Miscellanies in five essays ... the four last by way of dialogue / by Jeremy Collier ... Selections. 1694 Collier, Jeremy, 1650-1726. 1694 Approx. 298 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 117 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A33912 Wing C5256 ESTC R20832 12404706 ocm 12404706 61346 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A33912) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 61346) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 274:3) Miscellanies in five essays ... the four last by way of dialogue / by Jeremy Collier ... Selections. 1694 Collier, Jeremy, 1650-1726. [10], 42, [6], 90, [4], 78 p. Printed for Sam. Keeble ... and Jo. Hindmarsh ..., London : 1694. First ed. Cf. BM. Errata: p. [8] at beginning. Reproduction of original in Harvard University Libraries. (from t.p.) I. Upon the office of a chaplain -- II. Upon pride --III. Upon cloaths -- IV. Upon duelling -- V. Upon general kindness. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Ethics -- Early works to 1800. Conduct of life -- Early works to 1800. 2003-06 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-06 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2003-07 Jonathan Blaney Sampled and proofread 2003-07 Jonathan Blaney Text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-08 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion Miscellanies : In Five ESSAYS . I. Vpon the Office of a Chaplain . II. Vpon Pride . III. Vpon Cloaths . IV. Vpon Duelling . V. Vpon General Kindness . The Four last By way of DIALOGUE . By IEREMY COLLIER , M. A. LONDON , Printed for Sam. Keeble at the Turks-head in Fleetstreet , and Io. Hindmarsh at the Golden Ball over against the Royal Exchange in Cornhill . 1694. To the Reader . 'T Is some Years since the Publication of this small Treatise : I am still convinced the Interest of Religion is not a little concern'd in the Enquiry . The Office lies among Persons who have a great force upon Custom and Practise : And where the Motion is strong , the Direction should be well secured . 'T is true Milton treats the Argument as he does the King , with great Contempt : But to be ill used by such a Hand , and in such Company , is rather an Honour than otherwise . The Scripture ( says this Man ) owns no such Order , and therefore they must be left to the Examination the Sons of Sceva met with . Bishops or Presbyters we know , and Deacons we know , but what are Chaplains ? ( Eiconocl . p. 163. ) He might have answered in his own Words , ( p. 164. ) That they were Houshold Priests ; and given an Instance from the Old Testament . For there we find that Micah entertain'd a Levite with Salary and Diet ; and after all told him , he should be a Father , and a Priest to him . ( Iudg. 17. 10. ) It seems he did not think he had hired a Servant with his ten Shekels . As for the Heathen , They had a Modester Sense of Religion than to rob their Gods of their Ministers , and make them their own . The Roman Emperours were Priests themselves , but had none Belong to them till they were Dead , and Deifyed . Towards the Declension of Philosophy , now and then a grave Pretender was drawn off by the Steams of the Kitchin. Lucian ridicules these Men for their Little Compliances . One of them it seems made his Court to the Lap-dog , to improve his Interest with the Lady . But an envious Foot-man happening to smoke the Matter , broke a Iest upon the Favorite , and the Philosopher , and spoiled All. But these Sages don 't come strictly within the Question . They were only Seculars ; and entertain'd upon the Score of Learning , not Religion . In the Church , the Business of a Chaplain seems not of the highest Antiquity . In the first Ages the Clergy were supported by their Bishop , and generally lived under his Observation . ( Can. Apost . ) And afterwards , when They removed from the Mother Church , They had Titles , i. e. Cures assigned them , much larger than single Families . The first Chaplain I meet with was one Majorinus , a very unfortunate Person . He lived in the Reign of Dioclesian : And was Ordained by the Donatists for the See of Carthage , against the Catholick Bishop Caecilian . He was Set up and Countenanced by his Patroness Lucilla , a high Spirited Lady ; who refused Communion with Caecilian , for being Reproved by Him when he was Arch-deacon . ( Optat. Lib. 1. cont . Parmen . ) However , by the Story Majorinus might be no more than a Reader in the Family ; who in the Custom of those Times was less than a Sub-deacon . The wrong Vse the Rich Laity might make of the Indigence or Ambition of these Houshold Clergy , was I suppose the Reason why the Second Council of Orange ( Can. 9. held Ann. 533. ) allow'd no Priest to Reside with Secular Persons , without the Bishop's Leave . Dr. Heylin Reports ( Cypr. Ang. ) That Bishop Laud observed the Interest of the Church prejudiced by the great Increase of Chaplains in the Houses of private Gentlemen . To prevent this Inconvenience , and some others , King Charles the First published his Instructions to Archbishop Abbot , An. 1629. containing Orders to be executed by the Bishops in the Province of Canterbury . The Instructions were comprehended in ten Articles . The seventh enjoyns , That the Bishop suffer none under Noble-men , and Men Qualified by Law , to have any private Chaplain in his House . I have mentioned these Instances , to shew the Difficulty of the Office. 'T is a nice Vndertaking , and requires a more than ordinary Sufficiency . And therefore an Vnexperienced , Vnballasted Divine , must be an improper Missionary . 'T were well if he understood Something of Men and Things ; if he was furnish'd both with Matter and Form , and rather Brought his Education than Received it . For a Disadvantage in the Beginning of Business , is not easily overcome . There should be Vigilance in Conversation , a Sweetnes● of Temper , an Vnaffected Piety , and a noble Contempt of Interest . And since the Clergy thus engaged are more Numerous than formerly , they should manage with the greater Care. For when the Priesthood is misunderstood , Religion must decline of Course . And when Religion is gone ▪ we have lost the best support of this Life , as well as the other . This Reasoning must be allowed by those who are not sunk below the Doctrines of Providence . Indeed if a Man sets up for a Sceptick , I don't expect the Argument should Relish . But the Opinion of such Iudges is neither Credit , nor Misfortune . With these People a Iest passes for a Demonstration ; and to Laugh , and Confute , is the same Thing . It seems Truth and Falshood depends upon their good Liking : And they have the peculiar Privilege of Wishing Things in , or out of Being , at Pleasure . Who would expect such Flights of Conceit from so humble Pretences ? For an Atheist , if you will take his Word for it , is a very despicable Mortal . Let us describe him by his Tenents , and Copy him a little from his own Original . He is then no better than a heap of Organized Dust , a stalking Machine , a Speaking Head without a Soul in it . His Thoughts are bound up by the Laws of Motion , his Actions are all prescribed . He has no more Liberty than the Current of a Stream , or the Blast of a Tempest . And where there is no Choice , there can be no Merit . The Creed of an Atheist is a degrading Systeme , a most mortifying Perswasion . No Advantages can make him Shine : He strikes himself out of all Claim to Regard : And has no Alliance to any honourable Distinction . He is the Offspring of Chance , the Slave of Necessity , danced by foreign Impulses no less than a Puppet . Ignoble in his Descent ; Little in Life , and Nothing at the End on 't . Atheism , the result of Ignorance and Pride ; of strong Senses , and feeble Reason ; of Good Eating , and Ill Living ! Atheism , the Plague of Society , the Corrupter of Manners , and the Vnderminer of Property ! What can the Raillery , the Reproaches , the supercilious Censures of this Sect signifie ? Why should They be raised above their Principle , and rated higher than their own Valuation ? They are below all Consideration , except that of Pity , and Prayers ; and these I heartily give them . If the Plainness of what Follows disgusts the sober Reader I am sorry for it . 'T is a Circumstance which could not be declined without Prejudice to the Subject . The oversmoothness of an Argument , is apt to abate the Force . You must give it a Point to make way for Passage ▪ Pleasure cannot always be made the Vehicle of Health . And when the Case requires it , no Man blames the Doctor for preferring the Cure to the Palate . Besides , the bare mention of some Practices is enough to expose them . And when Things are a Satyr upon themselves , who can help it ? The Deformity lies in the Monster , not in him who shows it . I am far from desiring a Depression of the Laity , or abetting any Spiritual Usurpation . Honour and Civil Pretences are not Held at the Will of the Church ; and therefore She should not Seize without Warrant . To make Orders a Patent for Pride , and a Privilege for Misbehaviour , is much more than runs in the Commission . I am pleading for no Cynical Neglect , no ill supported Forwardness , no Briskness above Mens Business , or their Talent . But then I hope 't is no harm for Church-men to maintain their Liberty ; and keep the Property of their Persons to themselves . Especially since They live amongst a Free People , and have so good Evidence for their Title . Farther , There is no fear of Levelling from this Enquiry . For Independency does not suppose Equality : Freedom and Degrees are well enough consistent . To prevent all Misconstruction . I willingly grant it no Disadvantage to a Gentleman to Belong to a Person of Quality , provided his Employment be Secular . But the Function of an Ecclesiastick , requires another Relation . ERRATA . OFfice of Chaplain , page 4. line 25. for at read that . p. 35. l. 7. for Inconsiderateness r. Inconsiderableness . Essay upon Pride , p. 19. l. 13. for indifferent r. different . p. 56. l. 26. for Inscriptions r. the Inscriptions , p. 62. l. 31. for that r. than . p. 81. l. 2. for fanciful r. so fanciful . THE OFFICE OF A Chaplain Enquir'd into , and Uindicated FROM SERVILITY AND CONTEMPT . THE OFFICE OF A CHAPLAIN Enquir'd into , &c. JUvenal observes , Sat. 7. that the Practice of the Lawyers in his time was usually proportioned to the Figure they made at the Bar ; where he that appear'd in the best Equipage was supposed to have the greatest share of Law and Sense in him : so that had the Vulgar had any Power in determining Right , a good Cause might oftentimes have been lost for want of fine Cloaths to plead it in . Whether any part of this Vanity prevails with us , I shall not dispute ; however this Inference may be fairly allowed , That the Success of Truth depends very much upon the Reputation of its Advocate . For the generality of Mankind , in regard they are not judicious and impartial enough to penetrate the bottom of things , are more influenced by show and appearance , than by substance and reality . And therefore if a Man's Person or Office happens to wear an uncreditable Name , and and falls under a general di●esteem , though never so undeservedly , he must not expect to be perswasive with others , though the nature and proof of what he recommends , may appear sufficiently evident and weighty to an unprejudiced mind . For besides that Men are not willing to learn Rules of Wisdom and Condu●● from those they contemn , because this looks like a disparagement of themselves , and sets the despised Person in some measure above them , besides , I say , they are not over-willing to be informed by such Instructors ; 't is not often that they think they can : For 't is generally taken for granted that Discourses cannot rise much above the Character of those that make them ; and that 't is scarce possible for an inconsiderable Man to say any think that is worth the taking notice of . So that when Men have entertained a little Opinion of any Person , he is under a mighty disadvantage of fixing any good Advice upon them . The contemptible Notion they have of him gives their Judgments an ill tincture , and makes them unindifferent , so that they neither see things in their true colours , nor allow them their proper weight ; but are apt to conclude the reasonings of those they disesteem resemble the insignificancy of their Authors , and so many a g●od well-meaning Argument is turned back and discountenanced , only for keeping suspected unreputable Company . Of the truth of this Observation ill Men are very apprehensive , who being desirous of enjoying the ple●sures of Vice , without coming under the discipline of Ignominy and Restraint , make it their business to misrepresent the Ministers of Religion , depressing their Authority , and decrying the usefulness of their Prosession ; being well assured that when they have disarm'd their Adversaries ( as they reckon them ) of their Reputation , they need not fear any considerable disturbance from them . In pursuance of this Design they would fain perswade the World , that the Clergy are so far from deserving any additional Esteem upon the account of their Office , that for this reason they ought to forfeit part of what they had before ; as if Orders suppos'd some antecedent Crime , and were rather inflicted than given , and that those who receive them ought to pass for Persons degraded from the privileges of Birth and Education , or at least not to enjoy them without stain and abatement . Now that there are some Persons , and those not all of the lowest Rank , who seem to be of this unreasonable Opinion , is too apparent ; and therefore I shall desire them to consider , that those who account the Priesthood a lessening of a Man's Quality , must either believe all Religion to be an Imposture , or if they do own the Being of a God , their apprehension of him is so scandalous and unworthy , that I think it would be a kindness to them to suppose them Atheists : For 't is not so monstrous and provoking to deny the Existenee of a Deity , as to suppose him void of Excellency and Perfection : To imagine him to be so far from being the Fountain of Honour , that He is rather to be accounted a discredit to those who belong to him , and that a Person of Condition ought to be asham'd of his Service ; such a Notion of God Almighty as this , besides the Absurdity of it , looks like a malicious acknowledgment of his Being , only to make him capable of contempt . But besides , at the Function of the Clergy in general is too often misunderstood , ( which in such a sceptical and licentious Age we need not wonder at ) those who officiate in private Houses lie under particular Disadvantages : Here the Master of the Family usually expects an extraordinary observance from the Priest , and returns him less notice in exchange , than to others of the same Order and Condition . Now one would think in point of reason , that an Ecclesiastical ( as well as a Civil or Military ) Officer should be more consider'd within the limits and extent of his Employ than elsewhere , both upon the account of the Jurisdiction he hath there , and because of the Advantage those he is concern'd with , do or may receive from the Execution of his Office. Now the reason of this unaccountable Practice must be resolved into one or both of these Pretences ; either 1. That a Clergyman officiating in a Family , ought to be entertain'd no otherwise than under the Notion of a Servant : or 2. Because 't is in the Patron 's Power to oblige the Priest with Church-Preferment . It will be therefore the Design of these Papers to shew , 1. That a Priest , or Chaplain in a Family , is no Servant . 2. That whatever fair Expectations the Patron may have given the Priest of future Advantage , those are no sufficient Grounds to justify an imperious Deportment on the one hand , or a servile Submission on the other . 1. I shall prove that a Priest , or Chaplain in a Family , is no Servant ; the contrary of which I believe he is often thought to be , though 't is not always spoken out . Now in order to the removing this Mistake , I shall in the First place answer those Objections , which seem to have given the most probable occasion of its rise . Secondly , I shall give a short Description of the Office of a Chaplain ; and shew how much it differs from that of a Servant . I. I shall answer those Objections , which have given the most probable occasion to this Mistake ; among which we may reckon the Priests being entertained with Diet. But that eating at another's Table does not make a Man a Servant is plain ; for if it did , then every one that visits his Friend , if he happens to eat or drink without paying for it , must immediately forfeit his Liberty . If it be said , That 't is not eating now and then upon a Visit which brings a Man into the Condition of a Servant , but doing it constantly , and with the same Person : To this I answer , That if eating by the year makes a Man a Servant for a year , than eating by the day must make him a Servant for that day ; the only difference in this case is , that the one who eats but a Meal or two comes into his Liberty sooner than the other . But possibly 't is the Priests contracting for Diet which makes him mistaken for a Servant to him that affords it ; and here 't is supposed to come under the notion of Wages , because the Priest is to do something for it . Now because a consideration of this nature , whether it be received in Money or Diet , or both , is the same thing ; I shall prove that a Man's Receiving Money in consideration of bestowing his Time and Pains upon another , does not make him a Servant to him that returns him a Recompence for his Trouble . For example , Lawyers and Physicians have their Fees , or their Wages if you please , and yet I suppose none will say that they are Servants to all the Clients and Patients that imploy them , and if not to all , then for the same reason not to any : The Judges have a Fee for every Cause which is tried at the Nisi prius Bar , and a Justice of Peace hath Money allow'd him for making a Warrant , which both of them may receive without forfeiting their Authority . The House of Commons likewise have Pensions from their Electors , during the Session of Parliament ; I confess 't is not usually paid now , but if they did receive it as formerly they have done , I hope no one would say a Knight of a Shire was Servant to a Man of Forty Shillings per annum , because he contributed something towards his maintenance . In all these cases a Man is engaged in the business of others , and receives a consideration for his employment , and yet hath no reason to be accounted a Servant for his pains . If it be said , that in most of these Instances the Salaries are assign'd by Law , and consequently that there is no contract between him that receives and him that gives the consideration ; I answer , that there is a vertual ▪ though not an express contract , because the People have agreed to consent to whatever their Representatives shall determine . 2 ly , As to the case of the Lawyers , though their Fees are stated by Law , yet every one chuses whom he will make use of ; so that the voluntary Retaining any one , is no less than a plain Contract , and the giving him so much Money upon condition that he will plead for him . 3 ly , 'T is not the contracting for Money in lieu of some other exchange which makes a Man a Servant , for then every one that sells for Money would be a Servant to the Buyer , and consequently a Pedlar might make himself a Master of the best Merchant in London , if he should happen to be so ambitious as to be his Customer : and which is most to be lamented , if a Man could not by way of Contract receive Money with one hand , without parting with his Liberty with the other , then the Landlord must be a Servant to the Tenant ; for the bare contracting for Rent , though he never receiv'd a Penny , is enough to bring him Under ; so that according to this Opinion , a Man cannot let his Farm without Demising and Granting away himself . But further , That the entertaining the Clergy with Diet and Salary is no Argument of their subjection , will appear , if we consider that we are bound to contribute towards the support of our Parents , if they stand in need of it ; and yet I suppose it does not follow that this makes us there Superiors : 'T is so far from it , that our assisting them is accounted part of that honour which the Fifth Commandment enjoyns us to pay them , and is so interpreted by our Saviour himself , St. Matth. 15. 4 , 5 , 6. The communication therefore of part of our Wealth to the Clergy officiating in our Houses , is in reason nothing but a due respect to their Function , and a grateful acknowledgement of their Care : What the Priest receives from us is in effect offered to God Almighty , because 't is given upon the account of the Relation he hath to him , and the Advantages we recieve from thence . This is honouring God with our Substance , who in regard he stands in need of nothing himself , hath order'd those Persons ( whom he hath set apart to keep up his Service and Worship ) to receive what Men present to him in token of his Sovereignty and Providence . Thus what was offer'd to God under the Old Testament ( except what was spent in Sacrificing ) was the Priests Portion , assign'd by the Divine Appointment , Numb . 18. 8 , 9. and in the 20 th . verse of that Chapter the reason why the Tribe of Levi was to have no Inheritance in the Land which was to be divided , is given , because God promised to be their Inheritance , that is to give them those Offerings which were made to him ; and that this was a very liberal Assignment , and much exceeded the provision which was made for the rest of the Tribes , might easily be made good , were it not foreign to the present Argument . There are many other places in the Old Testament which may be alledg'd for the confirmation of this Truth , as Deut. 18. 2. Iosh. 13. 14. Ezek. 44. 28 , &c. And that this practice did not depend upon any Cerimonial Constitution , but was founded in the unalterable reason of things , will appear if we look into the New Testament ; where St. Paul tells us that God has ordained that those that Preach the Gospel ( which every Priest does who reads the New Testament ) should live of the Gospel , 1 Cor. 9. 14. Our Spiritual Governors are Ministers of God to us as well as our Temporal , Rom. 13. 4. and therefore the Apostle's Inference , v. 6. may in a qualified sense at least , be applied to them , For this cause pay you Tribute also . And that the same Apostle did not believe that a Consideration of this nature , ought to subject the Clergy to Distance and Submissive Behaviour , is beyond question ; for he plainly tells the Corinthians , 1 Cor. 9. 11. If we have sown unto you Spiritual things , is it a great thing , if we shall reap your carnal things ? It seems he did not believe this Favour so extraordinary , or to have any such commanding quality in it , as to make him their Servant , or Dependant , if he had received it . Nay he tells them that he had power to eat and to drink ; that is , God had given him a right to a competent Maintenance out of the Estates of those he instructed ; which without question , where the circumstances of the Person will permit , ought to be proportioned with respect to the Person Represented , and to the Nature and Quality of the Employ . 'T is plain therefore that the Apostle thought that if God's Ministers lived out of the Fortunes of their Charge , yet they were not so mightily indebted beyond a possibility of Requital ; but that the Obligation was full as great on the other side : and the reason why some Men now a days are not of the same mind is , because the Concerns of another World have none , or a very slender Consideration allowed them ; for otherwise without question Men would look upon those as none of their least beneficial Friends , who are appointed by God to guide them securely in their Passage to Eternity : but now 't is the Mode with too many to live as if their Souls were the most inconsiderable thing they carried about them . 5. It may be objected , That every Family ought to be under the Government of one single Person , and because the Priest is confessed not to be the Master , therefore he must be under command , and consequently a Servant . Now this is so slender an Objection , that I should have waved the mention of it , but that some People seem desirous of being imposed upon in this matter ; and we know when Men are in love with a Mistake , the least appearance of a reason is apt to entangle their Understandings , and make them overlook the evidence of an Assertion they are prejudiced against . To what is objected therefore I answer , That this Argument proves all Boarders Servants , though their Office or Quality be never so much above those they sojourn with . I grant the Priest is not to disturb the Master of the House in the Government of his Family , nor to intermeddle in his Affairs , ( to do this were an unreasonable Incroachment ) but the living under his Roof makes him no more his Servant , than his Father or Mother are , when they reside with him . There may be several other things urged against the truth of the Proposition I am to defend , but the solving the remaining Objections will fall in more conveniently , after I have given a short description of the Office of a Chaplain , and shown how much it differs from that of a Servant , and how inconsistent it is with it ; which I shall proceed to . 1. Therefore , The Office of a Clergy-man in a Family , is to Pray for , Bless , and give Absolution to those he is concerned with ; which are all Acts of Authority and Jurisdiction . He is to Counsel , Exhort , and Reprove the Master of the Family himself , upon occasion ( though with respect to his station ) which Offices are inconsistent with the condition of a Servant , and must be very unsuccessfully perform'd by him , as will further appear afterwards . 2. He does not receive this Commission ▪ from the Master of the Family , or from any humane Authority , but from God himself , whose Deputy he is in things pertaining to Religion : He is not entertain'd upon any secular Account , or to manage any other Business but what relates to another World ; and is Consecrated to this Function by the Divine Warrant and Appointment , and consequently he is God's Minister not Man's . The Place in which he is engaged is his Parish , and the difference between a Parochial Priest and him lies in this , that the extent of his Charge is not so large as that of a Parish-Priest ; the one having but only one single Family to take care of , and the other a great many : but the Office is the same , and therefore the one hath no more reason to be accounted a Servant than the other . 