſm are not equally practica-
ble, and therefore we muſt examine them well, and chooſe what is beſt adapt-
ed to our Strength.
(d) The Glory that Auguſtus obtained by his Magnanimity, Tiberius propoſed to
get by his Policy.] What Regard fcever I may have for Gracian's Authority,
yet I cannot perſuade myſelf, that Tiberius had any premeditated Deſign to
attempt a Way to Heroiſm, different to what Auguſtus had done ; for that is
the Point here in Queſtion. This Opinion ſeems to have no more Truth in
it, than that of Tacitus, who, contrary to the Character of Auguſtus, pre-
tends that he adopted Tiberius with this baſe Intention, that a vicious Suc-
ceffor might make a virtuous Predeceſſor more lamented. 'Tis an unpardon-
able Fault in a Poet, but much more ſo in an Hiſtorian, to run counter to.the
known and eſtabliſhed Character of an Hero :. And was Auguſtus's ſo much a
Secret, as to ſuppoſe in him ſuch a Stroke of refined Policy, as would have
only become Tiberius himſelf ? But to come to Gracian; I ſuppoſe that Ti-
berius, when he came to the Throne, went on according to his Temper and
Genius, without ever thinking of making his Conduct a Counter-part to A1-
guſtus, and thereby opening another Way to Glory. His natural Temper
was to be ſuſpicious, diſſembling, myſterious, and cruel; this he carried a-
long with him to the Empire, and made it the Rule of his Government: Noc
that I ſay, he was wanting in his Policy, but his Policy was ſuch as ſuited
his vicious Temper, without any View to the Publick, or any other Motive
but his own Intereſt. It is not then upon Account of their Politicks, as Gra-
çian ſeems to do, that I ſet him in Oppoſition to Auguſtus ; but
upon
Account
of his bad Qualities, which were always a Diſgrace to the Roman Em-
pire, and the others good ones, which were always its honourable Sup-
port.
(e) Have not the great Men of Humanity and polite Literature, diſtinguiſhed
themſelves in their way?] Plato, as the Abbot Maſſieu tells us, had a Mind
naturally
L 2
t
76
The H E RO.
Chap 7.
naturally turn'd to Poetry : He had his Amours too in his youthful Days ;
but not content to exerciſe his Genius in Subjects of Gallantry, he was mind-
ed likewiſe to try its Strength both in Tragick and Heroick Compoſition,
but the Succeſs did not anſwer. He compared what he had wrote with Ho-
mer, and found a vaſt Diſparity ; and therefore thinking it in vain to ſtrive
againſt a Champion, who, for four or five Ages, had carried away the Vogue,
he laid aſide that Kind of Writing, wherein he could but be the Second,
and turn'd his View to another, wherein he had ſome Hopes of being the
Firſt. Nay, his Reſentment carried him fo far, that he threw the Verſes
he had into the Fire ; but while they were burning, he could not help quo-
ting a Paſſage out of the very Poet that had cauſed his concern. 'Tis a
Verſe that Homer puts in the Mouth of Thetis, when ſhe goes to requeſt of
Vulcan Armour for her Son Achilles.
4
"Ηφαισε πρόμολ' ώδε, Θέτις νυ τι στο χαλίζει.
And Plato only puts his own Name inſtead of the Goddeſs.
“ "Ηφαισε πρόμολ' ώδε, Πλαίων νυ τι σο χατίζει.
But this Example of an ancient learned Hero, has hitherto made no In-
preſſion upon our Men of Letters. Here and there one perhaps has had the
Wiſdom and Courage to leave their Verſes, in order to acquire another Way,
a Singularity they could never hope for that Way ; but almoſt all others,
who, even in Deſpight of Apollo have begun the rhiming Trade, have therein
continu’d, and obſtinately perſever’d, always Verſifiers, but never Poets.
On the other hand, fome, who have wrote ſingularly well: in Profe, have
endeavour'd to do the ſame in Poetry; but why did not they ſtick, to their
Proſe? Or, at leaſt, why had they not Plato's Courage to throw their Ver-
fes into the Fire, which are good for nothing elſe but only to diſparage their
other Works
The Lives
and Works
at the
Paioters.
(f) He thought it more glorious to be the firſt in his Way of Paint-
ing, than the ſecond in Tician's, or any others that had gone before him.]
Together with this Spaniſh Painter, I may mention another of the
fame Profeſſion, Calot of Lorrain, of a noble Extraction, as M.Fe-
5
libien
Chap 7
77
The H ERO
1
libien tells us, and has diſtinguiſh'd himſelf with very great Succeſs. What
he chiefly ſtudies is, Deſigning and Drawing in Miniature, wherein he is an
Original as Artiſts ſay; and in his Groteſque Manner all the World muſt
allow that he is no leſs : His Caprichios; his Djablery of St. Anthony, as the
Vulgar call it, his Antiques, his Pilgrims, his-Beggars are all Prodigies of Art
which none before him ever attained, and all that come after him muſt de-
ſpair of. We have had in France a Calot in Poetry; a Poet, I mean, that at-
tempted to be an Original in the Burleſque, as the Painter is in the Gro-
teſque Way; but he had not the like Succeſs, nor any Reaſon to apply to
himſelf, Ut Pi&tura Poeſis erit, out of Horace : For the Satyriſt of the Age has
ſet him down in the Catalogue-of bad Authors, which gur Tranſlator has
thus imitated.
The dull Burleſque appeas’d with limpidence,
And pleas'd by Novelty, in Spight of Sence :
Boundless and mad diſorder 4 Rhyme was ſeen,
And wife' Apollo čudng dto 'Harlequin.
This Plague, which firſt ini Country-Towns began,
Cities and Kingdoms quickly over-ran;
But its low Stuf the Town at laf deſpis’d,
And Scorn'd the Folly, thái rley once had pris d.
For Wit and Nature had a juſt Regard,
And left the County-to admire * Ned, Ward,
ut
W
W
FX
СНАР.
78
Chap. 8.
The H ER O.
కొరత
కటకటన. స్సు
కాలంలో
i
+
CHA P. VIII .
That he Jould chooſe bright and ſhining Qua-
lities before others.
B
Y bright and ſhining Qualities I mean ſuch,
as have their noble Functions more expos’d
to the View of the World ; are more agree-
able to the general. Täfte, and more univerſally ap-
plauded than others. Two Fainous Cities gave Birth
to two famous Heroes, Thebes to Hercules; and
Rome to Cato; the one was the Admiration of the
Univerſe, and the other.the Cenſor of Rome. Cato
indeed had one manifeſt Advantage above Hercules,
in that he excell'd him in Wiſdom ; but it muſt be
own'd, on the other hand, that Hercules far ſurpaſs’d
him in Renown. The one was always employ'd in
rooting out the Vicès, that diſhonour'd his Country ;
the other, in exterminating the Monſters that waſted
the Earth. The Buſineſs of the Roman had, in one
Senſe,
1
Chap. 8.
The H E R.O.
79
1
Senſe, ſomething more difficult in it; but that of the
Theban was much more ſplendid and ſurprizing: And
accordingly, the Name of Cato ſcarce ever went be-
yond the Boundaries of Rome, whereas that of Al-
cides flew all the World over, and his Glories fill'd
both the Hemiſpheres.
6. What
(a) Some however, and thoſe not the leaſt judi-
cious part of Mankind, ſeem to prefer ſuch Employs,
as ſuppoſe a profound but retir'd Merit, before ſuch
Actions, as make a great Appearance and occaſion
Admiration. The Eſteem and Approbation of a few
is more pleaſing to Men of this nice Taſte, than the
Suffrage and Commendation of many ; whatever is
done plauſibly, and with an Eye to publick Admira-
tion, they terin a Wonder of the ignorant.
“ is perfect and ſuperlatively, excellent in its kind,
ſay they, “ falls under the Obſervation but of few
;
« ſo that Honour is compris’d in a very fniall" com-
paſs, and the Perſons whoſe Approbation they co-
vet, are a ſelect Number, and as it were the Prime
“ of Mankind. He that diſplays himſelf to every
“ one's View, receives, 'tis true, the Praiſe of the
publick ; but is there no Popularity in theſe Men's
« Commendations.? and may not the private Suf-
frage
+
go
The HÈ RO,
Chap
. 8.
« frage of a few competent Judges, engage and draw
«i after it the Appląuſes of the multitude ?"
i'i
܃ ܃
This is the manner of ſome People's Reaſoning,
whoſe Sentiments ſeem a little too refin'd to be of
any Service : For certainly thoſe good Qualities, that
fuit the Taſte and good Lịking of every one, ought
to have the Preference. The reaſon is, becauſe they
diſcover themſelves by ſuch ſingular Effects, that a
Mán cannot fail of having every one's Eyes upon him,
and this general Attention will be follow'd by an uni-
verſal Agreement in his Praiſe ; becauſe the Excel-
lency of Merit is of ſuch a Nature, that it makes
every one' know and taſte it. Is it not then the wi-
feſt way to make ſure of the publick Suffrage, - and
not (b) propoſe to ourſelves the Approbation of ſome
pårticular People only, in hopes that their Efteem
may by degrees procure us a great Number ; a De-
fign'that ſeems not a little chimerical ?
f
"I have defin'd all bright Qualities to be ſuch, as
have their noble Functions inore viſible, inore pal-
pable, and inore applauded than others; and by the
Word Noble Functions, I have ſufficiently excluded
ſome publick Profeſſions, whoſe Exerciſe is ignoble
and baſe. We clap our Hands, for inſtance, at the
expreſſive
A
SIX !07*5:1.
Chap 8:
The HERO.
81
expreſſive Geſtures of an excellent Pantomime, or the
furpriſing Turns of an expert and nimble Dancer ;
but, in the mean time, what Reputation have theſe
Men, who have generally few good Properties, and
a great deal of Vanity ? (c) They are at the beſt but
Heroes in the Buſineſs of inaking Grimaces and cut-
ting Capers.
1
Who then are the true Heroes, whoſe Names ſtand
in the Front, and are recorded with Pomp in the
Liſt of the Goddeſs with an: hundred Mouths ?
(d) They are, without all doubt, your great War-
riors, to whom Heroiſin does properly, and, as it
were, primitively belong. All the Univerſe re-
ſounds their Praiſe : Every Age ſucceſſively reminds
Poſterity of their Triumphant Memory : (e) Hiſtory
grows dull, and drops out of its ſleepy Reader's
Hands, if the Recital of their Exploits does not raiſe
it : Nay, their very Misfortunes are the Foundation
and Soul of the moſt ſublime kind of Poeſy. And
whence this ? but that the great Actions of theſe il-
luſtrious happy or unhappy Warriors, are Maſter-
ſtrokes that every Mind is equally affected with.
(f) I wou'd be far from being thought to mean by
this, that War is preferable to Peace, at leaſt a Peace
that is not ſhameful and prejudicial; my only Con-
M
ception
82
The HERO Chap 8
ception, is, that the Qualities of Warriors are more
bright and dazling, and have more Glory and Repu-
tation in them, than others, But however this bez
'tis. certain, that in all the noble Profeſſions; of Life
he, that would promiſe himſelf an, univerſal Approba-
tion, muſt follow the. Vogue and Sentiment of the
World. The Adminiſtration of Juſtice, without Par-
tiality and without Delay, makes the Magiſtrate im-
mortal; as: the Laurels of Bellona do: the General.
And in like inanner a, Man of Letters makes his:
Name. illuſtrious for ever, when he knows how; to:
handle Subjects, that are plauſible, affecting, and ac-
commodated to, the Taſte, that univerſally prevails;
whereas. (g) ſuch. Works as: are, dry: abſtraſe,, andı
form’d: upon the Taſte of ſome few.only leave their
Author, in Obſcurity, and are fit for nothing elſe, but
to fill up void Spaces: among the Books that are:
hought by the Lumnp.
h.
RET
!
Chap: 8.
83
The H ER O
.
1
nitie
.)
1
REMAR Ks on Chap. VIII, "Y
That he ſboa'd chooſe bright and ſhining Quálities
beforë others.
{
!
Corae.
Orac. Matt
HÉ Foundation of this Chapter is - láid 'in á' Maxiñi of
; "oüt Author's in another place; and the Subſtance of it
is to this effect : All things in Life, fäys he, owe their Value
and Mérit to the Impreſſion they make upoñ üs, ånd' in proportion to this
Impreliön they'lubrift-and' have their Power over us : And therefore the
Qualities that are known by their bright Operations; Arike the Attention
of the Publick, and are receiv'd with ſuch Přáifes dis perpetuatë their Me-
mory. 'Twas by their varlike Exploits that the Kings of Arragon were ål-
třäys ténoivriėd, whereas thoſe good Qualities 'thät only operate friýatëlý,
čićápe publičk Obſervation, and ärê in danger to be buried in Oblivion:
We need oñly look upon a Mani rais d to Dignity, ſays vožtäghë, atid
tho'rve knew him not above three Däys before to be a filly and inliğitii-
cant Fellow, yet, upon his Promotion, they inſenſibly ſlide into our Opi-
nións a Notion of his Greatneſs and Sufficiency, and we can hardly for-
bear thinking bụë he grew in Merit as he did in Credit and Àttendance.
But if it to happen that he comes to fall again and bë blended
with the
Crowd, every one then begins to ask himſelf how he came to be hoifted
up to high. Is this the Man, fäy they? Did he knojy no morë than this,
when he was in his Exaltation? In truth we were in very good Hands then.
Dignity is properly
, the Parent of Renown, buč. ſtill théřë muſt be lónie-
thing in the Mäñ to ſuſtain, and not deltroy it. And accordingly. Gracian
requires all neceſſary Sufficiency to fill the Functions of fuchi Employments
as are expos’d to View ; and 'tis upon this condition only, thäč lé" prefers
great Offices before ſuch as are more retir'd.
ده
I.
M2
(a) Some
4.
84
Chap. '8:
Thế H E RO.
!
ز :
(a) Some People, and thoſe not the leaſt judicious part of Mankind, ſeem to prea
fer ſuch Employs, -as. Suppoſe a profound but retir'd Merit.] He that knoirs the
Art of War neyer fo well
, which is 'doubtleſs very glórious; is not neceſſa-
rily the greateſt Man. The Beauty of the Mind, the Greatneſs of the
Soul, Generoſity, Diſintereſſedneſs, and a Capacity intenſive to every thing,
theſe are the Qualifications that conſtitute the beſt part of great
Men's
Merit. I have known a Reſolution taken, which, had it been follow'd,
wou'd have prov'd the Ruin of a great State ; and by an happy Change, I
have known a quite contrary one taken, that prov'd its; Preſervation : But
the Author of it had not ſo much Honour; for, his. Pains, as if he had de-
feated a Party of fix hundred Horſe, or taken ſome inconſiderable Place.
For Events of this kind. Itrike the Eyes or Imagination of every one.; ? Where-
as good Senſe, which cannot be perceiv'd but byre fuch Reflections as few
are capable of making, meets with no great Admiration ; and for this rea,
ſon it is, that Gracian .adds, the principal Matter is
, that theſe bright Qualities
diſcover themſelves in fimular Afts; that is, ſuch Acts, as become the Heroes
and great Men, to whom alone theſe Qualities belong :, And if M. St, Eyre-
mont has any other Meaning, and is for preferring a ſecrets Heroilm before
that which makes a more publick Figure, bis Sentiment
. Jeems, to be a little too
"refin d'to be of any Service, as our Author expreſes it.
(6) To propoſe to our ſelves the Approbation of some particular People
, in lopes
that their Efteem may by degrees, procure us a great number, is a Deſign Somewhat
chimerical] Theſe particular People, by whoſe Eſtéeņi we hope to draw in
the "Approbation of the multitude, many times dare not ſpeak firſt, but ſtay
for the publićk"Suffrage before they expreſs their Sentiment Many Men
who perceive the Merit of a Manuſcript, when they hear it read, will not
declare themſelves in its Fayour, till they ſee what Succeſs it has in the
World when printed, and what"Charáætér the Ingenļous give it! They will
not hazard their: Opinion before its Fortune is niade, but will follow the
Crowd, and be carried away with the Multitude ; then they are very
forward to publiſh, how early they approv'd that Work, and how glad they
are to find the World is of their Sentiment: But this is too late for an
Author, who hopes, by their Approbation, to obtain the publick: On the
other
:
Chap. 8.
The HERO
85
other hand, when a certain number of able Scholars determine, as they fel-
dom or never do, to recommend a Work, they never fucceed in their Re-
commendation, if the Work is not conformable to the common Talte : How
folid and profound foever it may be in other reſpects, its Reputation will
go no farther, than this certain number of able Men, that only know how:
to eſteem it. The Author however will ſtill be happy, if his Glory, tho”.
thus limited, tranſmits him to Pofterity. But ſuch things only as are ac-
commodated to the univerſal Taſte, are preſerv'd and live for ever. 'Tis
for this reaſon, that. Horace and Terence are eſteem'd to this day as much
as ever they were ; whereas many of their contemporary Writers have
drop'd by the way and never reach'd us, becauſe the Subje&s they treated .
of were not taking, and beyond the Reach of the Vulgar.
The Roman Orator who had no contemptible Notion of Reputation, al-
ways adapted himſelf, to, the publick Taſte : 'Tis from Mon-
tagne, rather than any.other Author, that I chooſe to take this Montagne ,
Proof. I will only, add one Storys ſays he, that we read of Ci-
cero, to Mew. his natural Inclination to Popularity. One day, when he was.
to ſpeak in publick, and was ſtraitend for time to prepare himſelf at larger
Eros, one of his Slaves, came and told him, that the Aſſembly was put off
till the next day ; which pleas'd him ſo, that he gave the Slave his Liber-
ty for the good News.
" V!. nis
They are at the beſt but Heroes in the Buſineſs of making Grimaces and cutting
Capers.] To call ſuch Perſons as theſe Heroes, 'may perhaps, be giving a
Diſtalte' to.fome; little illuſtrious:Wights in the Republick. of Letteršis that
Gracian has not at all the Honour to pleaſe.! I may however venture to ſays:
that I am neither the firſt, nor the only Man that has us?d the Term Hera
bad. Senſe, ſince the Author of the Morcil Refle&tioins fomejvhere or
other ſays, that there are Heroes in Wickedneſs as well as Goodneſs.
:????.?.
1.
(d) They are your great Warriors - to whom "Heroiſin does
properly,. and, as it were, primitively belong ] In War the... Bruyere;
Diſtinction betireen an Hero and a Great Man is very
nice; all inilitary Virtues are compris'd' in .them both; but the for:
mer ſeems to be! young and enterpriſipg, brave, and gallant, firm. and un-i
daupted
in a
,
:):..
!
86
The HERO. Chap 8:
daunted in Dangers ; whereas the other exceſs in a profound Senfe, 'a vaft
Foreſight, a great Capacity, and long Experience ; and according to this
Diſtin&ion, Alexander perlaps was the Hero, and Cæfar the Great Man.
If there beany Diſtinction between Heroes and great Warriors, it is per-
haps what Mr. Bruyere gives us in this place : It is indeed ſo very curious,
that it deſerves to be allow'd above any other, if it has but any Founda-
tion of Truth in it. But the Hero and the Grear Man are here neceſſari-
ly the ſame thing; for all military Virtues are equally eſſential to them
botli, and every one is more or leſs an Hero or Great Man, only in pro-
portion as he polfelles more or leſs of military Virtues. ' As to the Compaa
rifon that is here brought to illuſtrate the thing; it ſeems to be injurious
to the two great Perſonages' it ſpecifies, becauſe it takes from both of them
one Part of their good Qualities, in order to make the Difference: For was
not Cafar, as well as Alexander, valourous and enterpriſing, dauntleſs and
intrepid ? And had not Alexander too, as well as Cæfar a profound Senje?
His Anſwers were full of it. A vaft Forefight? The means he employ'd to
execute his great Deſigns; wou'd make one believe he had. A grent Capaci-
ity? His Succeſs both in War and Learning are a ſufficient Proof. A lorigo
Experiênce.?: Heimas taught his Art by his Father Philip, vyho, at leaſt,
knew.itias well as the moſt expert Roman Generals. The only plain and re-
markable Difference then, that I can ſee in the whole Parallel is, that
Alexander was younger than Cafar, and Cæfar older than Alexander
من
1
e) Hiftory grows dull, if the Recital of their:Exploits does not raiſe it. Their
vjery: Misfortunes are the Foundation of the moſt ſublime Kind of Poeſy.] The
Lives of Heroes have inrich'd Hiſtory, and Hiſtory has embelliſh'd the
Actions of Heroes"; So that I cannot well. fay; whòare moſt indebted to
each other, thoſe that have wrote, or thoſe that have furniſh'd ſuch noble
Matter for Hiſtory. But the Reſolution of the Problem will turn npon
this, that thoſe who have receiv'd moſt, are moſt indebted : Heroes have
then given the Ground-work to Hiſtorians, and only receividithe Faſhion
from them ; they made themſelves fuch, independent on the Affiſtance of
Hiſtorians or Poets ; buc Hiſtorians and Poets were in thcir 19ay made
Heroes purely by the noble Matter, that the other fapplied them with:
For without Achilles's and Agamemnons, there had been no Homer. 3. without
Auguftus's
Chap 8. The H E R.O
87
Auguſtus's and Pompeys, no Corneille : In; a word, the celebrated; Writers in
the Sublime.owe to your Heroes in the Grand, what the Writers in the
Comick Way, owe to your Heroes, in the: Ridiculous.: For:
without: Fools and impertinent, Coxcombs: there had been no. TheAuthor of
Plautus,, no. Tedence, no. Moliere; no:* Michael: Cervantes:
Don Quixos.
(f) I wou'd be, far from being thought, ta mean that. War. is.preferable to. Peace.1
The Application of the military Science, ſays St. Evremont, thou'd be juſt,
atleaft- honourable; it ſhou'd, aim, at the good even.. of thoſe: it ſubdues,
if poffible ,; and always at the Intereſt, or the Supply:ofi the Neceſſities. of
one's own Country: When it becomes: the. Work of Caprice; it tends only
to Madneſs and Irregularity ;. When it has no other end: than to do Miſchief
in the World, it ſhould.. then be. ſtrips of the Glory, it aſſumes, and.be.
deem'd as inglorious as.it. is unjuſt.,, for this is. Grotius's Opinions in his:-
Book. De. Fure Bellio Pagisaare
War.pleads Antiquity, ſays:Bruyere, from all Ages; has always filled; the:
World with. Widows.and,Orphansı; draind Families of Heirs,; and deſtroy, d.
ſeyeral Brothers in the fame. Battle. Young Soyecorır
. !: How do I mourn.thy
Loſs, thy. Virtue and Modefty; that Wit, juſt ripe, ſagacious, lofty and
conyerſible! I bewail that untimely Death, which tranſported thee to thy.
magnanimous Brother, and ſnatch'd thee from a Court, where thou hadít.
only Time-to fhew thy felf. Misfortune too deplorable, and yet common !
Men in all Ages, for more or leſs of a little Spor of Earth, have agreed to
deſtroy, burn and murder one another; ' which to accompliſh with the:
greater Certainty and Ingenuity, they have invented exquiſite Rules of Dif-
tin&tion, which they callſthe: Art; of War, and reward the Practice of it.
with Glory and laſting Honours ſo that every, Age improves in the Me-
thod of mutual Deſtruction. The Injuſtice of the firſt Men made- Soldiers
neceſſary to the Eſtabliſhment of Men's Right and Pretenſions. This doubt-
leſs tvas the only Source-of-War ;, for cou'd: Men have been content -with:
their own, and not violated the Riglits of their Neighbours;. the World
wou'd have enjoy’d an uninterrupted Peace and Liberty.
All things conſider'd, ſays M. Hoguette, War is nothing elſe.
but the-Scourge of God, which Kings ſhou'd keep from them if
they can, as a thing that impairs their Greatneſs, by the Loſs
of
7
i
Tellan).
88
The HERO Chap. 8:
of their Subjects and by a Train of infinite Miſchiefs that attend it. God
is the God of Peace and Love ; a King is the Image of God upon Earth,
but this Reſemblance is effaced'in him, if he in like manner is not a King
of Peace and Love A Prince ſhou'd preſerve in his Soul the Deſire to
make Peace and contribute his utmoſt thereunto, that he may not have this
to reproach himſelf with, That the Time of his Reign was only remarkable
for ſuch Actions as proceeded from the iraſcible Part of Man.
(8) Such Works as are dry, abſolute, and form'd upon the Taſte of ſome few only,
leave their Arithor in Obſcurity.] M. St. Evremont muſt here ſpeak for himſelf.
I do not like, ſays he, thoſe learned Men that employ all their Study in re-
ſtoring a Pallage, which, when they have done, gives us no Pleaſure at all.
They may make a Myſtery in knowing what one may very well be ignorant
of, and yet know nothing of what does truly deſerve to be known. Be-
cauſe they have no Fancy or fine Conception of their own, they cannot en-
ter into the Delicacy of a Sentiment, or the Fineneſs of a Thought. All
their Succeſs is in explaining a Grammarian, and this Grammarian was a
Man of the ſame kind of Study, and much the ſame Turn of Spirit with
themſelves ; but they never pretend to have thc Taſte of ſome of the fine
Men among the Ancients; and therefore I may add, that they will continue
always in the ſame Obſcurity with their Heroes.
ali
СНАР,
Chap 9
89
The H ER O.
fortif
3
CH A P. IX.
That he Joould know his predominant good
Quality.
&
I
(a) Cannot eafily tell, whether I ſhould call it
Chance or Obſervation that brings a Man
ſo readily to the Perception of the good
Quality that is predominant in him, in order to
put it in practice as far as it will go. The Quality
however that is prevalent in us, is ſometimes Cou-
rage, ſometimes Policy, ſometimes a ſingular Difpo-
ſition for Learning, and this is a Foundation mark'd
out by Nature for a Man:to become perfect in ſome
one kind or other, if he does but.know it, and ſtrives
to cultivate it with a peculiar Application. (b) "Tis
Folly to pretend to divide one's ſelf with equal Suc-
ceſs between two great Objects, when one of them is
enough to employ our inceſſant Care. (©) 'Tis Mad-
neſs to think of uniting the excellent General and
N
compleat
90
The HERO.
Chap. g.
compleat Scholar, both to the fame degree in the
ſame Perſon. We muſt chooſe and follow either
Mars or Apollo ; (d) we muſt give our ſelyes up in-
tirely to the one, and only lend ourſelves, as it were,
now and then to the other; that our predominant
Faculty may have but one predominant Object. The
Eagle, which of all Birds is the only one that can
look againſt the Sun, contents itſelf with that Power,
and aims not at their melodious Songs ; as the Of-
trage pretends not to fly ſo high as the Eagle (for
ſo its Fate would be a Fall) but comforts itſelf, for
want of that Advantage, with the Beauty of its Fea-
thers.
Every one of us, when we receive our Exiſtence
from the Soveraign Being, receive at the ſame time
fuch a Portion, as I inay call it, of Spirit and Genius
as is proper for us; and 'tis everyone's Buſineſs af-
terwards to remark it and ſet it off to the beſt Ad-
vantage. There was never yet a Man in the World,
that might not have rais'd himſelf to a Pitch of Per-
fection in one thing or other, becauſe no Man was
ever yet abſolutely without a Talent; and yet we
meet with lo few perfect in their Kind, that when-
ever we do, we call them Great and Extraordinary
Men; ſome for the Superiority, and others for the
Singularity
Chap 9 The H E R 0.
91
Singularity of their Merit. (e) As for others, their
Capacity is as much unknown, as the Reality of the
Phenix is uncertain. There is indeed no Perſon, that
does not think himſelf competent for the moſt diffi-
cult Employs, but Time diſſipates the flattering Imn-
poſture that gave him that Notion, tho' generally
not until the Malady is beyond the Hope of Cure.
'Tis no Fault, in my Opinion, for a Man not to
endeavour to excel in what is indifferent, if he does
it in order to be tolerably skill'd in what is excellent;
but to be only tolerably skill'd in a Matter of an in-
ferior Nature, when a Man may with Diſtinction fill
the firſt Rank, is a thing unpardonable, tho' what
frequently happens. (f) The Counſel that the Poet
gives us on this Occaſion is very wiſe, and as valua-
ble as one of Ariſtotle's Sentences.
Tu nihil invitâ dices facieſve Minerva.
1. e. We ought to undertake no Employ, or Condi-
tion of Life, that our Genius diſapproves, and which
conſequently, we ſhall never have the neceſſary Abi-
lity to execute : A Truth that is eaſy enough to be
comprehended, but pretty hard to be brought to Ap-
plication !
N 2
In
92
Chap 9.
The H E R O.
In the Matter of our Capacity, we are not apt to
undeceive others; nay, we do not love to undeceive
ourſelves. (8) We ought to think our Minds liable
to Miſtakes, and yet we account them infallible
for the Bandage that we tie before our Eyes, hides
our real Inſufficiency from us, and ſhews us nothing
but our pretended Merit. It was the Wiſh of a wiſe
Man, to have Glaſſes to repreſent the Character 'of
Men's Minds, as well as the Features of their Faces;
for unhappily now, ſays he, every one is his own
Looking-glaſs, which repreſents him, not as he real-
ly is, but as he is beſt pleas'd to be.
1
Every one that undertakes to judge of himſelf,
finds a thouſand Subtleties to evade the Knowledge
of what he really is. Self-love, which, like Proteus
in the Fable, can put on all ſorts of Shapes, furniſhes
every Inclination and Appetite with innuinerable
Shifts, wherewith to ſuborn Reaſon. "How fertile is
Self-love of Inventions or rather Illuſions ! For the
Variety of our Inclinations and Appetites is prodigi-
ous : 'Tis equal to that of the Humours, the Voices,
the Notions, the Taſtes, the Looks, and the different
Conditions of Men in Life. And hence it is, that no
Functions or Occupations in the World are without
fome
+
Chap 9.
93
The HERO.
fome to fill thein ; for Inclination inakes every thing
practicable, and performs with eaſe what the inoſt pow-
erful and beſt belov'd Prince cannot obtain of hisSubjects.
For () let us ſuppoſe for once, that a Prince, ſuch
as I have mention'd, were minded to appoint his Peo-
ple their particular Callings, telling one, Tou Mall be
a Husbandman, and another, You ſhall be a Sailor,
and ſo on : They would all, no doubt, complain of
their Inability to bear the hard Labour that was laid
upon thein; nor would one of them be ſatisfied with
an Employ, tho' never fo honourable, if it were iin-
pos’d upon him, or not agreeable to his particular
Humour. How far will the Power and Force of In-
clination carry us! And yet Men do not ſucceed the
better for it; becauſe their Inclination moſt common-
ly chooſes the thing that their Talent is not adapt-
ed to.
What then does a wiſe and prudent Man do upon
this Conjuncture ? Why, he fummons, as it were,
his Inclination before the Tribunal of his Reaſon, and,
by the Help of this pure Light, exainines ſeriouſly
his natural Propenſity and his prevailing good Quali-
ty, without mixing or confounding them together ;
and after ſuch a ſincere and deliberate Examination,
he deterinines his Talent for what is agreeable to
it,
94
T'he HERO. Chap 9
it, and then endeavours to make his Inclination com-
ply therewith. And thus the Talent, feconded by
Appetite, works both with Eaſe and Ardor ; and in a
hort time makes great Progreſs.
Don Ferdinand Cortes, Marquis of Valle, had ne-
ver been Conqueror of the Indies, if he had not com-
par'd and ineaſur'd himſelf, as it were, with different
Employments, in order to ſuit his predominant Qua-
lity with an Object he found moſt agreeable to it.
Had he applied himſelf to Letters, he might have
ſtuck perhaps in the middle Claſs of Learning, tho'
in other reſpects he was a Man of excellent Under-
ftanding ; but applying himſelf to Arms as ſoon as he
had found his Diſpoſition inclin'd that way, he came
in time to equalize the Glory of the moſt celebrated
Heroes of Antiquity.
RE-
Chap 9.
95
The HERO.
REMARKS on Chap. IX.
That he fou'd know his predominant good
Quality
O
UR Author has one Maxim, which includes the Subſtance of all this
Chapter. Without Labour, and a Genius, ſays he, a Man cannot
diſtinguiſh himſelf; but with both he proves excellent: Moderate Parts,
ſupported by great Application, go farther than ſuch as are ſuperior with-
out it. Reputation is purchas'd at the Price of Induſtry, but what coſts us
not much is little valued. Several Men want Application, even for the firſt
Offices and Employs, becauſe few will be at the Pains to improve their
Talent to its utmoſt Extent, and therefore never want Perſons that have
none at all to contend with. A Man ſhould therefore know his Talent,
and the Art of applying it to its Obje&, and then Application ſets its Seal
to both.
(a) I cannot enfily tell, whether it is Chance or Obſervation that brings a Max
fo readily to the Perception of the good Quality that is predominant in him, in order
to put it in practice to its full Extent.] The Author of the Mo-
ral Reflections wou'd not have been for propoſing this Queſtion, Mor. Refl.
becauſe no Man, according to him, ever yet took Pains to car-
and extend his Parts as far as they could go ; and the reaſon which he
ry
feems to give for it is, that we are all of us more idle in our Minds than
our Bodies
But who can pronounce it as a ſure Axiom, that we are more idle in our
Minds than our Bodies? The Mind thinks more than the Body aas ; and
is not Thought to the Mind as much Labour, as Motion or Axion is to
the Body? Without trifling, the World is full of People, that out of a Spin
rit of Indolence diſuſe all bodily Exerciſe, and has Plenty of others; that
from the like Principle decline all Application of the Mind ; but is there
any
96
The HERO. Chap 9
any more Idleneſs in the one Caſe, than in the other? If it is extreme, it is
equal in both. But to come to the former Axiom : No Man ever get took
pains to carry and exten dhis Parts as far as they could go. The Spirit of Valour,
cou'd it be carried farther than Alexander did? or the Spirit of Eloquence
than Demoſthenes did his ? Did not theſe great Men, and an infinite num-
ber of others in Greece, in ancient Rome, and France it ſelf, take pains to ex-
tend their Talents to the utmoſt? not to mention thoſe that have exhauſted
their Health, and even turn'd their Brains, by puſhing their Efforts too
far.
Gracian is therefore juſt in his Thought, when he ſuppoſes that the pre-
dominant Quality exerts itſelf to its full Extent, and only makes it a Doubt,
whether it is Chance or Obfervation that brings a Man fo foon to the Per-
ception of it, which is a Doubt as reaſonable as the Propofi-
Mor. ReA. tion is true ; and for its Confirmation I cannot but produce
this Reflexion, viz. Almoſt all our Qualities are at the Mercy of
certain Occafions. For do not the Reflections we make upon ourſelves come
at the Age they are to come? While we are young, we think nothing a-
bout the Matter; and are ſo far from knowing what is particularly proper
for.us, that we are perfe&ly ignorant of ourſelves. Nay, even thoſe that
are moſt expert in the Knowledge of the Mind and Heart of Man, dare
hardly pronounce any thing ſure concerning the Talent of the Pupil, that
is committed to their Education ; all they do, is to ſtudy to diſcover it, and
to wait and ſuſpend their Judgment. In a more advanced Age, the
gene-
rality of Mankind go habitually on in the Way of Ignorance and Inatten-
tion, that they firſt fell into ; and the Exemptions are but few of ſuch, as
by Labour and Obſervation diſcover and employ their predominant Qua-
lity. All the reſt are left to the Mercy of Occaſions : My Meaning is, that
Come unforeſeen Accident and fortuitous Circumſtance engage them in a
certain Employ in Trade for inſtance : This Chance makes them apply
themſelves to Buſineſs, and Application therein makes them become fuc-
ceſsful, makes them in time capable of ſome of the firſt Offices of State,
and ranks them amongſt Men of a ſuperior Genius ; but till this happen'd,
the Extent of their Parts was unknown to themſelves as well as others; and
this is the full and proper Meaning of Gracian's Thoughts.
(b) 'Tis
Chap 9
97
The H ER 0.
(6) 'Tis Folly to pretend to divide one's ſelf with equal Succeſs bea
tween two great Objects, &c.] One Point that Men are groſsly
Bruyere.
ignorant of is this, that no one was ever yet born to excel in
two Things ; and that the great number of Men of mean Abilities is oc-
caſion’d by the ſmall Precaution they take to know their proper Talents.
Pyrrhus, ſays St. Evremont, joyn’d the Art of War and the Nicety of Trea-
ties and Negotiations cogether, and yet he could never firmly eſtabliſh him-
ſelf by either. If he knew how to win Battles, he had not the Skill to
make the proper Advantages of War; if he got People to come into his
Alliance, he could not keep them in it. The Miſapplication of the two
great Talents he was Maſter of ruin'd each other. As ſoon as he had ti-
red the Strength of his Arms with Succeſs, he was immediately for treating;
as ſoon as he had gain'd the Affections of a People, he was immediately for
making them Slaves.; ;: by which means":it: came to paſs; that the Conquer'd
took upon them the Spirit of Conquerors, refuſing Peace when it was of
fer'd them ; and the others not only withdrew their Aſliſtance, but endeas
vour'd to get quit of an Ally, that gave them to know he was their Maſter.
(c) 'Tis Madneſs to think of uniting the excellent General and compleat Scholar
both to the ſame degree in the ſame perſon.] With us, ſays Bruyere, the Soldier
is brave, and the Gown-man learned, we proceed no farther ; but among
the Romans, the Gown-man was brave, and the Soldier learned ; for a Roo
man was at once the Soldier and the Gown-man too. With Bruyere's Leave,
we may except Cicero ‘and ſome others, who were good Romans, and learns
ed Men of the Robe, but no Soldiers:
Mr. Colbers,
(d) We ſhould give ourſelves up intirely to the one, and only lend
ourſelves, as it were, now and then to the other.] P. Bohours, ſpeak- Dialogues.
ing of a great Miniſter of State, has thefe Words. Not that
fo great a Miniſter, as I am now ſpeaking of, was wholly ta-
ken up in publick Affairs ; for as his Mind was of an infinite Extent,
there was no kind of Science that he had not fome Tinđure of; for he
could, when he pleas’d; make eloquent Diſcourſes, arid maintain his Place in
the Academy of Wits with as much Applauſe, as he did at the Gouncil-
o
Board
98
The H ER O. Chap 9:
Board of a Great Monarch: But after all, a Genius for Politicks was his
predominant Quality and true Character. Nor does Gracian forbid the
Knowledge of Learning in any Great Man; for in another place he calls it
the Ornament and Luſtre of all fine Qualities, and the great Advancer of
their Worth.
(e) As for others, their Capacity is as much unknown, as the Reality of the Phea
nix is uncertain.] They are ſo many Egefippus's, as Bruyere calls them. What's
to be done with this Egefippus, ſays he, who follicits for an Employment ?
Shall he have a Poſt in the Exchequer or in the Army? 'Tis indifferent
which of them, nor can any thing but Intereſt decide it ; for he is as good
an Accountant as a Soldier. He is capable of any thing, fay his Friends;
that is, he has a Talent for no one thing more than another ; or in other
Terms, he is capable of nothing. Whereupon he concludes, That Men
ought to employ the firſt Years of their Life to become ſo qualified by their
Studies and Pains, that the Commonwealth may ſtand in need. of their
Knowledge and Induſtry.
--
(f) The Counſel that the Poet gives us upon this Occafion is very
Hor. Boyles wiſe. Tu nihil invità dices facieſve. Minerva.] And we have ano-
ther Poet, who, by imitating the former, is himſelf become an
Original, that gives a further Sandion to Gracian's Sentiment, and is thus.
tranſlated.
'Tis for an Author a preſumptuous Crime,
To undertake the ſacred Art of Rhyme ;
If at his Birth the Stars, that ruld' his Minds
Shone adverſe, of the Unpoetick Kind;
His Want of Genius Soon ſhall be betray'd,
Phoebus prove deaf, and Pegaſus a Jade. :::
Then fear the Allurements of a ſpecious Bait,
And well conſider thy own Force and Weight,
Nature abounds in every Kind of Wit,
And to each Author
. does a Talent, fit
BE
Chap. 9.
The HERO.
9.9
But Authors, who themſelves too much eſteem;
Loſe their own Genius, and miſtake their Theme.
(8) We ought to think our Minds liable to Miſtakes, and yet we account them inn
fallible.] Montagne had none of this Preſumption in him, if the Pi&ure he
draws of himſelf be like him. I entertain and carels Truth, ſays he, in
what Hand foever I find it; I meet it chearfully whenever I ſee it ap-
proaching me, and ſo long as a Man does not uſe me in too magiſterial and
imperious a manner, take delight in being reproved I frequent the
Company more of thoſe that find fault with me than flatter me, and am
more proud of a Conqueſt gain'd over my felf, when I ſubmit to the Force
of my Adverſary's Reaſon, than I am pleas'd with a Vi&ory obtain'd over
him by reaſon of his Weakneſs. In ſhort, I receive and kindly acknow-
ledge all kinds of Reproof that are uſher'd in with Decency, but I cannot
ſo well endure thoſe that come upon me without due Form. Theſe Words
without any comment carry their own loftru&ion along with them.
(h) Let us ſuppoſe for once, that a Princes &c. were minded to appoint his People
Cheir particular Callings, yet none of them would be ſatisfy'd.] Bruyere makes a
Suppoſition much like this, where he ſhews that nothing in the World can
pleaſe every one's Taſte. Who can promiſe himſelf, ſays he, to content
Mankind ? Let not the Prince, tho' never ſo great and good, pretend to it;
but 'let him, if he pleaſe, try to do it. Let him make their Pleaſures his
Concern; truſt them with his Secrets, admit them into his Palace, and make
them like his own Family: Let him give them Variety of Paſtimes, Comforts
and Feafts ; entertain them fplendidly, give them full Liberty, and make
himſelf a Party in their Amuſements : Yet all this wou'd not be ſufficient----
Men are tired in the end with the very things, that charm'd them in the
beginning ; they wou'd forſake the Tables of the Gods; Nectar itſelf
wou'd become infipid; Vanity wou'd tempt them to criticiſe on the moſt
perfea Things ; for their Taſte, if we'll believe them, is above all we
can do to ſatisfy it.
02
CHA P.
4
100
Chap: 10.
The' HERO
ప్రేమను Sir 985
అవత్స రతన్
కంటి
సంయును.
కొరతనాలతో
కొరత
2016
C H A P. X.
That he ſhould know the Caft and Character
of bis Fortune.
BYTU
ORTUNE, that is ſo often mention'd, but
never juſtly defin'd (to ſpeak in a Chri-
ſtian and wiſe Senſe) is nothing elſe but eter-
nal Providence ;. that foveraign Miſtreſs of Events,
without whoſe expreſs Will or Periniffion nothing
comes to paſs in the Univerſe. This Queen, who is
abſolute, unſearchable, inflexible, favours, as ſhe
thinks fit, fome, whom ſhe dignifies, and leaves o-
thers in Obſcurity; not out of any ſuch Paſſion as
weak Mortals are influenced by, but with Views of
infinite Wiſdom that we cannot comprehend.
To come down however to the common Language
of Men, we may not improperly ſay, that (a) For.
tune is, as it were, a Convention of good and bad
Circum-
Chap. Io. The HERO.
IOI
Circumſtances ; ſo that if a Man lights into the Com-
pany of the one, he miſcarries ; but if into that of
the other, he ſucceeds. But without impoſing this
Definition upon others, ſeveral great Maſters in Poli-
ticks have certainly laid down this for a Maxim, that
a Man ſhould firſt carefully obſerve his own Fortune,
and then take notice of his Adverfaries, eſpecially in
the Buſineſs of War. (b) The Man, to whom For-
tune has been often kind, makes an Advantage of this
Difpofition, and (c) engages, without Fear or Appre-
henſion, in Enterprizes that wou'd be too hazardous
for many others; becauſe nothing pleaſes, nothing
obliges Fortune more, than this blind Confidence:
that her Favourites place in her.
(d) Ceſar knew very well the Character of his
Fortune, when he encouraged the Captain of the
Veſſel that had him on board, bidding him with all
the Calmneſs imaginable, Fear nothing ; for that his
Fear wou'd be an Affront and Diſparagement both to
Cefar and his Fortune. The great Happineſs he had
already experienc'd, was like a ſure Anchor in the
preſent Danger : He fear'd no contrary Winds, be-
cauſe he had the proſperous Gale of Fortune ; and the
Rage and Violence of the Sea gave him-no Uneafineſs;
becauſe
។
102
The H ERO Chap Io.
becauſe the Heavens were clear, and the Stars ſhone
bright upon hiin.
1
This Action of Cefar's was, in many Men's Opi-
nions, a very great Raſhneſs; but in the inain it was
the Effect of a great Preſence of Mind, which brought,
as it were, into one Point of View all the other
Dangers he had brav'd with Succeſs, and gave him
Confidence on the very Brink of Perdition. (e) How
many Men, for want of trying or underſtanding ſuffi-
ciently their good Fortune, have loſt many a fair
Opportunity of making themſelves for ever! and
yet there is not a Gamefter, as blind as he is, that
does not conſult his good Luck before he engages in
any conſiderable Party.
"Tis certainly a vaſt f ) Advantage to be fortunate:
It gives a Man a Superiority over the Merit of many
that are not fo ; and for this reaſon (g) ſome fet
inore Value upon one Degree of good Luck, than they
do upon ten of Wiſdom and Bravery ; a vile Senti-
ment, and injurious to Reaſon.
(b) Others again
look upon ill Luck as a viſible Mark of Merit : Hap-
pineſs, in their Opinion, is the Fate of Fools, and
Infelicity allotted for wiſe Men. Mere Exhalations of
Choler
Chap. Io:
The HERO.
103
Choler and Spleen, cuſtoinary in ſuch as are with the
greateſt Juſtice unhappy.
But to return. What the Prince of Philoſophers
required in his famous Pupil, (beſides the great Qua-
lities that he cultivated in him) was to have him for-
tunate, without which the (i) moſt conſummate Va-
lour cannot make a Hero. Succeſs and Courage are:
the Foundation of military Greatneſs; nor was there
ever a famous Warrior, that did not become ſo by a
Conjunction of both theſe, which mutually aid and
ſupport each other. He, therefore, that has often
felt the Rebuffs of Fortune, ſhould take great Heed!
how he expoſes himſelf in critical Circumſtances, or
contends obſtinately with her; for (k) ſhe is an impe-
rious Step-dame, that will not be brought to Coin-
pliance, but continues cruel, to the very laft; where:
fhe is not diſpoſed to love : And therefore the Cauti-
on may again be taken from the Poet, and thus chant
ged into a Leſſon of Prudence..
I
Fake heed, when Fortune is your Föe;
What 'tis you ſay, what 'tis you doe:
The Cardinal Infant of Spain, Don Ferdinand, für
named the Invincible, becauſe of his great Succeſs in
War;
!
104
The HERO, Chap, tó,
War, was a great Favourite of Fortune. All Europe,
that knew very well the Courage of that magnani-
inous Prince, could not yet tell whether his good
Fortune would be anſwerable ; and therefore waited
for an Event whereby to form their Judgemnent, when
-the Battle of Norlingen, (which was the firſt Oppor-
tunity that preſented itſelf) gave the World, and the
Cardinal both, an. Indication that his Luck was not
inferior. to his Valour. The.Glory, in ſhort, that he
acquired on that Day was complete ; and being
thereby aſſured of the good Graces of Fortune, he
never: enterprized an Action afterwards, but what
gave a freſh Luſtre to his Reputation,
.
But it is not enough to know one's own Star, in or-
der to depend upon its favourable Influence in Time
of Need; (1) there is another Parti of politick:Know-
ledge, which conſiſts in diſtinguiſhing your Adver-
fariés Fortune. likewiſe, in order to elude or attack
them as Occaſion offers. Soliman knew very well 'the
Neceſſity of this Diſcernment, and accordingly made
uſe of it in a Circumſtance, wherein he perceiv'd,
that, notwithſtanding: all his former Succeſſes, he
hazarded his Glory too much againſt the happy Ri-
val with whom he had to do. This Rival' was
Cbarles V; and Fortune, that had hitherto been
conſtant
Chap 10. The HERO.
105
-
conſtant to him, gave Soliman great Uneaſineſs by
the daily Succeſſes of this new Antagoniſt, which trou-
bled him inore than the Affairs of all Europe beſides.
He minded not therefore what Men of different Sen-
timents might ſay upon the Matter, but choſe the
right Way, never to venture a Battle with Charles V.
Inſtead of which, he let the Time run on, and by
artful Delays ſay'd his Reputation from a Danger
that in all Probability was deſtin’d to deſtroy it.
The Conduct of Francis I. King of France was dif-
ferent; and his Inattention to his own Fortune, and
(what ſtood in Competition with it) that of Charles V,
coſt hiin his Liberty for ſome time.
To conclude, as good and ill Fortune turn fome-
times to one ſide and ſometimes to another, 'tis no
finall Part of a prudent Sagacity, when Armies of
equal Strength meet, to deterinine, when for Action,
and when for Suſpenſion ; when to give, and where to
decline Battle with Advantage.
:
P
RE-
1oo
Chap IO.
The H ER O.
REMARKS on Chap. X.
That be fou'd know the Caſt and Character
of his Fortune.
i
$
.
1
Orac. Man.
O
UR Author has given us a Maxim, much of the ſame Ima
port with what is contained in this Chapter, and has ex-
prėſſed it in theſe Terms.. The experimental Knowledge of our Fortune is
more neceſſary for the good Conduct of our Lives, than that of our Com-
plexion for the Preſervation of our Health. 'Tis Folly, whëri a Man has
arrived at forty Years of Age, to conſult Hyp:crates about the Nature of
his Conſtitution; and 'tis much more fo, for one of that Age to want to
learn of Socrates how to comport himſelf with. Wiſdom. 'Tis high time
for him then to apply himſelf to the great Art of obſerving the Character
of his Fortune, and, of ſuiting himſelf thereunto... A Man muſt fometimes
however not be foo haſty in doing this
, becauſe Patience and Expectation
is the Condition annext to her Favours ; though at others, he ſhould be quick
and expeditious, becauſe there are ſome Momeņts when ſhe is eaſy of Ac-
ceſs i and conſidering her Inconſtancy indeed, there will be no Prudence in
keeping an uniform Conduct with her. Theſe therefore, that have taſted of
her Favour, maylay. hold, withi Confidence, on all Occaſions to obtain ſtill
more and more ; but ſuch as are unhappy ſhould reſolve to retreat, becauſe
their continued Attempts will only multiply their Diſgraces.
(d) Fortune is, as it were, a Convention of good and bad Circumſtances, ſo that if
a Man lights into the Company of one he miſcarries, if of the other he fuc-
St. Evre. Ceeds.] M. St. Evremond upon this Subject expreſſes himſelf in this
wiſe : One good Action, ſays he, commonly engages a ſecond,
and a bad one throws us very often into many more ; and 'tis much the ſame
thing in the Road of Fortune; One happy Succeſs leads to another, and
one unlucky Accident draws us on to more; fo that Events have a natural
Connection
I
Chap. To
The H E R 0. 107
and
Connection with one another, and this perhaps is what Men call good and
bad Fortune. This connection of Events agrees very well with our Author's
Convention of Circumſtances, wherein a Man ſucceeds or miſcarries, accord-
ing as they are good or bad. Gracian however is no more for tying Men
down to his Definition, than St. Evremord, who ſpeaks with a modeſt perhaps,
is for compelling them into his. The Succeſs of the moſt judicious Enter-
prizes, ſays he in another Place, depends upon the Concourſe of an infinite
Number of Incidents, a great many of which look like Chance It is
of great Importance, continues he, to know one's Star, for every man has
pne, and 'tis for Want of this Knowledge, that ſo many have not made their
Fortunes in the World as might have done. How many People do we
ſee in Favour, who can give no Account how they came to be known to
great Men, but that it was their Deſtiny? And for this reaſon, we ſhou'd
with a great Care and Obſervation ſtudy our Star, 6c. All this, and what
follows, looks ſo like Gracian, that one would really think, it
were he that is expreſing himſelf in our Tongue. It ſeems, Mor. Ref.
ſays another Author, as if our Adions had happy or unhappy
Stars, to which they owe a great deal of the Praiſe or Diſpraiſe that is
given them.
(6) The Man, to whom Fortune has been often kind, makes an Advantage of
this Diſpoſition, &c] But the way to make an Advantage of this Diſpoſi-
tion, is what Gracian has not enough diſcover'd to us. The Way then is,
to compare the preſent Conjun&ure with the Character of the Fortune we
have already experienced, whether in War or any other Situation of Life,
and then to lay hold on the Occaſion when we find it every way to agree
with ſuch as hath already brought us Succeſs. And this Application is
what the World is not intirely a Stranger to,
If a Man in Favour, ſays Bruyere, makes Advantage of it before it is
over; if he makes uſe of the Wind that blows fair for him ; if he has his
Eye upon all Vacancies to ask and obtain them, and is ſtock'd syith Penſions
Grants and Reverſions ; you reproach him with Covetouſneſs and Ainbi-
tion ; you cry, nothing eſcapes him, all is his own, and that by the
many
different Favours heap'd upon him, he alone has made niany Fortunes : But
what ſhou'd he have done in his Poſt? If I may judge, not ſo much by
P 2
VOLI
1
i
108
The H ERO. Chap. Io.
your Talk as by the Courſe you yourſelf would have taken in the fame Sta-
tion, you would have juſt done the ſame.
(c) To engage, without Fear, in dangerous Enterprizes, pleaſes and obliges För-
tine much] This Maxim more eſpecially regards Soldiers ; and the Exam-
ples of ſo many Conquerors, that have been fortanate by it, is a fufficient
Demonſtration of its Truth. But would not this Maxim be more certain,
and generally true, if we were to qualify this Confidence, and mix a little
nore Deſign and Caution in it than Gracian feems to have done. I ſhall
explain my Thought by a Fact related in the Politick Teſtament of M. de I
which is as follows,
The famous Expedition of the Dutch into England may convince us, that
deſperate Blows, when they proceed from Prudence more than a blind-Im-
petrioſity, are often attended with favourable Conſequences. When a Man
is ſure to loſe all, he hazards nothing in the Attempts he makes to win all.
'Tis like a little Army ſurrounded by the Enemy on every ſide, and.con-
demn'd to periſh either by Famine or the Sword, there is not the meaneſt
Soldier but knows, that nothing but a bold and generous Adion can ref-
cue 'em from Death that is otherwiſe unavoidable. In this Diſpoſicion,
they come readily into the Meaſures that their Generals propoſe, viz. to go
and ſurprize the Enemy, and force their way thro', and Fortune very often
feconds their Courage , inſomuch that it is no uncommon thing to ſee mul-
titudes of Squadrons overthrown by a very ſinalt number when reduced to
Extremity. Such was the Attempt, and fuch the Succeſs of Holland, at a
Time when they were ſorely ſtraitend and put to the laſt Extremity by
France.
(d) Ceſar knew very well the Character of his Fortune, when he encouraged the
Captain of the Villel to fear nothing, becauſe his Fear would be a Diſparagement,
&c.] Alexander knew every whit as well the Chara&er of his Fortune, and
depended as much upon it, as I ſhall fhew froni cwo out of the many In-
ſtances of his Life The Night before the Battle of Arbella, wherein his
whole laid at ſtake, he ſlept ſo foundly and in ſuch Confidence of his happy
Stars, that the Enemy was going to begin the Battle without him; and
when Parmeno, who was not ſo eaſy in his Mind, went in to awake him, he
;ا
was
7
Chap 10: The H ERO
109
was forc'd to call him thrice by his Name before he could do it. 'Twas
from the ſame Spirit of Confidence in his happy Stars, that he thus reject-
ed the Counſel of one of his Captains, who advis'd him to ſurprize Da-
gius, as he might eaſily have done, in the Darkneſs of the Night. Alexan-
der had rather follow the Conduct of his Fortune, than try to get a Vitory at that:
xate.
1
This Perſuaſion has been carried farther by fome, viz. that the happy.
Effect of their Star did not terminate with their Lives, but ſhed its Influ-
ence even upon their Succeſſors. Edward I. King of England, ſays Montagne,
having in a long War, which he had with Robert King of Scotland, ſuffici-
ently experienc'd how Fortune favour'd his Affairs, and gave him Vi&ory.
in all his Expeditions, oblig'd his Son at his Death, by a ſolemn Oath, to
cauſe his Body, as ſoon as he was deceaſed, to be boil'd, that the Bones.
might ſeparate from the Fleſh, which he was to inter ; but to preſerve the
Bones, in order to be carried along with him and his Army, whenever he
happen'd to have: War with the Scots, as if Fate had intail'd Victory upon
his very Members. John Ziſcha, who in the Defence of the Errors of:
Wickliff gave great Trouble to Bohemia, order'd, that after his Death his
Body ſhould be flea'd, and a Drum made of his Skin, which was to be car-.
ried to the Wars ;. thinking that this would contribute to the Continuation
of the Succeſſes he had experienced in all his military Expeditions. Theſe
Practices ariſe in ſome meaſure from Gracian's Maxim, and have no ſmall:
Affinity with the Pagan Notions of Deſtiny.
(e) How many Men, for want of trying and underſtanding ſufficiently their good
Fortune, have loſt many a fair Opportunity of making themſelves famous for ever ?]
How many wonderful Men, ſays Bruyere, that have had an excellent Geni-.
us, have died. without once being ſpoken of? How many are now alive,
that never are, and perhaps never will be mention's ? Some of them want-
ed Opportunities. ; and others made no Advantage of them : The former
were not born happy.; the latter perhaps were, but they never knew any.
thing of it, becauſe they never ſtudied their Star ; they never try'd, never
ventur'd at any thing, either through Idleneſs, or Indifference; or an ex-
ceſſive Fear of miſcarrying. Why is Monſieur the Prince call'd to this day,
and will ever be ſo call'd, the Great Conde ! Becauſe ſeveral Victories were
the firſt Enlays of his growing. Valour.
(f) The
ITO
Chap. To
The H ERO.
(f) The Advantage of being fortunate gives a Man a Superiority
Montagne. over Merit ] To how many ſtupid Souls, in my Time, has a
cold ſilent Meen procur'd the Title of Capacity ? Honours and
Enployments are of neceſſity given more by Chance than by Merit, and we
are miſtaken very often, when we impute this to Men in Power. On the
contrary, 'tis a Wonder they are ſo fortunate in the Diſtribution of Ofi-
ces as they are ; for Nature has not given them a Sight that can extend to
ſo many People, diſcern the Excellence of one above another, and to dive
into their Breaſts, where the Knowledge of their Will and ſuperior Wortlı
is only to be found. Men muſt therefore neceſſarily be choſen by Chance
or Conje&ure, by their Family, their. Riches, or other Men's Report of
them; tho' theſe be but ſlender Arguments.
(8) Some ſet more Value upon one degree of good Luck, than they do upon ten of
Prudence.] Demosthenes, according to': Longinus, tells' us, that the greateſt
Good that can befal us in Life is to be happy ; but that there is another,
not much inferior, without which the former cannot fubfift, and that is,
to know how to condu&t one's ſelf with Prudence. Montagne is not intirely of De-
moſthenes's Opinion, at leaſt he is for having our Prudence clear of all Pre-
fumption. For Fortune, ſays he, is very ready to favour the Execution of
things, where the Contrivance is purely her own : She takes delight in
mortifying our Preſumption, and when ſhe cannot make Blockheads wiſe,
The makes them happy.
.
a
(h) Others look upon ill. Luck as a viſible Mark of Merit ; and Happineſs, it
their Opinion, is the Fate of Fools.] "Tis in France, as it is in Spain: Thoſa
that think they have Merit, ſays the Author of the Moral Reflections, put
Value
upon their being unhappy, and are willing to perſivade themſelves
and others, that they are Perſouis worthy to be the Marks of Fortune----
Hatred againſt Favourites, is nothing elſe, but the Love of Favour; the.
Vexation for not having it, comforts; and aſſwages itſelf by a Deſpight to
thoſe that enjoy it ; and we refuſe them our Homage, becauſe we cannot
take from them what procures them the Reſpect of all the World.
>
3
(i) The
Chap. IO.
[
The H E R 0.