3. However Pride , Ignorance , or Inconsideration may sometimes byass Mens minds , yet if they would but attend to their own practice , they would see that the concern of a Priest in a Family is no servile Employment ; because in the absence of a Priest the Master of the Family supplies his Place , as far as lawfully he may , that is , in Praying and giving Thanks at Meat ; which is a plain confession that Men are satisfied that 't is very improper to employ any of their Servants in the performance of Holy Offices ; the doing of which would be dishonourable to God , and weaken the force and Majesty of Religion ; and therefore when one Consecrated to Holy Ministrations is not present , God ought to be addressed to by a Person of the greatest Consideration in the Family ; which implicit confession of theirs , is both agreeable to the reason of Mankind in general , and the practice of the first Ages of the World , when the Civil and Ecclesiastical Authority were united , the same Person being both Priest and Prince in his Family ; as appears from Abraham , Isaac , Iacob , and Iob's erecting Altars , and offering Sacrifices : And before the Institution of the Mosaick Law ( in which God chose a distinct Tribe to serve him in Holy Offices ) the First-born , among other considerable Privileges , had the Priesthood annext to his Birth-right . 4. This Notion of a Servant destroys the End and Design of the Priestly Office , it renders his Person cheap , and his Discourse insignificant , it causes his Reproofs to be look'd upon as presumptuous , and makes a generous Freedom and impartial Plainness , to be interpreted a forgetfulness of Distance : And yet this sort of Plain-dealing is not more necessary toward any sort of People than those who are Wealthy and Honourable , the Nature of their Circumstances being such as make them much more apt to flatter themselves , and to be flatter'd by others ; which made St. Paul command St. Timothy , to charge those that were Rich that they should not be High-minded : The Apostle well knew in what great danger such Persons were of taking the height of their Condition amiss , and confiding too much in it ; for to this unhappy Mistake they have not only the common Artifices of Self-love to betray them , but several confederate Circumstances from without strike in to carry on the Imposture , and to cheat them into a wrong Opinion of themselves . They see how they are reverenced and admired by almost all sort of People , and that Men frequently resign their Ease , their Liberty and Conscience too , to purchase fewer Conveniencies than they are already possessed of : They find that Wealth and Reputation puts them into a capacity of gratifying their Senses , and their Humour ; gives them many Opportunities of obliging their Friends , and crushing their Enemies ; and makes their Will a kind of Law to their Inferiours and Dependants . Now these Advantages when they are not throughly examined , but rated according to the value which vulgar Estimation sets upon them , are apt to swell them into an unreasonable Conceit of themselves ; which Vanity is still fed and inflamed because they are often so unfortunate , as not to attend that these worldly Accommodations are things really distinct from their Owners ; that these ornamental Privileges are but a decent Varnish which enriches no deeper than the Surface ; and Impression , which though Royal , cannot alter the Mettal : But on the contrary they are apt to fancy their Fortunes and themselves to be all of a piece , that this glorious Outside grows out of some intrinsick Prerogative , and is the genuine Lustre and Complexion of their Nature . And since a flourishing Condition is thus apt to impose upon Men , and hath such a natural tendency to give them a false Idea of their own Excellency , have they not need of a prudent and conscientious Friend , to insinuate that they have no Essential Advantages above the rest of Mankind , to awaken them into right Apprehensions of things , and rescue them from that Delusion which their own Vanity , and the Ignorance or Design of others of of●en puts upon them ? Therefore if Men would have their Lives correct and happy , they ought to encourage their Friends , ( especially those who are particularly concern'd in the Regulation of their Conscience ) to tell them of their Faults ; they should invite them to this freedom , if not by express Declaration , yet by affable Deportment , always receiving the Performance of the nice Office with demonstrations of Pleasure and Satisfaction . Did Men consider how slippery and difficultly manageable an elevated Station is , they would easily discern that it was not the safest way to trust altogether to their own Conduct , but to take in the constant assistance of a Religious Person , that so their Miscarriages might be represented , their Consciences directed in doubtful Cases , and their Minds fortified with Defensatives proper to the Temptations of their Condition and Temper . Indeed the very converse of such a Guide , if his Character were rightly understood , and prudently supported , would help to keep them upon their guard ; and by striking a kind of Religious Awe upon their Spirits , make their Conversation more staunch and regular , and often prevent their falling into any remarkable Excesses : But these Advantages are all lost upon those who misapprehend the Priest's Office , and entertain him upon the same account they do their Footmen , only to garnish the Table , and stuff out the Figure of the Family . When a Man hath received such a disparaging Notion of the Priest , and rang'd him amongst his Servants , there is small likelihood of his being the better for his Company ; for this Conceit will make his Carriage lofty and reserv'd ; his Words , Gestures , and Silence , will all carry marks of Neglect and Imperiousness in them : which are plain and designed Intimations that the Priest must not insist upon the Privileges of his Function ; that he must not pretend to any Liberty , but what his Patron is pleas'd to allow ; with the Direction of whose Actions he is not to intermeddle , nor remonstrate against the unreasonableness of any Practice , nor show him the Danger of continuing in it : for though all this be done with Caution and Tenderness , and Respect , yet he must look for nothing but Disdain and Disappointment in requital , for presuming to admonish his Superiours ; which is such an Usurpation upon Dominion and Quality as is not to be endur'd ; being neither agreeable to the servile Employment of the one , nor consistent with the Honour of the other . 5. This degrading the Priesthood into a servile Office , takes off from that Veneration which is due to the solemn Mysteries of Religion , and makes them look common and contemptible ; by being administred by Persons not sui juris , but obnoxious to the pleasure of those who receive them : God therefore to prevent his Ordinances from falling into contempt , and to make them effectual to procure the happiness of Mankind , hath given his Priests Authority over all they are concern'd with ; they are to bless the People in his Name , and the Author to the Hebrews tells us That without contradiction the less is blessed of the better , Hebr. 7. 7. They are called the Lord's Priests , 1 Sam. 22. 17. The Messengers of the Lord of Hosts , Mal. 2. 7. And in the New Testament , they are stiled the Stewards and Ambassadors of God ; and made Overseers of his Church by the Holy Ghost , 2 Cor. 5. 20. Acts 20. 28. The Sense of which Texts , and partly the Words are by the Appointment of our Church applied to those who are ordain'd Priests , to put them in mind of the Dignity of their Office , and the great Care they ought to take about the conscientious Discharge of it . I confess 't is possible for a Priest to make himself a Servant ; he may 't is likely be Steward or Clark of the Kitchin if he pleases , ( as Bishop Latimer complains some of the Clergy were forced to be in his Time , Heylin's Histo Refor . p. 61. ) but as long as he does not engage in any Employment which is intended for State , or the Convenience of Life , as long as he keeps to his Priestly Function , so long he may be assured he hath no Master in the House ; and for any to suppose he hath , is an unreasonable and absurd Mistake ; ( to say no worse of it ) 't is an inverting that Order which God made between the Priest and People , and denies that Authority which God hath granted for the Edification of his Church . It endeavours to destroy that Honourable Relation which the Priest hath to the Divine Majesty ( to whose Service he is appropriated ) which God is pleas'd to dignifie him with , that he might have the greater Influence upon those he is concern'd with , and be Successful in the Execution of his Office : And therefore for a Patron to account such a Consecrated Person his Priest , as if he Belonged to him as a Servant , is in effect to challenge Divine Honours , and to set up himself for a God : For if he is any thing less , he must own that the Service of the Priest does not belong to him ; for that in the very Terms and Notion of it , is intended for no Being inferiour to that which is suppos'd to be Divine . If it be objected , That the Priest hath obliged himself to remove with the Patron , when and whither he thinks fit , and therefore seems to be in the same Condition with the rest of the Attendants : To this I answer , That this makes him no more a Servant than the travelling and ambulatory way of Living among the Tartars , would make the Priests Servants to the People , provided they were Christians : To make it plainer , Suppose a Bishop Ordain'd over the Company of a Ship , and that his Diocese lay only in one Bottom ; can we imagine that he would lose his Episcopal Power , and fall into the Condition of other Sea-men , as soon as the Ship was order'd to weigh Anchor , and began to make its Voyage from one Port to another : At this rate a Man may call a Guardian Angel one of his Domesticks , because for the Security and Protection of their Charge , these benevolent Spirits are pleas'd to accompany us from one Place to another . I grant the Scripture tells us they are sent forth to minister for those who are Heirs of Salvation , Hebr. 1. 14. but then we must allow them to be God's Ministers not ours ; and so likewise are those of whom I am now Speaking , as among other Places may be seen from 2 Cor. 6. 4. God hath pleas'd to put the Clergy in joynt Commission with the Angels themselves , for the Guidance of , and superintending his Church . When St. Iohn would have worshipped the Angel which appear'd to him , he is forbid to do it , and the reason alledged is , because I am thy Fellow-servant , Rev. 19. 10. that is , as Grotius expounds it , we are both Ambassadors of the same King. And although St. Iohn , and the rest of the Apostles , had Privileges peculiar to themselves , both in respect of the extent of their Jurisdiction , the infallibility of their Doctrine , and other miraculous Gifts with which they were endowed , to which Bishops themselves , much less inferiour Priests , have no reason to pretend ; yet though God was pleas'd for the more speedy and effectual planting of Christianity , to qualifie the Apostles in an extraordinary Manner , and to give them a larger Commission than to the Clergy of succeeding Ages , yet they all act by the same Authority , and for the same End ; therefore the unfixt and moving Nature of a Cure , does not alter and degrade the Office of a Priest : He is not less a Shepherd , because the Flock happens sometimes to wander unaccountably , from one Pasture to another : He is bound to attend the Charge he hath undertaken , and must answer the Neglect of it to God ; and when it does not continue in the same Place , to accompany its Motion , is no more a Diminution to his Office , than it is to that of a Judge to go the Circuit , whose Commission is as considerable , though it travels with him from one County to another , as if he had been always fixt in Westminster-hall . If it be farther objected , That the Patron appoints the Hours of Prayer , which seems to imply something of command : To this I answer , That in his chusing the Time of Prayer , he does not appoint any Service for himself , but only declares when he and his Houshold are ready for God's Worship , and desirous of the Priestly Absolution and Blessing ; which is proper for him to do , because the Family is employed in his Business , and under his Command ; and therefore without his Permission , they have not many times an Opportunity of meeting together for Divine Service : Which is still more reasonable , because the Priest is supposed only to intend the Affairs of Religion , and to be always ready for the performance of his Office , and consequently that Time which is most convenient for those under his Care , and in which the Assembly is like to be most numerous , he is by virtue of his Office bound to observe , whether his Cure lies in a private Family , or a whole Parish . But lastly , it may be urged , That the 13 of Hen. 8. cap. 28. calls the Patrons of Chaplains their Masters ; and will any Man be so hardy as to question the Judgment and Determination of the Parliament ? But here we may observe , That this Act calls only those Patrons Masters , who can give Qualifications for Pluralities . Having premised this Observation , I answer , with all due Submission and Respect to this Legislative Council ; That if the Question was concerning any Civil Right , then 't is confessed 't is in the Power of the Parliament either to limit , or take it away , because the whole Power and Authority of the Kingdom is there , either Personally , or by Representation ; and therefore they may deprive any Person of his Honour or Estate ( the Right of the Succession to the Crown excepted ) as far as they please : Not that 't is impossible for them to act Unjustly , but only that what they Determine hath the force of a Law , because every Man is suppos'd to have given his Consent to it . But here we must observe , that the Church is a distinct Society from the State , and independent upon it : The Constitution of the Church is founded in the Appointment of Christ , in that Commission which he gave the Apostles and their Successors , and consequently does not derive its Authority from any Earthly Power . The Civil Magistrate never yet made Bishop , Priest , or Deacon , nor ever can ; and therefore we may safely affirm , without any injury or disrespect to him , That he cannot make these Spiritual Offices greater or less than they are : Therefore if God hath made the Priests Office ( as nothing is plainer in Scripture than that he hath ) an Office of Government , Direction , and Superintendence over those he is concern'd with , then 't is not in the Power of the Parliament to make his Condition servile ; because no Person , or Society of Persons , can take away that Power which they never gave : The Parliament may with equal Right Enact that Parents shall be subject to their Children , and that the Wife shall be her Husband's Mistress , without a Compliment , as make the People the Priests Masters , and give the Flock a Jurisdiction over the Shepherd : They may with the same Justice repeal the most Established Laws of Nature , and invert the Right of the two former Relations , as of this latter ; for this hath its Establishment from the same God that the other have , and for Ends , at least equally weighty , and momentous . This Power of their Spiritual Governours they have no more Authority to destroy , than they have to vote down the Cannon of Scripture , or to decree Sacrilege to be no Sin : 'T is granted , That all Ecclesiastical Persons , as they are Members of the State , are subject to its Authority ; and that a Priest , or Bishop , may properly be a Servant to the Magistrate , if he holds any Secular Employment under him ; because in this case he acts by a Commission from the Civil Government ; but this only concerns him as he is a Member of the State , and does not in the least affect his Spiritual Capacity : The Power which results from that , flows from another Fountain ; and is given by our Saviour himself , and therefore cannot be weakned , or recall'd , by any State-Constitution whatever . Men should do well therefore to consider , That as a Prince hath no reason to take it well , if the People should look upon his Officers as their Servants ; so 't is not over-respectful to God Almighty to suppose his Ministers stand in that inferiour Relation to those they are concern'd with . I shall now proceed to the Second thing at first propounded , viz. to show , That whatever fair Expectations the Patron may have given the Priest , yet these are not sufficient Grounds for an imperious Carriage on the one hand , or a servil Submission on the other . 1. This sort of Deportment were unreasonable , supposing the Patron had as full and absolute a Right in Church-Preferment , as he hath in any other part of his Estate . For what can be a more ungenerous and ungentlemanly Practice , than to require that a Man should resign up his Liberty , and forfeit the Privileges of his Station , only upon the probability of receiving some sort of Consideration for it afterwards ? How unlike a Benefactor does he look who sets an Excise upon his bare Word , and clogs the expectation of future Advantage with present Inconvenience ? Thus to anticipate the Revenues of a Favour , is like taking Usury for Money before 't is lent , which certainly is one of the worst sorts of Extortion , because here a Man not only pays for that he hath not , but for that which possibly he may never have . But 2. Let us suppose the Priest in actual Possession of some considerable Preferment , yet being 't is pretended to be given , it ought certainly to come disencumber'd from all Conditions which may abate the Kindness of it . He that pretends to give , should chiefly respect the Advantage of him to whom the Favour is granted . He should demean himself towards the obliged Party , as if the Obligation had never been ; that it may plainly appear , that his Intention in conferring it , was disinterested ; that he had no little Designs of Profit or State , to serve in it ; but that it proceeded purely from a generous Inclination to promote the Happiness of another . Whereas on the contrary , to part with any thing out of a selfish Design , is an Exchange , not a Gift , which when 't is done by a Person of Estate , is an Argument of a mean and mercenary Spirit . But then to pursue a Benefit with Superciliousness and Contempt , to expect a Compliance with the most unreasonable Humours ; to give upbraiding and contumelious Signs of the dependance and unworthiness of the Receiver ; to require a Man to relinquish the necessary Freedom of one of the most solemn and honourable Professions ; this turns an Obligation into Injury and Affront , and looks like a malicious Trap set to catch a Man's Reputation . Who that hath either Sense or Honesty would turn his Canonical Habit into a Livery , and makes himself useless and ridiculous for the greatest Consideration whatever ? A worthy Person would scorn a Kingdom proffer'd upon such dishonourable terms . 3. If we put the case as 't is determined by Law , this practice will appear still more unreasonable . 'T is sufficiently known , and were it not for the overgrown Prejudices of some Persons , it were superfluous to mention that the Patron is so far from having a full Propriety in Church-Preferments , that his Right only consists in a power to Nominate who shall enjoy them . Which very Nomination must be made within six Months , and fix't upon a Person Canonically qualified , otherwise 't is wholly invalid . His Interest in Church Livings only enables him to give them away , not to keep them . He hath no Power to enter upon any part of the Glebes , or Tithes , or so much as to sequester the Profits for the next Incumbent . He is only a Trustee authorized under certain Conditions , to dispose of the Patrimony of the Church , which is settled upon it by as good Laws as any he holds his Estate by . That Right which he hath was originally granted in consideration of Works of extraordinary Piety , in building or endowing of Churches : which is a Title very few ( except the King ) can pretend to , either upon their own , or their Ancestors Accounts . From all which it appears , that the Patrons giving an Annuity out of his Estate , is a quite different thing from his Presenting to a Living , and therefore his Expectations of Gratitude and Observance , should not be set so high in this latter case . For here neither Law , nor Religion , allow the Donor to be a Penny the better for what he disposes of ; he cannot detain the least part of it without Injustice and Sacrilege , nor confer it upon exceptionable Persons without breach of Fidelity . The Trust indeed is honourable and weighty , it being in the Power of those to whom 't is committed to encourage Learning , and to provide the People with prudent and conscientious Guides : but then I must add , that it ought to be discharged accordingly , and that those who do not chiefly aim at these Ends in the exercise of it , have little either of Conscience or Honour in them . We have reason to believe that when the Church gave this Right of Presentation to Lay-Patrons , ( for that the Bishops had originally the Right of judging the Qualifications of Priests , and fixing them in their respective Cures , without being accountable to a Quare impedit for their refusal of the Peoples choice , might be made evident were it pertinent to the business in hand . ) When the Church I say parted with this Right , she had no Suspicion of the Degeneracy of after Ages ; but imagined that the Integrity , and Conscience , if not the Munificence of the first Patrons , might have been transmitted to the Heirs or Purchasers of their Right . The Piety of those Times would have made it look uncharitable to have been apprehensive of Resignation Bonds , of forced Compositions , and Contracts for Farms , or Women . But some People have now learn'd to make bold with God Almighty , beyond the Imagination , as well as the Example , of their Predecessors ; and to be guilty of those Sacrilegious Frauds , which by the late Provision of our Laws against some of them , seem not to have been so much as thought on , in those more Primitive and Religious days . And here in point of Charity I think my self obliged to desire those who are concern'd in the Rights of Patronage , to consider before 't is too late , how great a Sin it is to abuse their Power ; and through Covetousness , or some other unwarrantable Principle , to betray the Church , which hath in some measure made them her Guardian : It imports them very much to reflect how unworthy and unchristian it is to play upon the Indigence or Irresolution of another ; and take an Advantage from the Unfortunateness of his Condition or Temper , to oblige him to mean and sinful Compliances ! And what an open and undisguised Affront it is to the Divine Majesty , to endeavour to make his Ministers cheap and insignificant ; both before , and after the conferring our pretended Favours upon them . To create servile Dependances , and raise our private Grandeur upon the Endowments of Religion , is a perfect Contradiction to the End and Design of them . This makes the Church contemptible by the Strength of her own Revenues , and causes the Monuments of our Fore-fathers Piety to be instrumental in undermining , and exposing that Faith they thereby intended to secure and advance : which whosoever is guilty of , he may be assured he hath a Right to the Imprecations , as well as the Patronage of the first Endowers of Churches , which dreadful Legacy they were generally very careful to settle upon such irreligious Posterity , Spelman de non temerand . Eccl. In short , To prostitute so sacred a Trust as this is , to Pride and Ambition , is in effect to sacrifice to the Devil with that which is consecrated to God Almighty ; and looks like a more provoking Impiety than Belshazzer's debauching to the Honour of his Idols , in the Vessels of the Temple , Dan. 5. 