(i) The moſt confummate Valour cannot make an Hero, without the Afſtance of
Fortune.] It is not Nature alone, what great Advantages foever ſhe has
given Men, that makes them Heroes, but Fortúne. Good and bad Luck,
ſays Montagne, are two Soveraign Powers; and 'tis Folly to think, that hu-
man Prudence can ſupply the Part of Fortune. In vain is the Attempt of
him, that pretends to take hold of Cauſes and Conſequences, and to direct
the Progreſs of an Action juſt as he pleaſes"; but 'tis more eſpecially ſo
in the Deliberations of War. Never was their more Circumſpection and
military Prudence, than what has oftentimes been defeated among us ; not
that I think our Men fought it badly, or'ſav'd themſelves in the A&s, only
to die in the Cataſtrophe of the Play ; and therefore I may venture to ſay
further, that even our Wiſdom and Conſultation is guided for the moſt part
by Chance. As for my own part, I take a moderate Care of my Affairs;
and draw as it were the Outlines of
what I deſign, but'the great
cipal Work I have always us’d my ſelf to leave to Heaven.
Permitte Divis catera.
May it not look like a Diſtruſt of the Reader's Underſtanding, at leaſt
of his Attention, to deſire him to take particular Notice of this Expreſſion
and admirable Thought, 'Tis Folly to think that human Prudence can ſupply the
Part of Fortune ? Nay, not only Prudence, but Valour and Capacity, and all
kind of Merits united together in the higheſt degree, cannot ſupply this
Part ; for 'tis Fortune alone (to continue the Thought and Expreſſion of
Montagrie) that makes Prudence, and Valour, and Capacity, and Merit, ei-
ther act a great Part, or appear with Diſhonour upon the Stage of the
World.
eat and prin-
:)
(k) Fortune is an imperious Step-dame, that will i10t be brought to
Compliance, &c] Always, preſent yourſelf to Fortune at the Hogucitei
Places where the may be ſeen, which are the Court and the
Camp; and there let her diſpoſe of you as ſhe thinks fit. Be aſſiſtant to
yourſelves by your Care and Application, but wait patiently for her Or-
ders, otherwiſe
you
will have but bad Succeſs. I know by dear Experience,
that ſhe is a Miſtreſs, who only deſires the Affiduity of your Prefence; that
The
I12
Chap. .
The H E R 0.
ſhe will not be driven to any thing the lias no mind to, and that thoſe,
jyho have the Diſpenſation of her Favours, exped the ſame Submiſſion. In
vain, I remember, have I propos'd either to die, or to make ſome better
Advantage of her ; the thing is not yet done, my Life is continued in de
ſpight, and from her I have receiv'd but a very ſmall Share of Favours.
(1) There is another Part of Politick Knowledge, which conſiſts in diſtinguiſning
the Fortune of thoſe we have to contend with.] How many Generals of Armies
have never attended perhaps to this Maxim ? Courage, Skill, and Experi-
ence are Qualifications that are abſolutely neceſſary, but are they always
fufficient to gain a Victory ? When two Commanders with equal Force
(as we may ſuppoſe them) and the ſame military Virtues, meet and fight,
and one loſes the Day, to what muſt the Conqueror owe the Victory ? To
nothing perhaps but his own good Fortune, a Circumſtance, a Chance-
motion gave him the Advantage; nor was this the only critical Occaſion
wherein Fortune had declar'd for hiin ; and therefore his Adverfary ſhou'd
be appriz'd of this, in order to decline an Engagement with Skill and Dex-
tericy. But this Example of Soliman, that Gracian mentions, is a full De-
monſtration of this Maxim.
X
C HAP.
t
Chap. II.
N13
The HERTO.
}
over
AUTOT
23210 నేనూ
"; aidi
**
C H A P, XI.
1
VA:
+
1
co
E
That be. Joould know when to retreat before
Fortune leaves him..
077 Dzim jon 1911 jridiorit gror om?
VËRY Thing in the World may change its
Appearance, becauſe every Thing is capable
of Increaſe and Diminution ; and from this
Rule even Kingdoms, that ſeem the beſt Eſtabliſhed,
are not exeinpt. (a) It is the Part of every wiſe Man
therefore to prevent ſuch Déclenſions, as the For-
tune of Men, more than Governments, is liable to,
without waiting till a füąden Turn comes to give hiin
à fevere Demonſtratiòn of it.. (6) Adverſity is, as it
were, the natural Situation into which every one,
ſooner or later, and by one ineans or other, is ſure to
relapſe ; unleſs he takes care in time to cut off the Oc-
caſions of it. Proſperity (if we may call it foj is but
a tranſitory State, a kind of Game at Hazard, and
Q
he's
114
The H ER O. Chap. II:
he's the moſt expert Man at it, that knows how to
retreat when he is Winner.
V
(C) Is it not much better then to break with For-
tune at a conyenient Seaſon, than to ſtay until we are
beat down from the Top of the Wheel by an unfore-
feen Blow ? For Fortune can change in an inſtant,
and generally (d) ſhe retires with great Advantages
over thoſe ſhe once made Happy, leaving thein Mi-
ſeries proportionate to her Favours. For this reaſon,
ſome have thought her not unlike a wavering and un-
conſtant Woman ; and we find the Marquis of Ma-
rignan, upon the Matter of his Maſter Charles the
Fifth's Diſgrace before Mets, defining her fo. When
the Emperor was forced to raiſe the Siege of that
Place, which he reckon d an eaſy Conqueſt, as being
unprovided with every thing, he could not conceal
his Diſcontent froin Marignan; who, to divert him
with a Turn of Wit, faid, Sir, your Majeſty has per-
håps never confidered, that Fortune is of the Femi-
nine Gender; that ſhe has not only the Inconſtancy of
her own Sex, but has taken up the Humour likewiſe
we had in our former Years, when we loved none but
young People like ourſelves.
Theſe
Chap. II.
115
The H ER O.
Theſe Turns of Fortune however, in my Opinion,
are not ſo much like the Caprices of a fickle and in-
conſtant Woman, as they are the regular Changes of
a Providence that is inoſt equitable in all its Purpoſes.
Let a Man then live by this Principle, and learn to
be juſt to himſelf ; (e) Happy he may be to a certain
degree, but let him not preſume to be always fo.
The Hour of Adverſity will come, and cut down thoſe
Laurels, which he hath hitherto ſecured from the
Storin. A good Retreat in War is not leſs honour-
able than a bold Attack...
But a continued Courſe of Proſperity is ſo bewitch-
ing, that Men are always aſpiring at new Succelles,
and the more Glory they have attained, the more
they ſeem to covet ; like Perſons in a Dropſy, that
cannot quench their Thirſt, the more they drink, the
more they would ; nor have they Power to deny
theinſelves, though their utmoſt Intereſt be at
Stake.
1
(f) Charles the Fifth is a great Example of Mo-
deration, and Self-Government, in the inidſt of Glo:
ry. Fortune had raiſed him above the Heroes of his
Age, and he, in his Turn, raiſed himſelf above For-
tune by his Abdication ; diſmiſſing her, as it were,
Q?
to
+
116
The HERO. Chap. II.
to attend on Philip the Second, his Son and happy
Succeſſor. But on the contrary, there are innume-
rạble others, who, by their immoderate - Love for
Glory; have loſt the Reward of their Merits pur-
chaſed with the Price of their Blood and Sweat. The
glorious Beginnings of their noble Career have in-
toxicated, and blinded, and led them upon a Preci-
pice, for want of, knowing when, to ſtop in time, and
to ſecure their Reputation by a wiſe Retreat. How
coinmon a thing is it for, a Man in Proſperity, to de-
lude himſelf with the Iinmutability of Fortune! How
eaſily does he promiſe himſelf, that it will not termi-
nąte before his Life, and that his Life (whatever his
Age be) will, not end foon!
Vio
King Policrates, to make a Sacrifice of Fortune,
threw a Ring of great Value into the Sea, which the
Fiſherinen, as Luck would have it, found ſome time
after in the Body of a Fiſh, and carried it to the
King, not only to make their Court, but to get ſome-
thing of him likewiſe for a Jewel that was of no ſer-
vice to them. Policrates,--having expieſled his-Satis-
faction in thėlf Zeal, and given them à Reward for
their Trouble, fent them away'; 'but as ſoon as he was
alone, he iñade-a thouſand Reflections on foi fingular
an Adventure : He fancied that there was ſome great
Myſtery
!!!!!
2
Chap. II. The H ER Ö.
117
Myſtery in the Return of this Ring, and brought
himſelf to believe that it was a certain Pledge of For-
tüne's kind Acceptance of his Offering, and that from
thencefórward ſhe would be inviolably attached to
him. How empty a thing is the Mind of a weak
Man, when once it is over-růn with Ambition ! For
not imány Days after this märvellous Event, a terri-
blė: Diſgrace came, inſtead of this pretended Alliance
between him and Fortune ; and, to his no ſinall Coſt,
recovered him fróin his Illuſion. Why did that great
Captain, Belliſſäriüs, meet with a Fate, at laſt, inore
terrible than Death itſelf ? Why did one of the
brighteſt Stars of Spain fall at length into an igno-
minious Obſcurity ? 'Twas only becauſe of their ob-
ftinate Preſumption, and their fancying themſelves
inacceſſible to the Shafts of adverſe Fortune.
But (8) by. what Signs ſhall a Man know when the
proper Tiime is coming for him to put an End to his.
Succeſs with Honour ? No Man ever yet found out
the Art (if I may ſo call it) of feeling the Pulſe of
Fortune, -and diſcovering, by certain Symptoms, her
near approaching Indiſpoſition as to us.
Temper is ſo variable, that 'tis hard to fay juſtly. when
her: Kindineſs will be exhauſted : Shë has, however,
certain Marks and Indications, whereby a Man inay
ſuſpect
() Her
:
118
The H ERO. Chap. II.
ſuſpect that her Stay will not be long, and ſo, with-
out truſting her too far, meditate a Retreat. When
Proſperity is precipitate, and attended with repay'd
Succeſs, 'tis generally fufpicious and threatens a fud-
den Change : For Fortune moſt commonly reaf-
ſumes, in a ſhort time, the Abundance of thoſe
Riches that ſhe gives with a profuſe Hand. Another
Sign of our Proſperity's haſtening to an End, is the
long Continuance of it; for Fortune, as well as we,
grows old and weak, as it were, with Years, and there-
upon refuſes to ſupport us in our Elevation any lon-
ger, as in a Poſture that gives her too much Fa-
tigue.
As for (i) Adverſity, I ſhall only here, for the Con-
ſolation of the Miſerable, take notice, that it com-
monly borders upon Proſperity when it becomes ex-
treme; which looks, as if Fortune were as loth to
do too much Evil to foine, as too inuch Good to o-
thers. The Examples of ſuch Revolutions, and of
Perſons that have been raiſed from an Abyſs of Mi-
ſery to the higheſt Pitch of Happineſs, are innume-
rable. I ſhall only mention one.
Abul-Moro, Brother to the King of Grenada, was,
by the Order of his Soveraign, ſeized, and made Pri-
foner
Chap. II:
The H ER O.
119
foner of State, and to divert the Thoughts of his Con-
finement, uſed often to play.at Cheſs with the Officers,
that were of his Guard : As he was playing one day,
a Courier arrived and brought him the ſad Sentence
of his Death. Abul deſired of the Perſon, to whom
the Execution was committed, to grant him but two
Hours Life longer ; but the other thinking it too
much, allowed him no more than till the Game,
which was then well advanced, ſhould be concluded.
This finall Suſpenſion, however, was enough. Fortune
turned from black to white in Favour of Abul, and
before the Game was ended, a ſecond Courier came,
and brought him the News of both his Brothers ſud-
den Death, and of the unanimous Voice of the King-
dom, that called him to the Succeſſion, and had al-
ready proclaimed him lawful Heir. So that, in one
and the fame Day, Abul was taken out of the
Hands of an infamous Execution, and placed on a
Throne.
'Tis to be conſidered farther, that if the Miſerable
have a ſweeter Taſte of their new Felicity, than thoſe
that have never known Adverſity; the Happy have
a quicker Senſe of their Adverſity, than ſuch as ne-
ver felt it; and therefore the latter ſhould be
very
careful to prevent, by a wiſe Retreat, Misfortunes
that:
120
The H ERO, Chap, II.
that will compel them to have ſecourſe to it, when
the Time of their Repoſe and Glory is extinct. For-
tune, in ſhort, uſes Men as a Pirate does, waits till
the Veſſel be freighted with Merchandiſe, and then
ſeizes it:: For when we are loaded with Wealth and
Honours, ſhe then nicks the Time, and ſweeps all away
from us; and therefore the Advice is good, to make
the Port before the Storm ariſes.
17
"
Y
L.
..
REMARKS on Chap. XI.
1
That he fou'd know when to retreat before ::
Fortune leaves him.
di bis STJ rito!)
E that can boldly relinquiſli in good time, ſays Bruyere, .a great
HE
Name, great Authority or great Fortune, forces hiniſelf in an inſtant
fron much Trouble and Pains, and ſometimes from many Crimes; to which
I add, that he always faves himſelf much Uneaſineſs, which the unavoid-
able Change of his Fortune might bring upon him: For as the fanie Au-
thor has it in another Place, As Fortune or great Riches withdraw from
a Man, they leave the ridiculous Part of him expos’d. to View, which they
cover'd before from any one's Perception. Get out of the Light, ſays Mon-
tagie, and creep into the Shade for the time to come ; 'tis impoſſible for
you to leave your- Employnients, unleſs you quit the Fruit of them. For
this cauſė, lay aſide' your Solicitude for a Name and Glory; for there is
danger, that the Splendor of your former Actions may thine too bright
about
you,
and follow you, whether you will or no, into your Retreat.
Among
T!
Chap. II.
The H ER 0.
I 21
Among other Pleaſures therefore, bid adieu to that of Reputation and Ef-
teem ; and as for your Knowledge and Sufficiency, it will not loſe its ef-
feet in your Retreat, but there be ſafer and more under Guard.
(a) It is the part of a wiſe Man, to prevent ſuch Declenſions as the Fortune of
all Men are liable to.) If we quit the World in due time, ſays St. Evremond,
it will preſerve the idea of the Merit we had; but if we continue too long
in it, what we ſhall become will blot out the Remembrance of what we
Once were. 'Tis a Shame for a Man of Honour and good Senſe to ſtay
waiting at Court, when the End of his Services is become the End of his
Intereſt and Merit. Nature demands us back again to Liberty, when we
have nothing farther to expect from Fortune. This is what good Senſe
and Virtue and a Regard to our own Reputation requireth of us. As for
my felf, I ſhou'd rather chooſe to live in a Convent or Defart, than occa-
fion in thoſe that are ny Friends, Compaffion; and in thoſe that are not,
the malicious Pleaſure, of Raillery- 'Tis not enough for a Man to
know, that he is a&ually fallen, he ſhou'd be the firſt to perceive when he
is falling, and, like a wiſe Man, prevent the publick Knowledge of it.
(b) Adverſity is as it were the natural Situation, into which every one is ſure to
fall, unleſs he takes care in time to cut off the Occafions of it.] Great Riches,
ſays Bruyere, are the immediate Occaſions of Poverty; and with better Foun-
dation may I ſay, that great Proſperity is the immediate Occaſion of Ad-
verſity, as winning much at Play is a Means to loſe all; and as in Play,
fo in Proſperity, the only ſure way to prevent Ruin, is to go off while
we are ſafe.
A certain Courrier in the late Reign, that had given off the Thoughts of
Greatneſs, and was fallen in Love with Retirement, faid once to his
Friends, that it was happy living in any Society, where we take from
Fortune the Juriſdi&ion ſhe has over us.
'Tis to her we facrifice our
Happpineſs, our Repoſe, our Years, and ſometimes to no purpoſe ; but if
we happen to engage her Favour, we ſometimes pay down our Liberty,
and ſometimes our Lives for a ſhort Enjoyment of it. But our Greatneſs,
fuppoſe it ſhould continue as long as we, muſt certainly expire with us ;
and what becomes then of the Greatneſs of chofe choice Favourites, that
R
never
122
The H ER O. Chap. Ir.
never knew any Interruption in the Courſe of their Fortune. We ſeem
therefore, while we are acquiring ſo much Honour and amaſling ſo much
Wealth, to be only preparing for ourſelves the Torment of not knowing
how to leave, nor how to keep them.
() It is not much better to break with Fortune at a convenient Seaſon, than to be
beat down from the top of the Wheel by an unforeſeen Blow] The Marſhal
d'Ancre, notwithſtanding all the Policy of his Country, had not the Wif-
dom to retire when he had a very proper Time to do it. Upon his Depar-
ture from Florence, as the Hiſtorick and Politick Memoirs tell us, when one
of his Friends ask'd him, for what reaſon he went to France, his Anſwer
was, either to make my Fortune or die there ; and both chanc'd to prove true;
there he made his Fortune, and there he died. Had he not marry'd Leo-
kora Galigay, he had never made his Fortune in France ; and had he follow'd
her Counſel, which was to return into Italy, he had not died there. When
Chriſtiana of Lorrain, Great Dutcheſs of Tuſcany, gave him notice one day
by a Perſon in her Confidence, That ſhe wou'd adviſe him to ſteer cloſe:
by the Shore, for fear of the Tempeſt that threaten'd him, he ſent her
this Anſwer, That ſince he had the Wind fair, he wou'd ſet out to Sea,
and try how far Fortune cou'd carry a Favourite ; and he found it in.
a ſhort time, but then it was too late to ſave himſelf.
1
(d) Fortune retires, with great Advantages over thoſe she once made happy, leda
ving them Miſeries proportionate to her Favours.] Belliſarius, whoſe Name Grao
cian only mentions in this Chapter, is a famous Inſtance of this cruel Re-
verſe of Fortune. He was one of the greateſt Captains of his Time ; he
fupported the Glory of the Eaſtern Empire for above twenty Years, was
Conqueror in Perfia, in Africk, in Italy, and in every Place where the Ser-
vice of the State call'd him to wage War, and was faithful to his Sove-
raign to ſuch a degree, that he refus'd a Crown rather than violate his
Dury by accepting it. But while he was thus loaded with Riches and Ho-
nours, he was ſtop'd in his Courſe of Glory. The Emperor, that ow'd
every thing to him, took all he had from him, deſpoil'd him of his Wealth,
depriv'd tim of his Dignities, and had his Eyes moſt inhumanly put out :
So that this Great Mrn, for want of Suſtenance, was forc'd to beg Alms
4
in
Chap. II. The HERO.
123
in the Streets of Conſtantinople, where that ſame Emperor, nor many years
before, had decreed him the Honours of a Triumph. How happy foever
Belliſarius might have been before, yet how cou'd Fortune, to
pay
herſelf
back for her Favours, make a Man more miferable than this comes to ?
(e) Happy he may be to a certain degree, but let him not always preſume to be
fo, &c.] M. St. Evremond does this Paſlage of our Author's a great deal of
Honour, by the fine Deſcant he makes upon it. We ſhou'd have the Pow-
er to ſtop, ſays he, in our moſt favourable Enterprizes; the Torrent of Pro-
ſperity ſhou'd not carry us away againſt our Will. 'Tis ſometimes necef-
ſary not to puſh a Victory as far as we are able; a wiſe Retreat is no leſs
glorious than a couragious Attack; and there is no other way to ſecure
the Glory we have acquir’d, but by retiring from the World in duc
time.
(f) Charles V. is a great Example of Moderation and Self-Government in the
midst of Glory, &c.] I do not remember, that it was in the midſt of his
Glory, that Charles V. abdicated the Kingdom ; this I know, that it was
ſoon aftur his Diſgrace before Mets, which he never recover'd ; and there-
fore Gracian ſeems to have forgot the Fact, which he relates but one Page
before with all the Fidelity of an impartial Hiſtorian. We may however
very eaſily reconcile what he has wrote upon this Head, by ſaying no
more than what is true, viz. that one had bad Succeſs in War does not extin-
guiſh the Glory of ſeveral other brave Actions ; for there never was an
Hero yet, that did not experience fome Change of Fortune.
Lewis XIV. is recorded as a perfe& Pattern of Self-Government in the
midſt of Glory ; and the Author of the Political Teſament, upon an Occa-
ſion wherein very few Conquerors would have reſtrain'd their Ambition,
ſpeaks of him in theſe Terms. As Age added to your Majeſty new De-
grees of Experience and Knowledge, it added likewiſe a freſh Luſtre to
your Glory, by multiplying your Conqueſts; but this Charm, which was
enough to blind, at leaſt to captivate a couragious Youth, made no Impref-
fion upon you : Being always Maſter of yourſelf, amidſt the Acclamations
of all Europe, always diſpoſed to ſtop the Effuſion of Blood, and to accept
of the Return of ſuch as had offended you ; you lent a favourable Ear to
thoſe Pouyers that propoſed a Peace. This ready Compliance, which was
R2
expected
124
T'he H E R 0. Chap. II.
expected leſs from France than Spain, and this generous Renunciation of the
Conqueſts and Vi&ories that attended you, was a Subject of Admiration
to all Princes.
(8) By what Signs Mall a Man know, when the time is coming for him to put
an end to his Succeſſes with Honour ?] It is not ſo eaſy a Matter to give a
determinate Anſwer to this Queſtion. For ſome bad Succeſſes in War, the
Loſs of a Battle, or the Raiſing of a Seige, are no certain Arguments of
Fortune's going to deſert an Hero or General. The Fate of Arms is un-
certain, and Fortune fometimes crofles Conquerors, to give
Polit. Teſtam. them a better Reliſh for the Victories ſhe is preparing for
them. Extraordinary Accidents will happen, ſuch as it is in
no Man's Power to foreſee ; and therefore the moſt prudent Deſigns muſt
ſometimes be diſconcerted, and the moſt continued Courſe of Proſperity in-
terrupted by ſome Diſgraces ; but theſe ſhort Eclipſes of Fortune give a
Man no great Uneaſineſs, when he ſees her foon after looking favourably
upon him afreth.
Teftam.
Accordingly Gracian himſelf does not think that this fort of intermitting
Diſgraces are any Sign of a declining Fortune ; he gives us two othe» Indica-
tions, the Rapidity and long Continuance of our Succefles : Then, as lie
tells us, 'tis Wiſdom to think of ſtopping our Courſe, and retiring ; fur
both theſe kinds of Proſperity are ſuſpicious, and border upon a Change:
This is not all that he fays, and the Reaſons he brings are ſuch as are
founded upon the ordinary Courſe of things:
Charron, and after him Hoguette, ſeem to have treated this
Argument about Fortune in a different manner. I have a ve-
ry important Advice to give you, touching the Progreſs of your
Fortune, which is to hear the Counſel of your Friends ; but if it agrees
not with your Sentiments, when you are at Age to make choice of
your
own Ways, follow the Movement cf your own Inſtinct, eſpecially if you
perceive it violent. Our Deſigns are meaſur'd according as the Extent of
our Soul is, great or little ; 'twill be hard to meet with any that are of
our Gage, and conſequently proper for us to put in Execution : Another
Man's Meaſure will either be too long or too ſhort for us. For this rea-
fon we are all, we fee, wiſe enough in our own Affairs, provided we be
induſtrious
Chap. II.
The H ER O.
125
induſtrious, and have the Management of them according to our own No-
tions. The Diverſity of Age, Teniper, Condition, and Intereſt are ſo ma-
ny different Shadowings to the View we have of things, which, by their
Variety, hinder other Men's Sentiments from agreeing with 'ours, about
the Means that are proportionate to us.
Thoſe great Actions, continues the fame Author, whoſe Succeſs we ſee,
and which we look'd upon as Impoſſibilities before they were executed,
could "proceed from nothing elſe but the internal Impulſe of ſome particular
Spirit of Conduct, which engag’d the Man that did them, even contrary
to his own Reaſon, to undertake them ; otherwiſe they had never been
done- They could not proceed, I ſay, but from an Inſtinct and cer-
tain Foreſight, from a blind Obedience to the Impulſe of the Genius that
anſwer'd for the Event, from a particular Spirit of Underſtanding that
ſhew'd their Poſſibility, from an internal Precognizance of their Succeſs,
and a Forecaſt of Conduct that facilitated it.
Under all theſe different Names is this one Principle repreſented. But
not to examine, whether it is more ſafe than intelligible, to be a Rule for
our Conduct in this particular, I fee one great Advantage in admitting it,
and that is, to fix a Time for the future when an Hero ſhould take up a
Reſolution to retire : For when he finds that this Inſtinct, this Foreknowledge,
this Impulſe of Genius ceaſes to move him, he may thence learn to think of
a Retreat ; the Silence of this internal Voice, that conducted him before, is
now an Admonition for him to do ſo.
(h) Fortune is ſo variable, that 'tis hard to ſay juſtly when her Kindneſs will be
exhauſted.] This Exceſs and Extravagance of Kindneſs is well obferv'd by
Brugere. We cannot but obſerve, ſays he, in certain Families, what we
call the Caprice of Chance or the Sport of Fortune: "Tis not above an hun-
dred Years ago, ſince ſome Families were firſt talk'd of, or even in being :
Heaven on a ſudden ofens it felf. in their Favour, and at ſeveral times
ſhowers down upon them Riches, and Honours, and Dignities ; ſo that they
ſwim in Proſperity. Eumolpus, one of thoſe Men that never heard of their
Grandfathers, had a Father elevated ſo high, that every thing he deſir'd,
during the Courſe of a long Life, he attain'd, if it was attainable. Did
this proceed from an eminent Genius or profound Capacity, either in Fa-
cher
126
The H E R 0. Chap. II:
ther or Son? No: But from certain favourable Conjunctions only. Fora
tune at laſt ſmiles on them no longer ; ſhe is gone to ſpurt herſelf elfo-
where, and treats their Poſterity as ſhe did their Anceſtors.
(i) Adverſity commonly borders upon Proſperity, when it comes to be extreme.] It
is certain, ſays the Count de Bully, that the miſerable want nothing but to
live longer : For as we loſe at Play only for want of Money, ſo we continue
in Diſgrace only for want of Life. While I murmur'd againſt Perſecution,
I ſuffer'd as one condemn'd, and ſo inhanc'd my Misfortune by Impatience;
that I had died in Priſon, had I not, a Month before I came out, ſubmit-
ted myſelf to whatever it ſhou'd pleaſe God to do with me. And what God
was pleas'd to do, was to tauch the Heart of Lewis XIV, who at length
recall'd the Count from his Baniſhment.
j
1
RO
.
!
1
CHAP
Chap 12.
1 27
The H ERO.
1
}
టీవనం.
అనుమతులు
25
5. It
సవర
కారతలో
CH A P. XII.
E
That he Hould gain the Love of all the
World.
T
Alin
nyo pleaſe and gain the Underſtanding of ano-
ther, is not a Matter of much Importance,
unleſs we likewiſe captivate his Heart; but
'tis a great Point to know how to procure Eſteem and
Affection both at once: Several'Heroes by their great
Deeds acquire the People's Admiration, but are far.
from attracting their Love. What is properly the
Foundation of their Character, no doubt, contributes
very much to a general Affection; but, in the mean
time, there are certain Pains and Aſſiduities to be ta-
ken that avail much inore. i This, I own, is not ac-
cording to the Sentiments of thoſe that would have
Applauſe follow Merit alone, wherever it is found :
But with all due Deference to their fine Reaſoning, we
ſee every day that Merit which, tho' exactly equal in
both,
1
128
The I HERO Chap. I2.
both, pleaſes in this Perſon, but not in that; is ami-
able in one, and odious in the other. I muſt there-
fore be of Opinion ſtill, that it is an eſſential Qualifi-
cation of a great Man, to be well verſed in the Art
of inaking himſelf beloved; and that (a) to poſſeſs the
Endowments of an excellent Mind is not enough, un-
leſs he likewiſe knows how to diſplay the good Qua-
lities of his Heart; by this means, Love and E-
ſteem will both join together and both encreaſe
alike.
1
The Hero that knew, and perhaps beſt employ'd
the Means of gaining the Affections of the People,
was the famous Duke de Guiſe, whoſe Birth, and Me-
rit; and the Favour of his King raiſed him to an high
Degree, but:(6) he had a Rival, that was more Potent
than himſelf, to contend with the King; that I
mean, was Henry the Third, a Name fatal to ſeveral
Crowned Heads in Europé, for * there ſeems to be
fomething Happy, or Deſtructive, annext to the
Names of Princes as well as poorer People : But
however that be, Henry (in whoſe Affections the
* In the Genealogy of Princes there ſeems to be ſome Names fatal-
ly affected by them, as the Ptolomies by thoſe of Egypt. Mont.
Er
Duke
Chap 12
I 29
The H ERO,
i
Duke ſtood not ſo well as he did in the People's) ask-
ing thoſe about him, one day, what it was that
Guiſe did to charm and allure everyone's Heart; a
Courtier, that was more ſincere than politick (and
probably the only one in thoſe Days that was ſo) an-
ſwer'd him in theſe Terms. Sir, “the Duke de Guiſe
does good to all the World without exception, either
directly by himſelf, or indirectly by his Recommen-
dations. There is not a Wedding, but he goes to it;
not a Chriſtening, but he ſtands Godfather ; not a
Burial, where he does not aſſiſt : He is civil, cour-
teous, liberal ; has always ſome good to ſay of every
body, but never ſpeaks evil of any ; and this is the
reaſon that he reigns in Men's Hearts, as abſolutely
as your Majeſty does in your Kingdom. (c) Too -hap-
py an Hero, had he but known as well to pleaſe his
Mafter, as to gain the Love of the Subjects! for theſe
two things ſhou'd always go together. This Maxim
however did not agree with (d) Bajazet's Taſte, 'who
pretended, that to pleaſe the People was to diſpleaſe
him, and a fufficient reaſon for his harbouring juſt
Jealouſies of any one. Ottoman Politicks, that make
nothing of the Death or Diſgrace of a Vizier!
But the great Point of Perfection in this particu-
lar, is to make one's ſelf belov'd by God, by the
S
King,
1
130
The HERO.
Chap 12
King, and by all the World ; nor is there any Coin-
pariſon between the Three Graces that the Ancients
ſo much boaſt of, and theſe Three Advantages which
hold forth their Hand, as it were; to raiſe us to the
top of true Heroiſin. If any one of them however
inuſt be omitted, let it always be with Subordina-
tion ; ſo that the (e) Man chooſe rather to diſpleaſe his
Prince than his God, and the People than his Prince,
when there happens to be an Incompatibility: But
to return to the Affections of the People.
The moſt, infallible Charm to be beloved, is to
love : For (f) the common People, who are flow,
but violent in their Hatred againſt Great Men, are
quick and eaſy to be won into a Senſe of loving them.
The firſt. Motive: hereunto is a generous Affability;
for (8) all Hearts, as if they were inchanted, fly to
an Hero that is popular and courteous. It was this
that made the Emperor Titus be calld, The Delight
of all Mankind. One gracious Word from a. Supe-
rior is equivalent to a Service done by an Equal ;
and a Civility from a Prince is more valuable than
a Benefit froin a private Hand.
Don Alphonſo the Magnanimous was minded once:
for a moment, to forget that he was a King, and
alighted
---
Chap 12
The H ER O.
131
alighted from his Horſe to go and ſuccour a Peaſant
that was not well ; which Action, when it came to
be known in Gaeta, gain'd him a Conqueſt which
his Cannon, and Bombs, and beſt diſciplin’d Troops
cou'd not have done in many Days. By this means
he firſt enter'd into the People's Hearts, and then
into their City, where they receiv'd him with a
thouſand joyful Acclamations. Some angry Criticks
will not allow, that Don Alphonſo had any other
Merit than the univerſal Love of the People, which
he had a wonderful Art of procuring. But not to
enlarge upon his' other good Qualities, which all
reaſonable Men, that know any thing of the Matter,
muft allow him ; my only Anſwer is, that the Qua-
lity, which they grant he had, was at leaſt the hap-
pieſt of all, and I deſire no more to prove the Point
I am now upon.
But (1) there is another fort of Publick, leſs indeed
in its Number, but more conſiderable in its Value,
whoſe Affection the Hero muſt by no means neglect ;
and that is, the Body of (i) learned Men famous in their
Generation : For they are the Organs and Trumpets,
as it were, that Fame ſtands in need of to inake her
ſelf heard ; nor does ſhe ſpeak, eſpecially to Poſterity,
but according as they dictate. The Pencil inay draw
the
S2
132
The H ER 0, Chap 12.
the, Refeinblance of his Perſon, but'tis a Power re:
ſerv'd for their Pens, to l'epreſent the Hero's Mind.
For this reaſon, (k) that great Hungarian, Matthias
Corvin, ſays of Heroiſın, that it conſiſts more efpe-
cially in two Things ; firſt, in diſtinguiſhing one's ſelf
by Actions worthy of Immortality'; and then en-
gaging Pens, by Bounty and Liberality, to perpetu-
ate their Memory.
REMARKS on Chap. XII.
That he fou'd gain the Love of all the
World.
Orac. Man.
G
us,
RACIÄN, in another Place, has a Maxim, that ſhews
as it were in one point of View, the whole Subſtance of
this Chapter. 'Tis a great matter, ſays he, to be univerſally eſteem'd; but
to be univerſally belov'd is a much greater. To obtain this general Affec-
tion, a Man's:good Fortune contributes a great deal, but his Induſtry much
more; the one indeed but properly begins, and the other finiſhes the Work,
Great Qualities are not ſufficient to gain the Love of the People, tho’they
be neceſſary; and a favourable Prepoſſeſſion in the Mind often draws after
it a kind Diſpoſition in the Heart. "Tis by his eaſy manner and kind
Words, and good A&ions, that a Man makes himſelf belov'd : In a word,
he muſt love the People himſelf, and give Proofs that he does ſo, to gain
their Affe&ion. For Affability and Liberality in great Perſons have pow-
erful and irreſiſtible Charms : But thoſe, ihoin in Policy they ought to ca-
reſs and gratify above others, are the famous Writers of the Age ; for af-
3
ter
1
Chap: 12. The HERO.
133
ter they have diſtinguiſh'd themſelves by their great Exploits,. Virtues wor-
thy of Immortality, 'tis the Pen of illuſtrious Authors at laſt that conſe-
crates both to Eternity.
(a) To pobleſs the Endowments of an excellent Mind is not enough for an Hero,
unleſs he knows likewiſe bow to diſplay the good Qualities of his Heart.] The
Chevalier de Mere and Mi St. Evreno nd have compriz'd in one Term, what
they call Honneſteté, we Kindneſs and Civility, all the good Qualities of the
Mind and Heart that attract Admiration and Affection, and what they
have botli, ſaid upon this Subje&, wherein they agree as nearly as if they
had communicated their Thoughts to each other, I ſhall reduce to as few.
Words as poſſible.
All Men would be happy, ſays St. Evremond; but in order to be perfect-
ly fo, they ſhould endeavour to make others happy as well as themſelves.---
'Tis this right Managenient of his Happineſs both for himſelf and others,
which we call Kindneſs and Civility, that makes a Man eſteem'd and be-
lov'd. And to attain this Quality in any high degree, he muſt have an ex-
cellent Mind and a well diſpos'a Heart, and both conſenting and agreeing
in the ſame thing : By the Excellence of his Mind, he knows what is moſt
juſt and reaſonable for him to ſay and do ; and by the Goodneſs of his
Heart, he is always inclin'd to ſay and do what he knows to be ſo. When
theſe two Qualities meet in one. Perſon, how great, and equitable, and.
charming do they appear! The Man, that is poſſeſs'd of them, is kind, ,.
and courteous and beneficial, ſenſible of other People's Misfortunes, diſin-
tereſſed, circumfpe&, touch'd with true Merit ; ſenſible of others Faults,
but never blazing them ; civil, agreeable; good Company, &c. This is the
firſt Reſemblance to the Qualities, which Gracian makes neceſſary to merit
the Eſteem and Love of Mankind; and the ſecond, which I now. come to,
is not much unlike it.
If the Queſtion were, ſays the Chevalier de Mere, how to forin
a grcat King, ſo as to be belov'd and admir’d, and both make
Converf.
him happy and thoſe that live under him
One need only
make him a kind and civil Man, or at leaſt this will be a Quality of the
greateſt Importance Let us then conſider what this Kindneſs and Ci-
Vility is. Its firſt. Accoſt has nothing bright or, ſhining in it to dazzle or
furprize
134
The H E R 0. Chap 12
furprize us; but when we come to know it, it is a Charm, becauſe it ad-
apts it ſelf with ſo good a Grace to all it ſays, that in every thing it is
equally agreeable ; and by this means it comes to paſs, that it always plea-
fes us, which is one of its chiefeſt Characteriſticks': For true Agreeable-
neſs is not light and fuperficial, but has a large Fund of Virtue and good
Senſe, that ſpreads and diffuſes itſelf over every thing it ſays and does.
Kindneſs and Civility is not rigorous, but excuſes and pardons very eaſily,
and is always ready to relieve the miſerable Intereſt does not blind
its Eyes ; it has more Regard to Merit than Fortune, and knows the juſt
Value of Things "It ſeems to me likewiſe not to depend on Tine
and Place, but that the Perſon, who poſſeſſes it in his Cottage, wou'd noc
be without it if he were to live in all the Courts of the World. It is
ſometimes merry ; :but its "Gaiety, one may ſee, is only deſign'd to give
Pleaſure to thoſe that partake of it. Its Judgment is generally right, but it
is reſerv'd how it decides any thing ; it makes all that depend on it happy,
as far as its Fortune extends, and Words and A&ions are the two Things that
give it a 'Luſtre.
Would not one really believe by his manner of expreſſing himſelf, that
the 'Chevalier de Mere had had a Converſation with M St. Evremond, rather
than the Marſhal de C? For my part, I ſhould have fufpe&ted it, had not
the diſtance of the Place (M St Evremond being then at London, and the
Chevalier de Mere at Paris) determin'd me to the contrary; and therefore I
think it better to ſay, that they both drew from the ſame Fountain, than
10 accuſe either of Plagiariſm.
(1) He had a Rival, that was more Potent than himſelf, to contend with.]
Gracian indeed does not name this Rival ; but it was John Lewis de Nogaret,
a Favourite of Henry III, who was the firſt Duke of Epernon, and inveſted
with ſo many Honours and Dignities, that the Grandees of the Court us’d
to call him the King's Wardrobe. He was Peer and Admiral of France, firſt
Gentleman of the Bed-chamber, Colonel of the French Infantry, Governor
of Angoumois, Saintonge, Aunis, Rochelle, Boulon, Mellin, &c.
(c) Too happy an Hero, bad be but known how to pleaſe his Maſter, as well as
gain the Love of bis Subj: Ets ; for theſe two things ſhould always go together!] And
fo
Chap 1 2. The H ERO
135
60
ſo they did in Cardinal George d'Amboiſa, prime Miniſter to Lewis XI'.
This Cardinal was equally belov'd by France and his Maſter, becauſe he
lov'd them both alike. He was a Servant without Paſſion or Intereſt ;
a Favourite without Infolence or Cruelty ; who, in his abſolute Power,
preſerv'd the Dignity of the Lords, and the Liberty of the People both
" alike ; who never perverted the King's natural Goodneſs to any bad Pur-
poſes, nor made any Uſe of his Credit, but what tended to the Good
" of all Mankind ; who reduc'd the Nobility to proper Order, without
fubverting them ; and kept the People in due Submiſſion,
" without annoying them : A Prieſt with only one
* Bene-
the Archbiſhoprick
fice, and a Miniſter with Hands clear from Rapine and of Rouen.
Blood, an Heart void of Revenge, and a Mind free from
“ Jealouſy and Deceit. This is the Pi&ure that Mezeray gives us of that
Great Man. P. Daniel draws him much to the fame Advantage, and, like
an exact and impartial Hiſtorian;;
. vindicates him from the Imputation of
Want of Capacity, which Varillas, whoſe Merit lies chiefly in thinking diffe-
rently from other Men, cafts upon him.
* He had only
(d) Bajazet pretended, that to pleaſe the People was to diſpleaſe him, &c.] Ti-
berius, the cruel and unworthy Succeſſor of Auguſtus, out of a Spirit of bale:
Jealouſy and wrong Politicks, held the fame Maxim. The Credit: of Ger .
manicus, ſays St. Evremond, in app eaſing the Mutiny of the Legions, was
of ſingular Service to him, but what did not pleaſe him long. As ſoon as:.
the Danger was over, he began to conſider with himſelf, that he who could
appeaſe the Soldiery, might ſoon bring them over to his own Purpoſes and
Devotion. Germanicus was therefore Gainer by his Fidelity to Tiberius ; his
Moderation in refuſing the Empire was ſo far from being innocent, that:
he was thought culpable for having the Offer made him, and ſo many Ar-
tifices were employ'd to ruin hin, that at laſt he got rid of a Man, that
was willing to obey, tho' he deſerved to command. Thus died Germanicus,
ſo dear to the Romans in the Army, where he had leſs reaſon to fear the
Enemies of the Empire, than the Emperor himſelf whom he had ſerv'd fo
faithfully. Thus every weak and unrighteous Prince facrifices ſome great
Men or other for thoſe very Qualities, that are moſt neceſary for the Pre-
fervation
130
The H ER 0.
Chap 12.
fervation of the State ; whereas an able, juſt and gracious Soveraign che-
riſhes a Subject, that is poſſeſs'd of theſe Virtues, and who employs them
to gain the Love of the People, only to make his Maſter be more belov'd
and better ſerv'd.
(e) A Man Should chooſe rather to diſpleaſe bis Prince than his God, and the Peam
ple than his Prince, when there happens an Incompatibility.] Gracian does not
Carry the Matter too far, when he calls his Conduct true Heroiſm ; for
what Strength of Soul does it require, in Proſpect of doing one's Duty,
to reſolve and to dare to diſpleaſe one's Soveraign? I put the Caſe of a
Subject, whoſe Merit is extraordinary, and Advancement proportionate,
fallen under the unavoidable Neceſſity either of offending the Prince, or
tranſgreſſing againſt the King of Kings: What a Tryal, what a Combat is
this between the Courtier and the Chriſtian! An Hermit in his Cell may
not perhaps think that there is any ſuch Difficulty in the Vi&ory, becauſe
'tis an eaſy matter to defy every thing, while one is ſecure from Danger ;
but a Courtier, that ſees all things near at hand, his Fortune in danger,
and his Diſgrace approaching, ſtands certainly in need of an Heroick Vir-
tue, to prefer his Duty in defiance of all the Dangers it expoſes him to.
Tis this that makes true Heroes, and Men of a: different Stamp to thoſe
Slaves of Favour, who betray their own Conſcience, the Intereſt of the
State, and the Glory of their Prince, to flatter his Paffions and preſerve his
Good-will
. This notorious Wickedneſs is ſet off with great Energy in the
Character that Corneille draws of Photinus, chief Counſellor to Ptolomy; and
ſome of the Leſſons, which that Egyptian Machiavel gives that Prince, may
be. thus render'd in Engliſh.
Call not his Death a villanous Attempt.
Juſtice in Governments is out of Date,
A Virtue of no Use, but to enſlave
Superior Souls, and curb the Power of Kings;
Whoſe great Prerogative, if rightly known,
No Rival is to spare: A timorous Mind,
Haunted with righteous Scruples, is their Bane.
Wha
Chap 12 The HERO.
137
Who fears Injuſtice always lives in Fear ;
But he, who wou'd be great, inuſt break thro' all,
Virtue obſtructing' Meaſures inake his Scorn,
And Vice embrace, whene'er it ſerves his Türn.
The other part of Gracian's Inſtruction is, that we ſhould rather diſpleaſe the
People than the Prince.] My Son, ſays Hoguette, if you can ſubſiſt at Court,
have no other Maſter but the King, and engage your Fidelity no where
elſe, even tho it may happen ſometimes, that your Intereſt, contrary to
your Duty, may draw you to ſide with your Benefactor. But this is not allo
The ſame Author is for having the Preference, we are to give to the Prince,
to extend itſelf even to ſuch as have the Honour of being choſen by him to
affiſt him in the Government of the State. The King chooſes Miniſters,
fays, he, to help him to bear the Weight of the Government: They are the
Images of his Power,, which he makes and you are bound to reverence:
They have the Favour of their Prince, by reaſon of their Knowledge in
Counſel and Fidelity in Buſineſs; and are not ſo much Favourites, as Part-
ners in the Cares and Troubles of the State. The. Profitableneſs of their
Service, and the Eaſe which the King receives from thence, ſhou'd
engage
your Affe&tions to them, if you are a good Subje&.
He requires at laſt, that a Subje&t's Love for his Prince ſhou'd extend
itſelf even to the Perſon that is his Favourite. Take great heed, ſays he,
that you do not defpiſe the Favourite ; there is neither Profit, nor Safety,
nor Honeſty in fo doing; for ſince he is admitted to your Maſter's; Confi-
dence, you cannot, without deſtroying his Image in your Mind, refufe him
your Love and Reſpe&---- Fron what we feel in ourſelves we ought to
excuſe in him a Paſion, that is not extravagant but when it comes to be
abus'd---- Not' but that for theſe and ſeveral other Reaſons, it were to be
willi'd, that the Prince wou'd preſerve the ſame Equality in his Affection,
as he does in his Rank and Dignity towards all his Subjects, &c.
Whether Montagne ſpeaks properly or no upon this Subje&, I cannot tell ;
but we owe, ſays he, Subje&ion and Obedience to all Kings, for it is due
to their Office ; but our Eſteem and Affection is what only is due to their
Virtue. A Soldier; being ask'd by Nero why he wiſh'd him ill, anſwer'd
him to his Face in theſe Words, I lov'd and efteeni'd you, while you merited its
T
but
--
1
138
The H ERŐ
Chap 12
but ſince you are become a Parricide, an Incendiary, a Player and Coachman, I hate
you, as you deſerve. Kings however are Fathers to their People, and Chil-
dren ſhou'd always love their Parents, ler their Manners and Behaviour
be what it will.
(f) The common People are quick and enly to be won into a Senſe of loving Great
Men.] The Prejudice which common People have in favour of the Great,
ſays Bruyere, is ſo blind, and their fond Imitation of their Geſtures, their
Looks, the 'Tone of their Voice, their Behaviour and Manners ſo general,
that if they wou'd but prevail with themſelves to become good, they wou'd
in a manner idolize them.
(8) All Hearts, as if they were inchanted, fly to an Hero that is popular and
courteous.]' 'Tis in theſe Qualities that Bruyere in like manner diſcovers the
Lineaments of true Greatneſs, which, according to him, is free, complai-
fant, familiar and popular, that ſuffers it ſelf to be touch'd and handled;
lofés nothing by being view'd near at hand, but the more it is known, the
more it is admir'd. It ſtoops, out of Goodneſs, to its Inferiors, and returns
without Conſtraint to itſelf again: Sometimes it is negligent, and lays aſide
its Advantages, but never loſes the Power of reaſſuming them, and com=
manding Reverence ; for it-preſerves its · Dignity in the greateſt Liberty of
laughing, toying, and trifling, ſo that we approach it at once with Free-
dom and with Awe. Its Character is noble and human ; it inſpires Reſpect
and Aſſurance, and makes us look on Princes exalted to the height of
Greatneſs, without any mortifying Refle&tion on the Littleneſs of our own
Condition.
(1). There is another fort of Publick, viz. the Body of learned Men famous in
their Generation, which the Hero. muſt by no means neglect.] Gracian
Hom. Univerſ. in another Place gives us a ſhort Account of the Advantages,
that great Perſons reap fron the Affection that Men of Wit
and Learning have for them; but what he only began on that Subject,
Brugere has reaflum'd and finiſh'd. A Man in Poſt, ſays he, ought to love
his Prince, his Wife, his Children, and next to them, the Men of Wit. He
ought to adopt them, have them always by him, and never want them. He
cannot
+
Chap. I2. The H ERO.
132
cannot pay (I will not ſay, with too large Penſions and Benefits, but) with
too much. Familiarity and Careſſes, the Service they do him when he leaſt
thinks on it ? What little Rumours do they diſlipate! How many Stories do
they reduce to Fable and Fi&ion! How well do they underſtand to juſtify
ill Succeſs by good Intentions, and prove the Goodneſs of a Deſign and
Juſtneſs of Meaſures by a proſperous Event ; to demonſtrate, againſt Ma-
lice and Envy, that good Enterprizes proceed from good. Motives ; to put
favourable Conſtructions in wicked Appearances; to turn off little Defects;
repreſent only Virtues, and theſe too ſet in the beſt Light ; and ſpread on
a thouſand Occaſions advantageous Actions and Particulars. I know, 'tis
a Maxim with great Men to act on, and let People ſpeak as they think fit;
but I know alſo, that it happens very often, that their not caring how Peo-
ple ſpeaks of them puts them out of a Capacity of acting.
(i) Learned Men are the Organs, that Fame ſtands in need of to make herſelf
heard, nor does she Speak;. to:Pofterity eſpecially, but according as they di&tate.] Our
Author::in: theſe Words propoſes to great Men one of the moſt powerful
Motives to make them love Learning, and be kindly affection'd to ſuch as
are remarkable therein. There were indeed in the World, before your
Achilles's, your Alexanders, Cafars, Bourbons or Condes, Men of high Renown,
but their Names have never deſcended to us for want of Poets and Hi-
ſtorians to record their Glory, as Horace has expreſs’d, and our Tranſla
for render'd it with great Elegance.
Not only skilful Teucer knew
To dire&t Arrows from the bending rew,
Troy more than once did falls
Tho' hireling Gods rebuilt its nodding Wall,
Was Stenelus the only valiant lie,
A Subječt fit for laſting Poetry?
Was Hector that prodigious Man alone,
Who, to ſave others Lives, expos’d his own?
Was only be ſo brave to dare his Fate,
And be the Pillar of a tott'ring State ?
No. Others buried in Oblivion lie,
As Silent as their Grave,
Becauſe no Charitable Poet gave
Their well-deferved Immortality, &c.
But
>
.
140
Chap 12.
The H ER 0,
!
But as theſe Poets and Hiſtorians eternaliże Virtue, fo on the other
hand they perpetuate the Memory of Vice; for Titus will always be ac-
counted the: Delight of the whole World, while Nero ſhall be reckon'd the
Curſe and Deteſtation of it. Let'us, for the good Order of Government,
ſays Montagne, bear patiently with unworthy Princes, ſee their Vices and
conceal them ; but when the Commerce of Life is done, there is no reaſon
why we ſhou'd not be at liberty to expreſs our true Sentiments, nor any
Juſtice in refuſing good Subje&s the Glory of having ſerv'd a Maſter, whoſe
Imperfe&tions they were no Strangers to, with great Reverence, and defraud-
ing Pofterity of ſo uſeful an Example.
(k) That great Hungarian, Matthias Corvin, ſays, that Heroiſm confifts in two
things.] It is not known, what Extraction this Corvin was of; however his
extraordinary Merit diſpleas’d ſome Hungarian Lords to fuch a degree, that
upon King Ladifas's Acceſſion to the Throne, they had him caſt into Pri-
fon; but upon that Prince's Death, and the Lords diſagreeing among thema
felves, he was releas'd and choſen King of Hungary, which he govern'd with
wonderful Succeſs both at home and abroad.
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Chap 13
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The H ER O.
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A
CH A P. XIII.
That he loould have the Je ne ſais quoi
in him.
'T
HIS certain ſomething, which the French
call le Je ne ſais quoi, that is the Soul of all:
the other good Qualities requir'd in an Hero,
that gives Ornament to his Actions, Grace' to his
Words, and an unavoidable Charm to every thing
that comes from him, is as far above our Thoughts
as it is our Expreſſions ; for no Man ever yet did, or
ever will be able to comprehend it. 'Tis the Luſtre
of Brightneſs, which does not ſtrike us without it;
and the Agreeableneſs of Beauty, which does not
pleaſe us without it ; for it only can give the Caſt .
and Faſhion, as I may call it, to all the good Quali-
ties that do adorn us. In a word, 'tis the Perfection
of Perfection itſelf, and what communicates a Fla-
vour to every thing that is good or beautiful in us.
It
142
Chap 13
The HERO.
1
It diſcovers itſelf to us under certain Charms, that
we cannot explain tho' we are ſenſible of thein ;
(a) 'Tis a Collection of Parts, the whole of which is
very affecting and engaging, whether the Perſon be
ſpeaking or acting ; and to examine it a little nearer,
(b) it ſeems to be the Gift of Nature, independent
on Art, and what no Rules have hitherto taught us
to acquire.
1
:
1
The Deſire however of defining it, and the Impor-
fibility of ſucceeding therein, has put Men upon in-
venting different Names, according to the different
Impreſſion it makes on them. 'Tis at one time, ä
certain ſomething, fo majeſtick and great; at another,
ſomething ſo lovely and genteel ; in this caſe, 'tis a
certain ſomething ſo bold or fo gracious ; in that,
ſomething ſo lively or ſo ſoft ; and (c) every one in
fhort gives it an Appellation, according to the diffe-
rent Views it repreſents. (d) 'Tis a farther Property
of this Je ne ſais quoi, that ſome perceive it where
others do not; for it does not ſtrike all alike, but
therein differs, according to the Meaſure of their
Knowledge oř Manner of their Senſibility.
What I have hitherto ſaid relates to the Je ne ſais
quoi of what is fine and delicate, and uſually ſo im-
perceptible,
1
Chap 13
The HERO.
143
perceptible, that it eſcapes moſt Men's Obſervation.
What is more groſs is univerſally underſtood, and
makes an Impreſſion upon the Sentiment of the Vul-
gar, who are touch'd and affected with it, tho' they
feldom conſider the Reaſon why.
Some, I know, are of Opinion, that this Je ne ſais:
quoi is nothing elſe, but the Eaſineſs and Freedom of
a Perſon's outward Behaviour ; but to make the De-
finition juſt, they ſhould add a Je ne ſais quoi of Ea-
ſineſs, of Freedom, doc. and then they tell us na-
thing new, but leave the Thing as obſcure and unde-
fin'd as it was before : Beſides, that this is bounding
its Character, which extends to every thing, in like :
manner as the Sun ſheds its Influence upon, all the
Works of Nature. If the Sun were to refuſe its
kindly Warmth to the Earth, it would produce no.
Fruits; and (e) if a Man chances to want this Je ne:
ſais quoi; all his fine Qualities are dead and infipid ;
.
ſo that it is not ſo inuch.a Circumſtance, or any out-
ward Property, as it is in the Being and Eſſence of
the Thing itſelf..
If indeed it is the Agreeableneſs of Beauty, as I.
ſaid before, 'tis as much the Flegin that is proper to
Prudence, as it is the Martial Fire that ſuits with
Valour.;;
144
The H ER 0.
Chap 13
1
1
Valour ; for it goes along with them both. Thus,
for inſtance, we perceive in a Captain a Je ne ſais quoi
of lively Intrepidity, that inſpires his Soldiers with
Courage and Aſſurance. In like manner, (f) we per-
ceive in a Monarch, ſeated on his Throne, a Je ne ſais
quoi of auguſt Appearance, that ſtrikes us with an
awful Reſpect : The one is fprightly, the other ina-
jeſtick; but both inſeparable from the Perfection they
are intended to fignify ; in the one Cafe, the Dignity
proper for a King upon his Throne; and in the other,
the Valour fit for a Warrior in the Field of Battle.
It is not in the Power of (g) Words ſufficiently to
value the Je ne ſais quoi, that was the Character of
the ſteady Bravery of Ferdinand d Avalos Marquis of
Peſcaire, that Rival of Hercules who triumph'd fo
gloriouſly in the famous Battle of Pavia ; much leſs
čan they expreſs the Je ne ſais quoi of that French
Theſeus, Henry IV, which like a golden Thread drew
this Conqueror of his own Kingdom out of a more
intricate Labyrinth than Dedalus ever inade.
In a word, this Je ne ſais quoi, this certain fome-
thing, without wanting any thing itſelf, enters into
every thing to give it Worth and Value. It enters
into Politicks, into Learning, into Eloquence; into
3
Poetry,
+
Chap. 13
The H ERO.
145
Poetry, into Trade, and is equally found in the Con-
ditions of both high and low.
REMARKS on Chap. XIII.
That be fou'd have the Je ne ſais quoi
1
in him.
That
HETHER this certain ſomething, which the French call Je ne ſais
quoi, is a Subje& noble enough to be treated in a Book, that bears
the pompous Title of the Hero, is a Queſtion that was once ask'd me by a
Man of Wit, and may be made by many more. Gracian however, who has
more Concern in the Queſtion than I, muſt anſwer the Difficulty of it.
The Je ne ſais quoi, ſays he, is the Soul of all the other rare Qualities; the
Perfe&ion of Perfe&tion itſelf ; and the Reaſon he gives is this
theſe Qualities, how perfect foever we ſuppoſe them, do not ſtrike and af-
fect
US,
but are dead as it were and inſipid, without the Help of the Je ne
ſais quoi that belongs to them. And has a Subject of this nature no Rela-
tion and Concern with an Hero? We of the French Nation are apt to be
a little too haſty in our Judgments and Deciſions, whereas we ſhould accu-
ftum ourſelves, if poſſible, before we blame or commend any thing, to take
Leiſure and Pains to examine and conſider it well : For do not we every
day make uſe of the Je ne Jais quoi in what we perceive is ſublime whether
in Nature or Art, and cannot reach in our Thoughts and Expreſlions ? In
a word, every Language, as well as ours, cannot, without the Help of this
Je ne ſais quoi, expreſs what is great, or noble, or magnificent, or auguſt
,
or majeſtick, when it is in a certain degree of Perfection that raviſhes and
tranſports us.
(a) 'Tis a Colletion of Parts, the whole of which is very affecting and engaging,
whether the Perfon be Speaking or acting.] This Collection of Parts te meet
U
with
146
Chap 13
The HERO.
with in the Pi&ure that P. Bohours has drawn of Lewis the Great ; and I
produce it intire to give my Reader a Notion of our Author's Thought in
its full Extent. Thoſe that have the Honour to approach our Great Mo-
narch, ſays that Author, cannot but admire with what Elegance and Ju-
ſtice he expreſſes himſelf. That free and eaſy Air we have ſaid ſo much of,
enters into every thing he ſays : His Words are proper and well chofen,
but not far fetch'd : All his Expreſſions are plain and natural, but the Turn
he gives them is the fineſt and nobleſt in the World. In his moſt familiar
Diſcourſes there is not a Word comes from him but what is worthy of him,
and has ſomething of that Majeſty in it that accompanies him throughout.
He ads and ſpeaks always not only like a King, but like a wiſe and un-
derſtanding King, that on all Occaſions obſerves the Decorum which every
thing requires. There is not any thing about him, even to the Tone of his
Voice, but what has a certain Dignity in it, and ſomething inexpreſſibly
auguſt that creates Reſpect and Veneration. As he makes good senſe the
chief Rule of what he ſpeaks, he never ſays any thing but what is rational;
never any thing that is frivolous. This appears every day in the wiſe and
ſhort Anſwers that he gives both to his own Subjects and the Ambaſſadors
of Princes. He is, in ſhort, the ſame to the Age wherein he lives, that
Anguftus was to his; and among the other great Qualifications he has in
common with that renowned Emperor, he has the Advantage of
Tacit. Ann. being eloquent, as every Prince ſhou'd be, Auguſto prompta ac
profluens, quæ deceret principeni, eloquentia fuit.
Whether I am miſtaken or no I cannot tells; but methinks the
Nature of this Je ne ſais quoi in general, and ſuch as Graçian endeavours
to define it, is made more intelligible by this Character of Lewis XIV,
where every Line goes to make that whole, which pleaſes, which charms;
and well becomes a Prince, in the Opinion of Tacitus.
lib. 13.
+
(1) It seems to be the Gift of. Nature and independent on Art:]
1 Converf. The Chevalier de Mere has the fanie Sentiment about this Mat-
rer. A young Prince, ſays he, brought up under ſome kind of
People, falls inſenſibly into their Manners, and whatever he acquires this
way is thought to be natural, a Method of Inſtitution that Mou'd be made
uſe
3
I
Chap 13
The HERO
147
uſe of as much as poſſible. A little Art indeed may be neceſſary in the thing:
but what we are principally to aim at, is a certain Spirit and Vivacity of
Mind which Art cannot ſupply, and which he that wants, let his other Ac-
compliſhments be never fo great, will always have ſome unlucky Circum-
ſtance or other to ſpoil his beſt A&ions, i, e. when a Man wants this Je
se ſais quoi, he cannot take, tho' never fo well qualified in other reſpects.
(c) Every one gives it an Appellation according to the different Views it repreſents.]'.