3 , 4. For here is not only an Abuse of Holy things but Persons too , and God is dishonoured in those that Represent him upon a most solemn and important Account . I shall now at last crave leave to desire those of the Clergy , who are engaged in the Families of Secular Persons ( for I mean no other ) to reflect of what ill Consequence it is to Religion for them not to assert their Office in a prudent defensible way : and how cheap in their Persons , and unsuccessful in their Employment , they must necessarily be , if they betray the Privileges of their Function , by servile Compliance and Flattery . People will be apt to imagine ( and not without reason ) that those who will cringe below the Gravity of their Character , to gain a little of this World , can scarce have any Great and Religious Apprehensions of the other . Overmuch Ceremony in a Clergyman is frequently misinterpreted , and supposed to proceed not from his Breeding or Humility , but from a consciousness of his Meanness ; and others are willing to allow him so much Sense , as to be a competent Judg of his own Inconsiderateness ; and since he confesses himself contemptible by his Carriage , they think it but just to treat him accordingly . For Men of Figure , excepting those who are very Understanding and Religious , are apt to have Misapprehensions conveyed into them by over-proportioned Respect ; and to imagine the Distance between him that gives it , and themselves , to be much greater than really it is . Since therefore as things stand , there is some danger lest Churchmen should complement away the Usefulness and Authority of their Calling ; they would do well to decline superlative Observance , for fear they give others a wrong Notion of their Employ , or be thought to have Mens Persons in admiration because of Advantage . It would be no more than requisite , if they would reserve their Duty for their King , their Bishop and their Parents , and express their Gratitude to their Patrons in Language less liable to Misconstruction , and more proper to the Relation between them . For as they should not be unwilling to own the Distinctions which the King's Laws have made , as they ought to make some particular Acknowledgments for the Favors and Civilities of those they are more immediately concern'd with , and by inoffensive and agreeable Conversation , prevent all reasonable Suspicion of their being displeas'd with the superiour Quality or Fortune of others ; so likewise are they obliged not to be so officiously , or rather parasitically mindful of the Condition of any Person , as wholly to be forgetful of their own . For notwithstanding the Disadvantages they may sometimes happen to come into the World with ; the Constitution of the Government hath set them upon the same Level with the inferiour Gentry , as a reward of their Education , and out of regard to their Function : Now that the Laws were not Priest-ridden and superstitiously lavish of their Honour in this case might , were it necessary , be abundantly proved from the reason of the thing , and the general practice of other Countries , both with respect to ancient and modern Times . These Privileges therefore being confer'd upon just and publick Accounts , a Man is sometimes bound to maintain ; and to surrender them up to the superciliousness of every assuming or ignorant Pretender , is a Reflection upon the Wisdom , and Ingratitude to the Religious Bounty of those Kings who granted them : and which is worse , a Churchman by making himself Contemptible hath parted with his Power of doing good ; and consequently disappointed the great End of his Calling . Whereas without doubt 't is part of the Design of these Privileges to create a sutable Resolution and Presence of mind in those that have them , that so their Spirit being raised up to their civil Station , their Character and Department may be the better proportioned , and their Actions keep a truer Decorum with the Nature of their Office ; that they might not be Over-awed , and almost struck Dumb with the Glitterings of Title , or Fortune ; but retain a graceful Freedom in Conversation , neither Idolizing Greatness , nor Neglecting it . The Intention of the Laws in distinguishing the Clergy from the Vulgar , besides the Consideration of their Merit , was to put them into a better Capacity to maintain the Honour and Interest of Religion among all sorts of Persons ; that the Rich as well as the Poor might be advantaged by their Ministery , and when Persons of Condition were to be told of their Faults , the Priest might be fortified with a convenient Courage to give the Reproof , and the others dispos'd to receive it without disgust and impatience . Now to be ready upon all Occasions to resent any dishonour done to Religion with a prudent Gravity and Assurance , carries such a noble Air of Greatness and undesigning Honesty in it , that it Forces a secret Veneration from Enemies themselves ; and though a Man may happen to be unjustly hated for speaking unacceptable Truths , yet he is sure never to be despised . Whereas a diffident and unsupported Behaviour in a Clergyman , is often suppos'd to proceed from ignoble Qualities , and consequently will be sure to weaken the force of his publick Instructions ; it being natural for ill Men especially , to disregard , if not to deride the Admonitions of those they believe are afraid of them ; and he that cannot talk without concern before a Sinner of Quality any where but in the Pulpit , might almost as good say nothing to him there . For if a Churchman's Conversation be servile and designing all the Week , his appearing with a new Set of Notions upon the Sunday , will be interpreted only a formal Compliance with his Profession : His pressing those Doctrines which his Practice contradicts , will signify little either to his own Advantage , or theirs that hear him : For though Men ought to mind what is said , and not who says it ; yet the Prejudices of the Generality are such , that a good Cause usually suffers very much when 't is pleaded by an improper and exceptionable Advocate : How fulsom an Entertainment it is to hear a Coward harangue upon Valour , or a Covetous Miser preach up Contempt of the World ? The Man might better have spared his Rhetorick ; for his commending those good Qualities he neither hath the Honesty or Courage to be Master of , is in effect but a Satyr upon himself , and serves only to make him more despicable and ridiculous ; and which is worse , the secret disdain the Audience hath for such a Panegyrist , often slides from his Person to his Subject ; which makes his Exhortation nauseous , and helps to bring Virtue it self into Disgrace . If it be objected , That the Poverty of some of the Clergy forces them to suppress their Sentiments in some things , and to suffer whatever an encroaching Spirit shall think fit to put upon them : To this I answer , That the Temptation to this Sin ought to have been prevented before their going into Holy Orders : For those who cannot be supplied with a competent Fortune by themselves , their Relations , or at least by some creditable independent Preferment , had much better chuse some other inferiour Employment , than expose themselves to such apparent Danger in this : But if their own or their Friends imprudence , hath sent them unprovided into the Church , 't is more Reputable , Conscientious , and to a generous mind more Easie too , to submit to the Inconveniencies of their own Poverty , than to the Pride of others ; and to prefer a homely , unornamented Liberty , to a splendid Servitude . And as for those ( if there be any such ) who do not discharge their Office with that Plainness , and discreetly managed Resolution which God and the Church expects from them ; it will not be improper to remind them of what Mr. Herbert hath written upon this Occasion , Country Parson , pag. 5. where he tells us , That such Persons wrong the Priesthood , neglect their Duty , and shall be so far from that which they seek by their Over-submissiveness and Cringing , that they shall ever be despised . Indeed they have no reason to expect any better Usage ; for as Flatterly is deservedly accounted one of the most contemptible Vices , so a Clergy-man when he is guilty of it is the worst of Fla●●●●ers . To which we may add , That 't is hard to conceive how the Oath against Simo●● can be fairly taken by such Persons ▪ for certainly he that purchases his Preferment with the Prevarication of his Office , does no less contradict the Design of this Oath , than if he had paid down the full value in Money for it : He that hath barter'd away his Freedom and Usefulness , ( and as much as in him lies the Reputation of his Order ) cannot in any reasonable Construction be said to be Presented Gratis . Those therefore who are this way concern'd , should do well to consider , How Mean it is to be over-awed , and how Mercenary to be bribed into an Omission of their Duty ! What a sordid and criminal Perfidiousness is it , to betray the Honour of their Function , and the Happiness of their Charge , For handfuls of Barley and pieces of Bread ? Ezek. 13. How ill do they Represent the God of Faithfulness and Truth ; who either by verbal or silent Flattery deceive Men into a false Perswasion of Security , and dissemble their Apprehensions of Danger , when the Mistake is likely to prove Fatal to those that lie under it ? Can they that pretend ( and that truly ) a Commission from our Blessed Saviour , That good Shepherd , who laid d●wn his Life for the Sheep ; Can they have so little Charity for the Souls of Men , as to let them miscarry out of Ceremony and Respect , and rather venture their being Damn'd than Disobliged ? How such a Treacherous Observance will be look'd upon in the Great Day of Accounts is not difficult to foretell , were it not too sad an Argument to dilate upon : However something of the Guilt of it may be conceived by a remarkable Sentence of the forementioned Author , pag. 6. which seems to be no less true than severe , They ( says he ) who for the hope of Promotion , neglect any necessary Admonition or Reproof , sell , with Iudas , their Lord and Master . FINIS . A Moral Essay Concerning the Nature and Unreasonableness OF PRIDE . IN WHICH The Most plausible Pretences of this VICE are examined . IN A CONFERENCE BETWEEN Philotimus and Philalethes . TO THE READER . I Easily foresee some People will be disobliged with the Freedom of these Papers ▪ and think themselves treated with too little Ceremony ; But unless they can disarm their pretended Adversary , and confute his Arguments , I would desire them by all means to smother their Resentments : For as bad as the World is , to appear in defence of Pride , and turn Advocate for the Devil , looks like an untoward sort of an Employment . However to sweeten their Humour as much as may be , they may please to consider that there was no good to be done in this Case without plain dealing ; This Malady of all others must be well examined , otherwise it 's in vain to expect a Cure. 'T is to no purpose to declaim in general against a Proud man , and to give him a great many hard Names ; for unless you point directly upon his Vice , distinguish it's Nature , and discover the weakness of that which he builds upon . Every one will be sure to avoid the Charge and parry against the Application . Farther , to abate their Censure I think it not improper to acquaint them that here are no particular Characters attempted , nor is there the least intention to provoke or expose any Person Living . Besides when a Piece like this is drawn from so many different Faces ; the mixing of Features and Complexions , will keep the Originals from being discover'd . In short the Design of this small Discourse is only to make Men more useful and acceptable to Society , and more easie to themselves than they generally are : And that those who over-top their Neighbours upon any considerable account ; may manage their Advantage with that Modesty and good Humour , that none may have any ●ust occasion to wish them less . A Moral Essay UPON PRIDE , IN A CONFERENCE Between PHILOTIMUS and PHILALETHES . Philot. PHilalethes , I am glad to see you , though you are so wrapt up in Speculation that I scarce knew you at first sight ; pray why so thoughtful ? you don't use to have so much Philosophy in your Face . Philal. I have a particular reason to look a little pretendingly at present ; therefore I hope you will excuse it . Philot. With all my heart , for I suppose you will not make a practice of it : But whatever Emergency you may be under , I would advise you to appear in your old shape again ; for in my Judgment that contemplative Figure does not become you . Philal. I am sorry to hear Thinking agrees so ill with my Constitution ; but I hope this Alteration does not arise from any natural Antipathy I have to Sense , but from the unacceptableness of the subject I am upon . Philot. Pray if it be not too free a Question , what were you musing upon ? Philal. Why last night I happened to light upon an overgrown Fop , who plagued the Company with such an impertinent History of his Quality and Performances , and was so vain and insolent in all his behaviour , that as soon as I was delivered from him , I had a plentiful occasion to consider the unreasonableness of Pride ; which is the present Employment of my Thoughts , and upon a full view , I find so much folly , and ill humour , and Monster , in the Composition of this Vice , that I am ashamed , and almost afraid , of the Idea I have raised . Philot. 'T is somewhat hard you can't stand the charge of your own Imagination ; But though I shall not dispute your Courage , yet I much question your Mortification . Philal. The Reason of your censure ? Philot. Because I have observed it 's but a bad Sign of Humility to declaim against Pride ; for he that is really humble will be unconcerned about Respect and Applause ; such a Person values himself upon nothing but his Conscience and Integrity , and therefore the haughtiness of another can't make him uneasie ; so that if he finds himself wince upon the account of neglect , he may be pretty well assured he has a sore place . Philal. I think you are somewhat out in your notion of Humility ; for that virtue does not make us either servile or insensible , it does not oblige us to be ridden at the pleasure of every Coxcomb . We may shew our dislike of an imperious humour , as well as of any other foolish Action , both for the Benefit of others , and in vindication of our own right . Philot. I am glad to hear this concession from you , because from hence it follows that a man may have a just esteem of himself without being proud : Now if this observation was remembred and rightly applyed , men would not be so censorious in this point , nor mistake their own Pride for their neighbours so often as they do . For instance , a man whom the Law has made my Superiour , may take notice of his Quality if he pleases ; but this can't well be done , except he makes me an abatement of the regard he receives from me , therefore I ought not to interpret the Reserve or Familiarity of his Carriage , as a Neglect , for provided he keeps within his proportion , he challenges nothing but his own ; so that if I am displeased , the Pride lies on my side , for affecting to have an equal Regard paid to persons who are unequal . Philal. I have nothing to object against the main of your discourse , and conceive that the best way to know whether we are guilty or not , and to prevent charging this odious Imputation unjustly upon others , is to state the Nature of Pride , and to enquire into the Grounds of it . Philot. I confess that is the way to pinch the Question , therefore let what will come of it , I will stand the Test of your Method , though I am afraid you will say some unacceptable things . Philal. Suppose I do ; if the subject leads me to it , the fault is not mine : But to come to the point : Pride has a very strong Foundation in the mind ; it 's bottom'd upon Self-love . Philot. Then I sind there is somewhat to work upon . — Philal. Pray give me leave , I say Pride is originally founded in Self-love , which is the most intimate and inseparable Passion of humane Nature . The kindness men have for themselves , is apt to put them upon over-valuing their own things : which humour unless check'd in time , will make them take most delight in those Circumstances and Actions which distinguish them from their Neighbours ; and place their supposed Advantages in the best light . Now this design is best pursued by being Master of uncommon Excellencies , which though desired by all , are possessed but by a few ; for the Rareness of things raises their Esteem , and draws a general Admiration . And their desire of being distinguish'd , is one reason why they love to keep the odds in their own hand , and to make the distance between themselves and their Neighbours as wide as may be , which often runs them upon a vain , and tyrannical Ostentation of their Power , Capacity , &c. For this magnificent discovery makes the difference between them and their Neighbours the more apparent , and consequently occasions their own Greatness to be the more remarkable . Philot. I think you have said something very remarkable , and I don't know but you may grow considerable by it , if you can prove your Assertion . Philal. Pray what rising Doctrine have I laid down ? Philot. You say that Pride is founded in Self-love , which is an unseparable Passion of humane nature ; from whence I gather , that it 's impossible for a man not to be proud , because it 's impossib●e for a man not to love himself . We are like to have an admirable Preservative from you at this rate . Philal. Not so fast , If you had attended to the whole , you might have observed that by self-love I meant the Excesses of it . Philot. I thought a man could not have loved himself too well . Philal. If by loving you mean wishing himself happy , I agree with you ; for we may , or rather we must desire to be as happy as is possible , provided it be without prejudice to another . But then if Esteem is understood by Love , it 's easie ( without care ) to exceed in our own behalf ; and in this sense we certainly do love our selves too well , as often as we set an overproportioned and unusual value upon any thing because it 's our own ; as if our fondness and partiality was the true Standard of worth , and we had the faculty of turning every thing we touched into gold . Philot. I will not contest this point any farther with you ; but as I remember you started another Paradox , by intimating that it was a sign of Ambition to esteem any Excellency the higher for being uncommon : Now since the value of an Advantage is enhansed by its scarceness , and made more reputable to the owner ; I think it somewhat hard not to give a man leave to love that most which is most serviceable to him , Philal. So it would if he had no body to love but himself ; but since he is both obliged and naturally inclinable to universal Benevolence , this alters the Case : for he who values any thing the more for being uncommon , will desire it should continue so , which is no kind Wish to his Neighbours , and is an Argument that a man does not delight in an Advantage so much for it self , as for the Comparison ; not so much for its own irrespective goodness , as because others want it . Now it affords a more generous , and I believe , a more transporting pleasure , to converse with universal Happiness , though we make no greater figure in it , than the rest of our Neighbours ; than to be gazed at , and admired by a Crowd of indigent and inferiour People . Philot. The World does not seem to be of your opinion ; however I will let your Argument pass for the good nature of it . But after all let me tell you , though I have no mind to be counted proud , yet I have a strong fancy for myself , and therefore if you will not allow me to be civil to my Person , we might e'en as good dispute no farther , for — Philal. Don't trouble your self , if your Terms are moderate , we 'll never break off upon the score , therefore I will offer at a short negative description of Pride , in which if it 's possible , I will give you Satisfaction . Philot. Pray let us see how liberal you will be . Philal. First it 's no part of Pride to be conscious of any perfections we have , whether intellectual or moral ; for this is in many Cases necessary , and impossible to be avoided . He that is wise or learned must know it , otherwise he can't understand when he judges true or false , nor distinguish difficult and noble Speculations , from trifling and vulgar Remarks , nor tell when he acts rationally or not . Now a Man that is ignorant of these things can neither be wise nor knowing : Therefore as he that has a just and vigorous sense of the Magnitude , Distance and Colours of Objects , must conclude that he has eyes whether he will or not ; so these perfections of the mind discover themselves by their own Light. The Possessour can no more be ignorant of them , than he can doubt of his Existence when he is awake . To give one instance more ; How can any Person have true Fortitude , who does not know how far he ought to hazard himself , and wherein the baseness of Cowardise consists ? So that to affirm a Man may be ignorant of his own considerableness , is to make him wise and great , and good by Chance , which is a contradictition to the Excellencies supposed in him . Philot. Right . And since I like the Frankness , and tendency of your Argument , I 'll try if I can reinforce it : I say then , supposing it was possible for a man to be ignorant of his good Qualities ; it was by no means convenient : For if he carried such a Treasure about him , without knowing how well furnished he was ; it s somewhat hard to conceive , how he could either improve or use it . If it lay thus close , it would be little better , than a Mine undiscovered , for which neither the owner of the Ground , or any Body else are ever the richer , Philal. You say well , and therefore I shall venture in the second place to affirm , That as we may be acquainted with our own Accomplishments , without being guilty of Pride , so neither is it any branch of this sin to discover that they are greater than some of our Neighbours enjoy . If we have a real Advantage over another , it 's no sin to be sensible of it ; to apprehend otherwise , is to judge contrary to the Reason of things , when the Case is plain , we may believe we have more Honesty , Sense , &c. than some others . This is as allowable as it is for us to think , that we have better Complexions than Moors , and are taller than Pygmies . Philot. Can you go on ? Philal. Yes , I 'm not afraid to add , Thirdly , that we don't fall into the sin of Pride by being delighted with those Advantages of Mind , Body or Fortune , which Providence has given us ; these things in the very notion of them are supposed to be beneficial . Now it 's natural and necessary for us to be pleased with the Enjoyment of that which is good ; of that which is agreeable to our Faculties , and an Advancement of our Nature : To speak strictly , when the Faculty and the Object are rightly proportioned , Satisfaction follows of course , and it s as impossible for us not to be pleased , as it is for fire not to ascend : Farther , if we are not allowed to take any Satisfaction in our condition , we are not bound to give God thanks for it , ; for we are not obliged to be thankful for that which does us no good : But nothing can do us any good , except it be by giving us a pleasure either in hand or in prospect . Fourthly , it is no part of Pride , to be more pleased with having of an Advantage our selves , than by seeing one of the same value possessed by another . Philot. Make this out and you will oblige me . Philal. Very well : I prove my Proposition thus . First , Because that which is in our Possession , or incorporated into our Essence , is always in our Power , and ready to be made use of when we think fit . But that which belongs to another is often at a distance , and out of our reach , and can't be communicated to us , though the owner was never so willing . Secondly , it must be more agréeable to be Master of any perfection our selves , than to contemplate one of the same nature in another ; because every one is more certain of the kind Inclination he has to himself , than he can be of the Affection of any other Person whatever : That I will be always kind to my self , I am as well assured of , as that I have a being ; but that another will be so , is impossible for me to know : And therefore let a man be never so good natured , it must be somewhat more satisfactory to him , to see himself well furnished in any kind , than his Neighbour . Thirdly , that which is our own and in our Nature , we have the most intimate and vigorous sense of ; for the presence of any desirable Object , we know is more acceptable and entertaining than either the notion or Prospect of it : Possession gives us the Life of the thing , But hopes and Fancy can furnish out no more at the best than a Picture finely drawn . So that , for Example , let a man be of never so generous and disinterested a Spirit , yet it 's natural for him to be better pleased , withbeing rich himself ( if he has any value for riches ) than in having the bare Idea of an Estate : Besides as I observed , that which is our own , is always at our disposal , and does not depend upon the uncertain Inclination and humour of another . Philot. Very comfortably argued . I find then by your discourse that a Man may without vanity be pleased with his Circumstances , and have good Thoughts of himself too , if he deserves it . Now some People are so unreasonable , that they will neither give Men leave to love , nor understand themselves ; if they are conscious of any commendable Quality , they must be sure to lay it out of the way that they may not see it ; nay if a Man has taken never so much care to make himself insignificant , in order to the promoting of Humility , they will scarce let him know he is good for nothing , for fear he should grow conceited of his Virtue . But I perceive you are not so strait laced , and pedantick in your Notions . Therefore if you can recover us no more Ground , let us know directly what Pride is , and be as fair as you can . Philal. Why Pride in the plainest words which I can think of , is too high an Opinion of our own Excellency . Philot. How shall we know when we over-rate our selves ? Philal. That is a very seasonable question , and absolutely necessary to the state of the Case : Therefore I shall lay down some indisputable Marks of this Vice , that whenever we see the Tokens we may conclude the Plague is in the House . Philot. Let us hear your Diagnosticks . Philal. First , Then we may be assured we have this Disease , when we value any Person chiefly because his advantages are of the same nature with those we enjoy , neglecting others who have an equal right to Regard , only because their Privileges are of a different kind from our own . For instance , when Men who derive their considerableness from the Sword , the Gown , or their Ancestours , think none worthy their Esteem but such as claim under their own Pretences ; In this case it 's evident it can be nothing but Partiality and Conceitedness which makes them give the Preheminence . Secondly , We may certainly conclude our selves infected with this Vice , when we invade the Rights of our Neighbour , not upon the account of Covetousness , but of Dominion ; only that we may have it in our power to create Dependencies , and to give another that which is already his own . Thirdly , When Men don't measure their civil Advantages by the Laws of their Country , but by their own fancies , and the submissions of Flatterers ; this is another infallible sign they are Proud. Fourthly , to mention no more , When Men love to make themselves the subject of discourse : To conn over their Pedigrees , and obtrude the Blazon of their exploits upon the company ; this is an argument they are overgrown with conceit , and very much smitten with themselves . Philot. Though I think you have hit the symptoms pretty well , yet except they are marked somewhat more distinctly , 't is possible for a Man to have most of them without being e'er the wiser . For unless we are able to draw up a just State of the Degrees of merit , we can never take the true height of our Pretensions , and being in this uncertainty it's odds if self Love does not make us determine to the prejudice of our Neighbours . Now I would gladly know how we must go to work to be sufficiently informed in this Point . Philal. We must endeavour to get right apprehensions of the several Excellencies of humane Nature , and what proportion they hold to each other : In order to the assisting our Judgment in this case I shall lay down these general rules . First , Those advantages which spring from our selves , which are the effects of our power and courage , of our Industry or Understanding , are more valuable than those which are derived , and borrowed , because they are a sign of a Richer and more active nature . Secondly , Those Qualities which are most useful ought to have the Preference : for since acknowledgments ought to be suitable to the nature of benefits received , those who have the largest Capacity of obliging , may fairly challenge the Perheminence in our Esteem ; and therefore in the third place the duration of an advantage ought to be consider'd ; And that which has the firmest Constitution and is most likely to continue , ought to be prefer'd to others which are brittle and short lived . These rules carefully apply'd will shew us how far our pretensions to Regard are short of , or exceed other Mens , and so prevent an over-weening opinion of our selves . However , we are to observe that outward Respect ought to be given according to the Distinctions of ; Law , and though a Man may happen to be very defective in point of merit , yet we ought to take notice of the value Authority has set upon him . Philot. Give me leave to put in a word , which is to tell you , that though I am not satisfied with your Instances , yet I am glad to find you will allow us different degrees of worth . I was almost afraid you would have set all Mankind upon a Level . Philal. To deliver you from such apprehensions , I freely grant you that the Distinctions of Quality ought to be kept up for the Encouragement of Industry , and the support of Government . I hope now you have the reason of my Concession ; you will no● be so suspicious for the future . Philot. No , not till you give me a farther occasion ; especially since the inference of your discourse is not unacceptable : from whence it followeth , that when a Man sees plainly that he has the Advantage of his Neighbour , he may let him understand so much without any offence to humility . Philal. No doubt of it , especially when his station is publick ; but then the discovery of his superiority ought to be managed with a great deal of Art and good nature , to which we are obliged not only in point of Complaisance but Justice . For though there is often a real disterence between one Man and another , yet the party who has the advantgae usually magnifies the inequality beyond all Sense , and Proportion . Men don't consider that the great priviledges of humane Nature are common to the whole Kind ; such as being equally related to God and Adam , Reason and Immortality , the same number of Senses , and much of the same perfection and continuance . And as for those things which are the peculiar Advantages of a few ; they are either acquired and enjoyed by the strength of those general ones I have mentioned , or else they are forein and in a great measure Chimerical , and therefore can be no real enrichments of our nature . They are often no more than the Blessings of Chance , of Flattery , and Imagination . And though they may set us upon higher Ground , yet they can add nothing to the true Stature of our Being . But to combate this Vice more successfully , we 'll examine its most plausible Pretences , and see if we can discover the weakness of them . Philot. What pretences are those ? Philal. I mean Learning , Nobility , and Power ; for these you know are accounted the brightest and most distinguishing Advantages . But though they ought all to be considered , yet I believe there is much more Weight laid upon them , than in strict reason they will bear . Philot. You talk as if you were retained by the Mobile , and had a Mind to bring us back to our original State of Ignorance and Peasantry . Philal. I tell you once again you are much mistaken . I have no design to lessen the value of any mans Honour , or Understanding : Let People have as much Sense and Quality as they please , provided they don 't grow troublesom and ridiculous about it . Philot. I somwhat suspect you have a mind to engross this Vice of Pride to your self . This sort of discourse looks like declaiming against Arbitrary Power , where the sharpest Invectives are commonly made by the most Enterprizing , and unmortifyed Men , who are only angry that they are not possessed of that absoluteness themselves , which they endeavour to render odious in others . Philal. Hah ! you are somewhat smart . However let me tell you , if I have any such project as you imagine , you have me upon a fair Dilemma . For , if my reasons against Pride hold good , they will stand upon record against my self , which I suppose will be no unacceptable revenge for you : if they are insignificant , you will have the diversion of laughing at the folly of the attempt : and which is more considerable , you may keep your good opinion of yourself into the bargain . Philot. Pray begin your attack as you think fit , and for disputes sake I 'll try how far I can maintain the ground against you . Philal. First then , Learning ( to begin there ) and High Conceit agree very well together : for a Man of Letters may have a clearer notion of the stupidness and deformity of this Vice , and being better acquainted with the frame and passions of humane Nature , he can't choose but discover how unacceptable it must make him to all Mankind . Besides he is supposed to know that nothing in strict reason deserves a true Commendation , but a right use of the Liberty of our Will , which is in every ones power to manage to advantage . Secondly , Learning gives us a fuller conviction of the impersection of our nature , which one would think might dispose us to Modesty . The more a Man knows the more he discovers his ignorance . He can scarce look upon any part of the Creation , but he finds himself encompassed with doubts and difficulties . There is scarce any thing so trifling or seemingly common , but perplexes his Understanding , if he has but sense enough to look into all the objections which may be raised about it . He knows he has a being 't is true , and so does a Peasant , but what this thing is which he calls himself , is hard to say . He has reason to believe , that he is compounded of two very different Ingredients , Spirit , and Matter ; but how such unallyed and disproportioned substances should hold any Correspondence and act upon each other , no mans Learning yet could ever tell him . Nay how the parts of Matter cohere , is a Question which it 's likely will never be well answer'd in this life . For though we make use of the fairest Hypotheses , yet if we pursue the Argument home , we shall go nigh to dispute away our Bodies , and reason our selves all in pieces . Insomuch that if we had nothing but Principles to encourage us , we might justly be afraid of going abroad , lest we should be blown away like a heap of dust : For it 's no solution to say the greater parts of Matter are connected with hooked particles ; for still the difficulty returns how these Hooks were made ? Quis custodiet ipsos Custodes ? What is it that fastens this Soder , and links these first Principles of Bodies into a Chain ? And as the more refined Understandings know little or nothing of themselves , and of the material World ; so upon Enquiry we shall find them as defective in their Skill about Moral Truths : ( excepting those who are taught by Revelation , which supernatural Discoveries the unlearned are capable of understanding , as far as their happiness is concerned . ) Those who made Laws in their respective Countries , we have reason to believe had their minds polished above the vulgar rate : And yet we see how unaccountably the publick Constitutions of Nations vary . The Persians and Athenians allowed Incest , the Lacedemonians Stealing , and some Indians Herodotus mentions , used to bury their best Friends in their Stomachs . In short , the Rules of Decency , of Government , of Justice it self , are so different in one place from what they are in another , so party-coloured and contradictious , that one would almost think the Species of men altered , according to their Climates ; and that they had not the same Nature in common . One would almost think that Right and Wrong lay rather in the Fancies of men , than in the reason of things , and was bounded more by Seas and Rivers , than by any unalterable limits of Nature ; that Virtue and Vice were minted by the Civil Magistrate , and like Coins would pass for Currant only in his own Dominions . The Heathen Philosophers may fairly be granted to have as good pretences to Learning , as any other sort of men among them : And yet we may observe from Tully and Laertius what a small Proportion of solid Knowledge they were Masters of ; how strangely did they differ in Matters of the highest Import ? How eagerly did they dispute , and not without probability on both sides : Whether there was any thing certain ? Whether the Criterions of Truth and Falshood were clear and indubitable or not ? Whether the Government of the World was casual , fatal , or providential ? How many Summum Bonums have they presented us with , some of them only fit to entertain a Brute , others noble enough for a Spirit of the highest Order ? It were tedious to recount the differences one Sect had with another , their Inconsistences with themselves , and the ridiculous and ill supported Tenets some of the most famous of them have held . Insomuch that Tully takes notice that there was no opinion so absurd , but was held by some Philosopher or other . 'T is true they could wrangle and Harangue better than the common People ; they could talk more plausibly about that they did not understand ; but their Learning lay chiefly in Flourish , and Terms , and Cant ; for as for any real Improvements in Science they were not much wiser than the less pretending Multitude . Indeed the more modest of them would confess that the chief use of Learning was to give us a fuller discovery of our Ignorance , and to keep us from being peremptory and dogmatical in our determinations . Now one would imagine the more intimate Acquaintance we had with the Imperfections of our Nature , the greater reason we should have to be humble . Is Weakness a proper Foundation to erect our lofty conceits upon ? Indeed he that has not the leisure or capacity to examine how it 's with him , may be fondly persuaded to fancy himself somebody , and grow vain upon the kind presumption ; but for a man to be proud who can demonstrate his own poverty , is little less than Madness . Philot. If the case stands thus , to make all sure , we had best get an order to burn the Twenty four Letters , and hang up Cadmus in Effigie ; for — Philal. Pray don't interrupt me , and I will try if I can give you a little Ease . Granting therefore , as we may , that Learning does give some advantage , and that our Understandings are really enriched by it ; yet in regard we have but a few Principles to build upon , the greatest part of our Knowledge must consist in Inferences , which can't be wrought out without great Labour and Attention of mind : And when we are at any distance from self-evident Truths , the mind is not only perplexed with the Consideration of a great many Circumstances , but which is worse , Forgetfulness or Mistake in the least of them , frustrates our whole Design , and rewards us with nothing but Error for our trouble . Now he that is so liable to be imposed upon , who rises but by Inches , and enriches himself , by such slow and insensible Degrees ; 't is a Sign that his Stock was either very small , or that he is unskilfull in the management of his Business , and therefore he has no reason to be proud of what he has gotten : Besides it 's an humbling consideration to reflect what pains we are obliged to take to muster up our Forces , and to make that little reason we have serviceable . How fast does Obscurity , Flatness and Impertinency slow in upon our Meditations ? 'T is a difficult Task to talk to the purpose , and to put life and perspicuity into our Discourses ; those who are most ready and inventive have not their best Thoughts uppermost : No , they must think upon the Stretch , ransack , and turn over their mind , and put their Imagination into a kind of Ferment , if they intend to produce any thing extraordinary : So that considering the Trouble and almost Violence we are put upon , one would think that Sense and Reason was not made for Mankind , and that we strive against our Natures , when ▪ we pretend to it . Philot. Well ; What though our Minds were poor , and unfurnished at first , is it any disparagement to us to have more Wit than we were born with ? What though we can't strike out a Science at a Heat , but are forced to polish our selves by degrees , and to work hard for what we have ? The less we were assisted by Nature , the greater commendation it is to our Industry , and our attainments are so much the more our own . And since we have thus fairly distinguished our selves by Merit , why should we seem unapprehensive of our Performances ? since we have paid so dear for the Improvements of our understanding , and our advantages are gained with so much Difficulty , what harm is it to make our best of them ? Why should we not oblige the negligent to Distance and Regard , and make those who are younger or less knowing than our selves sensible of their Inferiority ? Philal. I agree with you as I have already hinted , that a Man may lawfully maintain his Character and just pretences against Rudeness and Ignorance , especially when the publick Good is concerned in his Reputation . But when he acts a private part , and converses with People of Sense and Modesty , he should give them but very gentle remembrances of his Prerogative : his Opinion of his own worth should but just dawn upon them , and at the most give them but an obscure and remote notice , that he expected any singular Acknowledgment : He should take the respect that is paid him rather as a Present than a Debt , and seem thankful for that which is his own : But to be stiff and formally reserved as if the Company did not deserve our Familiarity ; to be haughty and contemptuous , and to make scanty and underproportioned returns of Civility : this is a downright Challenge of Homage , and plainly tells people , they must be very mannerly : 'T is in effect to say , Gentlemen , I have more Learning , and have done the publick greater Service than you , and therefore I expect to be considered for it : you may possibly say that I have more preferment too , and am paid for my merit in mony , but that shall not serve your turn ; for except you shew your selves very dutiful , I shall give you broad Signs of my dissatisfaction , and never let you have the Honour of my converse again . Now such a Man if he went much abroad , would plague mankind more with his Company , than he could oblige them with his Writings , though they were never so considerable . Such People seem to owe their parts to their ill Temper : Their Industry is malicious , and they have taken pains not so much to oblige the World , as to get an Opportunity of trampling upon their Inferious . Had they been good-natured , they would have been as dull and insignificant as their Neighbours . But their imperious Carriage is just as reasonable as it would have been for the old Athletae to have drudged hard in Eating and Exercise , that they might employ their Bulk and Activity in beating every one who was weaker , and less skilful than themselves . Philot. By your discourse you seem to mistake the matter , and not to weigh things rightly . 'T is not Superiority that these Gentlemen of Learning are so solicitous about ; 't is not personal Advantage which they chiefly intend by their Reservedness : They have no doubt a more publick and generous Design ; for you may observe they usually bear hardest upon those of their own Order and Profession , which is nothing but a forced and politick stateliness for the promoting of Knowledg in others . The young Fry , whether you know it or not , must be held at a Distance , and kept under the Discipline of Contempt . If you give them any tolerable Quarter , you indulge them in their Idleness , and ruin them to all intents and purposes . For who would be at the trouble of Learning , when he finds his Ignorance is caressed , and that he is easie and acceptable enough in the Company of the best Authors of the Town ? But when you brow-beat them and maul them , you make them Men for ever ; for Vexatio dat intellectum ; though they have no natural Metal , yet if they are spurred and kicked they will mend their pace , if they have any feeling . Such rigorous usage will make them study night and day to get out of this ignominious Condition , in hopes that it may come to their own turn to be proud one day . Take my word for it , there is no such way to make a Scholar , as to keep him under while he is young , or unpreferred . Philal. Notwithstanding your Flourish I can't perswade my self that this Dispensation of Pride is so mighty useful as you pretend I should think such an untoward management of any Accomplishment should rather discourage others from attempting such dangerous circumstances . If Sense and Learning are such unsociable imperious things , a good natured Man ought to take especial care not to improve too fast . He ought to keep down the growth of his Reason , and curb his Intellectuals when he finds them ready to outstrip his Neighbours . I assure you , if I was of your opinion , and thought my self near the temptation to so much ill humour , I would never look on a Book again . Philot. Come when you have said all , there is no keeping up the Credit of Learning without that which you call a reserved behaviour . For if those who are eminent this way should condescend to those Familiarities which you seem to desire , the honour of their Profession would suffer much by it ; if they should converse upon the Level , the veneration which their Inferiours have for them would quickly wear off : And if the vulgar observed there was no distinction kept up amongst the Men of Letters ; they would suspect there was nothing extraordinary in any of them . Pray who are supposed to be the best Judges of Learning , those who have it or others ? Philal. No doubt those who have it . Philot. Then if they seem to undervalue it themselves , is not this the way to bring it into a general disrepute ? I tell you once again , if the privileges of Merit are not insisted upon all , must go to wrack . If a Man who has digested all the Fathers , and is ready to add himself to the Number , shews any tolerable countenance to one who has scarce rubbed through Ignatius , and lets a pure English Divine to go cheek by jole with him , the Commonwealth of Learning will grow almost as contemptible as that of the Pigmies , and be only sit to write Romances upon . Philal. I shall not enquire how far this lofty method may advance the Reputation of Learning , but I am pretty sure it 's no great addition to theirs who use it ; for it only makes others more inquisitive into their defects , and more inclinable to expose them . If they take them tardy they endeavour to humble them by way of Reprizal . Those slips and mismanagements are usually ridiculed and aggravated , when such Persons are guilty of them , which would be overlooked or excused in others of a more modest and affable Conversation . If they happen to be found inconsistent with themselves : If their vanity of appearing singular puts them upon advancing Paradoxes , and proving them as Paradoxically . If a presumption upon their own strength , and a desire of greater triumph makes them venture too far into the enemies Quarters , and take up a Post which they can't maintain ; they are usually laught at for their folly and left to shift for themselves ; for Pride never has any friends , and all Men are glad of a just occasion to lessen his Reputation who makes such an ill-natured use of it . Philot. I conceive you harp a little too much upon one string : do you think the inferious Clergy for whom you are now pleading , are discouraged by none but those of their own Profession ? Philal. No , I grant there is another sort of People who use them with neglect enough : But then they are somewhat more to be excused . They have not such fair opportunities to understand the just pretences of a liberal Education , and a Religious employment . They are apt to fall under unfortunate hands in their minority : The vanity of their Parents , and the Knavery of Flatterers often gives them a wrong notion of themselves , and makes them admire nothing but Wealt hand Greatness , and think no condition deserves regard but that which resembles their own . Besides their neglect looks less unaccountably by reason of their Quality , and their Breeding makes their Pride sit more decently upon them . They usually contemn with a better Grace than others : for there is a great deal of Art and Mystery in Pride to manage it handsomely : A man might almost as soon learn a Trade : and if we observe we shall find that those who were not brought up to it , seldom prove their Crafts-master or practise with any sort of address . To which I may add , that such Persons are usually willing to pay for their imperiousness , so that a Man is not made a Fool for nothing . But when this lofty humour is clumsily and inartificially managed , when it 's affected by those of a self-denying and mortified Profession , and who get their Living by declaiming against it . When it 's taken up by Men of Sense , who may well be expected to see through the folly of this Vice , and who generally have not those pretences of a byassed Education to misguide them : especially when they play it upon Persons of their own Order who were born and bred to as fair Expectations of Regard as themselves , and are sometimes their Inferiours in nothing so much as in Success ; this is such a singular Practice that I had rather leave it undescribed than be forced to give it its proper Character . Philot. I believe you will be willing to abate , if not to retract your ceasure when you consider that these Gentlemen of the Gown , whom you think too much depressed , are many of them Curates ; and is it not very reasonable there should be a distance observed between Masters and Servants ? If you confound these two Relations by lavish and indiscreet Familiarities , you destroy the respect , and by degrees the very notion of Superiority . If there is not a due Homage paid in Conversation , those who are in a state of subjection will neither know their Condition nor their Duty : They will be apt to forget they hold by a servile Tenure , and think themselves enfranchised from all manner of Suit and Service . Besides , if the Parson should use his Curate with that freedom which you insinuate , as if there was neither dependence nor obligation between them ; this might be of very ill example to the Parish , and make all other servants challenge the same liberty , and grow pert upon their Masters : And when this Sawciness became universal , as it 's likely it might do in a short time , what less Mischief could be expected from it , than an old Scythian Rebellion ? Philal. I confess , I was not aware the being of Government depended so much upon the distinction between Rector and Curate , and that if the modern way of Distance and Subordination was not kept up , we must presently return to Hobs's state of Nature . If a Curate be such a dangerous thing , that a little civil Usage to him is ready to make the World fall about our Ears , I wonder why so many of them are suffered . Now without raising the posse Comitatus , if the Pluralists would but do their best to suppress them , their Number might quickly be so retrenched , that they would not be in the least formidable . But you seem to argue all this while upon a wrong Principle , you take it for granted , that Curates are Servants ; now if this proves a mistake , you will own they may be treated with a little more freedom , without any danger to Authority . Philot. Who doubts of their being Servants ? Philal. I do , and for very good reasons . Philot. See how a Man may be mistaken ! I thought the English of Curate had been an Ecclesiastical Hireling . Philal. No such matter , the proper import of the Word signifies one who has the Cure of Souls ; therefore in France all Parochial Priests are called Curates , as they are likewise in our Rubrick and Common-Prayer . Philot. I find then there lies no Servitude in the Name , so that it must be either the Deputation , or Salary which they receive from the Instituted Priest , which sinks them into this condition . Philal. That there is no Servitude in either of these , I am ready to make good . 