The Chevalier de Mere, tho' he did not write particularly upon the Subject
as did P. Bohours, yet gives the Je ne ſais quoi more different Forms than
any
other of our Authors. I ſhall content myſelf with mentioning but a few,
that lie at no great diſtance from one another in his Converſations. A Man
ſhou'd take care not to be too flippant with his Wit, or ſeem always as in
a Diſpoſition to ſay ſinart things : There is a certain Eaſineſs of Converſa-
tion that becomes him much better * A Man Thou'd hide his Vanity,
or rather deſtroy it if he can; for tho' he endeavours to keep it ſecret,
yet there will Nill ſomething that diſpleaſes drop from him unawares
i fhou'd like a Man that has a certain Piquancy in him, and the Art of
ſporting and jeſting with others, without offending or diſcompoſing theme
I might have had even till now this Je ne ſais quoi of an Army upon me,
had not I taken great Care, and ſome Perſons done me the Favour to ap-
prize me of it
It would be well to accuſtom a young Prince to a
Certain Freedom and Humanity that makes great Monarchs be belov'd
It is to be wiſh'd, that ſuch as know what fits the eaſieſt and is beſt be-
coming, wou'd give a young Prince a certain Turn, that moſt Maſters have
not The Talent of Ability, as I underſtand it, and as I wou'd have
a young Prince poſſeſſed of it, conſiſts in a certain particular Genius, where-
by a Man is capable to make the beſt Uſe of what Knowledge and Power
he has If the People that are about our young Prince, have any Grace
in their Behaviour, he will at leaſt retain their Manner of Behaviour and
Expreſſion
This Grace conſiſts commonly in ſome things fo delicate,
that tho' we may perceive them, we cannot ſay poſitively what they are
As it is hard to ſay, what imperceptible Strokes, firſt begun in the Child's
Mind, diſpoſe its Inclination afterwards to Good or Evil; ſo it is to be
wiſh'd
U?
/
148
The HERO.
Chap 13
wiſhed, that young Princes were to have only ſuch Books read to them, as.
may give them the Idea, or at leaſt the Sentiment of Perfection.
gen.
(d) 'Tis a farther Property of this Je ne ſais quoi, that ſome perceive it where
others do not.] There is one thing that I can't but wonder at, ſays
Dial between P. Bohours, how it comes to paſs, that the Perſon, who pleaſes,
Arift. and E-
me perhaps, ſhould diſpleaſe you. You need not much wonder
at that, replies Ariſtus; for as there is an univerſal Je ne ſais.
quoi that touches all Men alike, ſo there is a particular one, that affects but
ſome ſort of People, and, like a Phantom, appears only in ſome places. All :
Men have a particular Je ne ſais quoi, which makes then pleaſe or diſpleaſe-
at firſt ſight, according as the Perſon is that ſees them ; and this is
proper
ly the Foundation of Sympathy and Antipathy. If the Matter be fo, fays,
Eugenius, 'tis wrong in us to condemn other People's Taſtes and Inclina-
tions, be they never ſo odd and extravagant, becauſe they are the Effects
of Nature, which we are all bound to follow. The Je ne ſais quoi, rc-.
plied Ariſtus, of what we call beautiful or ugly, occaſions in us an Inclina-.
tion or an Averſion, which neither our Will nor our Reafon have any Hand,
or Controul in. They are the firſt Movements within us, antecedent to..
Refle&ion and our Freedom of Thought, and tho' we may put a Stop to
their Progreſs, yet we cannot prevent their Riſing
- We hate, in ſhort,
or we love at firſt ſight, without the Mind's perceiving or the Heart's be.
ing ſenſible of it.
1bid.
(e) If a Mar chances to want this Je ne ſais quoi, all his fine
Qualities are dead and inſipid, &c.] Gracian has, furniſh'd P. Bom.
hours with the Text of Je ne ſais quoi ; and he, in Return, has:
made this Commentary upon it. The greateſt Merit, fays. Ariſtus, ſignifies,
nothing without this je ne ſais quoi, which of itſelf produces very great
Effeas. It avails a Man nothing to be handſome, gay, witty, and every
thing that pleaſes ; if he wants this Je ne ſais quoi, all theſe rare. Qualities
are dead, they do not ſtrike us nor make any Impreſſion upon us, they have.
no Charms, no Allurements in them, but, are like Hooks that cannot hold,
us,
Chap 3:
The HERO.
149
ys, and Arrows that have no Paints : But on the other hand, let a Man
be never fo defective both in Body in Mind, yet if he has but., this one
Advantage, he infallibly pleaſes, tho' we cannot tell how ; for the Je ne
fais quoi ſets off and embelliſhes all he ſays and does.
4
I
(f) We perceive in a Monarch, ſeated on his Throne, a certain
auguſt Appearance.] Perſons of an high Extraction, ſays P. Bo-
Ibid.
hours, have generally a fé ne ſais quoi of Nobleneſs and Gran-
deur in their Looks, which draws Refpe&t, and diſtinguiſhes them in the
Crowd. This Character of Greatneſs, which God has particularly imprefs’d.
upon the Forehead of Kings, is, in a more eſpecial manner, viſible in ours .
above all the. Nobles of his Court. There is a certain Air of Majeſty that :
diſcriminates him (even in his moſt airy and unguarded Diverſions) to
ſuch a degree, that thoſe who never ſaw him before need not enquire who
he is..
son
(8) Words are 10t fufficient, to expreſs the ſteady Bravery of Ferdinand d'A-
valos.] What Pi Daniel tells us of the. Marquis de Peſcaire, verifies the :
Commendation that Gracian gives him. Francis 1. having ſurrender'd him--
ſelf to the Viceroy at the Battle of Pavia, the Marquis de Peſcaire made
his Court to him in a manner that pleas'd' him ; for inſtead of coming to :
him, as ſeveral others did, in rich Habits, which were too viſibly the Spoils -
of ſeveral French Lords, "he made his Appearance in a plain Suit of black
Cloaths as if he had been in Mourning, to teſtify the Senſe of Sorrow he
had for his Misfortune, and the Complement he made him on that Occa-
fion was ſuitable to his Dreſs. The King embraced him ſeveral times,
made him ſit down, and diſcours'd with him of the great Actions he had
been told of him, and particularly his Conduct in tlie late Battle ; he gave ::
him all imaginable Marks of his Eſteem, and talk'd, with great Confidence .
in his Honour, of the bad Treatment he apprehended from the Emperor
who had him now in his Power. The Marquis us'd all the Arguments he.
could to comfort him, and added, that if the Emperor us'd' him ill, he :
wou'd tell him of it and to ſome purpoſe, intimating to the King, that he
had..
150
The H ER 0.
Chap 13
had Intereſt enough among the Imperial Party to make himſelf fear'd, if no
Regard was paid to his Remonſtrances. In all this Procedure of the Mar-
quis de Peſcaire, is there not ſomething grand that Gracian had good reaſon
to ſay was beyond Eſtimation ? And ſo the King ever after that had an
infinite Value and a very tender Love for the Marquis, as P. Daniel con-
cludes.
CHAP.
Chap 14 .
151
The HERO,
మీర సమీకటి
సోంతంలో
2925.acolor
కారులో లైంలో
95
CH A P. XIV.
That he ſhould have the natural Afcendant
in him.
T
}
NUNG HE natural Aſcendant is a Perfection fo hard
.
to be diſtinguiſh'd from others, that ſome
might be apt to think it a Chimera, did not.
our Reflections upon the Uſe of it ſhew it to be real.
Thofe that have conſider'd the thing, and are well
skill'd in the Knowledge of human Nature, obſerve
that (a) there is in ſome Perſons, even without the
Art of Perſwafion or any. Help of ſuperior. Authori-
ty, a certain Fund of Afcendency.. a ſecret Power of
ruling others, and a natural Soveraignty, that gives
Aflurance, gains. Reſpect, and procures Obedience.
Julius Ceſar, for inſtance, falls into the Hands of
fome Iſland-Pirates, who thereby becoine Maſters of
his Deſtiny ; but, at the ſame time that (6) he ſeems
left to their Diſcretion, he has them more under his
Controul
the me
*152
The H ER O.
Chap 14
Controul than they have him. They have him in
their Power, and yet they obey his Orders, and he
commands them with the ſame Freedom as if they
was his own People. Ceſar indeed upon the whole
is but a feign'd Priſoner, and in reality their Sove-
raign, when he reproves them with ſuch an Air of
Authority. And why ſo ? Even becauſe he had the
Character of Empire over the reſt of Mankind ſtampt
on his Forehead and born with him.
(c) Such a Man, as I am now painting and figuring
to myſelf, can do more with a Look or a Word, than
others can do with the Diſplay of all their Eloquence.
His Reaſons, when he ſpeaks, does not ſo much per-
ſwade' as ſubjugate Men's Underſtanding ; they are
expreſs’d with ſuch a Force and Boldneſs, as looks ra-
ther like giving Orders than offering Proofs ; and
(d) Mankind ſubinits to them, not ſo much from a
Senſe of Conviction as from the Power of that Ar-
cendent that bears them down : The Mind is over-
come without asking hów,' and the moſt reluctant
will be tyd down as it were with fecret and imper-
ceptible Bands.
There is a good deal of Similitude between this
Character, and that of a Lion, which is born with a
Superiority
Chap 14 The HERO. 153
Superiority over other Beaſts of the Field. By an
Inſtinct of Nature, they all know him to be their
King, and accordingly reſpect him, even before they
have made any Tryal of his Courage ; and in like
manner the Heroes, I am ſpeaking of, have Subinif-
fion and Obeyſance paid them, even before any one
knows their bottom, or what they can do; and eſpe-
cially if this natural Aſcendent be attended with a
large Underſtanding, the Man will want nothing
then to enable him to rule the greateſt Empire with
Glory. And upon this account. it ſeems requiſite,
that this Gift ſhou'd more eſpecially be the Quality
of ſuch, as by their Birth are placed upon Thrones.
(e) Ferdinand Alvares of Toledo was more Maſter of
the Army by this Aſcendent, than if he had been
their Soveraign without it; he rais'd himſelf indeed
to an high degree, but he was born to be a King,
and every the leaſt Word from him liad an Air of
natural Royalty in it, that cou'd not be reſiſted.
4
(f) There is indeed a great deal of Difference be-
tween this Perfection and a ſtudied Gravity or fierce
Imperiouſneſs, neither of which can contribute to a
Man's Advancement ; for the one does but tire us
with its Tediouſneſs, and the other, when alone and
without other Qualities to ſoften it, is always ſhock-
X
ing.
154
The HERO. Chap 14
ing. (8) There is however another Fault inore di-
rectly oppoſite to this Perfection, and that is an un-
reaſonable Diffidence of ourſelves, which Diffidence
betrays us into an exceſſive Timidity, and that Ti-
midity brings upon us Contempt; which puts me in
mind of a Maxim of Cato's, that a Man ought to
reſpect himſelf, i.e. reſpect his Reaſon ; that recom-
mends an honeft Boldneſs and forbids a ſervile Fear,
which is a kind of Licence and Periniffion for others
to have no Regard' and Conſideration for us.
i
R E MARKS on Chap. XIV.
That he fou'd have the natural Afcendent
in him.
(a) THE
HERE is in ſome Perſons, even without the Help of any ſuperior Aisa
thority, a certain Fund of Aſcendency that gives Alurance. ] · The
ſtrong Aſſurance of a vigorous Mind, ſays Montagne, cannot be repreſented
fully and naturally, but only by ſuch as are not to be frighten'd by the
Apprehenſions of Death, or the worſt Event that can befal them. It fhews
itſelf (when there is occaſion for it) with as much Gallantry, naked, as in
Armour'; in the Cabinet, as in the Camp ; and in Peace, as in War. Sci-
pio knew how to captivate Syphax, when he quitted his Army and left
Spain but newly conquer'd, and not yet perfe&ly ſettled, to go over into
Africa ; and with two Veſſels only, to truſt himſelf in an Enemy's Coun-
try, to the Power of a barbarous King, whoſe Faith he had not yet ex-
perienc'd,
1
1
Chap 14
The H ER O.
155
perienc'd; without any Promiſe or Hoftage, upon the fole Sccurity of the
Greatneſs and the Strength of his own Mind.
• (6) Julius Ceſar, being left to their Diſcretion, commiunds them with the.fatie
Freedom as if they were his own People.]: I may venture to compare one of
our Kings with Cefar, whoſe Circumſtances in both reſpects were equal to
his. Lewis IX, by a Diſorder that happen'd in his Army thro' the impru-
dent Zeal of one of his Officers, was made Priſoner, and his Perſon guarda
ed by Turks, not inferior in Cruelty and Fierceneſs to thoſe Inſulary Pi-
rates, that had got Ceſar in their Pofeſſion, beſides the mortal Hatred.that
Mahometans have to Christians; and yet, tho' the King was de-
fenceleſs, ſick and weak, he ſtill preſerv'd an Air of Govern- P. Dan. Hift.
ment and Majeſty, that kept a brutal People in awe, inſomuch of France.
that they themſelves ſaid, that while he was their Priſoner he
treated them as if they had been his Slaves:
.
1
(c) Such a Man, as I am 110w figuring to my self
, can do more with a Look
or a Word, than others can do with all their Eloquence.] Philip II, King of
Spain, had this. Aſcendent to fo high a degree, that he ſtruck three Lords
of his Court dead with ſome Words that he ſpoke on different Occaſions
with a Tone of Severity. The firſt of theſe was Cardinal Eſpinoſa, Mini-
fter of Spain, a Man equal to Richelier, but fierce and haughty, before
whom all the Grandees trembled, and who ſeem'd to command rather than
counſel his Malter ; yet one day receiving from him this ſhort Reprimand,
Cardinal, remember that I preſide in this Kingdom, he was ſtrück as it were
with a Thunderbolt, ſo that he retir’d from Court, and died for Grief
fome Days after. The ſecond was Don Antonio de Pedilla, Preſident of the
Counſel of Military Orders in Spain, to whom the King once ſaid with an
angry Air, Remember the Fault that you have committed ; and this Reproof fo
terrified him, that he not long after died with Fear. The third, whoſe
Name is not mention'd-in Hiſtory, was likewiſe a Miniſter
, to King Philip;
and he deſiring to know. a Secret that the other. had apparently, an Intereſt
to conceal, and perceiving how he diſſembled with him," ſaid, only theſe
Words: What ? Do jou lie to me at this rate ? Wheřeupon tlie Miniſter went
out from the King's Preſence, fell ſick of an Oppreſſion at his Heart, took
X2
his
156
The H E R.O." Chap 14.
his Bed, and never roſe out of it again. Theſe Facts, as ſingular as they
are, will appear leſs ſo, when we come to know perfe&ly King Philip's
Character, and how the moſt mighty Lords at Court were obliged on ſome
Occaſions to kneel when they ſpoke to him, on pretence, that even in that
Poſture they were ſtill as tall as he.
$
(d) Mankind ſubmits to them, not ſo much from a Senſe of Conviction, as from
the Power of that Aſcendent, that bears-them down, &c.] When the Legions
mutinied, and ſtood in Arms againſt Cefar, ſays Montagne, he only oppos'd
the Authority of his Countenance and the Severity, of his Words, and had
ſuch Confidence in himſelf, as 'not to be afraid to venture into the Throng
of a feditious and rebellious Army.
19
Meruitque timeri
Non inetuens.
The Deſcription that the Poet Lucan gives us of this bold Action of Ces
Sar's Mr. Roe has thus tranſlated.
Luc. lib. s. But.. Ceſar-form'd for Perils, hard and great,
Headlong to drive, and brave oppoſing Fate,
While yet with fierceſt Fires their Furies flame,
Secure, and ſcornful of the Danger came.
High on a turfy Bank the Chief was reard;
Fearleſs, and therefore worthy to be fear’d.
Around the Crowd he caſt an angry. Look,
And dreadful, thus with Indignation ſpoke.
• Te noiſy Herd! who, in so fierce a Strain,
Againſt your abſent Leader dare complain;
< You, who can loath the Glories of the Great,
. And poorly meditaté a baſe Retreat ;
Hencé ! hence!' begone from Vi&tory and me,
Leave me to what my better Fates decrees
:
ki,
jit
& Neries
Chap 14
The H ERO
157
1
}
« New Friends, new Troops my Fortune ſhall afford;
. And find an Hand for every vacant Sword.
* Can your vain Aid, can your departing Force
· With bold my Conqueft, or delay my Courſe ?'
* Legions ſhall come to end the bloodleſs War;
. And ſhouting follow my Triumphant Car;
While you, a vulgar, mean, abandon'd Race,
* Shall view my Honours with a downward Face,
. And curſe yourſelves in ſecret as we paſs.
· Nor is it worth my Care,
* Whether to Pompey's Aid your Arms you bare.
· Who quits his Leader, wherefoe'er he go
Flies like a Traitor, and becomes my Foe.
He Spake, and at th' imperious Sound diſmay:d,
* Thé trembling, unreſijting Crowd obey'd.
No more their late Equality they boaſt,
Bist bend beneath his Frown, a. ſuppliant Hoſt :
Singly ſecure, he ſtands confeſs'd their Lord,
And rules, in ſpiglot of him, the Soldier's Sword.
But before Ceſar's Time, Alexander did an A&tion even greater than this,
when the Macedonians were for deſerting him. The Fa& is ſufficiently known ::
I could not however well forbear relating it in the manner that we find it
in St. Evremond.
Go, Cowards, fays Alexander to them; go, Ingrates, and
". tell it in your Country, that you have left Alexander with his Friends,
contending for the Glory of Greece, among a People that obey me better
Of all the Paſſages of this Conqueror's Life, the Prince of
Conde admir'd none ſo much as this Boldneſs and Self-Confidence where-
with he addreſſes thefe Macedonians. Alexander, ' ſays he, forſook by his
own Countrymen, amidſt a barbarous People that were become ſubject
to him, found himſelf fo deſerving of Command, that he had not the
leaſt Apprehenſion of any one refuſing to obey him.' The great Conde
had, too juſt Notions of Heroiſm, not to induce us to be of his Opinion.
What
" than you.
:
izden
158
The HERO.
Chap 14
What he admir'd in Alexander proceeded from a Sentiment conſequent to
that Hero ; from a Sentiment that plainly ſhews us he wou'd have done
the ſame thing, had he been in the ſame Circumſtances. The Greatneſs
of Soul peculiar to Alexander conſiſted in this. That he never ſhew'd
more Command over himſelf and others both, than on Occaſions extraordi-
nary and extremely perillous ; and all the World knojys, that in this par-
ticular there was a perfect Reſemblance between him and the Prince. "The
natural Ardor of the Prince, ſays St. Evremond in another Place, made
thim be accounted raſh and impetuous, tho' no Man in the World had a
greater Command of himfelf in the Heat of Aaion than he; than he,
who at Lens, Friburg, Norlingen and Senef, had more Preſence of Mind per-
haps, than if he had been in his Cloſet. In a word, change but the Ages
in which theſe two Heroes liv'd, and the Prince wou'd have been Alexan-
der the Great, and Alexander the Great Conde.
(:4) Ferdinand Alvares of Toledo was more Maſter of the Army by this Afcen-
dent, than if he had been their Sovernign without it. He was in ſhort born to be
a King.] This Pidure of Ferdinand has a good deal of Likeneſs with what
we find in a Colle&ion of choice Poems concerning Lewis of Bourbon, Prince
of Conde.
E
i
:
To me a noble. Birth kind Heaven,
Equal to mighty Kings, has given,
And Nature has been very kind
A comely Body .to impart,
With Courage to inſpire my Heart,
With Faith and Conſtancy my Mind.
Of all the Heroes famd in Story
None can equallize my Glory,
None my Deeds and martial Skill, ,
And if I may not have a Crown,
To merit one is my Renown,
Let Fortune give it where ſhe will.
1
(f) There
Chap. I4.
159
The HERO.
(f) There is a great difference between this perfe&tion, and a ſtirdied Gravity
ar fierce Imperiouſneſs.] Theſe twò Characters of a falfe affected Afcendent
are not amiſs repreſented by Bruyere. N with his rude, unmannerly
Port, not unlike a Swiſs, with his Porch and his Antichamber, obliges Peo-
ple to wait and to dance Attendance upon him ; he appears at laſt with a
grave Mien and regular Step, hears them two or three Words, and ſends
them going, without conducting them to the Door or Mhewing them the
leaſt Civility. How little a Fellow foever he may appear elſewhere, at home
he will be thought a Perſon of ſome Conſideration. The other Character.
is more perfectly drawn.
Giton has a freſh Complexion, a full Face, a double Chin, a ſteady and
confident Look, large Shoulders, a full Cheſt, a firm and deliberate Pace ;.
he ſpeaks with Aſſurance, muſt have every Word repeated that is ſpoke to
him, and is but indifferently plcaſed with any thing. He diſplays a large
Handkerchief, 'blows his Noſe hard enough for every one to hear him,,
ſpits about the Room, ſneezes loud, ſleeps by Day and Night both very
foundly, and ſnores in Company. He takes up more Room than any one
elſe at Table or Walking, walks in the middle of his Equals; when he
ſtops, they ſtop; when he goes forward, they do the ſame ; all are govern’d
by his Motions. He interrupts the Perſon that is talking, but he muſt not
be interrupted let him talk as long as he. pleaſes. Every one is of his Opis
nion, and the News that he tells is always the trueſt. If he ſits down,
you ſee him throw himſelf into an Elbow-chair, croſs his Legs, wrinkle his
Brows, pull his Hat over his Eyes to fee no body; he then gets up again,
ſtruts about, looks big and confident, believes himſelf a great Wit and a.
great Genius :: He is rich.
(8) There is another more direčtly oppoſite to this perfection, which is an uza
reaſonable Diffidence of ourſelves, which betrays us into: Timidity, and Timidity
brings upon us Contempt.] When I was a young Man, ſays Montagne, there
happen'd a Mutiny in a great City, and the Governour coming to appeafe
the Tumult, undertook, by way of Lenity and Requeſt, rather than Severi-
ty and Remonſtrance, to pacify their Rage. A military Command however,
pronounced with a bold and reſolute Aſſurance, would have ſucceeded bet-
5
ter;
160
14?
The HERO.
Chap.
ter ; for Humanity and Compliance is not to be expected from that furi-
ous Monſter of a Mob : They will be ſooner brought to fear and reverence
you: The Governor having taken the Reſolution (which was raſh rather
than brave) of throwing himſelf naked and defenceleſs into the tempeſtuous
Sea of an inraged Multitude, ſhou'd have humour'd the Stream, and aded
his part accordingly; but inſtead of that, when he ſaw the Danger ap-
proaching him, his Noſe began to bleed, the flattering and ſubmiſſive Looks
he had aſſum'd became frighten’d, his voice and Eyes were in a Conſter-
nation, and, as he was attempting to make his Eſcape and ſip from them,
he enraged them fo with his Conduct, that they fell upon him and miſera-
bly murder'd him.
This Commander ſhou'd have behav'd with more Courage and Vigour,
ſays Montagne ; but what was his Misfortune, he wanted that Afcendent
which cannot be acquir’d, but is the Gift of Nature and not the Work of
Art. It ariſes from a ſecret Aflurance, which gives a Man the Character
of Authority, and makes others ſubmit to him they know not how, unleſs
it be in the manner that an Inferior does it to his natural Su-
perior ; as Gracian expreſſes it in another Place.
There is an Elevation that does not depend on Fortune. It
is an Air that diſtinguiſhes us, and ſeems to point us out for
great things which procures' us Reſpect and Deference among
other Men, and raiſes us to an higher degree above them, than either Pa-
rentage or Honours can do.
Orac. Man.
Mor, Ref.
CHAP.
Chap 15
161
The H ERO.
,,
Theater
at
Xos
ES
CH A P. XV.
GUR
+
That be should often be renewing his Re-
putation.
21
(a)
UR firſt Undertakings in any Art or My-
0
ſtery are, as it were, the Patterns we ex-
hibit to let the World know and judge of
the Compaſs of our Ability. If our Beginning be
but indifferent, the moſt ſurpriſing Progreſs after-
wards will hardly be enough to repair it; but if it
be very bad, all our Efforts, as the Proverb ſays,
will only be rowing againſt Wind and Tide. On the
contrary, (b) happy Beginnings are attended with a
double Advantage; for they not only ſet an high
Price on our Merit at firſt, but are likewiſe both a
Caution to us, and a Security to the Publick, for the
time to come. As to the Matter of Reputation,
the Publick is not apt to change in the Efteein it
is once prepofeſs’d of, much leſs is it apt to do ſo,
Y
in
162
The HÉR. Chap 15
in an Opinion that is not to our Advantage : So that
a bad Beginning forms a Prejudice in Men's Minds,
that uſually withſtands the Force of After-acts; it
is like a Cáncer that cannot be removed where once
it is fixt, or an inveterate Wound in the Reputation
that cannot eaſily be cur’d.
The firſt Eſſay that we inake in the World there-
fore. Thould have ſomething: in it that "deſerves Com-
inendation ; and becauſe it is to be the Deciſion, or
at leaſt a very ſtrong Preſumption of our Proceedings
afterwards, we ſhould always endeavour to diſtinguiſha
it by ſomething that will ſtrike the Imagination for
a cominon Succeſs can no more raiſe us to an extra-
ordinary Reputation, than the Strength of a Pigmy
can gain a Giant Honour. Since á good' Beginning
then is the Token and Earneſt of the Nature of our
Merit, (c) the firſt Efray of an Hero ſhould be the
Maſter-pieces of an ordinary Man.
As ſoon as ever (d) the illuſtrious Count de Fuentes
appear'd in the Race of Heroiſin, like the Sun, which
at firſt Riſing darts its Light all around, he gave the
World many glorious Marks of a great Warrior :
His firſt Enterpriſe was of itſelf enough both to be-
gin and finiſh another General's Courſe ; no Time
$
had
+
:.!
Chap: II. The H ERO 163
had he to acquire the Virtues, and learn the
Functions of a Soldier ; the Day that he put on his
Arinour, he became an old and experiencd Captain.
His Skill and Ability was not inferior to his Valour,
and therefore he undertook the Seige of Cambray,
contrary to the. Opinion of the principal Officers of
the Army, and carried it; by that Action giving
the World reaſon to know, and ſay of* hiin, that he
was an Hero before he was a Soldier. What a vaſt
Stock of Merit muſt he have, to anſwer ſo great an
Expeciation in an Enterpriſë
' that he took upon him-
félf the” Ëvent of!" Thoſe that have nothing to do,
but draw Schemes of Politicks, nay conceive at their
Eaſe great Deſigns, but it is not ſo with ſuch as are
intruſted with great Actions; for (e) the Difficulty of
their Execution is not to be perceivd," but by the
Knowledge of a thouſand Means that muſt inſtantly
be employ'd, and a thouſand Obſtacles that muſt be
ſurmounted ; which thoſe only, that are engaged in
the Action, can be proper Judges of.
However that be," I cannot forego my Principle,
that if a Man would be ſure to be an Hero, he muſt
begin with ſomething that is Grand. The Cedar
grows more in one Morning than the Hyſſop does in
a Year, becauſe at firſt ſetting it ſprouts 'with infi-
nitely
Y 2
1
164 The H E R 0.
Chap. 15.
nitely more Force than the other; and ſo we may
ſay of Reputation, that it grows ſoon to a great
height, when once its Beginnings are extraordinary.
When the Man's Merit has diſcover'd itſelf to a de-
gree of Heroiſin, Fame makes it ſoon be known, and
the Voice of Praiſe becomes general.
But it is not enough to begin gloriouſly, a Man
muſt perfift therein, and, inſtead of degenerating,
advance more and more in the Paths of Virtue and
Renown. Nero began his Reign like a Father of his
Country, but he continu'd and ended it like a Ty.
rant; and when the Extremities of Good and Evil,
of Glory and Shame, of Virtue and Vice thus ineet
in one and the ſame Perſon, he is accounted a Mon-
ſter, and condemn'd to the Scorn and Horror of all
Ages. But it is not perhaps leſs difficult to ſupport
a Reputation, than to raiſe it at firit. As it is of
the fame Nature with other things that are ſubject to
the Laws of Time, it decays by little and little, it
falls away and dies; and tho' Glory, when once ac-
quir’d, laſts a Man for ever, yet it is only when the
Man has not ſurviv'd his Glory,
3
It is therefore neceſſary to renew one's Reputa-
tion froin time to tiine, -i. at certain Intervals to
give
.
:
/
Chap. IS. The HERO.
165
give freſh Deinonſtrations of one's Merit : For Fame,
as to what is culpable or praiſe-worthy in us, does
not behave alike, but is very apt to be ſilent of our
good Actions, when we are too long in giving it a
freſh Occaſion to ſpeak of us. On the other hand, as
the moſt accompliſh'd Merit lofes a great deal by
ſhewing itſelf too frequently, the great Art and Dex-
terity is, when to fufpend, and when to re-exhibit
the Effects of it to the greateſt Advantage. This
wiſe Alternative of Repoſe and Action keeps up the
publick Eſteem, whereas Succeſſes that are continu'd,
or follow one another too cloſely, make little or no
Iinpreſſion. Does not the Sun change its Horizon ?
And yet its Abſence from one Part of the World
excites a Defire of ſeeing it again, whilſt its Return
into another is attended with Joy. The Ceſars left
Rome time after time to go and ſeek for Glory among
Strangers, and always return'd home crown’d with
freſh Laurels,
Re:
166
Chap 15.
The HERO
REMARKS on Chap. XV. .
That be foou'd often be renewing his Repu-
tation,
TH
HIS Chapter is divided into Two Heads; the former ſhews the Im-
portance of eſtabliſhing a Reputation well at firſt ; and the other,
the Neceſſity of ſupporting and increaſing it afterward. And
Teft. Polit. to take theni in a Politick View, they may from what M. de L:
ſays to Lewis XV. upon the Reduction of New France, receive
ſome Illuſtration. The Effect, ſays he, has anſwer'd your Expectation.
The French depend upon thoſe marvellous Actions, that have ſtruck their
Enemies with Aftoniſhment; and your Arms have got a Reputation in
that Country, that will not a little contribute to the Confirmation of your
Power.
This Phantom of Reputation is one of the greateſt Advantages in the
Government of a State, tho’ fome there are that make their Virtue confift
in a Contempt of this Smoke, as they call it, that is ſold in the World,
and bought ſo very dear. We muſt leave them to believe as they pleaſe;
but methinks their Point of Honour in this regard is not ſo conſiſtent with
good Policy, which always endeavours to have this enchanting Obje& march
before it, and to have it appear of a prodigious Size, in order to ſurpriſe
and aſtoniſh its Beholders ; for 'tis oftener the Force of this advantageous
Idea than any folid and fubftantial Reaſons, that ſupports and increaſes
the Reſpect of Kings within their Realms, and ſpreads the Terror of their
Name without.