1. Not in the Office ; and here I must crave leave to ask you a few Questions . Philot. Take your own method . Philal. What in your apprehension is a Curate's Employment ? Philot. To serve God in the publick Offices of Religion , and to take care of the Parish . Philal. Then he is not entertained to serve the Rector . Philot. Go on . Philal. In the next place I desire to know whether Authority is not essential to a Master ? Philot. Who questions it ? Philal. Has the Curate his Authority to Preach , and Administer the Sacraments from the Rector ? Philot. No , from the Bishop . Philal. May not a Master turn away his Servants when he pleases ? Philot. I think so . Philal. But the Rector has no power to remove the Curate after he is Licensed and Fixed by the Bishop . To sum up the Evidence therefore ; if the Curate was not entertained to wait upon the Rector , nor has his Authority from him , nor can be removed from his Employment , I think it is pretty plain he is none of his Servant . Philot. Well , but does not the Parson make choice of him , and pay him ? Philal. Don't a Corporation choose a Mayor ? Philot. What then ? Philal. Pray whos 's Servant is he after his Election ? Philot. None but the Kings that I know of : but you have not answered the latter part of my objection about his being paid by the Rector . Philal. If you had not called for my answer , I had waved it for your sake , because I think your objection borders somewhat upon Treason . Philot. How so ? Philal. Why , is it not of kin to Treason to say the Subjects are Masters over the Supreme Authority ? Philot. If Nonsense will not excuse a Man , I think it is . Philal. But your Argument proves the King a Servant to the People . Philot. How ? Philal. Because they pay him Taxes , and that among other reasons , by way of acknowledgment of the benefits of his Government , and that they may shew themselves willing , if it was in their power , to requite him for his care of the State. Philot. Pray why so much concerned to prove Curates no Servants ? Philal. Because I am willing to rescue them from that contempt , which they will certainly fall into , as long as they pass under this notion : which considering the number of persons Officiating , this way , must be very prejudicial to Religion . Besides it makes some persons , who are fit to do the Church service , suspend themselves , and shew their Priesthood only by their Habit , rather than serve God under such uncreditable circumstances : and for the same reason others are tempted to grow too fond of a Presentation , and choose rather to court it by Flattery , or other indirect practices , than be condemned to the servile condition of a Curate . For let me tell you , it is no ordinary piece of Self-Denial , for a Man of a generous Education , who has been trained up all along to Freedom and good Usage , to be degraded in his Manhood , when the mind is most in love with Liberty , and to enter upon Business with marks of disadvantage , when he stands most in need of Reputation . To my thinking this is a very discouraging and preposterous way of Educating the Clergy . If a Man must go to service , he had better begin with it as they do in Trades , and not be Master at first , and then be forced to turn Apprentice , or Journyman afterwards . Of such ill consequence it is to miscal things , and as Plato observes , that an alteration of the Notes in Musick is apt to produce an Innovation in the Laws and Customs of a Country : so by changing the names of Offices for others of less Repute , we change the Uses and Designs of them , and make them less satisfactory to those engaged , and less serviceable to the Publick than they would have been , if the Character of their Institution had been kept up . Philot. Granting at present what you say to be true , yet a Curate seems to lie under another disadvantage , which makes him considered with Abatement . Philal. What is that ? Philot. Why , People are apt to fancy that it is the want either of Parts or Conduct , which keeps him without a Patron . Philal. If People think so , I am sorry their Sense and Charity is no greater ; for if they examined things fairly , they would find that the being a Curate is no Argument of a Mans insignificancy , nor any just blemish to his Reputation . For it is often the integrity and generous temper of his mind which hinders him from a better Provision ; it is because he will not flatter the Pride of some , nor keep pace with the Bigottry of others : because he will neither court Greatness nor Faction , nor make himself popular to the disadvantage of his Audience . Because he cannot digest a Simoniacal Contract , nor charge through ▪ Perjury with the courage of an Evidence . In short , it is his plain and impartial dealing with the People , his resolution to preserve the Decency of his Character , and the Innocence of his Conscience which bars his promotion : so that if he was mean enough to complain , he might have the satisfaction to apply this Sentence of Tully to himself , Non nos vitia sed virtutes afflixerunt . Philot. What a broad Innuendo is here upon the beneficed Clergy ? Philal. I am glad you have given me an opportunity of explaining my self . My meaning is not that those who are possessed of Livings have gained them , by such indirect Courses : God forbid ! I only say , that all Men are not so lucky as to have the offer of fair Conditions , and those who have not , must be Curates if they will be honest ; or else lay by the use of their Priesthood , which I am afraid is not very accountable . Philot. I confess you have brought your self off well enough : But now I think on 't you must try to maintain the liberty of your Curate a little more convincingly . For some say there lies Prescription and immemorial Custom against it , and then you know he is a Servant by Common Law. Philal. Not at all ▪ For as we are lately told by a great Lawyer , Prescription is good for nothing where there are any Records to the contrary . Philot. What Records can you produce ? Philal. Why , to mention no more , the 18 th of the Apostles Canons , and the 80 th of the Council of Eliberis , are , I think , considerable Evidence ; the first of which forbids the ordaining of those who had married a Servant , and the other excludes manumized Persons , while their Patrons were living , from the Priesthood . Philot. Say you so ? Then I fancy those who drew up Queen Elizabeths Injunctions knew nothing of this piece of Antiquity you mention . Philal. Your Reason ? Philot. Because by those Injunctions a Clergy-man could not lawfully marry till he had gone and made his complaint against Celibacy , before two Justices of the Peace , and gained their consent , and the good will of the Master , or Mistriss where the Damsel served . Philal. And then I suppose if he could not prevail by his Rhetorick they gave him a Warrant to distrein . Philot. Or possibly if he courted in forma pauperis they assigned him a Wife gratis out of an Hospital . Philal. Upon my word this Order , take it which way you will , has a singular aspect , and looks as if it intended to put the Clergy in mind , that they ought not to aspire above an Abigail . Certainly Discretion and Merit ran very low in the Church at that time , or else , some People were willing to make the Nation believe so . But to return to the Canons , the design of , which was to secure the Reputation of the Clergy ; but according to the modern opinion , this provision signifies nothing ; for if a man must go to Service after he is in Orders , had he not as good do it before ? In you sence he often only changes his Lay for an Ecclesiastical Master , which sometimes might be so far from an advantage that it would make the Servitude the more uneasie , by being subjected to one no more than equal to himself . Philot. I grant you in the Primitive Times the advantage of Priesthood was equally shared among all the Order , and none of that Character had any Superiority over another . For then the Revenues of the Church consisted only in the voluntary Offerings of the People , which were all deposited with the Bishop , who assigned every one his respective portion ; so that no Priest had any dependence upon another for his maintenance ; but now the case is otherwise , and a manought to be subject to him that supports him . Philal. It 's somewhat hard , that the bare alteration of the Church Revenues should make so wide a difference between those who were equal before ; that a man must lose his freedom only for want of a Presentation , and be made a Servant because he does not take Tithes , though he has as much spiritual Authority as if he did . But I perceive you think there is no consideration equivalent to a little money , and that he who receives it must be no longer at his own disposal , though he makes never so valuable a return . Since therefore you insist so much upon maintnance , what if it appears that the Curate maintains the Parson ? Philot. That would be strange indeed . Philal. To what end were the Church Revenues intended ? Philot. To keep up the worship of God. Philal. Which way ? Philot. By settling a competent maintenance upon the Ministers of Religion , that they may be in the better capacity to discharge their Office , and not be obliged to lose their time , and lessen their Character , by engaging in Labourious or Mechanical Employments . Philal. By your arguing there should be something for them to do . Philot. Yes , they are to take care of that Precinct to which their Endowment is annex'd . Philal. I hope you don't mean not to come at it . Philot. I mean they are to take care of the performance of the duties of their Office. Philal. Then ought not he to have the Revenues who performs these Duties ? Philot. I am not willing to grant that . Philal. Have a care of denying the conclusion ; you grant the Revenues of the Church were designed for the support of the Clergy . Philot. Yes . Philal. Of what Clergy ? Those who live many miles distant from the Premises ? Philot. No , I 'm afraid they were intended for those who live upon the place , otherwise methinks Endowments are a very slender Provision for the benefit of the Parish . Philal. Then if the Curate does all the work , ought he not to have the reward for his pains ? In short , either he is qualified to undertake the Parish or not ; if not , with what sincerity can he be employed ? If he is qualified , why is he barred the profit when he only performs the Conditions upon which they were settled , when none but himself answers the design they were intended for ? To speak properly , the Rector seems to live out of the labours of another , he is maintained by the perquisites of the Curates Office ; and therefore is in effect but a kind of Pensioner to him . Philot. I see you are an everlasting Leveller , you won't allow any encouragement to extraordinary Industry and Merit . Philal. You mistake me . I would have the best men have the best Livings , but then before we go to doubling of Preferments , possibly it were not amiss to examine whether the number of Benefices exceeds the Persons who are capable of them . Let us first examine whether they will hold out one apiece , and when every man has one , then the supernumerary Livings may be divided amongst those who are most deserving . Philot. In good time , when it 's likely there there will be none left ! Now do you imagine the Church can be defended against her Adversaries by the strength of a single Parsonage ? But it may be you will say all our Plurality-men are not Writers . Philal. No , nor Readers neither . Besides , we may observe that Heresie and Schism were very successfully combated before Unions , Dispensations , and Consolidations were heard of . If you consult Father Paul's History of the Council of Trent , ( p. 216. ) he will inform you that Non-residence and Pluralities are things of no very primitive establishment . I confess some of the Lay-managers of our Reformation have not been over-kind to the Church , so that Affairs are not in so good a posture as they might have been : But God be thanked there is still some provision left for the Ornament and Defence of Religion . Philot. What Provision do you mean ? Philal. Why , to speak to your Case , there are Dignities , to which those Gentlemen who are prepared to engage in the Controversie have a good right : And with submission to better Judgments , I think it would not be amiss if all dignified Persons held their Preferments by a new Tenure . Philot. What Tenure ? Philal. By Knights Service ; pursuant to which they should be obliged to draw their Pens in the Cause , when ever their Superiours required them : to appear in the Field upon an Invasion with their Quota , and in short , to maintain any Post that shall be assigned . Philot. What if a man has not a mind to quarrel , must he be turn'd out of his Dignity for being of a peaceable Disposition ? Philal. Those peaceable men you speak of , are none of the most useful in a time of War , and therefore a smaller Gratification should content them . Philot. What if they are disabled by age ? Philal. Then they should be continued for their past Services . Philot. Truly this is a good probable Expedient to keep the Church Militia in Discipline , and might for ought I know , very much improve the noble Science of Controversie . But to return to the old Argument , if you intend to bring me over to your opinion of the Curate , you must clear the business of his Salary a little better , for I am afraid where he has his money he ought to own he has his Master too . Philal. I confess there would be a great deal in what you say , if the Rector had the right of Coinage . If the Money had his Image , and Superscription upon it , the Curate's taking it for currant , would conclude him under his Jurisdiction : but that the bare receiving a sum should sink a Man into a servile state , is past my comprehension . For considering that Mony is a thing of such quality , and sovereign sway in the World , one would imagine it should bring Power and Reputation along with it , and rather enlarge than abridge a Man's Liberty by receiving it . And to mention nothing farther , the nature of the Contract between the Rector and Curate , is sufficient to give you satisfaction ; for there , as has been observed , the Curate undertakes no other Employment but the Instruction and Government of the Parish . There is no attendance upon the Parson , no running upon his Errands , nor subjection to his Humour indented for . Philot. Methinks it is a little hard a Curate must not be called a Servant , as well as a Cook , or a Footman , since he has Wages as much as the other . Philal. Possibly not always so much neither ; but waving that , if you had remembred what I urged to you before , this Objection would have been no difficulty . Philot. What was that ? Philal. Why , that the Curate is to wait upon none but God Almighty , that the manage of his Employment is not prescribed by the Rector , but by the Rubrick and Constitutions of the Church , and that he is not removeable at pleasure . I suppose by this time you apprehend there is a difference between him and a Footman , or a Steward either . Philot. Well! Notwithstanding your subtlety , this notion of Wages sticks in my Stomach still . Philal. I wonder the glitter of a little Mony should dazle your Eyes at that rate , that you cannot see so plain a distinction . You don't seem to understand Commerce , if you think that something of Authority and Dominion is always given in exchange for Mony. Now I am of Diogenes his mind , and believe it possible for one to buy a Master , as well as a Servant . Philot. As how ? Philal. Why , for the purpose , if a person of twenty one puts himself Apprentice to another , you know this is seldom done without charge : now what does a Man do in this case but purchase his subjection , and hire himself a drubbing upon occasion ? To give one instance more . When a Woman of Fortune marries a Man with nothing , does she not give him Meat , Drink , and Wages to govern her ? And to end this dispute , you know Physicians , and Lawyers , and Judges , have Fees or Wages , either given , or assigned them by Law , without being thought Servants to those they are concerned with , Now , what reason is there a Curate should have worse luck with his Mony than other People ? Philot. To deal plainly , I suppose it is because he does not get enough of it . If his Fees were as considerable as any of those Gentlemen you speak of , I question not but his Office would be much more reputable . Philal. Well guessed , and therefore what Character do they deserve who confine him to this scandalous Pittance . I believe you can scarcely name any sort of Injustice which has a more malignant influence upon Religion than this oppresion of Curates . Philot. Why so Tragical ? Philal. Because their Poverty exposes them to Contempt , which renders their Instructions insignificant , and which is worse , makes them less considerable in themselves , as well as in the opinion of others . Philot. I hope Poverty is no crime . Philal. No , but it 's a scurvy temptation , especially to those who have lived freely , and been bred to better Expectations . For when a man finds his hopes disappointed , himself unsupported , and topp'd upon by Persons of meaner Pretences and Employments ; this is apt to pall his Spirits , and check the courage of his thoughts , so that his Compositions and Fortune will seem to be much of a piece . Philot. I thought strait circumstances had been none of the worst promoters of Learning , according to the old saying , Ingenii largitor Venter . Philal. I grant there is some truth in your observation , and that it is Want which often reconciles men to Labour and Letters ; but this is at their first setting out , when though they have not gained their point , yet they are full of hopes , which pricks them on , and puts them upon their utmost . but after they are once qualified for success , and find their industry discouraged , this makes them sink in the socket , and fret away their strength and Spirits ; so that either out of impotence , or disgust , or dispair , they give over the fruitless pursuit , and seldom make any generous attempt ever after . 'T is true , there are some hardy souls that won't be beaten off by ill usage , but these are very rarely to be met with . Philot. Then you think there would be a strange improvement in the unbeneficed Clergy , if they had a better Salary . Philal. Yes ; I think they would have more Books , and more Learning , and more Credit . They would not be so easily obliged to improper Compliances , nor so liable to serveral other miscarriages in their Conduct . Philot. By your discourse the slender provision which is made for them , should be very Criminal . Philal. Doubtless so it is . For pray consider . Philot. Pray be as brief as you can . Philal. I say then , for a Clergy man to enrich himself by the labour and necessities of one of his own Order , and make his Figure out of the Church without performing the Services required , is a direct translating the holy Revenues to a Foreign and secular use , and consequently besides other aggravations is no better than sacrilege , which is a very uncanonical Sin , and unless we are very much in the dark will be accounted for afterwards . In short this Practice has been the main ground of the Contempt of the Clergy , making one part of them grow cheap by their Poverty , and the other by their Covetousness . Philot. Pray what allowance would you oblige the Rector to , if you had the Regulation of that Affair ? Philal. To speak within Compass , in my Opinion the Curate ought to have half the profits , let the value of them be never so considerable ; for if the Parson has the other moiety for doing nothing , I think he has no reason to complain . But if the Living be small , then he that supplies it should have two thirds assigned him , because he cannot be decently supported under that proportion . Philot. Well , I am not disposed to examin that matter any farther . But I beseech you what is all this to the business of Pride ? I think your Zeal for the Curates has transported you a little out of your Subject . Philal. No such matter ; for it is generally nothing but Ambition which makes Men Covetous and Mean : besides , if it is a Digression it is a very seasonable one . However I am willing to take my leave of this part of the Argument , therefore if you please we will call a new Cause . Philot. I think it is best to adjourn at present , and when we meet again I will venture the other Brush with you . Philal. Till then Farewel . A SECOND CONFERENCE BETWEEN Philotimus and Philalethes . Philal. WELL met ! I am glad the opportunity you mentioned is so quickly returned . Philot. So am I , and therefore if you please without any further Ceremony , let us pursue the Argument we were last upon . Philal. With all my Heart , and since ( as has been shewed ) Learning and Conceit , make so odd a Figure ; let us proceed to examine the pretences of Nobility , for I am afraid the Vulgar Notion of it is screwed somewhat too high , and that it has not Ballast enough to carry all the Sail which is commonly made out . Philot. I must tell you , you are upon a touchy Point , and therefore I hope you will treat so nice a subject as this is with proportionable caution . Philal. I am sensible of what you say , and shall manage my enquiry with all the fairness , and decency , the free discussion of the Question will allow . To begin , you know all Men were equally Noble , or if you will , equally Plebeian at first : now I would gladly understand how they came to be so much distinguished afterwards , for there are different reasons assigned . Philot. I suppose the distinctions you mention , were founded upon extraordinary performances , and won at the expence of Industry and Merit . For how can you imagine any persons should emerge out of the common Mass of Mankind , unless by the advantages of Capacity , Labour , and Resolution ? Their mounting , argues that Fire was the ruling Element in their Composition ; and that they were of a more vigorous and enterprizing Spirit than their Neighbours . Philal. I am willing to suppose with you , that they made a generous use of these advantages , and employed them for the benefit of Mankind : being as remarkable for their Justice , Fidelity , and good Humour , as for their Conduct and Courage ; and therefore I am not willing to believe the account which some pretend to give concerning the Original of Nobility . Philot. What is that ? Philal. They will tell you that it has been often founded upon Rapine and Injustice . It seems they have observed out of Thucidides , that in antient times it was counted an Heroick Atcheivement to Plunder lustily , and he was a Man of the best Quality , who was able to steal most Cattle . These Nimrods ( say they ) grew great by the strength of their Limbs and their Vices , engraved their Murthers upon their Shields , and Hectored all the little and peaceable People into Peasantry . Philot. This looks so like a Chimerical and ill natur'd Opinion , that I shall not do it the honor of a Confutation . Philal. I have no exceptions to your Resentment , but to go on , for the more distinct consideration of the Argument , we will divide Nobility into two kinds , Hereditary , or Acquired . The first is transmitted to us from our Ancestors , the other is immediately conferred by the favour of the Prince . Philot. Proceed upon the several parts of your Division . Philal. 1. Then , Hereditary Nobility seems no just ground for a high Opinion , because it is borrowed . Those great Actions which we had no share in , cannot properly be any part of our Commendation , especially if we want abilities to imitate them . 'T is true , they ought to be taken notice of by others for the encouragement of Vertue , and the ornament of Society . But then he that depends wholly upon the worth of others , ought to consider that he has but the honor of an Image , and is worshiped not for his own sake , but upon the account of what he represents . To be plain , it is a sign a Man is very poor when he has nothing of his own to appear in ; but is forced to patch up his Figure with the Relicks of the Dead , and rifle Tomb-Stones and Monuments for Reputation . Philot. Notwithstanding your rallying , I cannot conceive what crime it is to possess the Inheritance of our Forefathers . Now Honor is part of their Estate , which was raised on purpose that we might be the better for it . And since their Children were the occasion of their merit , and pushed them on to generous undertakings , ought they not to share in the glory of the Success ? Philal. Yes . But it should be managed with great modesty , because though an honourable Title may be conveyed to Posterity , yet the ennobling Qualities which are the Soul of Greatness , are a sort of incommunicable perfections , and cannot be transferred . Indeed if a Man could bequeath his Virtues by Will , and settle his Sense , and Learning , and Resolution , upon his Children , as certainly as he can his Lands , a brave Ancestor would be a mighty privilege . Philot. I hope those fine Qualities are not so incommunicable as you suppose , for methinks there is a Ie ne scay quoi , in persons well born : there is a peculiar Nobleness of Temper in them , their Conversation is inimitably graceful , and a Man may distinguish their Quality by the Air of their Faces . Philal. I wish that Spirit of Honor and Bravery you mention , was inseparable to their Quality ; but it is too plain that great Minds , and great Fortunes don't always go together ; however I grant there is some Truth in your observation , but am afraid the distinction does not always spring from the cause you assign . For by the gracefulness of Conversation , I suppose you mean a decent Assurance , and an Address in the Modes , and Gestures of Salutation . Now these are pretty accomplishments I confess , and recommend a Man to Company with some advantage ; but then they are easily gained by Custom and Education , and therefore we need not fetch them ex Traduce . And moreover , these little Formalities are often magnified beyond all Sense and Reason , and some People are so Fantastically fond of them , as if they were the topper perfections of Human Nature ; and that it were in reality a more valuable and gentile quality to Dress well , and come handsomely into a Room , than to take a Town , or to be fit to discharge the Office of a Privy Counsellor , Now with submission to these Ceremonious Gentlemen , I am not of their mind in this matter , but think it much better for a Mans Parts to lie in his Head , than in his Heels . Philot. I think so too , but you have not answered the whole . Philal. True ! Your Air was omitted : now if this was a constant privilege of Birth , which you know it is not , yet in this deceitful Age of ours , there is no Arguing from an Outside . Besides , I doubt this Advantage is sometimes the effect of a slothful and Effeminate Life . When Men will attempt nothing either in the Field , or in their Closets : when they will neither trouble themselves with Thinking , nor endure to be exposed to the Weather : This Niceness , though it renders them insignificant to the great purposes of Life , yet it Polishes their Complexion , and makes their Spirits seem more moving and transparent . Sometime this Sprightliness and Grandeur of Face , is Painted by Flattery : for when Men are once made to believe they are very Considerable , they are presently for trying to write the Inscriptions of their Quality upon their Forehead . Now Conceit when it is Corrected with a mixture of Gravity , is an admirable Wash , and will make one look as Wise , and as Great as you would wish . Philot. This Grandeur of Face , as you call it , may possibly be explained upon kinder Principles ; for I am apt to believe that a quick Sense of Honour , a Consciousness of Worth , an Elevation of Thought , will sometimes break out into a Lustre , and make the great Soul sparkle in a Man's Eyes . Philal. I cannot deny what you say , and therefore the best Construction ought to be made , where the known Character of the person does not disallow it . Philot. I see you can be fair when you list , therefore I shall venture to go on with you to another Advantage of Nobility , viz. Antiquity . Now to begin in your own way , Don't you think it is a great addition to ones Birth to stand at the bottom of long Parchment Pedigree , and be some yards removed from the first Escocheon ? Is not that Family substantially Built which can stand the shock of Time , and hold out against all varieties of Accidents ? How generous must that Blood be , which has been so long Refining , and run through the Channels of Honor for so many Ages , where it is sometimes as hard to come to the Plebeian Fountain : as to find out the Head of Nilus ? Philal. Not so hard neither , For if you go but one Inch farther than the Gentleman at the Topyou spoke of , it is ten to one but you take old Goodman , &c. by the Leathern Breeches . And as for the Antiquity of a Family , though it looks prettily at first sight , yet I fear it will abate upon examination . Philot. Pray try your skill upon it , for I am not of your mind . Philal. Then to deal plainly with you , I conceive the Antiquity you talk of , is commonly nothing but antient Wealth , and therefore the chief commendation of this Privilege consists in the long continued Frugality of the Family , who after they were once possessed of an Estate , had the Discretion to keep it . Philot. Is it nothing then for a Man's Ancestors to have lived in Reputation , and to have had Interest and Command in their Country for so many Generations ? Philal. I suppose the English of all this is no more than that they have lived in good Houses , Eat and Drank better , and born higher Offices than those who have wanted a Fortune . Now Mony , and a moderate share of Sense , will furnish any Man with all these Advantages . And as to the holding out against so many Accidents , and Alterations of State , I am afraid it sometimes proceeds from shifting and indifferent Principles , and from a servile compliance with whatever is Uppermost . So that what my Lord Bacon mentions in reference to Notions and Inventions , may be sometimes applicable to Families ; where he tells us , that Time is like a River , in which Metals and solid Substances are sunk , while Chaff and Straws swim upon the Surface . Secondly , You are to consider that an antient Gentility does not necessarily convey to us any advantage either of Body or Mind : and to speak like Philosophers , these are the only two things in which we are capable of any real improvement . I confess , if every Generation grew Wiser , Stronger , Handsomer , or longer Lived than the other : if the Breed of a Man's Family was thus improved , the farther it was continued ; then indeed the quality of an Escocheon would be exactly contrary to that of Cloaths , and the one would always grow better , as the other does worse , by wearing . From whence it would follow , that if the seven Sleepers had been made Gentlemen immediately before they entred their Cave , and had held on their Nap from seventy , to seven hundred years , they had most undeniably slept themselves into a considerable degree of Quality . Philot. You may talk as subtilly as you please , but you must not think to baffle established and uncontested Opinions , with a few Logical quirks . Philal. Pray don't grow warm , and I will endeavour to satisfie you , and in order to it , I observe in the third place , That an antient Gentility , makes a Man Superior only to those of the same Quality , ( viz. an Esquire , to an Esquire , and so in the rest ) and that in nothing but in point of Precedency . The reason , I suppose , why those which are placed in any degree of Honor , precede others who are afterwards raised to the same Height , is for the encouragement of Industry . To make Men forward to exert their earliest Endeavours to deserve well of the State ; for this reason there is a distinction made between Merit , otherwise equal , only upon the account of the Priority of Time. Philot. Is this all you can afford ? Philal. Look you ! We that pretend to be subject to a Constitution , must not Carve out our own Quality , for at this rate a Cobler may make himself a Lord. Philot. And what then ? Philal. Why , then I say , it is Vanity for any Man to have a better Opinion of his Family than the Law allows : my Reason is , because the Law is the measure of Honor , as well as of all other Civil Rights . Besides , I must tell you that it is both reasonable , and the Interest of the State that Merit should be considered , of what date soever it is . A worthy Action ought to be as much rewarded now , as one of the same kind was a thousand years since . The prospect of Honor , to a generous Mind , is the chief incitement to all great Undertakings . This consideration Polishes Arts and Sciences , makes Men Industrious in improving their Understandings , and Resolute in exposing their Persons , for the Publick Service . If therefore we dote upon Antiquity so far , as to undervalue the Merit of the present Age , the Government must necessarily suffer by it : for such a Partiality will slacken the Nerves of Industry , and occasion a negligence both in those who have an antient Title to Honor , and in those who have not . The first will grow sluggish , because they have a sufficient share of Reputation already ; and therefore need not run any hazards about getting more . The latter will abate in their forwardness to oblige their Country , because they know their Service , though never so great , will be contemned , and for that very Reason which ought to make them the more valued , that is , because their Considerableness came from themselves . Moreover , If the Inheritors of antient Honor , have not by Personal Additions improved that Stock which was granted to their Ancestors ; there is no reason it should be rated above the same Degree ( Precedency excepted ) which is given now . For to affirm that a Family raised to Nobility by this King , is not as good as one raised by the Conqueror , is a reflection upon his present Majesty : it supposes his Judgment , or his Authority , less considerable than that of his Predecessours ; and that the Fountain of Honour is almost dry'd up , and runs more muddy than in former Ages . Philot. How plausibly soever you may make your opinion look , I 'm sure it has the disadvantage of being Singular . For you know a plain Gentleman of an ancient Family is accounted a Person of better Quality than a new made Knight , though the reason of his dubbing was never so Meritorious . Honour like China Dishes must lie some Ages under Ground before it comes to any Perfection . And to carry on your own Figure , the greater distance from the spring always makes the Stream the more considerable . Philal. This is to be wiser than the Laws ! And since you are for Illustrations I reply , that to suppose an ancient Title ( though lesser in degree ) is preferable to a greater of late Creation , is as if one should affirm that an old shilling is better than a new half-Crown , though the Alloy and Impression are the same in both . Nay from your Argument a man may conclude that a coarser metal only by being digg'd and refin'd in the Dayes of our Great Grandfathers , ( though perhaps it has contracted some rust by lying ) is more valuable than the same weight in Gold but lately separated from the Oare . And that an ancient Estate is really better than one newly purchased , though the Lands of the latter are richer , and the Survey larger than the other . Now if a man should prove so fanciful as to demand a greater Rent for his Farm because it has been in the Possession of his Family for some hundred of years , I believe the want of Tenants would soon convince him of his Errour . From whence it 's evident that in taking an Estimate of Nobility we are not so much to consider its Antiquity , as the Merit of the first Grantee , and the distinction the Prince has put upon it ; which like Figures or other marks upon Money , stamp the value , and tell the Subject for how much it is to pass . Philot. Pray by your favour are not Meddals , and Coyns valued more for their Antiquity than their Metal ? Philal. That Question is to the point ; and therefore I answer , First , That Coyns , &c. though they are valuable as rarities , yet they signifie little in Exchange and common use ; And if a man has any debt to pay , or Commodities to buy , K. Charles his Image , and superscription will do him much more service than Ce'sar's . Secondly , The Reason why these things are sometimes so much valued , is not because they are old but useful : They often rectifie Chronology , and explain History , and retrieve us several material parts of Learning , which might otherwise have been irrecoverably lost . Thirdly , There is a disparity in the case of ancient Coyns and Families ; For in the first you have the same numerical peice , in the latter nothing but the Name or Relation , so that the change and succession of Persons seems to destroy the notion of Antiquity . To make the Instance parallel we must suppose a Gentleman as old as Methusalem , and then I confess he would be a great Curiosity , and ought to be valued accordingly . Philot. As I remember you were saying , the merit of the first Gentleman of the House ought to be consider'd . Philal. Yes , I conceive that circumstance very material , and that if upon enquiry it proves unintelligible , or unlucky , it 's no small abatement to the Family . For if he Advanced himself by a voluntary engaging in unjust Quarrels , he has no better pretence to Honour than what a resolute and successful Padder may Challenge . If he owes his Heraldry to a servile Flattery , and a dextrous Application to the vices of Princes , the marks of their Favour are rather infamous than Honourable to his Posterity , because he is ennobled for those qualities , for which he ought to have been punished . Philot. What if the Gentility was purchased , I hope we may make the best of what we have paid for ? Philal. By all means ! But then this is a sign that Worth and distinguishing Qualities were wanting , otherwise the Honour had been conferred Gratis . The same may be said when Arms or Titles are given at the Instance or recommendation of a Favorite , for this is down-right begging for Quality , and looks more like an Alms than an Honour . Father it 's a lessening to a mans Nobility , when the Reason and Grounds of it are unknown , for if his Rise had been derived from worthy and creditable Causes , he would in all likelyhood have been as certainly acquainted with them , as with his Arms ; It being both easie and for the Reputation of the Family ; that Records of this nature should have been preserv'd , and therefore the loss of them seems rather to proceed from Design than Neglect . In short , if the first Principles of Honour happen to be thus coarse , or counterfeit , it 's not in the power of time to mend them : A Pebble or Bristol stone will not change their natures , and improve into Diamonds , though they are laid up a thousand years together . Philot. Hark you Mr. I doubt your Effects ( if you have any ) have lain but a little while in the Heralds Office. Philal. Probably as long as your Worships : But I take it to be much more a Gentlemanly quality to discover such unsociable mistakes than to abett them . If we are capable of understanding any thing , it must undoubtedly be more creditable to promote good humour and modesty in Conversation , and give men right Apprehensions of themselves ; than to flatter them into groundless Conceits , and make them believe they may be truly Great , and yet good for nothing . To maintain such indefensible and dangerous Principles of Honour , which not only impose upon our Understandings , but emasculate our Spirits , and spoyl our Temper , and tend only to the nourishing of Idleness and Pride ; is in my opinion no very Heroical undertaking . Philot. Then I find we must come to the Merits of the Cause as you call them , and examine upon what foundation the Family stands . Philal. I think that is the only way to know what we have to trust to , and how far we may insist upon the advantages of Birth . Philot. What are the usual steps to Honour ? Philal. I suppose one of these three , Learning , Commerce or Arms. The pretences of Learning have been examined already ; To which I shall only add , that if a Person whose mind is enlarged , and beautified with all sorts of useful Knowledge , is notwithstanding obliged to Modesty , and Sobriety of thought , then certainly those who claim under him , and are wise only by Proxy , ought not to grow too big upon their Relation to the Muses . To Proceed , Commerce is another Expedient which often distinguishes a man from the vulgar . For Trading raises an Estate , and that procures Honour , so that in this Case Wealth is the main of the merit , and that which is chiefly insisted on by those who inherit it . But here we ought to be very cautious and meek-spirited , till we are assured of the honestly of our Ancestours , for Covetousness and Circumvention make no good Motto for a Coat . And yet your men of Trade are too often assisted in their Fortunes by these Qualities . Philot. I think you are too hard upon them , and believe they may come into their Estates by more accountable methods , viz. by their Industry , by Understanding how to make use of all fair advantages , and by the luck of a good Acquaintance . Philal. I grant there is a great deal of Good Faith , Frankness and Generosity to be found among Tradesmen , and that such Professions are necessary to the convenience and splendor of Life , and being thus useful ought to be esteemed Honourable . But their being used to value small gains is apt ( without care ) to make them contract a narrowness of Spirit , and to stand too much to the point of Interest . Philot. What is that which they call the Mystery of Trade ? Philal. A great part of it consists in the skill of over-reaching their Customers , which Science , I fear is not learned meerly for Speculation . Philot. Possibly it may be for Caution , that they may not be imposed on by others . Philal. I am willing to think so , however these Arcana Officinae , are counted such Essentials , that except an Apprentice is fully instructed how to Adulterate , and Varnish , and give you the Go-by upon occasion , his Master may be charged with Neglect , and sued for not teaching him his Art , and his Trade . Philot. It seems then he cannot be an Honest Man , except he teaches his Servant to play the Knave . Philal. Granting your Inference , yet you know a Man may understand his Weapon better than his Neighbour , and notwithstanding be of a very peaceable inoffensive Temper . However , when the Rise of the Family is owing to such an Original , a Man has a particular Reason not to flourish too much upon the glitter of his Fortune , for fear there should be too much Alloy in it . For some People are forced to climb in a very mean and servile posture . They must Flatter , Deceive , and Pinch ; use their Neighbours , and themselves too , very unkindly , before they can gain their Point . So that if the Ancestour had not been remarkably Little , his Posterity had never been reputed Great . Philot. But what needs all this Scruple ? Why should I enquire so anxiously how my Ancestors came by their Estate ? Let their Merit be as small as you please , the Revenue will not sink upon this Score . Now , if you considered the Sovereignty of Mony , how it commands Honor , and Beauty , and Power , how much of Ornament , and Defence , and Pleasure there is in it ; you would allow us to be a little Uppish upon the Matter : for when a Man has such a Universal Instrument of Delight , and is Master of that , which is Master of every thing else , he ought visibly to Congratulate his Happiness , and pay himself a particular Respect . Philal. If I could purchase a parcel of new Senses , and some pretty undiscovered Curiosities to please them with , I confess I should be more desirous of growing Rich than I am . Philot. What though you cannot buy any new , you may please the old ones better , and make one Sense go as far as two , with Poverty . Philal. I am not altogether of your mind ; besides if my Understanding does not improve proportionably , I am only in the fairer way to be more a Brute . Philot. Understanding ! Mony will buy good Books , and though the Owner should should not know how to use them , yet if has an Estate , he will never want People to make him believe he has Sense , which will be in a manner as well , for Pleasure consists mostly in Fancy . Philal. I don't envy such a one the entertainment of his Imagination , though I believe it is much short of the transports of Lunacy : but withal I think that folly and madness are no proper Judges to pronounce upon the Advancements of human Nature . But to return to the Argument , no person can be Great by being Owner of those things which wise Men have always counted it a piece of greatness to despise . To which I must add , that it is not the possessing , but the right management of any valuable Advantage which makes us Considerable . He that does not employ his Fortune generously , is not to be respected merely because he has it . Indeed if a Man gives me part of his Estate , I am bound to make him an acknowledgment ; but I am not obliged to honor him because he is pleased to keep it to himself . Philot. Well! Since Merchandize is sometimes liable to exceptions , and antient Wealth has no right to challenge Worship , and Homage . Pray what do you think of Nobility raised by Arms ? I hope here you will grant the Materials are all shining , and solid . And when an Ancestour works out his Fortune by great and hazardous Undertakings , by contempt of Danger and Death , and all the instances of an Heroick Gallantry ; is it not highly reasonable his Descendants should share his Honor , as well as his Inheritance ? Nay , they seem obliged , in justice to his Memory , to have some stroaks of Greatness and Reserve in their Carriage . They might better be Profuse in their Expences , than their Familiarities . The wasting his Estate , and razing ▪ him out of the Heralds Books , is scarce more injurious to his Name , than the heedless Condescensions of his Family . For by such ill managed Humility , they do as it were Prostitute his Quality , mingle his Ashes with ignoble Dust , and deface the Monuments and Distinctions of his Merit . Philal. I confess a Man ought to be civil to his Generation , but not to that degree as to plague the Living , only in Ceremony to the Dead . And I may say farther , that a Noble Ancestor , does not desire his Posterity should pretend to honor him this way , except his Qualities , as well as his Name descend upon them . A person truly Great , is never fond and unreasonable ; he hates to see Folly Idolized , though it be in his own Children ; and had rather have his Memory buried in Oblivion , than his Honor should be Usurped by a Degenerate insignificant Off-spring . Besides , the reasons you assign why Martial Men ought to be valued by after-Ages , seem to be common to other pretences to Nobility . Philot. I am sorry if they appear so , since I designed them chiefly for the advantage of Arms. For in my judgment , the Profession of a Soldier has a particular , and paramount Title to Honor. For can there be a more extraordinary instance of Greatness , than for a Man to be undismayed amidst so many horrible Instruments and Images of Death ? To expose his person as freely as if he knew himself immortal , and to fear nothing but Obscurity and Disgrace ? And therefore though there are many other creditable Employments and Accomplishments , yet there is a transcendent , and almost an astonishing Greatness and Gracefulness in Valour . It has something more illustrious and sparkling , more Noble and Majestick than the rest . Philal. Hold ! You are going to describe Alexander or Cesar ; do you think that every Field , or Charge in Gules , can pretend to all these fine things ? This must be examined farther by and by : at present I shall only observe to you , that though I have a great esteem for a Gentleman of the Sword , and don 't in the least intend to lessen the just Character of Military Glory ; yet I conceive there is another Profession , which possibly does not glitter altogether so much upon the Sense , but for all that , if you touch it 't will prove right Sterling . Philot. What Profession do you mean ? Philal. That of Learning ; therefore if you please , I will just glance upon the Advantages of Learning without interposing my judgment by way of comparison . Philot. Do so , for I think you had need say some kind things upon this Argument , to make amends for the freedom you took with it in our former Conference . Philal. Don't mistake me , I am conscious of no Injury , and therefore design nothing by way of Reparation . Philot. Take your Course . Philal. 1. Then not to mention that Learning is an improvement of our Minds , which is the noblest part of us . I say not to mention this , you may please to take notice , that without some share in this accomplishment , War it self cannot be successfully managed . Without the assistance of Letters , a Man can never be qualified for any considerable Post in the Camp. For Courage and Corporal Force , unless joyned with Conduct , and reach of Thought ( which are the usual effects of Contemplation ) is no more fit to command than a Tempest ; doing for the most part more harm than good , and destroying it self by its blind and ill directed motion . It is Learning which teaches a General the successes and events of Action in former Ages , which makes him better able to judge of his present preparation . It instructs him how to take advantage of his Enemies , and avoid those miscarriages which have been fatal to others before him . It teaches him how to Fortifie and Assault , how to manage the difference of Ground and Weather . It lets him into the knowledge of Human Nature , and shews him how to understand the Tempers of other men , and to govern his own . It discovers by what secret Springs the Passions are moved , what are the most probable Causes of Hope and Fear , of Resolution and Cowardise ; and how strangely they are mixed , and varied according to the difference of Climates , Governments , Conditions , and Occupations , especially according to the different Age , Temper , Interest , and Experience of those who are in Power . Philot. Yes , no doubt it teaches a Man to take a Soul in pieces , as easily as a Watch ! If ever I heard such Conjuring ! Philal. Pray be not so sharp , the Discourse is not so Romantick as you suppose . Philot. Go on . Philal. Secondly , I observe that the Advantages of Learning are more lasting and extensive than those of Arms. The Courage of a Soldier , does his Country not much service after his death , the benefit of it being usually confined to one Age : whereas by the knowledge of Men and Things , Publick Provisions for Society are framed , and the Constitution adjusted to the Temper , and Convenience of the People ; of the happy effects of which , remote Posterity is often sensible . And as the Consequences of Valour , seldom reach beyond the death of him who shewed it , so there are few the better for it , except those a Man engages for ; which are commonly none but his Countrymen . But Learning , by inventing and improving Arts and Sciences , scatters its Favours in a much larger compass ; becomes a universal Benefactor , and obliges mankind in its most comprehensive Latitude of Place and Time. Philot. I hope you will grant that Learning must fly to the Protection of the Sword to secure its quiet , and all the profits accrewing from thence . For in earnest , Notions , and Syllogisms , are very defenceless things against Violence . If we had nothing but Philosophy , Statutes and Reports , to secure the Peace ; our Meum and Tuum were but in an ill condition . Philal. I agree with you , and shall just add in the third place , That the successes of Learning are naturally of a very innocent Tendency , and under good management prejudicial to none . The Conquests of Arts are not like those of Arms , gained by slaughter , and attended with ruin and desolation . No , Here is nothing routed but Ignorance and Error , nothing destroyed but obstinate Humour , and savage Disposition : Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros . But a Martial Man , except he has been sweetned , and polished by a Lettered Education , is apt to have a tincture of sowerness , and incomplyance in his Behaviour . And therefore if you observe your old Heroes in Homer , ( for want of being Book-Learned ) were none of the Gentilest Men. What a rugged tempestuous , unconversable Mortal was Achilles ; I could never fancy that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Philot. Well! I perceive it is requisite for a Man to get some Sense to his Courage if he can : but have we not lost all our Pride , and gone somewhat off from the Point ? Philal. No , We have only fetched a Compass , and thrown our reasoning more into a Circle to invest the Place ; and now we will come on directly , and make a little Assault , only to try the strength of the Garrison . Philot. Very Soldier-like ! In plain English I doubt you are attempting to shew that it is not so much the Profession of Arms , as the unexceptionable management of that Profession which makes a Family honourable . Philal. Yes . Therefore before we fall too much in love with the Buff in the Wardrobe ; we should examin whether the War was just , whether our Ancestor fought in defence of his Prince and Country , or let himself out to any person who would hire him to murther . We should consider whether the Enterprize was Great and Dangerous ; whether the Advantages were gained by open Bravery and Resolution , or were no more than the effects of Chance , of Treachery , or Surprize . And though a Man can give a creditable Answer to all these Questions , he should then remember there are a great many persons who have ventured as far as himself , and yet continue in their first Obscurity : so that had it not been his good Fortune to have fallen under the Notice of his General , his Merit had been unrewarded . There are many persons who perform signal service in a Breach , or Scalado , and yet their Courage is often unregarded , and lost in the Crowd , and Tumult of the Action , so that they get nothing but Blows for their Pains . To wind up this part of the Discourse : let the Rise of the Family be never so considerable ( I mean none but Subjects ) it ought not to supersede the Industry , or stop the Progress of those who are thence Descended . For if we rely wholly upon the Merit of others , and are Great only by imputation , we shall be esteemed by none but the injudicious part of the World. To speak out , if