But when this Charm upon Men's Minds is not barely the Effect of Pro-
judice, or produc'd by the Power of Taliſmans ; when there is a more re-
al Cauſe to influence its Operation, and Power and Prudence and Profpe-
rity are the effective Principles upon which a Prince's Reputation is elta-
bliſhid,
Chap. I. The HERO 167
.
blifh'd, there is nothing then that he may not promiſe himſelf, nothing that,
he may not aim at; for by the Alliſtance of theſe great Ideas, that tie
the Hands and Arms where they ſeize the Imagination, he is in á Condi-
tion to carry on his Projects as far as he pleaſes. He ſhould never there-
fore fail to make the beſt Uſe of the favourable Diſpoſitions, which Time
and good Fortune, as well as his own Merit, has taken care to form in
Men's Minds ; for theſc will contribute no leſs to his Advancement than
the Armies he has under his Command.
This Account gives us a clear Conception both of the End for which
a Prince ſhou'd at firſt endeavour to raiſe himſelf a great Reputation, and.
of the Means that will enable him both to ſuſtain and augment it:
Another
great
Miniſter treats of this Subject in a different manner. Re-
putation, ſays he, is the more neceſſary to Princes, ſince a Perſon, we
have a good Opinion of, can do more with his bare Name, than another
that is difeſteemid can do, with his Armies. They are oblig'd therefore
to value their Reputation above Life itſelf, and thou'd rather hazard their
Fortune or Grandeur, than ſuffer any. Breach to be made in it; it being
very certain, that the firſt Diminution thereof, how Night foever it may be,
is a Step of dangerous Conſequence towards their Ruin.
Upon this conſideration, I cannot but ſay with great Freedom, that
Princes ſhou'd never account any Profit advantageous to them, if it affects
their Honour in the leaſt; and that they are blind and inſenſible of their
true Intereſt, if ever they embrace any ſuch Overture. In ſhort, Hiſtory
informs us, that in all Times, and in all States, Princes, that had a great
Reputation, had always more Succeſs, more Forces, more Riches and alt:
other kind of Power, than ſuch as were inferior to them herein. As there-
fore they cannot be too jealous of their Reputation, thoſe that are about
them cannot be too careful to ſet off their perſonal good Qualities accord-
ing to their Deſert.
Thoſe that will order their Conduct according to the Rules and Princi-
ples laid down in this Teſtament, will certainly acquire a Name, which,
both in their Subje&s and their Neighbours Minds, will be of po ſmall
Weight and Conſideration, eſpecially if they be religious towards God and
true to their Promiſes, Conditions abſolutely neceſſary to any Prince's Re-
putation, inſomuch that he, who is deftitute of them, ſhall not be eſteem’d,
by
t
168
The HERO. Chap 15:
by any ; but he on the contrary that is poſſeſsid of them, ſhall have the
Reſpect and Reverence of all the World, and great Truſt and Confidence
placed in him --- I advance nothing upon the Subject but what is plain
and certain, and what every ſenſible Man's reaſoning will convince
him of.
(a) Our firſt Undertakings in any Art are, as it were, the Patterns we exhibit
to let the World know and judge of our Ability.] The Publick, which is always
equitable, and the only lawful Diſpoſer of a great Reputation, does not
diſtribute it blindly and at hap-hazard, but according to the Meaſure of
Merit and Truth. It is fo affected with the Admiration and Love of Vir-
tue, that it never refuſes its Praiſes, but where the Obſcurity of the Per-
ſon deprives him of it-And if at any time it happens, that the
Publick is too haſty in its Judgment and ſurpriz'd into a Miſtake, its Mif-
take never laſts long ; for being better inform'd by Men of Wiſdom and
Knowledge, whom it is always guided by, it ſoon recovers from its Error,
condemning what it had too lightly approv'd before, and approving what it
had too eaſily condemn'd : And hence it comes to pafs, that if a Man has
not always the Reputation that he merits, he feldom or never has what he
does not deſerve. Truth is the chief Foundation of publick Opinion ; We
ſeldom fee a Man generally efteem'd for a Talent or a Virtue that he has
not; and if, thro' Cabal or Intrigue, he has got himſelf that Character, it
feldom abides by him ; for all the World never conſpires to deceive ſome
particular Perſons, and he that attempts to deceive all the World will have
but bad Succeſs.
- Gracian differs from ſome Men's Opinion, when he makes the Publick the
Judge of Merit, and conſequently the Diſpenſer of a great Character and
Reputation ; and for this reaſon it is, that he prefers bright Qualities before
Such as make a leſs Figure. The latter, ſays he, how ſolid foever they be, are
after all but the Foundation of a ſecret and obfcure Merit, as it were,
which the Publick does not concern itſelf with. The Reputation, fit for an
Hero, of what Denomination foever, muſt be vaſt, extenſive, general and fit
to be tranfinitted to Pofterity ; which coſts fo much to acquire, that the
Number of true Heroes is very ſmall. Scarce any in the Art of War,
ſays Montagne, that deſerve to have their Names recorded, and their Me-
mories live in future Ages.
Do
1
Chap 15.
The H ER 0,
169
Do we think, ſays he, that for erery Gun we touch, and every Hazard
We run, there is inſtantly a Regiſter at hand, ready to inroll it ? Beſides,
an hundred Regiſters may record it, whoſe Commentaries will never laſt
three Days, and perhaps be never ſeen by any
It is not cuſtomary
to write Hiſtories about ſuch ſmall Matters as theſe A Man fhou'd
have the chief Hand in conquering an Empire, or a Kingdom ; he thou'd
win two and fifty pitch'd Battles, and always with an inferior Number, as
did Ceſar. Ten thouſand brave Companions, and ſeveral great Captains
died at his ſide valiantly and couragiouſly, whoſe Names continu'd no longer
than their Wives and Childern liv'd.
(b) Happy Beginnings are attended with a double Advantage ; they both ſet an
high Price on our Merit at firſt, and are a Caution to us, and Security to the Pub-
lick.] This Propoſition, which is generally thought true, is not altogether
receiv'd as ſuch by M. St. Evremond; eſpecially in what relates to the
- French Nation, and ſuch as therein diſtinguiſh themſelves for Learning.
Tho' the common Genius of the French, ſays he, ſeems to be but indiffe-
rent ; yet it is certain, that ſuch as diſtinguiſh themſelves among us, are
capable to produce very fine things ; but when they have done fo, we can-
- not have the Heart to eſteem them ; or if at any time we have done Juſtice
to any excellent Work, our Diſguſt or Fickleneſs will not ſuffer it long to
enjoy the Reputation that we then gave itI have ſeen Corneille loſe
his Credit, if it was poſſible for him to loſe it, when ſome of his beſt Pie-
ces were acting. Novelty has Charms that our Minds can hardly with-
iftand. The Merit, that we are accuſtom'd to, turns in time into an Habit
that we are not well pleas'd with The moſt valuable things, if they
have for a long while appear'd among us, do not make an Impreſſion as
they are good, but give us a Diſtafte as they are old. However, M. St.
Evremond acknowledges, that when the Influence of this fantaſtical Humour
- is expended, the ſame Men will come to be admir'd again by an happy, Re-
turn of our good Taſte
.
(c) The firſt Eſſays of an Hero fhou'd be the Maſter-pieces of an
ordinary Man.] Emilius receiv'd all thoſe Qualities at his Birth, Bruyere.
to which the greateſt Men do not arrive without abundance of
Z
Rules,
7
7
1
170
The H ER 0,
Chap 15.
*Rules, Study'or Application ; he had no more to do in his tender Years,
than to give himſelf up to the Conduct of his own Genius ; he did, he
acted ſeveral things before he knew them ; or rather, he knew thoſe things
which he had never been taught. Several Vi&ories that he gain'd were in
a manner the Plays and Diverſions of his Infancy ; and the Actions of his
Youth are enough to make a Life, attended with long Succeſſes and Expe-
rience, illuſtrious. All Occaſions of Conqueſt, which have ſince offer'd, he
has embraced, and his Virtue and Stars have created new Occaſions on
purpoſe for him ; admir'd for what he cou'd have done, as well as what
he had done ; and regarded as a Perſon that had a Soul of a ſuperior Or-
der, which by its Light and Knowledge ſaw farther than any other Man
cou'd do
1
(d) The illuſtrious Count de Fuentes no ſooner appear’d in the Race of Heroiſm,
but he gave many glorious Marks of a great Warrior.] 'Tis by the Example
df" this Spaniſh General that Gracian pretends to ſupport what he here ad-
vances, viz. That the firſt Elays of an Hero Mould be the Maſter-pieces of an
ordinary Man: The Character of the Count de Fuentes, and that of Emilius
-puts me in mind of a young French Hero, trying his Valour and military
Skill againſt this Spaniſh Hero, who was now become an old General, con-
ſummate in the Art of War, and more valiant than ever. What I mean
is 'the Battle of Rocroy, which Lewis of Bourbon Duke of Enguien, and after-
-wards Prince of Conde, won from the Spaniſh, when the Count de Fuentes
commanded the Infantry, which before that Day was always triumphant and
invincible. The Count de Fontaines, fays the Author of the Account of
Rocroy and Fribourg, was one of the firſt Captains of his Age; and tho' his
Illneſs obliged him to be carried in a Chair, yet he nevertheleſs gave Or-
ders c
every where
He received the Duke of Enguien with great Firm-
neſs, and ſuffer'd not his Men to fire until the French were within fifty
PacesHe repuls'd them twice, and their third Attack had ſucceed-
cd no better, had not the Corps de Reſerve joyn'd the Body that the Prince
headed. By which means the Spaniſh Infantry being ſurrounded on every
fide, gave way at laſt and asked Quarter The Count de Fontaines was
afterwards found dead in his Chair at the Head of his Troops, whoſe Loſs
the Spaniards" long-lamented, whoſe Courage the French commended, and
even
ET
Chap 15
. 154. The H E R: 0
1:71
even the Prince, ſaid, thaç. if he cou'd not have conquer'd, he wou'd liaye ;
wiſh'd to have died like him. Such are the Effays. of Bravery. and.Con-
dyct. that Gracian requires in a great Herą.
(e) The Difficulty of the Execution is not perceived but by, the Knowledge of a ,
thouſand Means that muſt be: employ’d, and a thouſand. Obſtacles. that. muſt.be Sur-,
mounted.] The Variety of Means happily employ'd, and the Diverſity of
Obſtacles skilfully furmounted, are what make up the, proper. Character of
M. de Turenne. He had, by his Reflections, got ſo perfect a Knowledge of
War, as to reduce even the very Hazards and Contingencies of it to an
Art and Method, and cou'd diſcover his Advantage in ſuch things as the
noſt expert Captains knew nothing of. He knew better than any one Ge-
neral to make the moſt of an Opportunity, to improve the Advantage of
a Battle, to ſecure himſelf by a wiſe, Reſolution where the Succeſs of an
Adventure was uncertain, to find a Remedy when he was in Dificulties,
to repair his Affairs when they ſeem d quite ruin'd, and to let an Enter-
priſe drop with all the Temper, and all the Patience neceſſary to execute it
with Succeſs. He never went out againſt an Enemy, without firſt obviating
their Deſign ; for by the Knowledge he had of what they ſhould do, he
could eaſily foretel what they would do againſt him. How-many Meaſures
has he broke, how many Proje&s defeated, how many Advantages obtain'd
only by his Penetration and Foreſight.!, And. how often has he anſwer'd for
Events, that were otherwiſe uncertain,, with the ſame Certainty, as if he
himſelf had laid the Plan! So that Troops under his Command always rec-
kon'd leſs upon their Number or their Valour, than they did upon their
General's Conduct.
This is but a Sketch of the Pi&ure of that General, whereof the great
Conde, when he went to take his poſt in Germany, was known to ſay, “I
could heartily wiſh to have only tivo Hours Diſcourſe with M. de Turenne's
“ Ghoſt, to receive from him the Knowledge he had of the Affairs of that
“ Country Words that are glorious for the preceding, and not unbeco-
ming the ſucceeding Hero ! The Idea however, that, from what has been
faid, we may have of the former, tho’ very ſlight and imperfect, is enough
to explain and demonſtrate Gracian's Propoſition, viz. That thoſe, that have
nothing to do but draw Schemes of Politicks in their Cloſets, conceive at
Z 2
their
172
The H E R 0. Chåp. Igor
their eaſe great Deſigns ; but it is not ſo with fuch, as are intruſted with
the Execution of great military A&ions.
The ſecond part of this Chapter ſeems likewiſe to make for theſe two
Heroes : It is not enough to begin gloriouſly
, a Man muſt perfift therein, and, inſtead
of degenerating, advance more and more in the Paths of Honour and Renown ;
for their high Credit and Reputation never fail'd : they ſupported it to the
very laſt ; their Glory ſurviv'd them, and will continue like that of Alexan.
der or Ceſar, whoſe Heroiſm they renew'd.
.
CHAP
Chap 16:
173
The H Ë R 0.
"
X
made
అN
900
కొN
&
C H A P. XVI.
That he ſhould have all good Qualities with
out Affe&tation.
NUR N Hero ſhou'd make himſelf as much as poſſi-
CA ble Maſter of all Virtues, of all Pefections and
good Qualities; but he ſhould not affect any.
(a) Affectation is certainly the Oppoſite of Grandeur,
becauſe in it there is always a Littleneſs of Spirit ;
whereas the other, for all its Plainneſs and Simplici-
ty, has ſomething elevated in it. (6) Affectation is a
kind of dumb Praiſe that a Man gives himſelf, but
People of good Senſe hear and underſtand him as well
as if he made his own Panegyrick never ſo loudly.
Now for a Man to praiſe himſelf, is a Way to get.no
great Commendation from others; and accordingly it
is an uſual and very juſt Puniſhment upon him, that is
highly ſatisfied with himſelf, to enjoy his Content-
ment alone, without any one to rival him in it, or
congratulate
1
.
The H ERO. Chap 16
174:
congratulate hiin upon it. The Reſult therefore is,
that the Virtue ſhould be in us, but the Praiſe come
from others, even tho the Subject of that. Praiſe be
never ſo juſt, or never ſo well, known.
Efteem is a free Sentiment of the Mind, which a
Man is always ſo jealous to keep in his own Poſlef-
fion, i that no: Art or Authority. can obtain it of him
when he does not think fit to beſtow it; tho' at other
times he ſaves us the Shaine and Trouble of requeſt.
ing it, and of his own accord gives it as liberally to
Merit, as he obſtinately refuſes it to the vain Shew
of it. So that to leſſen our Modeſty, and diſcover an
Eſteem for ourſelves, is the Way to make others
withdraw theirs, or at leaſt becoine filent in what is
really valuable and praiſe-worthy in us.
People that live at Court, your refin’d Wits and
unmerciful. Cenſurers, carry Matters againſt Affecta-
tion much“ farther.' All Perfection, that loves to
make too glaring an Appearance, ſay they, is 110
more than Grimace i; is but the Mask and Phantom
of a fictitious: Virtue, wherein Men act their Parts :
(c) A Judginent, in my Opinion, à little too ſevere !
eſpecially from Perſons that are always acting a Part,
and: feldom to be ſeen in their natural Colours..
However
Ghap:16
117.5
The HERO.
However this be ; of all ſorts of Affectation (which
are in a manner infinite): that which I think inoſt in-
curable, is the Affectation of Wiſdom; ' becauſe the
Diſeaſe is in the Remedy itfelf; and falls upon Reaſon,
which only could and ought to cure it, if it were any
where elſe. And if it be, a Weakneſs in Mind to af-
fect-good Qualities, (f) what a Follýand extravagant
Madneſs muſt it: be to affect ſuch Imperfections, and
Faults, and Vices as a Man has not ?
Sone there are, whó, notwithſtanding the Coin-
monneſs of an Affectation, are-fo ſenſible of its Folly
and Ridiculouſneſs, as to ſtrive to avoid it, and yet
- (as if this Defect were natural and inſeparable to. Hu-
manity) they generally run upon the Rock they
would avoid, în affecting not to affect at all. Nero
affected not to be a Diffembler ; and yet the very
- Pains he took to conceal himſelf diſclos'd his Tem-
per and Character, as cūnning as he was. The great-
eft Perfection of Art, we ſay, is to hide it; and ſo
the higheſt degree of Artifice is, by another more
fubtle and refin'd Artifice, to ſcreen it froin the
Obſervation of the World; but this could not be
done in fo ſuſpicious and diſcerning a Court as that
of Tiberius, tho' his Conduct was one eternal Leſſon
of Diffimulation.
5
To
176
Chap. io.
The HERO
To return. An Hero Thould have all good Quali-
ties united in him, without affecting any ;. for this
will give him a double Title to. Greatneſs, both as
his Merit is compleat and as he has the general E-
ſteem; as he is in reality an Hero, and as he is uni-
verſally reputed ſo: But Affectation on the contrary,
even in the leaſt degree; always mixes Faults and
Merits together, which is a. Damp upon our Idea,
and a Diminution of our Eſteem.
To conclude's What need has a great Man ofany
foreign Aid to procure the Régard that is due to his
Merit; when a certain Air of noble Simplicity, and
. Forgetfulneſs of his own Grandeur, will not fail to at-
tach the publicki Attention, ſince ſhutting his Eyes
upon hiinſelf is an infallible Way to open all the
World's upon hiin? This Conduct I cannot but call
a kind of Prodigy in the State of Heroiſin and Great-
- neſs; and if.there be any other; that ſuits, it better,
I own I know nothing of it. ,
a
1
13
+
: ;
4
***
..
!
1
..
1
3
RE
+
$
*
+
Chap 16.
177
4
The H ER O.
+
REMARKS on Chap. XVI. .
w
/
That he ſhou'd have all good Qualities with-
out Affectation.
(a) AFfeftation is certainly the oppoſite of Grandeur, becauſe in it there is al-
ways a Littleneſs of Spirit] Great Men, ſays the Author of the
Moral Reflections, are always liable to great Defaults; and I
may add, that
they are ſubject to little ones as much as other People, as he himſelf ſays
in another place. There is nothing, ſays he, that ſhould humble Perſons
deſerving great Commendations, more than their taking ſuch pains to make
themſelves valuable for little things. The Humiliation, according to him,
ought to be general in all ſuperior Merit ; for in all Profeſſions, as he goes
on, every one affeas a Mien and external Behaviour, according to what he
would have us believe him ; ſo that one may fay, as he concludes, that the
World is made of nothing but outward Appearances. Whether the World
be made of nothing but outward Appearances, or no; yet it is certain, that
Great.Men fall into' Affectation as well as the Vulgar, tho' it be a kind of
Contradiction to true Greatneſs. It was an Affectation, ſays Montagne,
founded upon an Opinion of his own Beauty, that made Alexander hold his
Head a little awry, Alcibiades ſpeak with a ſoft and effeminate Tone, and
Julius Ceſar be often ſcratching his Head with his Finger, which is the
Action of a Man full of Thought. To ſay nothing of thoſe Salutations,
and Bows and Complements, whereby Men falſely require the Honour of
being humble and courteous, for 'cis no uncommon thing to be humble out
of Vanity; I my ſelf am flippant enough of my Cap-Complements, eſpe-
cially in Summer-time, and meet with enough that retalliate them ; but I
could wiſh, that Princes were more ſparing and juſt Diſpenſers of their Fa-
yours, becauſe an indiſcreet Diſtribution of them takes away their Force.
Among
178
The H E R 0. Chap. 16.
Among other Inſtances of Affe&tion, we ſhould not forget the ſtiff Beha-
viour of the Emperor Conſtantius, who, when he appear'd in publick, held
his Head ſteady and upright, never turn’d it either to one ſide or t’other,
took no notice of thoſe that faluted him, but kept his. Body immovable,
even without humouring the Motion of his Coach, or daring to fpit, blow
his Nofe.or wipe his Face in Company Too good an Opinion of
one's ſelf ſeems to be the Origin of this ſtarch'd Behaviour, and 'tis with
Men of this Complexion that, in ſpight of my Teeth, I am forc'd to be
out of Patience.
&
(b) Affeftation is a kind of dumb Praiſe which a Man gives himſelf, but Peo-
ple. of good Senſe“ hear and' underſtand him as well as if he made his own Panegy-
rick never ſo loudly.] I cannot tell
, continues Montagne, whether I have any
ſecret Propenſion to this Vice; I can only ſwear, that it does not proceed
from any Eſteem I have for my felf. I value not my ſelf above my real
Worth; and if there is any vain Glory in me, it is infus’d fuperficially by
the Deceitfulneſs of my complexion, but has not any ſuch Subſtance in it
as to appear to the View of my Judgment : I may perhaps be ſprinkled,
as we may fay, but I certainly am not ſtain'd with it. As to the Produd
of ny Wit, ſuch as it is, I can truly fay, I never yet publiſh'd any thing
that pleas'd me; nor has the Approbation of others compenſated my Dif-
gut My Judgment, in what relates to my felf, is nice and difficult ; nor
have I ever yet produced any thing that cou'd fatisfy it.
If Montagne had no better Opinion of himſelf than this comes to, it was
no hard matter to anſwer his Doubt; he certainly was free from a Fault,
shat is founded upon Vanity and the Love
Vanity and the Love of Praiſe : For, as the ſame
Author' ſays in another Chapter, we do not matter fo much what we re-
ally are, as what we are in the Cognizance of the World: Even Wiſdom
itſelf ſeems of no Uſe, if none but we enjoy it, if it does not appear to
the View and Approbation of others ; and our Valour and Aativity are al-
ways valued according to the Figure they make : A very defeâive Eſtima-
tion! Bruyere is much of the fame Sentiment with Gracian and Montagne.
The firſt Men, ſays he, tho ſimple and plain, were great in themſelves, and
independent on a thouſand external things which are fince invented, to ſup-
ply perhaps that true Greatneſs which is now extinct.
(c) A
4
Chap. IS.
The IH E R 0. 1-729
(a) A Judgment a little too ſévére ! Eſpecially from Perſons that are almoſt al-
ways ačting a Part, and ſeldom appear in their natural Colours.] A true Pamphi-
tus, ſays Bruyere, is full of his own Merit, and keeps himſelf always in View;
never forgets the Idea: he has of his Grandeur, Alliances, Employments
and Quality; he jumbles them all together and confounds them, when he
endeavours to ſhew them to Advantage If at any time he ſmiles on
one of a lower Order' or a Man of Wit, he chooſes his Time ſo juſtly,
that he is never to be caught in the Fact; he wou'd bluſh to be unfortu-
nátely ſurpriz’d: in the leaſt Familiarity with a Perſon that is not rich,
powerful, a Prime Miniſter's Friend, Relation or Domeſtick: -
he ſees you in a Gallery, and Alies you ; the next day he finds you in ai
Place leſs publick, or, if publick, in the Company of a Great Man, he then
takes Courage, comes up to you, and ſays, Yeſterday you would not ſee me.
Sometimes he will leave you abruptly; · to join a' Noble Lòrdor: Prime
Commiſſioner ; and:-ſometimes; ifi he finds you with them, will jog and;
carry you'away Meet: him at another time, he will not ſtop you; you
muſt run and hollow ſo loud after him, as to give Sport to all that paſs by.
Thus the Pamphilus's live always as if they were on the Stage, People bred
ир
in Diſguiſe, who haté nothing more than to be natural;. real Dramatis .
Perfona, Floridors and Mandoris's.
One day
7
(d) The different kinds of Affectation are in: a manner infinite.] This Text
is too ſhort, and at the ſame time too inſtructive, not to have ſome Ex-
amples ſuitable to the Subject of it : I ſhall therefore produce ſome from
three Conditions of Life, that are moſt diſtinguiſh'd in their kind. Alexan-
der affected to be a Muſician, which his Father upbraided him with, and
there is an Anſwer of his Maſter's, whom he endeavour'd to ſurpaſs in
that Art, that, together with Alexander's Name, is tranſmitted to Po-
ſterity. The Gods forbid, Sir, that you ſhou'd understand this Science better than
I. Mithridates affected to be a Phyſician, and pretended to cure his Soldi-
ers better than all the Faculty inet together at that time could do. Even
Auguſtus, that Prince of ſo much Prudence, affected to be a Satyriſt, wit-
neſs his Verſes againſt Pollio ; and in this refpe& he was not
ſo great and generous as Lewis XIV, who forbad the Publica-
tion of a * Piece, wherein the Satyriſt of the Age had vindicated
his
*
Sonnet de B.
Аа 2
1 80
The HER.O. Chap 16.
they ſtudied to recommend. If the Perfection
his Maſter from ſome untoward Jeſts that were put upon him in the Court
of Vienna. 'Tis indeed too mean a thing for a Monarch to value himſelf
ypon Poetry, and Lewis XIV. was great in every thing he did ; for tho'
he once thought out of Complaiſance to have anſwer'd a Perfon, he was re-
folv'd to fee no more, in Verſe ; yet he employ'd one of his
Racide.
Subjects to do it for him, who was accounted to excel in that
Kind of Writing, which would have been beneath a Sove-
raign to have buſied himſelf about Nero affe&ted to be a Poet and Come-
dian both at once ; the Emperor. Adrian to be the ableſt Grammarian of his
Time:; and Dionyſius to be more eloquent than Plato, and a better Poet than
Philoxenes.
· I come to the Affectations of another Order, that of the Magiſtrate.
Does it at all become two Roman Conſuls, ſays Montagne, the ſupreme Ma-
giftrates of a Commonwealth that was Empreſs of the World, to employ
their Time in methodizing and compoſing a Letter genteelly, to gain the
Reputation of underſtanding their Mother-Tongue better than other Folks ?
What cou'd a Schoolmaſter do more, that gets his Livelihood by it? This
Eormality in writing ſavours too much of the Artiſt. If the A&ions of
Xenophon and Ceſar had not far ſurpaſs d. their Eloquence, I believe they had
never wrote any thing; for 'twas their Deeds;.cand not their::Words, that:
any Glory to a Perſon of great Renown, Scipio and Lelius wou'd certainly
not have reſign'd the Honour of their Comedies, and all the quaint and
delicate Expreſſions of the Latin Tongue to an African Slave. For that this.
Work was theirs, its Beauty and Excellence, as well as Terence's own Ac-
knowledgment, is a: ſufficient Argument, nor ſhall any diſpoſſeſs me of this
Belief.
St. Evremond, as well as Montagne, finds the fame Fault with the Roman
Conful. I love, ſays he, to find out in Cicero's Epiſtles, both his own and
thoſe Perſons of Quality's Character that he writes to. As for himſelf, he
capnor forego his Art of Rhetorick, but in every the leaſt Recommenda-
tion that he makes to his beſt Friends, he inſinuates himſelf. with as much
Art and Addreſs, as if he were going to gain the Conſent of a Perſon un-
known to him in the greateſt Affair of Life. Other Men's Letters have not
that fine Turn in then, bụt, in my opinion, they, have more good Senſe.
A third
!
Chap. IS.
The HERO
181
A third Rank of Men, diſtinguiſh'd in the Commonwealth, but equally
fubjeto Affectation, are your Men of Knowledge and polite Literature ;
and Bruyere has drawn their Character to the Life. Herillus, whether he
ſpeaks, harangues or writes, is continually citing: He brings in the Prince
of Philoſophers to tell you, that Wine will make you drunk; and the Roman
Orator, that Water qualifies it. When he diſcourſes of Morals, it is not he,
but the divine Plato that aſſures you Virtue is amiable, and Vice odious, and
that both of them will in time turn into an Habit; things the moſt common
and trivial, and which even himſelf is capable of thinking, he will own to
the Ancients, the Latins and Greeks,
·But after all, this Man, with his multitude of Citations, is but ridiculous;
whereas he, that pretends to polite Learning, and yet falls into Affe&tation-
and endeavours to make a Party therein, is a Perſon highly to be con-
demn'd : He is a publick Corrupter of good Taſte; and 'tis no Thanks to
him, that the French have not loſt the Glory of ſpeaking one of the fineſt
Tongues in Europe, even in the Opinion of Strangers themſelves, who think
it an Honour to know it. 'Tis an Happineſs, that the Court and City de-
ſpiſed this trifling Jargon almoſt as ſoon as it appear'd in ſome Works :
Their Contempt is a kind of Antidote againſt the Malady, which our Love
of Novelty might in a ſhort time make epidemical. There ſhould be ſome
legal Correction, ſays Montagne, for ſilly and triding Writers, as there is
for Vagabonds ; they ſhould be baniſh'd from the Hands of the People, I
the firſt, and an hundred more ſuch as I : Nor does he ſay this in Raillery;
for the Itch of Writing ſeems to be a Symptom of a diffolute Age.
e) That kind of Affe&tation, which I; nccount moſt incurable, is the Affe&tation
of Wiſdom.] Philip II. had this Fault, at leaſt on a certain Occaſion, that a-
Spaniſh Author reproaches him with. He complain'd that his Father kept
from him the Government and Revenue of the Kingdom of Naples and the-
Dutchy of Milan, which troubled Charles V. to ſuch a degree, that it ha-
ften'd his Renunciation : But then Philip put on an Air of Wiſdom and
Modeſty ; made ſome Difficulty of accepting his Father's coral Abdication ;
faid, that he only took upon him the Weight of the Crown to prolong his .
Days ; and that, had it not been for that Conſideration, he wou'd ſtill have
refus'd it, out of a Conviction of his Inſufficiency to bear ſo great a Bur-
den with Succeſs.
(f) What
182
Chap. 16.
The HERO.
(f). What a Folly is it to affect ſuch Imperfections, and Faults, and Vices as a
Man has not !] The Courtiers of Alexander went with their Necks awry,
becauſe he did ſo ; thoſe of Dionyſius look'd at every thing near, becauſe he
was ſhort-lighted; and ſome have pretended to be deaf, becauſe their Ma-
ſter was fo: And thus it comes to paſs, that there is nothing but Affecta-
tion in the World ; for the Great copy thcir Soveraign, and the Little are
the Apes of the Great. It looks, ſays the Author of the Moral Refle&tions,
as if Men had nor Faults enough of themſelves, they are ſo buſy to increaſe
their Number by ſome ſingular Qualities that they affect to appear in, and
are ſo diligent to improve them, that they become at laſt natural Faults,
and beyond their Ability to correct A Man is never fo ridiculous,
addeth he, by thoſe Qualities that are his own, as by thoſe that he affects
to have ; and therefore the Truth of our Author's Maxim ſhould prevail
with us to avoid all Affectation;
*
Amun
@ !