neither the advantages of Fortune and Education . ( which often concur in these Cases ) the expectation of others , nor the Memory of worthy Ancestors , if none of these Motives can prevail with a Man to furnish himself with Supravulgar and Noble Qualities , this is an argument that he is either under a natural incapacity , or else has abandoned himself to Sloth , and Luxury . And without dispute he is most emphatically mean , who is so under the greatest advantages and arguments to the contrary . So that the Lustre of his Family serves only to set off his own Degeneracy , it does Facem praeferre pudendis and makes him the more remarkably Contemptible . Philot. You are smart upon the empty Sparks ! And I perceive by your discourse that if we intend to set up strong , we must do something for our selves . Philal. Yes : And therefore I presume that Women have more reason to insist upon their Birth than Men : because they have not so fair a trial to discover their worth . They are by custom made incapable of those employments by which Honour is usually gain'd . They are shut out from the Pulpit and Barr , from Embassies , and State Negotiations , so that notwithstanding ( as I believe it often happens ) their Inclinations are generous , and their Abilities great , to serve the publick ; yet they have not an opportunity of shewing it . Philot. Truly I think you need not have been so liberal to the Beau-Sex ; you know they have enough to be proud of besides Heraldry . Philal. What do you mean ? Philot. Their Beauty Man. Philal. Right , I believe that may disturb them sometimes ; but they have no great reason for it . For Beauty though it 's a pretty varnish , yet it 's of a frail Constitution , liable to abundance of Accidents , and but ashort lived Blessing at the best . And waving this Consideration , it seems to be made chiefly for the entertainment of the lookers on . Those who are so much admired by others , can't share the pleasure of the Company without the help of a Glass ; for the Eyes which shew us other Objects cannot see themselves . Nature seems to have laid the most graceful parts of our Fabrick out of our way ; to prevent our vanity . For could some People always command a sight of their Faces , they would Narcissus like be perpetually poring upon their Handsomeness , and so be neither fit for Business , nor Company . Philot. To my thinking you have not cleared the Point ; For why may we not insist upon the privileges of Nature ? Why should a fine Woman be so prodigal of her Beauty , make strip and waste of her Complexion , and squander away her Face for nothing ? There is no reason persons of a less agreeable aspect ( except they have some other advantage ) should converse with beauty upon a Level . For those who cannot furnish out an equal proportion towards the pleasure of Conversation , ought to pay for their insufficiency in Acknowledgments . Beauty without doubt was design'd for some advantage , and if so , certainly the Owners have the best right to it . Philal. I grant it ; and therefore it 's allowable for them to set a value upon their Persons , for the better disposal of them . And farther if they have a mind to it , they may please themselves , because they are acceptable to others , which is a generous satisfaction : But when they grow humoursom they spoil all ; For Pride not only raises a prejudice against their Beauty , but really lessens it . For if you observe , it paints an ill-natured Air upon their Face ; and fills them with spleen and peevishness and passion , which exhausts their Spirits , and makes their blood less florid , so that their Beauty is neither so agreeable nor lasting as otherwise it would be . And if the present inconvenience will not cure them , they will do well to remember that they must of necessity grow humble when they are old ; unless they are so fanciful as to doat upon Rubbish and Ruins . Philot. Pray let us take leave of the Ladies , and proceed to the other branch of your Division , viz. to acquired Nobility . And here methinks every thing looks unexceptionable and fine upon your own Principles . For here we are beholden to none but our selves ; we are not thrown up the Hill by anothers Arms , and made considerable by Diversion , or Chancemedly ; but climb the ascent by plain Strength , and indefatigable Activity . Is it not a singular commendation to have our circumstances not only large and Honourable , but Independent ; and almost to create the privileges we enjoy ? Here is no gilding of a coarse substance , no borrowed Glory , no faint Reflection from an Ancestour , but the Man is all bright and luminous to the Center , and shines and sparkles in his own worth . He is not Great by Genealogy and ancient Title , by the Favour of Fortune and the Labours of those he never help'd , but by Nature and Performances , by having Greatness incorporated in himself . Now may not a Person who has thus distinguished himself by his Merit , make use of the Honour which has been so justly confer'd upon him , and put the Lazy and less significant in mind of their Defects ? Philal. If you recollect your self you will find that this point concerning Acquired Nobility has been occasionally discoursed already : Therefore I shall only add that upon supposition a Man has obliged the Publick , and is remarkable for great Abilities and a generous Use of them ; he would do well to remember that there are others who have ventured as far , and performed as considerably as himself , whose Services all miscarried as to any private Advantage , because they were not so lucky as to act under the Notice of those who were able to reward : And that many Persons well furnish'd for Employment and Honour , go out of the World as obscurely as they came in ; only for want of a proper opportunity to bring them into Light , and publick View . Philot. What tho some People are unlucky , ought their misfortunes to be pleaded to the prejudice of Desert in others ? Philal. No. But when a man has received so valuable a consideration for his Service as Honour and Estate , he ought to acquiesce , and not press too arbitrarily for Submission . He should not set a tax upon his Conversation , and put the Company under Contribution for Respect . Besides a Gentleman of the first Head has a particular reason to manage his Advancement obligingly : For by treating the little People roughly , he does in effect but expose his Ancestours and reproach his own former Condition . Philot. You have so many fetches with you ! But what do you think of Magistrates ? In my opinion those who represent their Prince , and are the Ministers of Justice , cannot practise that Humility and Condescension you seem to admire , with any manner of Decency , or Security to the publick . For if they don't oblige their Inferiours to Distance , their Reputation will sink , and the Majesty of the Government will be lessen'd , and then it 's easie to guess what the consequence must be . Philal. I agree with you : Magistrates ought to assert their Office , and not make themselves cheap by improper Familiarities . But their Character may be over-strained . To prevent which inconvenience they may please to remember that their power was given them upon a publick account , more for the benefit of others than themselves . They are deputed by their Prince , for the countenancing of Virtue , for the ease and Protection of the People , and therefore they should discourage none who are regular and fair , they should shew their Authority upon nothing but Insolence and Injustice , Thieves and Malefactors ; upon those who affront the Government , or break the Peace . There is no necessity they should bring the Air of the Bench into common Conversation , and wear their Commissions always upon their Faces . To manage their Power thus singularly looks like a little private Design of setting up for themselves ; as if they procured their Authority to fright the Kings Liege Subjects , and to over-awe the Neighbourhood into a greater Reverence . Philot. But if they should happen to take too much upon them , are the People to slight them upon this account ? Philal. By no means : the Authority ought to be consider'd let the Men be what they will. However in general I observe that the best way to secure Observance , is not to insist too violently upon it . For Pride is a most unfortunate Vice , other Immoralities usually gain their Point , though they lose more another way ; but a Proud man is so far from making himself Great by his haughty and contemptuous Port , that he is usually punished with Neglect for it : and that Disdain with which he treats others , is returned more justly upon himself : which may be done without much difficulty , in regard Honor is not become a property so far as to have all it's Appurtenances bounded and fix'd by Law. The Circumstantials and oftentimes the most pompous part of Ceremony , are arbitrary and undetermined . For we are not told either by Statute , or Common Law how many Bows a Superiour of such a degree may expect from us , not how low we are to make them , nor how often the terms of Respect are to be used in our Application . Philot. What do you mean ? Philal. I mean that it is not settled by Act of Parliament , how many Sirs and Madams , a Discourse of such a length is to be sprinkled with ; and therefore a cross-grained Fellow , will tell you he has his Betters upon their Good Behaviour : if he likes their humour , he will be as liberal to them in acknowledgments as they please ; if not , he shall take the freedom to hold his hand , and let them help themselves how they can . Philot. Well! I cannot reconcile this self-denying Humour you are contending for the Character of a Gentleman . Such an untoward management of Fortune and Honour as this is , argues either that a Man wants Sense to understand his Condition , or Spirit to maintain it . To throw away the Prerogatives of our Birth , or the rewards of our Industry , at such a careless Cynical rate , is a sign of a Rustick inapprehensive meanness , and that we have not the least inclination to Greatness in us . For those who desire to be Great , will endeavour to excel , and those who excel will be sure to shew it ; for the Essence of Greatness lies in Comparison . A tall Man loses the advantage of his Stature , unless he stands streight , and overlooks his Neighbour . Philal. Methinks you are somewhat out in your notion of Greatness . Philot. Let us hear if you can hit it better . Philal. To speak freely , I conceive it a much more substantial and better natured thing than you have made it . Greatness certainly does not consist in Pageantry and Show , in Pomp and Retinue ; and though a person of Quality will make use of these things to avoid Singularity , and to put the Vulgar in mind of their obedience to Authority , yet he does not think himself really the bigger for them : for he knows that those who have neither Honesty nor Understanding , have oftentimes all this fine Furniture about them . Farther , To be Great , is not to be starched , and formal , and supercilious , to swagger at our Footmen , and browbeat our Inferiours . Such a Behaviour looks as if a Man was conscious of his own insignificancy , and that he had nothing but Outside , and Noise , and ill Humour , to make himself Considerable with . But he that is truly Noble , has far different Sentiments , and turns his Figure quite another way . He hates to abridge the Liberties , to depress the Spirits , or any ways to impair the satisfaction of his Neighbour . His Greatness is easie , obliging , and agreeable , so that none have any just cause to wish it less . And though he has a general kindness for all Men , though he despises not the meanest Mortal , but desires to stand fair in the Opinion of the World , yet he never courts any Man's Favour at the Expence of Justice , nor strikes in with a Popular Mistake . No , He is sensible it is the part of true Magnanimity to adhere unalterably to a wise Choice : not to be over-run by Noise and Numbers , but to appear in defence of injured Right , of neglected Truth , notwithstanding all the Censure and Disadvantage they may sometimes lie under . To conclude his Character , A Great Man is affable in his Converse , generous in his Temper , and immoveable in what he has maturely resolved upon . And as Prosperity does not make him haughty and imperious , so neither does Adversity sink him into meanness and dejection : for if ever he shews more spirit than ordinary , it is when he is ill used , and the World frowns upon him . In short , he is equally removed from the extremes of Servility and Pride ; and scorns either to trample upon a Worm , or sneak to an Emperor . Philot. In earnest , you have described a Person of Honor : And I am so far pleased with the Character , that I would give all I am Master of to make it my own . But can we receive no other Advantages from Nobility , but what have been hinted already ? Philal. All that I can think of at present , are these following . First , It gives a fair occasion to excite the generosity of our Minds , and disposes us to the imitation of great Examples , that so we may not seem unworthy our Predecessours . Indeed , a Man is bound in justice not to impair the Reputation , nor spoil the Breed of the Family : but to hand down the Line to his Posterity , at least with the same good Conditions he received it . Secondly , These Privileges of Birth may serve to check an insolent Humour in others , who behave themselves contemptuously towards us upon lesser , or but equal pretences . Thirdly , A Man may make some Advantage this way , when he falls undeservedly under Publick Disgrace , or is unrighteously Oppressed . For in such a Case , the mention of his Ancestours seems free from all suspicion of Vanity , and may fairly be interpreted to proceed either from self-Defence , or greatness of Spirit . Fourthly , The same may be done when any Office or Promotion , may Legally be claimed by vertue of an honourable Condition . For example , If a Man should put in to be one of the Knights of Malta , he might modestly enough publish his Pedigree , and prove his six Descents , against a less qualified Competitor . Philot. If you are at a sto● , I ●●ink I can carry your concessions 〈…〉 For , as I remember , it has been granted already , that the common People may pay a Respect to Quality , though you mortifie the Pleasure a little severely in those who receive it . Philal. May pay a Respect , call you it ? I say they must . For not to mention that Gentlemen have generally a greater share of Fortune and Sense too , than those of vulgar Condition ; not to mention this I say , if they had nothing to plead but their Quality , they ought to be regarded upon that Score , because the State sets a value upon it , and that for publick and considerable Reasons . Philot. I perceive if a Man will but stay and hear you out , you are civil enough at the last . Pray what are we to do next ? Philal. Why , now I could run a Discourse with you upon the inconveniences of Pride : and snew you in particular , what an unconquerable Aversion it gives all Mankind against us , when we are overgrown with it . How it multiplies , and conceals our Defects from us , and makes us do a thousand silly things , without taking notice of them . How it makes us a Prey to Flatterers , and puts us to great Expences only to be laughed at . I might debate with you , how it spoils Conversation , and takes away the pleasure of Society . How often Families , Kingdoms , and Churches are embroiled , and the World turned topsiturvy by this Vice. These and many other ill consequences of Pride might be enlarged upon ; but this part of the Argument is , I conceive , more proper for Divines , and therefore I shall pursue it no farther . Philot. Well moved ! For now I think it is almost time to give over . Philal. I won't tire you . Your humble Servant . THE CONTENTS . SOme mistakes concerning Conversation removed Page 3 The Grounds of Pride enquired into , and shewn to be founded in Self-Love , and why p. 5 The due bounds of Self-Love briefly examined p. 6 , 7 Pride described , 1. By way of Negation p. 8 2. The Positive marks of it are laid down p. 13 The principal pretences to this Vice , viz. Learning , Nobility , Wealth , Power , and Beauty p. 17 The pretences of Learning considered p. 18 The Office of Curates generally misunderstood ; the mistakes about it rectified p. 31 The depressing their Character , and streitning them in point of Maintenance , of ill consequence to Religion p. 35 The case of Nobility considered p. 51 Nobility divided into Hereditary or Acquired p. 53 The Privileges of Antiquity examined p. 57 Families generally raised either by Commerce , Arms , or Learning p. 66 The pretences of Commerce inquired into , where likewise those of Wealth , are occasionally handled p. 66 , 69 The Merit of Arms debated p. 70 The Advantages of Learning , and Arms compared p. 73 The Plea of Beauty argued , and that of Acquired Nobility p. 79 The difference between Pride and Magnanimity p. 86 The just Advantages of Nobility p. 88 Some of the unhappy Consequences of Pride hinted . p. 89 THE END . A Moral Essay CONCERNING CLOATHS . THE THIRD CONFERENCE BETWEEN Philotimus and Philalethes . A MORAL ESSAY Concerning CLOATHS . Philot. PHilalethes , I 'm glad to meet you again ; Where have you been this long time ? Philal. Sometimes not just where I would be : But now I have no reason to complain ; for I always think my self well , when I am with a Friend . Philot. I must have half an hours Conversation with you before we part . Philal. You oblige me extreamly . I was afraid your time had been preingaged to those Gentlemen and Ladies you parted with at the Coach ; I heard them desire you not to stay long . By their Habit and Equipage they seem to be Persons of Condition , and therefore you know the Appointment must be well remembred ? Philot. Leave that to me . But by the way , I thought you laid somewhat of an Accent upon their Habit ; were they too Fine for you ? Philal. They may be so for themselves for ought I know . Philot. I perceive you are for making Prize of me again . I remember what mortifying Discoveries you made at our last Meeting . I wish you had kept your Cynical Truths to your self ; for I 'm sure my Mistakes were much more Entertaining . Philal. It seems they were Truths then . Philot. Yes . And that 's it which vexes me ; for now I have much ado to keep my self in my own good Opinion . Philal. I 'm sorry you should be in love with a Delusion , especially when you know it to be such . Fevers and Intemperance bring a great many gay Fancies with them ; and yet they are not counted any of the Blessings or Ornamentals of Life . Philot. Happiness is Happiness ; whether 't is founded in Reason or Imagination , 't is all a Case to me , provided I have a vigorous Sence of it . Nay , in my Judgment , those which you call the Satisfactions of Fancy , are the better of the two . They are more at Command than the other ; and stand in no need of a Foreign Supply . The want of Tools and Materials , if the Model is answered , is a Commendation to the Workman . To make so fine a Something out of Nothing , has some resemblance to Creation : So that if this way has as much Pleasure in the Effect , it seems to have more of Magnificence in the Cause . Philal. I grant you , if a Man could be always dreaming of Paradise : The Dream would go a great way towards making the Thing . But alass ! the visionary Pleasure will quickly disappear . The agreeable part of the Fit won't last ; therefore let us get rid of it as soon as may be . The longer it continues , the worse and the weaker 't will leave us . We may , like the Romans , deify a Disease , if we please ; but if we expect any return of the Worship , we shall be Mistaken . Philot. I tell you I came off with Loss the last Rencounter : And now by your surveying me from Head to Foot , I find you think I have too much of Expence and Curiosity about me ; but if you expect to dispute my Cloaths off my Back , you will be disappointed . Philal. I have no desire you should turn either Adamite , or Quaker ; but yet I believe some People throw away too much Money , and Inclination , upon these Things . Philot. You seem to forget that the Distinctions of Rank and Condition cannot be kept up , without something Extraordinary in this kind . And unless this be done , Government must suffer . Philal. For all that , Noah had large Dominions , and , for ought appears , kept his Subjects in good Order without any great Assistance from the Wardrobe . Philot. But Princes Subjects are not so near of Kin to them now ; and therefore not so easily Governed . Philal. We will Dispute no farther about Princes : Besides , I grant the World is alter'd , and am willing to make an Allowance upon that Score . Philot. I shall proceed upon your Concession . And endeavour to prove in the First place , That Richness of Habit is not only Lawful but Convenient , for those who are possessed of publick Charges ; especially when they execute their Office ▪ For the People generally take their Measures more from the Appearance than the Reason of Things . Their Apprehensions are so disposed , that they think nothing Great but what is Pompous , and Glitters upon the Senses . If their Governours had not some Advantage of them in Figure ; they would be apt to overlook their Character , and forget their Distance . Philal. I have no Intention to argue against Gold Chains , Velvet Caps , or Sables , or any Thing of this Nature ; but granting this Furniture may be somewhat of a Guard to Authority , yet no publick Person has any Reason to value himself upon it . For the Design of this Sort of State is only to comply with the Weakness of the Multitude . 'T is an innocent Stratagem to deceive them into their Duty , and to awe them into a just Sense of Obedience . A great Man will rather contemn this kind of Finery , than think himself considerable by it . He will rather be sorry that his Authority needs the Support of so little an Artifice , and depends in any measure upon the use of such Trifles . To stoop to the vulgar Notion of Things , and establish ones Reputation by counterfeit Signs of Worth , must be an uneasy Task to a noble Mind ▪ Besides , we are not to think the Magistrate cannot support his Office without Fine Cloaths . For if he is furnish'd with general Prudence , with Abilities particular to his Business , and has a competent share of Power , he needs not doubt his Influence over the People . Philot. Pray what do you think of private Quality ? I hope you don't intend to strike us out of all Distinction , to run all Metals together , and make a Sort of Corinthian Brass of us . Philal. By no means . However , your Argument must abate farther upon this Head. For Quality , separated from Authority , is sufficiently maintained by Title , Arms , and Precedency : This is enough to keep up Distinction , and to encourage Industry and Merit . There is no necessity for Persons , without Jurisdiction , to march always with Colours displayed . It seems more agreeable that they should conceal , than make a needless Ostentation of their Wealth . Would it not look odly in a Souldier to give in a History of his Valour and Conduct in Conversation ? Or for a Man of Learning to make Harangues upon his own Parts and Performances , and tell the Company how ignorant they are in respect of him ? Philot. That would be a little Fulsom I confess ; But is the Case the same ? Philal. Much at one , in private Persons . For them to appear Pompous in Equipage , or Habit , is but a vain-glorious Publishing their own Grandeur , a silent Triumphing over the Inferiority of others , and is in effect to proclaim themselves extraordinary People . Whereas a modest Man , if he was somewhat taller than his Neighbours , would chuse to shrink himself into the Dimensions of the Company , and be contented rather to loose something of his own Stature , than to upbraid them with the Littleness of theirs . Philot. What , because a Lord of a Mannour has not always a Commission , must he be allowed no better Cloaths than a Cottager ? Philal. Yes . There may be some Difference , and yet it needs not be very Expensive . A Gentleman's Mien and Behaviour is sufficient to discover him , without any great dependance upon Shops and Taylors . After all , the best way of distinguishing , is by the Qualities of the Mind . Let Persons of Condition strive rather to be richer in their Disposition than the Vulgar : Let them put on a better Humour , wear a finer Understanding , and shew a more shining Fortitude : Let them appear remarkably Just , Inoffensive , and Obliging . This is the way to be nobly Popular , and gives them the Hearts , as well as the Ceremony , of their Inferiors . Philot. How must they spend their Estates , they cannot Eat and Drink them all ? Philal. However , they seem willing enough to try their Skill ; and I believe the Experiment succeeds sometimes . But to your Question : Was the Surplusage of Wealth employed in charitable Uses , and Entertainments soberly Hospitable , I conceive it would run in a more proper Chanel . Did Men lay out their Abilities in the Service of Religion , and for the promoting of Arts and Knowledge , how might they advance the Prosperity and Glory of a Nation this way ? How much Wiser , and Easier , and Richer , might they make their Inferiours ? And as they would be more beneficial to their Country , so they would serve the Designs of Greatness much more effectually . Such a generous Use of Fortune , would give Lustre to their Reputation ; and make the World look with Wonder and Regard upon them . How would it raise a declining Interest to its former Height , and with what Advantage convey their Memories to Posterity ? But to return ; Richness of Habit is not only unnecessary to keep up the Distinction of Degrees , but insufficient . For where there are no Sumptuary Laws to confine the Condition of Persons , and ascertain the Heraldry of the Wardrobe , every one has the Liberty of being as Expensive , and Modish as he pleases . And accordingly you may observe that ordinary People , when they happen to abound in Money and Vanity , have their Houses and Persons as richly Furnished , as those who are much their Superiours . There are other Instances in which methinks these things are a little misplaced . Philot. As how ? Philal. Why , to see Gold and Scarlet condemn'd to Liveries , the Coach-box furnish'd like the Council Chamber , and the Horses wear as good Velvet as the Company , is methinks not very agreeable . This Prostitution of Finery is enough to make it nauseous , and to ruin its Reputation to all Inteats and Purposes . Philot. When you have said all , A good Suit does a Man Credit , and puts People in mind of paying him a proper Respect . And since others esteem me upon this Account , I ought to follow their Opinion . For why should I think my self wiser than the Majority of Mankind ? Singularity seems to have always a Spice of Arrogance in it . Philal. You are wonderfully resigned in your Understanding ; I guess the Occasion , and shall endeavour to disappoint your Humility . For notwithstanding your Majority , I conceive the Reasons of things are rather to be taken by Weight than Tale : And if so , fine Cloaths will signify nothing in the Value of a Man , because they are but Signs of Wealth at the best , which generally speaking is no more an Argument of Worth , than of the contrary . And as Cloaths don't suppose a Man considerable , so neither can they make him so . This will appear if we examine either the Materials of which they consist , or the Art and Curiosity which is shewn in the Fashioning of them . The Matter of which a rich Habit consists , is either the Skins of Beasts , the Entrails of Worms , the Spoils of Fishes , some shining Sand or Pebles , which owe their humble Original to the Dirt. And is it not a ridiculous Vanity to value our selves upon what we borrow from Creatures below Reason and Life ? In short , either they are a real Advantage , or not : If they are , they prove our Dependance upon inferiour Things ; which ought to be a mortifying Consideration , unless we can be proud of Beggary ▪ If they are not , then to dote on them is a Sign we are sunk beneath our proper Level ; that we admire Trifles , and disgrace the Dignity of our Nature . To see these insignificant Ornaments valued at so great a Rate , and preferred to the Necessaries of Life , is no small Disparagement to the Understandings of Men , and is an Argument of the Littleness and Degeneracy of our Kind . One would think he that has the Liberty of looking upon the Sun and Moon for Nothing , would never purchase the Glimmerings of a Peble at so high a Price . Philot. I find you imagine Pearls were made only for Cordials , and that Diamonds and fit for nothing but Bartholomew-Babies to sparkle in . But I believe the Iewellers would do well enough , if they had nothing but your Philosophy to damp their Trade . Philal. That may be . But what if I can prove that the Price of them is kept up by Imagination and ill Humour , and that the very Reason which makes them Dear , ought to make them Cheap . Philot. Let 's hear . Philal. You may observe then that most of these Ornaments owe their Value to their Scarcity . For if they were common , those who most admire them would be ready to throw them away . Tertullian ( de Habit. Muliebr . ) observes , that some People bound their Malefactors in Chains of Gold. And if a Man's Crime was very Notorious , they would make him as fine as a General Officer . Philot. I suppose they were Sir Thomas Moor's Vtopians . A pretty Devise ! 