CH AP.
Chap. I7:
183
The HERO.
Sud
TOTISH TASUTATUD)
The
32
90
CH A P. XVII.
That he jould have Emulation in him.
M
(a) OST of the Primitive Heroes had no Po-
ſterity, or none at leaſt that did inherit
their Glory and Greatneſs of Soul : But if
they wanted that Happineſs, the Honour of having
ſo many fainous Imitators has made them ample
Ainends. It looks indeed, as if Heaven had purpoſe-
ly made them (not to leave Succeſſors in their Blood
and Merit, but) to be the common Models of all
the Heroes that were to come after them: For extra-
ordinary Men are like Books, wrote for the Conduct
of our Lives; they inuſt be read, and meditated, and
daily revolv'd, to know by what ways and means
they attain’d their End, which was Heroifin. (a) A
Man ſhould therefore propoſe to himſelf ſuch Per-
fons as are the inoſt famous in their Generation ; and
that not only to imitate, not only equallize, but even
if
184
T'he HERO. Chap. I7
if poflible to ſurpaſs them. The Valour of Achilles
was a noble Spur to the young Macedonian Hero;
and his glorious Deeds rais'd in his Heart an active
and jealous Impatience, to outſtrip him on the Race
of Fame. Alexander was known to weep upon hear-
ing the great Actions of Achilles ; but it was not
Achilles dead in his Tomb that he bewaild, it was
himſelf, who had been ſo long idle, and not yet be-
gun-the glorious Courſe of the Conqueror of the
Trojans.
What Achilles was to Alexander, the ſame was
Alexander afterwards to Ceſar. The wonderful Ex-
ploits of the Macedonian inſpir'd the Roman with a
generous Ambition to become his Rival; and he
carried his Conqueſts to ſuch an Height, that to this
very day Fame has given an equal Suffrage, and re-
mains undetermind which was the greateſt Hero ;
for if Alexander had all the Eaſt, Cefar had all the
Weft for the Theatre of his great Actions. Don
Alphonfo the Magnanimous; King of Arragon and
Staples, us’d to ſay that Drums and Trumpets did
not more enliven a Warlike Horſe, than the Fame of
Ceſar kindled in his Heart a Martial Fire; ſo that it
is by Emulation that Heroes ſucceed to Glory, and
by Glory to Immortality.
In
Chap. I7.
185
The HERO
In every Profeſſion, and in all Arts and Sciences,
we ſee daily fome Men that make a Figure and
ſhine, while others are buried in Obſcurity : The lat-
ter are like the Antipodes of Merit, but the former
are ſet up as ſo mnany Lights to fhew us the Way
to arrive at it. By what Steps we are to do this,
'tis the Buſineſs of every wiſe Man to diſcern ; and
to this purpoſe he ſhould always have ready in his
Mind the Hiſtory of thoſe great Men, whoſe Con-
dition of Life he finds himſelf deftin'd for. Plus
tarch, in his Parallels, gives us a kind of Catalogue
of the antient Heroes; and Paul Jovius, in his Elo-
gies, does the fame of the Moderns; but both are
defective in point of Extent and Criticiſm, tho' who
fhall dare to attempt to ſupply them. This cannot
be done with Succeſs, but by ſome Perſon that has a
ſuperior Genius ; for if it be no eaſy Matter to place
great Men in their proper Order and according to the
Epoch of the Time wherein they liv'd, (d) what a diffi-
cult Work muſt it be, to give every one his juft Cha-
racter,and to aſſign the exact Difference between them
according to the Variety and Degree of their Merit ?
But not to trouble our ſelves with enquiring for
different Pictures of Heroifin, there is one, that in
Bb
every
186
Chap 17:
The HERO.
every Line has ſome eminent Quality or other,
which of itſelf will ſuffice for all. Spain will eaſily
perceive, that I mean Philip IV, who in his Perſon
exhibits all the Perfections that are divided among
many others; a Model whereby a Man may form
himſelf into a perfect Monarch ; a Prince, that is
liappy in his Enterprizes; an Hero in War, wife and
regular in his private Life, firon and couragious in
the Faith; amiable in his Behaviour ; acceſſible to
the loweſt of his Subjects ; in a word, a great Mai
in every thing.
REMARKS on Chap. XVII.
That he fou'd have Emulation in him. .
GR
Racian, in my opinion, had not done amiſs if he had given us a Defi-
nition of Emulation, and ſo aſcertain'd a Principle whereby we might
better judge of its Effects. Emulation is a Virtue that makes us diſpute
Glory with Great Men, and if poſſible excel them : But this noble and com-
mendable Paſſion will appear in a fairer Light, if we place it by its con-
trary. Jealouſy and Emulation operate on the ſame Object, i, e. another
Man's Merit; with this difference, that the latter is a Sentiment voluntary,
bold, ſincere ; which renders the Soul fruitful, and profits by great Exam-
ples ſo far, as often to excel what it admires: The former, on the con-
trary, is a violent Motion and forc'd Confeſſion of the Merit it does not
poſſeſs, which goes fo far as even to deny the Virtue of the Objects where
it exiſts ; or, if it is compellid to confeſs it, refuſes to commend, or envies
its
Chap. I7:
The HERO. 187
its Reward: A barren Pallion it is ! that leaves a Man in the ſame State
wherein he found him ; fills him with high Ideas of himſelf and his Reputa-
tion, and makes him croſs and fullen to another Man's Aations and Works ;
makes him aſtoniſh'd to ſee any Qualifications in the World better than
his own, or other Men enjoy Talents that he values himſelf upon : A ſhame-
ful Vice! which grows by its Exceſs to Vanity and Preſumption, and does
not ſo much perſwade him, that is infected with it, that he has more Senſe
and Merit than others, but even makes him believe that he is the only Man
of Senſe and Merit in the World.
As to the Principle of Emulation, it ariſes from the Love of Glory; and
'tis this Love of Glory, as a famous Academick tells us, which has preſerv'd
even till our Days the good Taſte of former Ages ; and which is ſo much
the more neceſſary to Mankind, in that it is the only Counterpoiſe that
Nature has given them to ſet againſt their propenſion to Idleneſs and Plea-
ſure, and to draw them on to Labour and Application. Emulation is no-
thing elſe but an ardent Paſſion to equal or rather excel another in his Vir-
tues and Accompliſhments ; but what can kindle this ardent Paſſion in our
Minds, except the Hope of partaking of the Glory, wherewith thoſe are in-
veſted that diſtinguiſh themſelves for their Virtues and Accompliſh-
ments ?
As ſoon as Nature begins to untie the Tongue of a Man, it puts forth
fome Buds of this Sentiment that it has planted in his Heart, and the live-
lier it is the more it diſcovers itſelf in the Child, and gives thoſe, that are
inſtructed with the Care of its Education, the better Hopes for their Suc-
ceſs; and for this reaſon Quintilian, who had ſpent ſo many Thoughts
about the beſt manner of educating Youth, and given us ſo good Rules for
that purpoſe, does not ſtick to tell us, “ Give me but a Child that is fen-
« fible of Praiſe and touch'd with Glory, and that will cry at the Shame of
being outdone, and I'll keep him to his Buſineſs by Emulation ; Reproof
« will afflict, and Honour will encourage him, and I ſhall not fear but to
cure him of his Idleneſs. And for the ſame reafon it is, that he
gives the Preference to the Inſtru&ion of publick Schools above any private
Education.
Bь 2
(a) Most
..
188
Chap. I7
The H ERO.
(a) Moſt of the Primitive Heroes had no Poſterity, but the Honour of having so
many famous Imitators has made them ample Amends.] One needs only open Hi-
ſtory, continues our illuſtrious Academick, to know for how many virtuous
Adions Mankind has been beholden to Emulation. 'Tis this that multiplies
great Men, and makes Virtue in ſome fort fruitful. Hercules made a The-
Seus, Miltiades a Themiſtocles, Codrus a Meneces, Brutus a Scevola and Decii, Tin
tus a Trajan and Antoninus : We owe a Virgil to Homer, a Cicero to Demos-
thenes, a Livy to Herodotus and Thucydides, an Horace to Pindar, and fo of all
the other great Perſonages whoſe Virtues and Qualifications have made them
famous in Antiquity.
1
(6) A Man Shou'd propoſe to himſelf ſuch Perſons as are moſt famous in their
Generations, and that not only to imitate, but even if poſible to ſurpaſs themn.] The
Chevalier de Mere will not agree to this Maxim, which has in all things been
taught, and approv'd, and put in practice with great Succeſs. Emulation,
ſays he, but badly becomes an Hero, he means a martial Hero ; and ſo it
badly becomes Alexander to be the Emulator of Achilles, Cefar of Alexander,
and the great Conde and Turenne of the furmer ; in a word, all the Conque-
rors of former Ages to have imitated, equall'd, and ſometimes excell’d their
Predeceſſors by an Emulation that their Example inſpir’d; and the Reaſon
he gives for this poſition is, That Heroes ſhould be brave from the mere Motions
of their own Breaſts, without reflecting on other Men's Aétions. But does a Man
ceaſe to be brave from the mere Motions of his own Breaſt, when by think-
ing upon the great Adions of Heroes, he finds himſelf urged by a noble
Emulation to reſemble them? On the contrary, none but true Heroes are ac-
cuſtom'd to have theſe high Sentiments : The common People can admire
Heroick A&ions, but in them the Sentiment produces nothing, and why ?
Becauſe they have not a Fund of Valour to make them aſpire at ſuch things;
whereas the Bravery of one Hero takes only its Obſervation from another's,
that ſuch is the Road that leads to Glory. But is a Man therefore an Hero
becauſe he is brave ? A Brute of a Man may be brave, and even from the
mere Motions of his Breaſt, and therefore there muſt be other great Qua-
lities beſides to conſtitute an Hero ; for which reaſon Gracian ſays, that
Men are like Books wrote for the Conduet of our Lives; they muſt be read, and me-
ditated,
Chap 17:
The H ER 0. 189
ditated, and daily revolu'd, to know by what ways and means one may attain Hem
roiſm, which was their End.
(c) Plutarch is defe&tive in point of Criticiſm.] Plutarch no doubt, ſays Mona
tagne, remember'd very well the Nature of the Province he had undertaken ;
and therefore he inforins us not ſo much of the Date of the Ruin of Carthage,
as the Manners of Hannibal and Scipio ; nor does he ſo much tell us, where
Marcellus died, as why his Duty to his Prince deferv'd a better Fate than
to die where he did ; for his Buſineſs is not ſo much to teach us Hiſtories,
as how to judge of them. He has indeed a great many long Speeches,
wherein he ſhews himſelf a great Maſter without any great Occaſion ; but
there are a thouſand things neceſſary to be known, that he but rarely tou-
ches on : He only points us the Way where we may go if we pleaſe, and
does no more than give us here and there a little Sketch, but in the moſt
lively Words imaginable ; ſo that we are ſometimes forc'd to fhift from one
Place to another, to make the better Connection. 'Tis a pity that Men of
great Underſtanding ſhou'd ſo much delight in Brevity ; it may be an Ad-
vancement of their Reputation, but it is not ſo well for us. In ſhort, Plu-
tarch choſe rather to leave us under a Deſire of having more from him,
than under a Satiety.
M. St. Evremond is more curious in remarking Plutarch's Default in point
of Criticiſm, tho? he knew that Author only by the Help of Montagne, as he
himſelf ſeems to acknowledge. As for the Compariſons of Plutarch, ſays
he, which Montagne eſteems ſo admirable, they ſeem to me to be very fine
but I think he might have gone farther; and penetrated deeper into the
bottom of human Nature, for there are Windings and Turnings in our
Souls that have eſcap'd him. He has judg'd of Man in the grofs, and not
fuppos'd him fo different and various as he is, wicked and virtuous, equita-
ble and unjuſt, kind and cruel ; and wherein ſoever he ſeems to run counter
to himſelf, that he attributes to ſome foreign Cauſe. In ſhort, had he been
to define Catiline to us, he wou'd have call’d him either coverous or pro-
fuſe ; but this alieni appetens, ſui profuſus was ſomething above his Know-
ledge, he had never ſingled out theſe contrarieties, that Salluſt has ſo ex-
cellently ſeparated, and Montagne himſelf underſtood much better than he.
.
(d) What
190
Chap 17
The HERO .
(d) What a difficult Work muſt it be, to give every one his juſt Character, and
to align the exact Difference between them according to the Variety and Degree of
-their Merit ?] Bruyere takes notice of this Difficulty as well as Gracian, but
lie only mentions it, whereas St. Evremond has ſearch'd to the bottom of it,
and explain'd it in a very inſtructive manner ; for it muſt be own'd that this
excellent Author has a peculiar Talent at diving into and expounding fome
curious things, which others only point us to or glance at. 'Tis from his
Diſcourſe of the French Hiſtorians that I gather the Explanation which I
take Gracian in this place to want.
It is no hard matter, ſays he, for us to know Virtues in general. We
uſually give a Man Prudence in Counſel, Quickneſs in Execution, and Cou-
rage
in Fight ; but there are certain nice Differences between Qualities to
all appearance the ſame, which are not ſo eaſily diſcover'dThefe
particular Diſtinctions, which give a different Mark to each Quality accord-
ing to the Mind where it is known to reſide, are what we ſtand in a great
meaſure ignorant of. The Diverſity of Valour, for inſtance, is what we do
not comprehend; we have the ſame Courage for all that are valiant, and
the fame Ambition for all that are ambitious; and to ſpeak the Truth, the
Praiſes, which we give to Men of great Merit, may equally agree with eve-
ry one of the greac Men that have been in our Time:
If we were to ſpeak of two Dukes of Guiſe, we ſhould make them valiant,
generous, courteous, liberal and ambitious; but the Qualities of the one
not ſufficiently diſtinguiſh'd from thoſe of the other, wou'd not make the
Characters ſo different as they ought to be. Thoſe Virtues which moral
Philoſophy and general Diſcourſes repreſent alike, take a different Air from
the Difference of the Humour or Genius of the Perſons that have them.
We know very well that the Conſtable and Admiral were both very able to
bear the Weight of the moſt important Affairs, but the Difference of their
Capacity is not ſufficiently obſerv'd by our Authors.
There is ſometimes a Mixture of Virtue and Vice in the ſame Quality,
which we do not rightly ſeparate Sometimes we impute all to the
Qualities, without conſidering how far the Humour of a Man may be con-
cern'd in the thing; and at other times we impute too much to the Humour,
without a ſufficient Regard to his Qualities. The deep Meditations of
M. de
Chap. I7:
The H ERO
I OLI
M. de Turenne, and his Mind's retiring into itſelf full with his Projects and
Manner of Conduct, made him paſs for a timorous, irreſolute, uncertain
Man ; tho' he gave a Battle with the ſame Facility, that M. de. Galion went
upon a Skirmiſh. The Courage of Marſhal de Caſtillon was a ſlow and lazy:
Intrepidity ; that of Marſhal de Gafſion more lively. and active, and fit for
Service every Moment; for there was ſcarce a Day, wherein his Valour did
not gain our Troops fome Advantage over their Enemies.
This is but an Abridgment of a Diſcourſe, which in my Opinion is one
of St. Evremond's Maſter-pieces, and deſerves to be well conſider'd by ſucli
as aſpire at Heroiſm, eſpecially that of the martial Kind, according to their.
Character and Genius
Sport
:
See More
1
CHAP
192
Chap 18.
T'he HERO.
See
ఇంటి ముందుకు ఇటీవసంజన
కొరత GE Gore మతతతతో GO
GO
1
CHAP. XVIII.
That he Jould have a noble Sympathy himſelf,
and make his Advantage of it in others.
(aTMUAT is the Quality of an Hero to have a Sym-
pathy with Heroes ; as the Relation be-
tween the Sun and á fimple Planet, tho'
at a great diſtance, gains the latter the glorious Ap-
pellation of a bright Star. (b) Sympathy is one of
thoſe Wonders, whoſe Cauſe Nature has been pleas'd
to conceal, tho' the Effects of it be the Matter of
our Admiration and Aſtoniſhment: (c) We may how-
ever define it in general, to be the Union and Paren-
tage of Hearts, as on the contrary Antipathy is the
Alienation and Eſtrangement of them. Some People
place the Origine of Sympathy in the Agreement of
our Complexions, Tempers, and Affections; while
others carry it as high as the Stars, whoſe Influence
they make the cauſe of it. However this be, as An-
tipathy
Chap 18.
193
The H ER O.
tipathy ſometimes brings forth Monſters in a Civil
Society ; ſo Sympathy very often produces ſuch mar-
vellous things, as by ignorant and ſuperſtitious Peo-
ple are calld Enchantments and Miracles. The one
finds Faults in the moſt allow'd Perfections; the
other finds Beauties in a Defect that ſhocks every
one's Eye beſides. Antipathy is like a Viper that
glides into the Boſom of Families, where it embroils
and overturns every thing; ſetting the Father againſt
the Children, and the Children againſt the Father,
where there is no longer either Natural or Civil Sub-
ordination, but Exclamations, and Law-ſuits, and
moſt cruel Defamations on both ſides. Antipathy
carries a Father ſometimes ſo far as to defeat his own
Son of the Succeſſion of the Crown, while Syınpathy
places it-upon the Head of a Stranger; for what is it
that Sympathy cannot do, tho’ it acts in a quite dif-
ferent manner to the other? It touches and wins the
Heart without Eloquence; it obtains without asking;
and, without the Credit or Protection of any one,
finds every thing it asks granted, and every thing it
undertakes practicable.
1
A
By the Sympathy that properly belongs to Perſons,
I mean the Inclination and Affection they have for
ſuch and ſuch things; and accordingly inay fay, that
Cc
this
194
The H E RO.
Chap. 8.
this kind of Sympathy is as it were an Horoſcope of
their Fate, according to the Objects that they incline
to. If their Inclination has a Tendency to great
Things, it is a Preſage of their becoming Heroes in
one kind or other; but if its Bent is towards little
Objects, it is almoſt a ſure Prognoſtick that they will
never have any Greatneſs and Nobleneſs of Soul, un-
leſs much Diligence be us’d, and the beſt of Maſters
found out to redreſs this Inclination.
'Tis to be obſerv'd farther, that (d) thoſe, wlion
we call Great Men by way of Diſtinction, are as ſub-
ject to this kind of baſe Sympathy, as the meaneſt
of the People ; for they are ſome of them really lit-
tle in their high Stations, and have a. Mind- turnd
for nothing elſe but Trifles and vile Intereſt, Craft,
and Cunning, and knaviſh Tricks. Nay, even Prin-
ces themſelves, by the Force of their Temper more
than their Choice, have been often drawn aſide from
the Paths of true Greatneſs into fuch mean Politicks:
as have been inconſiſtent with their Honour.
The Sympathiy of Perſons is then of two kinds; that :
which we feel for others, and that which others feel
for us.
The former is a noble Sentiment (when the
Perſons it terminates. upon are ſo) whereby we do.
Honour
-
Chap 18.
The H ER O.
195
Honour to Men of Merit, and is ſometimes a Diſpo-
ſition in us to become like them: The other is both
an Honour and Advantage to us, when the Perſons,
that have it for us, are diſtinguiſh'd for their good
Qualities and powerful Credit; its Worth is then
comparable to the Ring of Giges, and its Virtue not
inferior to the famous Theban's golden Chain, as I
have already hinted.
!
Home
.
But tho' we may have an Inclination and Affection
for Men of this Character and Conſideration ; yet it
does not therefore follow, that they ſhould have the
ſame Sentiments for us. 'Tis in vain for our Heart,
to plead in their behalf, if the Eccho (as I inay call
it) anſwers nothing from them; this is not like the
natural Conjunction of Hearts, where the Correſpon-
dence is ſenſible on both ſides. A Man fhou'd make
uſe of his utmoſt Skill and Attention therefore to ob-
ſerve whether Sympathy is engaged in his Favour;
for he alone has Power to put this happy Diſpoſition
in Action, that owes the Diſcovery of it to his own
Ability and Study; he alone can make uſe of this
natural Charm, and by his Addreſs and good Ma-
nagement finiſh what Nature has thus begun for him.
But on the other hand, to pretend to inſinuate into
the Heart, and gain the good Graces of a Perſon in
Honour
1
CC 2
196
The H E R 0.
Chap 18:
Honour and Credit, without the Help of this Sym-
pathy, is a vain and raſh Undertaking: For whatever
Merit he may have, it will be no Recommendation
to him, nor ever make his Way to Preferment, with-
out ſome other Means and Intereſt to ſupport him:
A Prince, as I faid before, could never be a martial
Hero, if Fortune did not accompany his Valour; and,
in like manner, a Subaltern can never become a Man
of Eminence in the fame Way, if his good Qualities
are not ſupported by ſome great Man's Protection,
without which there is no Riſing.
But the moſt favourable and the inoſt beneficial
Sympathy is that which a King has for his Subject;
and yet if the Subject wants the Happineſs of ap-
proaching him, and of being known to him, of what
Service is this Sympathy ? For as the Loadſtone
draws not the Iron when it is too far from its Iin-
preſſion, fo Sympathy cannot act but within the Com-
paſs of its Sphere ; and therefore a kind of Proximi-
ty between the Power and the Object, is in this Caſe
likewiſe an eſſential Condition, that nothing elſe can
ſupply the Want of; but then ſuppoſing that (e) there
be no Obſtacles to hinder the Effect of this Royal Sym-
pathy, a Subject, that has real Merit in him, is in a
ſhort time rais'd to the higheſt Pitch of Greatneſs.
RE
2
Chap 18.
197
The HERO.
REMARKS on Chap. XVIII.
That he mould have a noble Sympathy himſelf, and
make his Advantage of it in others..
(a) 11
is the Quality of an Hero, to have a Syimpathy with Heroes.] The Red
ſemblance and Agreement that there was between Alexander and
Ceſar, will ſee this Thought of Gracian's in a true Light. I make choice
of theſe two Conquerors, becauſe I take them to be Examples for all others,
and that our Heroes will think themſelves honour'd, when they find there"
is a Similitude of 'Temper between them ; and as St. Evremond aſſures us,
that he had examin'd the Lives of theſe two great Men with as much Cu-
rioſity as any one, and, I may add, with as much Succeſs, I fhäll offer lit-
tle more upon this Subject, than a Copy of thoſe Lines of Reſemblance :
which he has remark'd in them.
Alexander and Cefar had both the Advantage of an high Birth and Pa-
rentage. · a
Alexander. was à King's Son, and Ceſar ſprung from one of the
chief Familics in a Commonwealth, whoſe Citizens valued themſelves above-
Kings. It looks as if the Gods had been minded to give ſome Indications
of Alexander's future Greatneſs, by Olimpia's Dream, and ſome other Prefa- .
ges : His Inclination to great Things even in his Infancy; the Tears that
he ſhed out of Jealouſy to his Father's Honour, . and his Father's Judg-
ment of his deſerving a larger Kingdom than his, were a kind of Confir-
mation of the Prediâion of the Gods. Here were many things of the like
nature no leſs remarkable in Ceſar : . As young as he was,. Sylla perceiv'd
in him many Marius's; he once dreamt that he had Communion with his
Mother, which Divines expounded, that the Earth, the common. Mother of
all, ſhould be ſubject to his Power; and viewing the Statue of Alexander,
he was ſeen to weep for having done nothing at an Age when that Conque-
ror had made himſelf Maſter of the Univerſe.
i
The--
198
Chap: 18:
The HERO,
The Love of Learning, as well as that of Glory, was equal in them both.
Every one knows the Paſſion Alexander had for Homer, and how, in favour
to Pindar's Memory, he preſerv'd the Houſes of his Deſcendents in the
Ruin and general Deſolation of Thèbes. As to Ceſar, his Commentaries alone
are an eternal Monument of his Inclination to Learning: Beſides this, he
made a Speech in the Rostra upon the Death of his Aunt Julia, with great
Applaufe ; lie accus'd Dolabella, and made at laſt that exquiſite and artful
Oration for ſaving the Priſoners Lives that were taken in the Catalin Con-
ſpiracy. We have nothing remaining that we can aſſuredly ſay was Alexan-
der's, except fome lively Sayings, that have ſuch an admirable. Turn in them,
.as gives us an equal Impreſion both of the Greatneſs of his Soul, and Vi-
vacity of his Mind. In ſhort, they were both of them enterprizing, hardy,
intrepid, generous, liberal; and willing to make themſelves fole Maſters of
the World.
This is what Gracian means by that noble and elevated Sympathy, that
lie calls the Qualification of an Hero, and a Man only needs to fill up
theſe Relations and Reſemblances in order to deſerve thar Character; for
one may truly fay, that great Men are ſo like one another in theſe Par-
ticulars, that Nature has ſtruck them all as it were out of the fame Mould:
and what Difference foever there may be in the Talents that diſtinguiſh them,
the Superiority of their Genius joýns them all in that common Relation,
swhich Gracian calls a noble and exalted Sympathy.
(6). Sympathy, is one of thoſe Wonders, whoſe Cauſe Nature has been pleas'd to
concenil, &c] Why, for inſtance, at the firſt time of our ſeeing two Men,
do we love one more than the other? This is an Enigma that Oedipus him-
ſelf cannot unriddle, and what a Man of Wit has propos'd in ſome Ver-
fes that may be thus render'd.
What Doe's this Sentiment inſpire ?
For this I know full well,
Poil above others I admirë,
Nor can the Reaſon tell.
!
2011
Chap 18.
199
The HERO
You with another I have ſeen,
To you my Paſſion flew,
In Worth your Equal he has been;
But did not pleaſe like you.
I love. by Inſtinct, nor know why
I am so wondrous kind
To you ; to him when. I apply,
I no Emotion find.
You conquer; tho' be yields to you
In no Point of Defert ;
I can no Odds between you view,.
But feel it in my Heart.
+
:
() We'may de finie Sympathy in general-to be the Union and Parentage of Hearts
as Antipathy is the Alienation of them.] Montagne has, in a very lively man?
ner, expreſs’d that Sympathy, which is the Foundation of Friendſhip, as
Antipathy is of Hatred. As to what we commonly call Friendſhip, ſays.
he, it is but a certain Acquaintance and Familiarity that our Occaſions :
and mutual Advantages have brought us under : But in the Friendſhip that
I am ſpeaking of, Souls are not only joyn’d and united, but fo blended and
mix'd together, that the very Copula that holds them is loſt, and, as it were
work'd into the Compoſition. If any one ſhould ask me how it is I come
to love ſuch a Man, I know no other way of expreſſing myſelf but by ſaya.
ing, that I love him, becauſe he is what he is, and I am what I am ; for :
there is a certain Force which produces this Union between us, and is above:
expreſſing.. We wanted to ſee one another before, we did ; and after the
Reports we heard of each other, our Affection grew above the Reports,
and, as if it had been ordain’d, by Heaven, we hugg‘d and embrac'd each :
other's Name; and when we met together, which was by chance and in .
a great Crowd, we were ſo well known, fo obliged to each cther, that no.
two for ever after were ſo near and So dear. An Union of this kind does
1
nors
200
Chap 18.
The HERO.
e not govern itſelf according to the Pattern of that flow and regular Friend-
• ſhip, that wants the many. Precautions of a long and regular Converſation :
It has no other Idea, no other thing in view but itſelf. It is no one ſpecial
· Conſideration, nor two, nor three, nor an hundred ; but a certain Quin-
teſſence of all that Mixture, which ſeizes-my Will, and carries it to plunge
and loſe it in his; and having ſeiz'd all his Will likewiſe, carrics it and
plunges it in mine; and does all this by a mutual Concurrence.
'Tis ſcarce poſible to repreſent in a better Light the Effects of mutual
Sympathy. As to Antipathy, we only know it by its Effects; and can no
more explain the Cauſe of it, than we can that of the other.
i
Non amo te, Sabidi, nec polum dicere quare ;
Hoc tantum polum dicere, Non amo te.
Orac. Man.
And accordingly Gracian rather expoſes the fearful Conſequences of this
Paſſion, than defines it; for to ſay, that Antipathy is the Alienation and
Eſtrangement of Hearts, is confounding the Effect with the Cauſe.
However this be, he makes a Maxim of it in another Place,
that a Man ought to cure himſelf of his Antipathy. We often hate,
fays he, we know not why, without examining either the good or bad Qua-
lities of the Perfon ; and this ſenſeleſs Averſion of ours will ſometimes fall
upon Men of extraordinary Merit. 'Tis the Buſineſs of Reaſon therefore
to correct this blind Paſſion which is a Reproach to it; for is there any
thing more unjuſt, than to have an Averſion to thoſe that are an Honour
to human Nature? As it is commendable to have a Sympathy for great
Men, fo is it a ſhameful thing to have an Antipathy againſt them.
Beſides this, it is very certain, that Antipathy naturally produces Hatred,
and an Hatred of a very violent and obſtinate kind, of which there are
an hundred fatal Examples; but 7 ſhall content myſelf with one. When a
certain Perſon ask'd Hannibal one day, how long he intended to hate the
Romans; he kick'd up fome Duft with his Foot, and ſaid, my Hatred Mall
continue till Rome be reduced to that : An Hatred which coſt Rome a great
deal indeed, but Hannibal more. It therefore more nearly concerns Princes
ito guard againſt all ſuch Hatred and Antipathy, becauſe in them it has ne-
ver any Moderation, and in a manner always proves Effects both fatal to
their own Honour, and the Happineſs of their Subjects.
(d) Those
Chap 18.
201
The HERO.
(d) Thoſe, whom we call great Men by way of Diftin&tion, are as ſubje&t to
this baſe Sympathy as the meaneſt of the People.] Gracian gives here the Name
of baſe Sympathy to every unworthy Paffion and Inclination, and Montagne
reckons fome Cuſtoms of the Roman Emperors among the Number of mean
A&ions. Thus Heliogabalus, ſays he, was drawn to Rome in his Coach fome-
times by Lions, giving out that he was Cybele the Mother of the Gods;
ſometimes by Tigers, fretending to be the God Bacchus ; now and then by
Stags, and at another time by four Dogs ; and the Emperor Firnus had
his Coach drawn by ſome Oftrages of a prodigious Size; all which ſtrange
Inventions are Arguments of a little Mind in a Monarch, and Teſtimonies
of his Inſenſibility of his Character.
There is another kind of this Sympathy or Inclination that is viſible
in common Men, which Bruyere thus repreſents. After having talk'd of a
great Virtuoſo in Shells, Another, ſays he, is an Admirer of Inſes; he
augments his Colle&ion every day, is the greateſt Critick in Europe at a
Butterfly, and has them of all Colours and Sizes. What an unlucky time
did you take to pay him a Viſit in ? He is fallen into a grievous Sorrow,
is in a dull melancholy Humour, and makes the whole Family ſuffer for it ;
for he has had an irreparable Lofs ; go near, and obſerve what he ſhews
you in his Finger ; it is dead, juſt departed this Life, 'tis a Caterpillar ; ah,
ſuch a Caterpillar !
Teſtam,
(e) If there is no Obstacle to hinder the Effect of a Royal Sympatlsy, a Subject,
that has Merit, is in a ſhort time. rais'd to the higheſt Pitch of Greatneſs. Το
make Friendſhip perfe&t, there muſt be among Friends, ſays
la Hoguette, a certain Agreement in Age, Wills and Condi-
tions; but to ſupply this laſt Quality, which cannot, like the
other two, happen between the Prince and Subject, Kings rather chooſe to
enjoy the ſweet Pleaſures of Life, and to put ſuch as they honour with
their Friendſhip into the great Offices of State, than to take all the Bur-
then upon themſelves. In ſhort, what we call the Favour of a Prince to
a Subject is no other thing than Friendſhip among Equals, the only Dif-
ference is in the Name.
Bruyere thinks there is not much reaſon for Men to envy this high Pitch
of Greatneſs. What a ſurprizing Happineſs has attended this Favourite du-
Dd
ring
*
202
The H E R 0.
Chap 18
ring the whole Courſe of his Life! Whoſe Fortune was ever fo- ſupported
without Interruption, without the leaſt Diſgrace! The higheſt Poſts, the
Prince's Ear, immenſe Riches, a perfect Health, and an eaſy. Death ; but
what a ſtrange Account has he to give of a Life paſs'd in Favour!'for the
Counſels which he gave, and for thoſe which he neglected to give or fol-
low ; for the good Aas he did not do, and the bad ones he did either by
himſelf or others ; in a word, for the whole Courſe of his Proſperity! But
for all this, Bruyere comes into both Gracian and Huguette's Opinion in ano-
ther reſpect. For a great King, ſays he, wants nothing but the Pleaſures
of a private Life ; nor can he compenſate the Lofs thereof, but by the
Charm of Friendſhip and Fidelity of his Friends. Our Author only deſires, ,
that the Favourite.be free from Engagements and Alliances, ſtand alone and
depend on none, and make his Modeſty an Ornament to his Prince,
:
1
i
CH AP.
Chap 19:
203
The H ERO.
one
So
ទី
Site
ន។
USATO
SPACES
ICE
1
...
CHAP. XIX. 11
?
L.
Whether an Hero ſhould have any voluntary
.
Love Faults.
:
1960, : i
1
A
А
(a)
N Hero, that in Athens would be in no
danger of an Oftraciſin, is not in Spain
ſecure from Cenfure; (b) which would pro-
ſcribe him and baniſh him (as formerly) if it had a
Power anſweráble to its Injuſtice and Violence. 'Tis
upon the Account of this envious Cenſure that I
chooſe to treat of this Päradox, viz. that a great Man
is to be blam'd for having nothing blamable in him.
“. Some ſlight Fault or other, ſay the Authors of this
« Maxim): that he lets purpoſely ſlip from him, is
very neceſſary'to ſatisfy the Envy of fome, and feed
" the Malice of others; the moſt univerſal Merit
66 will otherwiſe fall a Victim to theſe two Paſſions :
« For Envy.and Malice are like Harpies, that ſeize
upon
Dd 2
CC
.
204
The H ER O. Chap. 19:
rit, and fixes it upon the Surface; and as a Mole
“ upon the beſt Things, when they have no other
« Prey that offers.
“ « Some Men indeed are of ſo black and miſchie-
“ vous Tempers, that they take Delight in disfigu-
ring the beſt Qualities, in tarniſhing the brighteſt
“ Virtues, in perverting the moſt honeſt Intentions,
and, in a word, in corrupting with their einpoi-
fond Lips, whatever they ſee good in others; this
“, is their, whole (d) Study, i the only Art wherein
" they are excellent ; and therefore (e) it is the Part
“ of an able Man to let drop now and then foine lit-
“ tle Neglects, wherewith to employ the ill Humour
" of theſe Snarlers; for theſe Neglects, which they
“ will be ſure to improve into monſtrous Faults, may
perhaps be a means to give-ià Diverſion to
5 their Thoughts, and draw their ulcerated Minds
• aſide from attending to Things that are eſſential :
« This will be a kind of Counter-poiſon, that hin-
" ders their Gall from going to the bottoin of Me-
"
r in the Face is a kind of Beauty-ſpot, ſo a little na-
" tural Defect now and then is more becoming than
" if a Man had none at all ; beſides, that, foine
« Faults ceaſe to be ſo, when they appear in a cer-
tain Point of View, and are ſet in their proper
6 Places.
CC
Chap. I9.
The H ER O.
205
« Places. Thus Alcibiades voluntarily incur'd ſome
“ ſuch Slips in the Art of War, and Ovid in the
« Art of Poetry, on purpoſe to amuſe Envy with ſuch
Trifles, and divert it from inſpecting into Matters
« of more Importance.
I cannot however but account this Precaution of
our Politicians very needleſs; and ain induced to
think, that Preſumption has more Hand in the Poſi-
tion than Prudence. For has not the Sun its Eclip-
ſes, the fineſt Diamond its Flaws, and the Queen of
Flowers her Thorns ? There is no need then for Art
where Nature alone will do; and how perfect and vi-
gilant foever ſhe be, Faults enough will always eſcape
even from her Weakneſs, unleſs ſomething is done to
fecond or affiſt her.
RE-
200
Chap. I9:
The HERO.
REMARKS on Chap. XIX.
Whether an Hero Ghould have any voluntary
Faults.
(a) AN
N Hero, that in Athens would be in no danger of an Oſtraciſm, is 1100
in Spain ſecure from Cenſure.] Oſtraciſm is what the learned Part
of the World do know, but others may not : It was, among the Greeks, a
Sentence of Baniſhment againſt Perſons of too great Authority, or too fu-
perior Merit ; when that Merit or Authority made them ſuſpected, and
gave the State ſome Umbrage to fear, either that they might attempt fome-
thing againſt the publick Liberty, or erect their Power into a Tyranny,
There was a farther Deſign in the Inſtitution of this Oſtraciſm, which was,
to gratify the Envy and Jealouſy of other Citizens that were inferior to the
former in Virtue and Credit ; but then, becauſe this Baniſhment was not.
the Puniſhment of a Crime, it was rather an Honour than Diſgrace to the
Perſon that was condemn'd to it. It continu'd ten Years, all which Time
the illuſtrious Exile enjoy’d his Eſtate very peaceably; and the Reaſon of
calling it Oſt
: aciſm was, becauſe the People, when they gave in their Votes,
wrote the Name of him, they would have baniſh'd, on a Shell; and in
this manner Ariſtides was baniſh’d, only for having the Reputation of be-
ing too juft. 'I his Oſtraciſm however was pull and of no effect, if there
was not in the Aſſembly of the People the full Complement of Citizens,
which was to be Six Thouſand.
a
(6) Cenfure would proſcribe and baniſi a Man, if it had Power anſwerable to its
Injuſtice and Violence.] Envy, ſays the learned Mr Collier, is a
Muni. Eſſays. Diſpleaſure from ſome ſuppos’d Advanta: e in another. The
Object of this Paſſion is ſomething deſirable; and tho’ Excel-
lency, preciſely conſider'd, cannot occaſion Dilike, yet Excellency miſplac d
may. The Envious believes himſelf eclips'd by the Luſtre of his Neigh-
bour;
Chap 19.
The HERO
207
I
bour; that which is good in itſelf becomes an Evil to him, which makes
him with it either remov'd or extinguiſh'd : So that there is an Oſtraciſm,
which is impotent indeed, but more ſtrange than what was formerly, ſtill.
ſubliſting in the envious Man's Mind.
The ſame Author afterwards conies to Inſtances ; but I Mall only quote.
one from him. Thoſe that were anciently poſſeſs'd of Honour, ſays he, are
apt to envy others newly rais'd: The Reaſon is this, later Promotion takes
away the former Difference between the Perfons : The Singularity of a Man's.
Greatneſs is in ſome meaſure deſtroy'd; he has fewer to look down upon
than he had before ; he has loſt an Inferior, which, without being well con-
fider’d, will make him uneaſy. But this Pra&ice, how common foever, is.
unreaſonable when the later's Riſe is creditable ; for all Quality that is
good for any thing, is founded upon Merit. Now when a Man purchaſes
Honour at as great an Expence, of Deſerving as myſelf, why ſhould not his
Title be as good ? To value Worth in myſelf or my Family, and overlook
it in another, is plain Partiality, and Partiality is always Injuſtice.
This Envy always purſues extraordinary Merit, when it makes a re-
markable Figure in the World, and goes out of the common Track, for fo
the Poet informs his Friend.
Tko thy learnd Writings our Applauiſe conſtrain,
And evry Vote with ev'ry Heart you gain ;
Tet don't believe, goli're always ſure to take ;
The Risk is great, when you the Road for
fake.
An kundred Parties will againſt you riſe,
And Rivals cieco you with malignant Eyes:
Such Miſchief ever too much Light attends,
Nor free from Envy will you find your Friends.
(c) Eirvy and Malice are like cruel Harpies, that ſeize upon the beſt Things, &c.]
To take another Paſſage from the above-cited Author. Envy, ſays he, is
an ill-natured Vice, is made up of Meanneſs and Malice ; it wiſhes the
« Force of Goodrieſs reſtrain'd, and the Meaſure of Happineſs abated ; it
“ laments cver Proſperity, and ſickens at the sight of Health. Had Envy
"
the
208
Chap 19.
The HERO.
"the Governing of the Creation, we ſhould have a fad World on't ; how
wou'd it infect the Air, and darken the Sun; make the Seas unnaviga-
" ble, and blaſt the Fruits of the Earth! How would the Face of Nature
“ be overcaſt! How ſoon would Peace be baniſh’d, and Pleaſure languiſh
" and expire ! We ſhould ſee Confuſion without Settlement, Madneſs with-
out Intervals, and Poiſon without Antidote. Diſcord, and Diſappoint-
ment, and Deſpair would then be the only Bleſſings and Entertainments
“ of Life. Could the Envious prevail, all noble Undertakings would be
“cruſh'd, and Invention nip'd in the Bud ; nothing extraordinary in In-
« duſtry, Senſe or Bravery would be endur'd; whatever was ſhining
" would ſoon be eclips'd, Beauty would be deform'd, and Courage turn'd
“ into Cowardiſe. To excel either in Art or Nature would be a Crime,
" and none could be ſafe but the ill and the uſeleſs.
“ But this deteſtable Paſſion revenges upon itſelf the Injuries it does,
“ and always would be doing, to good and virtuous Men. For it has nei-
ther a Day nor Hour nor Moment's Reſt : It keeps a Man always upon
« the Rack, and ſucceſsfully buſy in tormenting himſelf; inſomuch that the
“ Worm that gnaws the envious Man within, diſcovers without the Puniſh-
ment he ſuffers. His gloomy and confus'd Air, his cloudy Forehead and
“ his wild and reſtleſs Eyes, ſhews the Malady that devours and conſumes
“ him without Intermiſſion : For this is a Malady that nothing in Life can
aftwage or gratify. Other Paſſions, however unjuſt and criminal they be,
“ have Obje&s to flatter them, and ſeemingly to content and ſatisfy them
“ for a while ; there is Power in Ambition, and Pleaſure in Luxury, and
“ Pelf in Coretouſneſs, but Envy can give nothing but Vexation. This
is the only Fruit of that uneaſy Paſſion, from the moment it is bred
to the moment it expires in us.
(d) The only Study and Art wherein they excel, is to corrupt with their empoiſon'd
Lips whatever they ſee good in others.] Bruyere, in my Opinion, has drawn the
Characters of ſuch Men as theſe, who ſhould be odious to all the World,
but in weak Lines. Men of Knowledge, or ſuch as think themſelves fo,
give their Opinion deliberately and deciſively about publick Entertainments;
they canton and divide themſelves into contrary Parties, and every one
puſhes
I
Chap. I9.
The HERO.
209
puſhes an Intereſt contrary to Juſtice and the publick Approbations they
admire ſuch a Poem or ſuch a Picce of Muſick, but damn all the reſt ; they
equally offend their own Cabal, as well as the oppoſite Fa&ion; they dif-
courage, by a thouſand Contradictions, Poets and Muſicians; retard the
Progreſs of Arts and Sciences, by depriving them of the Profit they might
have from Emulation, and the Liberty which many excellent Maſters ſhould
have to compoſe, according to their own Manner and Genius, many excel-
lent Works.
To all kind of envious Perſons we may apply what Montagne ſays of them,
and what agrees with them exactly. I ſee, ſays he, nor in one Adion, or
three, or an hundred, but that the general receiv'd Manner of the World
is, to be mad with Diſloyalty, which to me is the worſt Vice of all, and
what I cannot think on without Horror. Such People ſhould be pick'd up
and all thrown together, as King.Philip.once-made a Collection of the wic-
kedeſt and moſt incorrigible Men in his Kingdom, and put them all in one
City which he built for them, and call d accordingly.
i
(e) It is the part of an able Man to let drop now and then ſome little Faults,
wherewith to employ the ill Humour of theſe Snarlers.] This Precaution is what
ſome ſpeculative People have thought expedient to preſerve the more eſſen-
tial Part of Merit ; but Gracian accounts it of no Uſė, and the Effect of
Preſumption more than Prudence. For there is no need for Art, as he ſays,
where Nature will do, and 'is too ape:with all her Attention to fall into
Tranſgreſſions enough ; and therefore he cautions us, in another Place, ne-
ver to allow of any Fault ; and thus he explains his Maxim.
There is nothing ſo perfect that may not be found fault with. Few Men
are without their Imperfe&ions either in Body or Mind, and moſt Men
continue in their complexional Faults, tho' it be no hard matter to get rid
of them : Wife Men are concern'd to ſee ſometimes a ſmall Defect adhc-
ring to abundance of good Qualities, for one Cloud is enough to darken-
the Sun. The leaſt Faults are Blots in the moſt Mining Merit, which Ma-
lice at firſt Sight catches and dwells upon : Inſtead of neglecting therefore,
or being well pleas'd with Faults, it highly behoves us to prohibit them ;
but the great Art is, to convert them to Advantage, as Julius Ceſar, isho
Ivas
210
The H ERO.
Chap 19
svas bald, found out a Way to dignify as it were this Defeat, by wearing a
Crotyn of Laurel.
Who is he, ſays St. Evreinond, that can ſtop the Mouth of Envy ? I
can aſſure you, that I have known fome Men ſo agreeable and fo virtuous,
that one could not converſe with them without admiring, without loving
them. They have brought even their Enemies to be of their Party, and
a Man muſt have been brutiſh even to Exceſs to reſiſt the Charms of their
Converſation, and not be overcome with the Sweetneſs of their Temper ;
and yet I have ſeen fome envious Devils maliciouſly oppoſing their Virtue,
and with all their Cunning and Power endeavouring to ſtop the Courſe of
an Eſteem ſo juſt and ſo well eſtablim'd.
But however that be, and what Leſſons foever the refin'd Politicks, which
Gracian condemns with ſo much Reaſon, may teach, I ſhall always fubfcribe
to the Method the Pcet us'd with his Enemies.
Boileau,
Ep.7.
my Mind,
Even I, whoſe Merit's so much leſs than thine,
Can on pale Envy look and not repine.
Free as I found my Humour and
Not formid by Nature of the pliant Kind,
I ſtock'd my ſelf with uſeful Foes by times,
And whe ted on their hardenid Spite my Rhymes.
More to their Hate (I grant) I owe, than all
That Francc a Talent has been pleas'd to call.
Againſt me when they roſe, their venom'd Spite
Servd, when I trod, to keep my Steps upright:
With Caution every Line, I ventur'd, came,
As ready to correct as they to blame.
Beware, I to my ſelf wou'd often cry,
The Band obſerves thee with a dangerous Eye.
By their Advice my Verſes I review'd,
And mended them, if their Remarks were good;
I
Chargid
}
Chap 19. The H ERO
211
2
Chargʻd with an Error, no Reply I make,
But anſwer by correcting the Miſtake ;
When criminal to render me they ſtrove,
My Vengeance was in Virtue to improve.
7.
ale
log
is.
Ee 2
CHA P.
212
Chap zo.
The HERO
అనుకుంటుండు కంటూ మందును
OFEREITOT IGBOXICATION
CH A P. XX.
The laſt Perfection of an Hero, that he ſhould
be Religious.
*
А.
T
SUN LL Light comes from the moſt High, who is
the Father of all, and deſcends upon Men, that
are his Children. Now Virtue is as it were
the Daughter of Light, which produces Beauty and
Glory; whereas Vice is a Monſter, flung out from
the Womb of Darkneſs, the Source of its Horror and
Shame ; and therefore no Man is a true Hero that is
not virtuous : For as (a) there is no true Virtue with-
out Greatneſs, ſo (6) there is no true Greatneſs with-
out Virtue; theſe two. Things are always together,
and conjoin'd inſeparably by a mutual Agreement.
They parted indeed, but 'twas both at once, in the
Caſe of Saul; and were both at once united in the
Caſe of David
3
Conflantine,
1
.
Chap 20
213
.
The H ER 0.
Conſtantine, when he turn'd Chriſtian, was at the
ſame time the firſt of the Emperors that was called
the Great, a Surname that in my Opinion was in-
ſpir'd from above, on purpoſe to remind Poſterity,
that his Heroiſın could not be perfect without Chri-
ſtianity. Charles I, Emperor of France, was ſtiled
the Great, when he endeavour'd to obtain a Place
among the Saints. Lewis IX. was the Glory and Or-
nament of the moſt Chriſtian Kings, becauſe he added
to a great degree of Sanctity, all the Perfections of a
great Monarch.
In Spain, Ferdinand, commonly call'd the Saint of
.Caſtile, was likewiſe accounted a great King. The
Conqueror of Arragon conſecrated as many Temples
to the Virgin-Mother, as he gain'd Victories. King
Ferdinand and Queen Iſabella, the one an Hero and
the other an Heroine, were two immovable Pillars of
the Catholick Faith. Philip III, thạt pious and good
Prince, who, by his edifying Conduct and Example,
reform’d more Vices than Hercules deſtroy'd Mon-
fters with his Club, preſerv'd his Dominions to the
very laſt in all their Extent and Glory.
Ainong
1
)
214
Chap. 2O.
The HERO.
Among the great Captains, Godfrey de Bouillon,
George Caſtriot, Rhoderick Diaz de Vivar, Gonzales
Fernando, and Don John of Auſtria were Patterns
of Virtue, and living Temples of Chriſtian Piety.
Among the Soveraign Pontiffs, Gregory and Leo, two
Saints, were the firſt that had the Title of Great gi-
ven them ; and (c) St. Auſtin, that eminent Genius,
tells us of the Heroes of the Pagan World, that ſome
Moral Virtue or other was always the Cauſe of their
Proinotion.
The Glory indeed of Alexander, for inſtance, in-
creas'd daily, and gain' dhim the Admiration of the
People, until his Paſſions became violent and pub-
lick, and ſo diſhonour'd his Conqueſts, in the Opinion
both of his own Subjects and Strangers. Alcides,
both in the Opinion of Thebes and all wiſe Men, for-
feited the glorious Character of Subduer of Monſters,
when he fell into Effeininacy, and ſuffer'd himſelf to
be maſter'd by his Luſts. Nero, Caligula, Sardana-
palus , and Rhoderick, all degraded themſelves
from the high Idea annex'd to their Station, and be-
came the Execration of the World, by their Cruel-
ties and other Infamies.
The
Chap 2o.
215
The H E R 0.
The ſame Fate happens to whole Monarchies, which
fall into Diſgrace when Vice ſucceeds in the Room of
Virtue. A flouriſhing and diſtinguiſh'd Kingdoin,
while Religion is ſeated in it, loſes its Honour, and
becomes the Horror of other Nations, when it gives
itſelf up to ſuch abominable Vices as Impiety ſug-
geſts. The brutal Fury of Rhoderick overthrew one
of the moſt beautiful Kingdoms in the World, which
the Piety of Pelagius and the Zeal of Ferdinand af-
terwards recover'd from its ſhaineful Ruins. The
Greatneſs of the Houſe of Auſtria is eſtabliſh'd upon
the Religion and Bravery of its firſt Founders, and
this Greatneſs will remain as long as theſe Founda-
tions laſt.
REMARKS on Chap. XX.
The laſt Perfection of an Hero, that he ſhou'd be
Religious.
(a)
HERE is no true Virtue without Greatneſs.] Gracian divides this Chap-
ter into two Heads; the former relates to Chriſtian, and the latter-
to Pagan or Moral Virtue, ſuch as a Roman may and ſhou'd attain. - He be-
gins with Chriſtian Virtue, which is inſeparable from Greatneſs; for its
Original, its Obje&, and its End, ſet it above all other imaginable Qualifi-
cations. Tis the foreraign Being that is the Fountain of all true Virtue,
for
216
The HERO. Chap, do.
for it comes from him ; that is the Object of i“, for it is directed to him; and
that is the End of it, for it is rewarded by him. How great then is a virtu-
ous Man, and how juſtly does he deſerve thar Title, ſince God himſelf ac-
counts him ſo, and rewards him with a Crown of Righteouſneſs!
Nay, true Virtue has ſomething great in it, even in the Eyes of Men,
and tho'gocd Men only have a full Perception of its Glory and Excellence,
yet the moſt corrupt cannot but inwardly reſpect it; they eſteem, they reve-
rence, and even ſometimes wiſh for it; but the noble Conteſts, and the glori-
ous Vi&ories that it requires, debar them from an Heroiſm, that is ſuperior
to their Courage.
(6) There is no true Greatneſs without Virtue.] I make this Remark only an
Abridgment of Mademoiſelle de Scudery's Diſcourſe, which won the Prize of
Eloquence propoſed by the French Academy ; and what that great Woman
lays of Glory, will equally extend to my purpoſe for 'tis true Greatneſs
that conſtitutes Glory, and Virtue that is the Cauſe of both.
Since Glory (or Greatneſs) ſhou'd be founded on a Good that is in us, we
muſt, in the firſt Place, be exempt from Men's true Glory, what they pretend
to derive from what is not good, or what is not in them, conſequently all the
Trifles that are unworthy a Perſon of true Honour; ſuch as vaſt Riches,
fine Houſes, great Equipages, a Power of Revenge, and a Contempt of De-
cency and the Laws, are not to come under the Computation.
What Folly is it to place one's Greatneſs in Riches, which, without giving
any
Perfe&tion to thoſe that poſſeſs them, are continually paſſing from one
Hand to another ; in fine Houſes, which time will infallibly deſtroy; in pom-
pous Equipages, which feldom are of any real Şervice; in a Power of Revenge,
rather than a Generoſity of Pardoning; in an Exemption from the Decency,
which alone keeps Men from being brutal; or, laſtly, in a Contempt of the
Laws, without which there can be neither ruling, nor obeying with Juſtice.
Nay farther, are Greatneſs of Birth, Greatneſs of Power, Greatneſs of
Wit, and even Vaiour itſelf, ſuch Qualities as can of themſelves, and in their
own Nature, conſtitute the Glory of a Man? - For the moſt part, the
Glory of Conquerors is but a falſe Glory, becauſe Valour in them is great
Injuſtice; they do that with an hundred Sail, which a Pirate does with a
poor Briganţine, baving no other Rule but their Covetouſneſs, and making
1
no
Chap 20. The H ERO 217
no Account of the Blood they ſpill, and the Deſolation they occaſion. (Here
follows a beautiful and true Commendation of the wiſe Valour of Lewis le Grand.]
And then ſhe goes on.
А
great
Birth without Virtue is diſgraceful, as it gives People an Occaſi-
on to make Compariſons between our Anceſtors and us. Whatever is great
at preſent was formerly little, and will in time become ſo; and therefore, tho'
an illuſtrious Extraction, joyn'd with Virtue, may augment our Glory, yet
of itſelf it cannot procure it.
As to great Power, it is ſo uſually accompanied with Injuſtice and Vio-
lence, that Shame as often as Glory is the Conſequence of it:
And of what Avail is the Greatneſs of our Wit ? Our Wit very often is
but like a revolted Subject, that employs all its Parts againſt him that gave
them, and adınires itſelf to ſuch a degree, as to deſpiſe. all it knows, and all
it knows not. The greater it is in ſome Things, the leſs it is in others.
While it arrogantly ſearches out the Defects of the Works of God and Men,
it forgets and overlooks its own, and by attempting to find out new Ways
to the Knowledge of the Truth, it commonly firſt deceives itſelf, and then
its blind Admirers ; and fo, in the Event, becomes a Slave ſucceſſively to all
thoſe irregular Paſſions that it ſhou'd controul.
There is therefore no true Glory, no true Greatneſs without Virtue;
without which, we do but abuſe all the good Things we have, whether they
be great or little, falſe or real. Riches make us either Covetous or Prodigal:
Fine Places make us deſpiſe the Poor and Poverty : A great Number of Dom
meſticks flatter human Pride; -which uſes them like Slaves : Valour often-
.times turns brutal and unjuſt : And an high Pedegree makes a Man take
up with the Virtues of his Anceſtors, without endeavouring to acquire any
himſelf.
How can the Thought of my Author, viz. that without Virtue there is no true
Greatneſs, be more profitably and more agreeably explain'd than in theſe
Words? Not but that: Gracian has done the ſame by the Induđions of fe-
veral Examples, all Thewing, that Virtue is the Glory, and Vice the Diſgrace
of Heroiſm.
)
(c) St. Auſtin tells us of the Heroes of the Pagan World, that some Moral Vir-
tue or other was always the Cauſe of their Promotion.]. How many are there,
F f
.
that
218
The H ER 0. Chap: 20.
that have no Notion of true Virtue for want of virtuous People to direct
them, ſays the Author of the Adventures of Telemachus, and are come to this
Perſuaſion, that there is no ſcul Thing upon Earth, and that Probity is but a
-mere Phantom. There is however in Virtue a certain Candour and Rectitude
which cannot be counterfeited, or, with a littlc Care and Attention, míf-
'taken.
This Probity, this Rc&titude and nice Conduct, which the illuſtrious
Archbiſhop, the Light and Ornament of his Age, ſpeaks fo much of, was,
in effect, that Virtue which made the proper Character of Cato’s Heroiſm,
and which Rome attending to did not miſtake, and yet the Apologiſt for the
Moral Reflexions will not allow of any ſuch Virtue, (as I have hinted in another
Remark). He quotes however as: I remember, Montagne for the Support of
his Opinion, and it may not be an improper : Place here to take Notice of that
Authority.
You tell me, Şir, ſays the Apologiſt, that ſome of your Friends aſſure you,
that they know, by their own Experience, that a Man ſometimes does Good
without any other. View, nay ſometimes without any Regard either to Good
or Evil itſelf, but merely from the natural Recitude of his Heartma But
I wiſh I cou'd believe theſe Men upon their Word. And ſo the Apologiſt pro
ceeds to the Teſtimony of fome Fathers of the Church, and, without naming
then,, ſays that they abſolutely affirm;' that all our Virtuės
, without the Aſiſtance
of Grace, are but diſguiſed Vices. Nay, Montagne, continúes he, whom I have
ſome Scruple to name after theſe venerable Men, has, in his happy Manner;
declar'd himſelf. upon this Subject in theſe Terms, That his Soul has two Ap-
pearances, and that it is in vain to look into himſelf, becauſe he can only ſee the Ap-
pearance that Self-Love has diſguiſed, whereas the other diſcovers itſelf to thoſe only
that have no Hand in the Diſguiſe.
: A Man, indeed, muſt be at. a ſad Want of Proofs, when he is forced to
look out for ſuch an odd and abſtruſe one as this, and which relates to nothing
but'that Self-Love;i.wherewith. Montagne ſays he was blinded ; but ſince we
are:pow. upon his Authority, and no Confutation of the other's Error let
us turn to the Place the Apologiſt quotes, to ſee whether Montagne favours
his Opinion.
I fee, ſays Montagne, moſt of the Wits of this Age very ingenious ac ob-
ſcuring the Glory.of the brave and generous Adions of the Ancients, by
LI
giving
:::
1
Chap 2o.
The HERO.
219
giving them falſe Gloſſes, or deviſing filly Occaſions and Cauſes for them :
Great Subtlety indeed! Let any one give me the moſt excellent and
pure
Adion to conſider, and I'll engage to find out fifty vicious Intentions, that
may have a Shew of Probability. What they mean, and what Effect the
Difference of Notions may have upon Men's Wills, 'tis hard to tell; but to
me their vilifying others ſeems to proceed, not ſo much from Malice as a
ſtupid Affectation of Wit, and that they ought indeed to be whip’d, for the
Pains and Freedom they take in detra&ting from great Names.
For my part, I pretend not to reſtore to their due Dignity Men of thoſe
rare Qualities, who by the Conſent of wiſe Men are deem'd
proper Exam-
ples for the World to imitate: My Invention is far below their Merit. 'Tis
the Buſineſs of all good Men to paint Virtue as beautiful as they can, and
they thac do otherwiſe, do it either out of Malice, or Viciouſneſs, to bring
their Belief to their Option; or, what I rather believe, out of a Defect and
Inability to behold Virtue in all its Splendor and native Purity. Thus
fome, in Plutarch's Time, as he tells us, attributed the Death of Cato to his
Fear of Cefar, whom he is greatly offended with, and much more with thoſe
that imputed it to Ambition. Fooliſh Men! Cato was certainly a Pattern,
that Nature had made Choice of, on purpoſe to thew us how far human Vir-
tue and Firmneſs of Mind cou'd carry a Man. But I am not ſufficient to
handle this rich Argument.
This Paſſage from Montagne is a full Teſtimony of his Opinion of Moral
Virtue, and at the ſame time, it diffipates the Illuſion which the Author of
the Apology wou'd draw from the Authority of a Writer, whoſe Name will
be always of Weight and Conſideration in the World.
F I N I S.
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