'T is pity Whitehall was not plundered to Ornanament Newgate ! Philal. Tertullian observes farther , That Diamonds and Rubies were little esteemed by the Eastern Nations , where they were the Growth of the Country . So that I suppose when the Parthian Children , and Milk-maids , had worn them till they were weary , they were bought up for the Roman Ladies . Now to be fond of any thing purely because it is uncommon , because the generality of Mankind wants it , is an ill-natured Pleasure , and arises from an unbenevolent and ungenerous Temper . Philot. Pray what do you think of the Artificial Improvement , is not a rich Dress an Addition to the Wearer upon this Account ? Philal. Not at all . 'T is true , the Refining upon what was more imperfectly begun by Nature , the graceful Disposition of the Parts , and the judicious Mixture of Colours , are Arguments of Industry and Ingenuity ; but then this Commendation does not belong to those that buy them . If the meer Wearing them is any ways Creditable , it is because the Taylors , &c. are the Fountains of Honour . Philot. I grant you those People make them , but the Suiting them is above their Talent . None but Persons of Condition can hit this Point . Indeed they have a great Delicacy and Exactness in their Fancy : They pitch upon nothing that is Tawdry and Mechanick , Staring , or ill Matched . One may know a Gentlewoman almost , as well by seeing her chuse a Mantua , or a Ribon , as by going to Garter , or Clarencieux . Philal. The mixing of Light , and Shade , handsomely , looks like a Genius for Painting : And that is the most you can make of your Observation . To go on with you : I shall venture to add , That for private Persons to expect an unusual Observance upon the Account of fine Cloaths , argues them conscious of their own little Worth , and that the greatest part of their Quality comes out of the Dressing Room . Having nothing to prefer them to the Esteem of the Judicious , they are contented to take up with the Ceremony of the Ignorant : And with a little Glitter , and Pageantry , draw the gazing , unthinking Mobile to admire them . Now to desire Respect where we have no Jurisdiction , purely upon our own Account , is an Argument either of a weak Judgment , or weak Pretences . If we understood the true Grounds of Esteem ; If we were well stock'd with Abilities , or good Actions , to entertain us at home ; we should not make our selves so mean , as to let our Satisfactions depend upon the Reverences of the Ignorant , or Designing . Besides , to delight in the Submissions of others , is a certain Sign of Pride . This supposes that we are not so much pleas'd with our own Station , as with looking down , and seeing our Neighbours as we fancy in a worse Condition than our selves . Whereas a generous Mind has its Happiness encreased by being Communicated . Philot. I suppose your Artillery may be almost spent by this time . Philal. I was going to tell you , that Rich Cloaths are accounted unsuitable to old Age , which is a farther Proof of their Insignificancy . That Age which is most remarkable for Wisdom and Temper ; which is particularly honoured with the Weight of Business , and Dignity of Office ; and has deservedly the greatest Regard paid it : That Age , I say , chuses to appear in a plain , unornamented Guarb . Whereas were fine Cloaths marks of true Honour ; were they Ornaments great enough for a Man's Reason to delight in , the wisest part of the World would not go without them : Especially since the Decays of Nature give so fair a Plea for the Assistances of Art. There cannot be a greater Disparagement to this sort of Finery , than its being refused by that Age which seems to need it most ; and if it was Considerable best deserves it . Since Men at the Height of Discretion are ashamed of these Additions ; this is a convincing Proof that they are Childish and Trifling , and fittest for those who carry more Body than Soul about them . Philot. Your Inference is , That there should be a Resemblance between Age and Habit ; and that a Finical old Spark , can never be in the Fashion . Philal. Right . For old People to set up for Mode and Dressing is a nauseous Piece of Vanity . Indeed , when we come into the World first , 't is not so remarkable an Imprudence , if we misplace our Esteem , and make an indiscreet Choise . 'T is no wonder if we stick upon a gaudy Outside , when we are not sharp enough to look through it . When our Minds are unfurnished with Materials for Thinking , and scarce strong enough to wield a rational Pleasure , they are apt to divert themselves with the Amusements of Sense . But when we have run through the Experience of many years , and had so many Opportunities of Improvement : When our Reason is grown up to Maturity , and we are supposed to have made our last Judgment upon Things : When every thing we say or do , should have an Air of Gravity and Greatness in it ; then to dote upon Trifles , is a shrewd Sign that our Minds are no less decay'd than our Bodies . It looks as if we were ashamed of making any Pretences to Wisdom , and betrays an impotent desire of returning to the Extravagance of Youth . Philot. After all your Strictness , I hope you have some Reserve of Liberty for Women . They have the Excuses of Custom , the Agreableness of Figure , and the Inclinations of Sex , to plead in their behalf . Besides , I am told St. Augustine ( Ep. 245. Tom. 2. ) abates very much of the Rigour of your Tertullian , and speaks with great Moderation upon the Point . He thinks Fine Cloaths ought not to be forbidden married Women , who are obliged to please their Husbands . And if they may use this Expedient to please them when they have them ; why may they not do it that they may please to have them ? Why may not the same little Charm be practised to Begin , as well as to Entertain the Relation ? Philal. With all my Heart ; let St. Augustine's Indulgence pass . But 't is my humble Opinion they should keep their Inclinations unengaged . They would do well not to dress their Fancy , nor wear their Finery in their Head , nor think their Afternoon Quality better than their Morning . For when a Woman is once smitten with her Drapery , Religion is commonly laid aside ; or used moreout of Custom than Devotion . When her governing Passions lye this way , Charity is disabled , and Good-nature fails , and Justice is overlook'd , and she is lost to all the noble Purposes of Life . How often are Relations neglected , Tradesmen unpaid , and Servants stinted to mortifying Allowances for the Support of this Vanity ? How patched and ununiform does it make the Figure of some Families ? And what a disagreable Mixture of Poverty and Riches do we see sometimes within the same Walls ? These Excesses make them forget the Compassion of their Sex , and the Duties of their Station . They Rob the Necessities , and Fourish in the Penance , and Wear that which should have been the Flesh and Bloud of their own Retinue . Philot. What do you think of those below the Gentry , ought they not to be somewhat Frugal , and Unpretending in their Appearance ? Philal. Truly I think the Taylor should take Measure of their Quality , as well as of their Limbs . For those who make their Cloaths much better than their Condition , do but expose their Discretion . Persons of Quality have some little Colour for their Vanity : But as for others , they have nothing to say for themselves . In them it looks like a Levelling Principle ; like an illegal Aspiring into a forbidden Station . It looks as if they had a mind to destroy the Order of Government , and to confound the Distinctions of Merit and Degree . In a word , At this rate of Management , a Man looses his Wealth , and Reputation at the same time , makes himself expensively Ridiculous , and over-shoots Extravagance itself . Philot. My Time is up , I must leave you . Philal. Adieu . OF DUELLING . The Fourth CONFERENCE BETWEEN Philotimus and Philalethes . Philal. WHether so fast this Morning , methinks you are somewhat earlier than usual ? Philot. May be so . But when a Man's Occasions are Up , and Abroad , 't is fit he should attend them . Philal. Pray what may your Business be , for you don't use to break your Sleep for Trifles ? Philot. Why last Night Mr. A. and I happen'd to fall into a Misunderstanding over a Glass of Wine . At length he told me the Controversy could not be taken up , without giving the Satisfaction of a Gentleman . My Answer was , That I would debate the Matter with him in his own way this Morning . And I am now going to settle some little Affairs before the time of Meeting . Philal. If you design to make your Will , you are out : For to do that to any Purpose , a Man must be sound in Mind and Memory , which is none of your Case . For the Business you are going about is sufficient to prove you Non Compos . Philot. Pray let us have no Bantring . You know me too well to imagine that a Concern of this Nature should make any dishonourable Impression : However , because an Accident may happen , I love to make a proper Provision , and leave my Discretion unquestioned . Philal. That you will not do with me , I promise you ; unless you can give a better Account of your Undertaking than is usually done . Philot. I am now obliged to dispute the Matter at the Swords Point , so that it will be to no effect to argue it any other way : For a Man of Honour must keep his Word . Philal. Yes , no doubt on 't . If he promises so set a Town on Fire , 't is as much as his Eschutcheon and Pedigree is worth to fail in the Performance . Look you ; you seem sensible that you are within a Hazard : If you are a Gentleman , learn to value your self . Don't stake your Life against a Nutshel , nor run into the other World upon every Fop's Errand . Philot. I tell you I am engaged . What if I understood the Practice as little as you do ? Since it is the Custom I must defend my Honour : For to suffer under the Imputation of Cowardize , is worse than being buried Alive . However , if you have any thing to say , I have an hour good to hear you . Philal. As much a Custom as you make it , 't is not improved into Common Law : That is point blank against you , and Tyes you all up , if you kill upon the Occasion . Philot. 'T is the Custom of Gentlemen , and that is sufficient for my purpose . Philal. What if it was the Custom to Tilt your Head against a Post , for a Mornings Exercise , would you venture the beating out your Brains rather than be Unfashionable ? What if it was the Custom for People of Condition to betray a Trust , to forswear a Debt , or forge a Conveyance , would you follow the Precedent , or forfeit their good Opinion ? Philot. You seem to mistake the Point . I grant you Men of Figure are too often saulty in some of the Instances you mention : But then they are not bound to it upon the Score of Reputation , which makes a Disparity in the Case . Philal. They are not ; true . But suppose they were , what then ? Does not this Supposition clearly prove , that we are not to take the Conduct of any Sort of People upon Content : But to examine the Reasonableness of a Custom before we go into it ? Whatever is beneath a Man , is beneath a Gentleman ; but to act without Thinking , is beneath a Man , much more against it . Philot. I perceive you believe this sort of Satisfaction very unaccountable . Philal. I do so . And the Law is of my Opinion , which I hope is no contemptible Authority . Philot. Hark you , we do but laugh at these Stories . Do you think a Parcel of starched Lawyers , with a Iury of Haberdashers , and Chandlers , are proper Judges in the Case ? Are such Pedants and Mechanicks as these , fit to give Rules to Men of Honour ? Philal. I perceive you think Ignorance and Idleness necessary Qualifications of a Gentleman ; and doubt not but that you practise accordingly . But if Men of Honour are too great to be govern'd by the Laws , they should be so modest as not to plead it for their Advantage . They should throw up their Fortune , and disband from Society . Yes , and their Quality too ; for this , as well as the other , is settled by the Constitution . Philot. I thought Quality had been the sole Privilege of Birth , or at least of the Prince's Favour . Philal. All Honour , as well as Land , is originally a Gift from the Crown . Now Prerogative is a part of the Law : And though Quality and Estate are settled upon a Man and his Heirs , yet the Grant runs always with a Condition of Forfeiture in Case of Treason . And therefore the Son of an unrestored Traytor has no Pretences to the Quality of his Ancestors . Philot. I know we say that Treason taints a Man's Bloud , and makes it baser than that of a Peasant ; but I look upon this as a kind of Whimsey . For though the Government may take away my Estate , yet it cannot make me nothing of Kin to my Father . So that the Son of a Gentleman must be a Gentleman , in spight of Fate . Philal. But not in spight of Treason . For in that Case , he is banished the Bloud , and transplanted from the Family of his Ancestors . His Lease of Heraldry is expired , his Title is extinct , and he can no more claim his former Honour , than an Estate which was sold by his great Grand-father . I grant you the Relation between him and his Father continues , and that 's it which destroys his Pretentions . The Stream of Honour is dryed up , before it reaches the Chanel of Posterity . The Father has lost all , and therefore can convey nothing over . The Son if he pleases may be of kin to the Treason , for the Infamy of that remains ; but as for the Quality 't is all wiped out , as if it had never been . And therefore though your Instance is true , your Inference fails ; for the Son of a Traytor , is not the Son of a Gentleman . In short , you must either allow that Quality , like other Branches of Property , stands upon the Basis of Law ; or else you unavoidably run into the Principle of Levelling . For where the Distinctions of Condition are not ascertained by publick Provision , every one is at Liberty to rate his own , and his Neighbour's Station , as he pleases . Where there are no Inclosures all People may intercommon , without Preference or Ceremony . New Grounds of Honour may be set up , and the old ones disclaimed ; and a Taylor may make himself a Lord , and clap a Coronet upon his Goose , if he has a mind to it . Philot. I suppose your Conclusion is , That the Notion of Honour is to be taken from the Laws and Government , and not from any private Set of People , how valuable soever in other Respects . Philal. Right . And from thence I infer that Duelling is a very dishonourable Practice . For when you have given the best proof of your sufficiency , and killed your Man , you are seized into the Hands of Iustice , treated like Assassinators , and condemned to die with Circumstances of Ignominy . You are not Indicted for acquitting your selves like Gentlemen , but for disturbing the publick Peace , and murthering the King's Subjects . Now the Law never loads a Man with Reproaches , nor punishes him thus coarsely , for doing a handsom Action . Philot. What do you tell me of Lawyers Cant ; Murdravit , stragem excercuit , & practicavit : Very pretty Stuff to dispatch a Man of Honour with ! You see how the Men betray their Ignorance by their Forms of Speaking . And as for the Bench , they have a thousand Pound per Annum for making of Malefactors ; and they must say something in Defence of their Trade . Philal. As for the Bench , the Bar , and the rest , they are not the Makers but the Ministers of Law ; they are the Servants of the Government , and their Methods of Proceeding are chalked out by their Superiours . And when the Reason of Things is good , 't is not material though the Latin proves otherwise . Indeed I think the Laws can't use you too rigorously , for I 'm sure you treat them with great Contempt . When Highway-men kill 't is commonly for a Livelihood , to prevent Discovery , or in the heat and surprize of Passion ; and when 't is over , they seldom justify the Fact , but condemn what they have done . But your Tribe are Murtherers by Principle , which is something worse than Malice prepence , because 't is ready upon all Occasions , and often acts without any Provocation ; except the Vanity of complying with a barbarous Custom . As if it was as indifferent a thing to cut a Man's Throat , or let it alone , as to wear a Broad or Narrow brim'd Hat : And that these little Concerns of Bloud , ought to be perfectly governed by the Fashion . And when the Barbarity is committed , you have the Assurance to maintain it , and to argue for the Murther against Law and Gospel . In short , I think you stand in the greatest defiance to Authority of all Men Living . Philot. How so ? Philal. I have given you some of my Reasons , and you shall have the rest . 1. You scorn to refer your Differences to the Law , but make your selves your own Judges . Philot. If the Government will not make a sufficient Provision for the Honour of Gentlemen they must right their own Case , and there 's an end on 't . Philal. You would do well to prefer a Bill against all Kings and Parliaments since the Conquest ; and if that won't do , challenge the Crown , and the two Houses at their next Meeting , to give you Satisfaction . Do you not perceive , That by thus taking the Business out of the Hands of the Government , you both reproach , and in effect renounce it at your Pleasure . The Laws very well suppose , that People are apt to be too partial and passionate in their own Concerns , and therefore remit them to a publick Decision . Now 't is a kind of Maxim with us , That no Man should be wiser than the Laws . Philot. What would you have me complain to a Magistrate when a Man gives me the Lye , or any such sort of Affront ? These things won't bear an Action ; and yet a Gentleman will rather dye than put them up . Philal. By the way , a Lye was not counted so mortal an Affront till Charles the Fifth happen'd to say , He was no Gentleman that would take it . Now what has England to do with Germany ? If an Emperour throws out an unweigh'd Sentence , must we be governed by it ? Are Law and Justice such Phantoms , that a Spanish Rhodomontade should make them vanish ? Or must a Foreign Prince's Humour command farther than his Legal Authority ? Philot. The Prince's Opinion is the Standard of Mode . And to be Precise and Singular , looks like Spleen , and Monkery , and ill Breeding . You know when Dionysius of Sicily had a Fit of Geometry upon him , his Court took it immediately . You could scarce meet a Man of Quality without a pair of Compasses about him ; and Visits were mostly spent about Squares and Circles . But as soon as the King grew weary , the Fashion was quite laid aside . And then as Plutarch observes , nothing was a greater Pedant than a Mathematician . Philal. You lay so much stress upon these Compliances , one would think you took them for part of your Allegiance . Philot. Not to follow a Prince's Opinion , is in effect to say he is mistaken , which is an unhandsom Reflection . Philal. In Things indifferent you say well . But where Justice and Conscience are concerned , meer Complaisance should not carry it . By the extent of your Maxim , you would have made an admirable Aethiopian Courtier . Philot. What is that ? Philal. Diodorus Siculus tells us ( Biblioth . l. 3. ) That the Aethiopians happened once to have a one Eyed bandy Leg'd Prince ; now such a Person would have made but an odd Figure , if care had not been taken . Philot. Pray how did the Court behave themselves upon this Accident ? Philal. Like Men of Honour . They made a Fashion of their Prince's Misfortune ; and immediately shut up one of Natures Windows , and got a sort of Scotch Boot to bend their Hams in . Philot. I think I could have imitated Alexander's wry Neck , as well as the Macedonians . But this which you mention is a chargeable Fashion . Philal. However it prevailed so far , that a Gentleman would no more appear with strait Legs , or two Eyes in his Head , than you would in a pink'd Doublet , or Boot-hose Tops . You see how far good Breeding will carry a Man , if he will but stick to his Principle . But to return . Your saying that these Indignities won't bear an Action , is to confess that the Wisdom of the Nation has thought them below Notice . And will you venture your All upon a Cause which would be Hissed out of all the Courts of England as ridiculous ? Will you take away a Man's Life upon a Provocation for which no Government will allow you Six-penny worth of Damages ? A Complaint fitter for a Boy to run to his Mother with , than to disorder a Man. It there was but a few of you , and you should talk at this Rate , you would be sent to B — lam ; but Defendit numerus , and that 's the best of your Plea. Philot. As the Case stands , he who refuses a Challenge looses the Reputation of a Gentleman ; none of that Quality will keep him Company . Philal. Lucifer's Excommunication exactly ! And I perceive you dread the Censure much more than that of the Church . The best on 't is , you are somewhat out in your Calculation . For there are not a few of good Extraction of another Opinion . Philot. I suppose you mean Ecclesiasticks . Now we have nothing to say to them : Their Profession exempts them from a Necessity of Fighting . Philal. I mean Seculars too . I hope the Temporal Lords and Commons are no Peasants . And will they account any Person infamous for the Regularity of his Behaviour ? For not breaking those Laws which they either made , or approved themselves ? At this Rate they must be a very extraordinary Assembly ; and Westminster altogether as great a Sight as the Tower. Will not the Judges and Justices go for Gentlemen , and do you think they will avoid a Man's Company for declining a Challenge , and yet Commit and Hang him up for succeeding in it ? Pray don't make the governing Part of a Nation so extravagantly Ridiculous . There are many other grave Persons of Worth and Bloud , who would give the Cause against you : But I find none of these will pass Muster . It seems Beau's , and Bully's , and their wise Admirers , have seized the Heralds Office , and engrossed all the Quality to themselves . Philot. When you have declaimed till you are weary , I must tell you that we have no small Party of as much Honour and Value as any you have mentioned , who will very hardly be brought over to your Sentiment . Philal. I hope not . 'T is true , I know some People are all Quality : You would think they were made up of nothing but Title and Genealogy . If you happen to encounter a Prejudice , or cross upon their Fancy , they are too Considerable to understand you . These , I confess , I almost despair of , but hope their Number is not great . By the way , let me tell you your Fraternity take a very great Liberty in their Opinion ; you make nothing to renounce the publick Sense in Matters of the highest Importance : And count that a noble Atchievement , which the Laws punish as a Capital Offence . Now to set up a Notion of Honour against the Government , with such Circumstances as these , is of very dangerous Consequence . 'T is such an Affront to the Constitution , such a deliberate Contempt , such an open Defiance of Authority , as nothing can be more . It makes the Laws cheap and ridiculous , the Solemnities of Justice a piece of Pageantry , the Bench a few Reverend Poppets , or Scharamouche's in Scarlet . And thus by exposing the Administration , the very Foundations of Peace and Property are shaken and sap'd . Philot. Certainly you are retained by the whole Corporation of Cowards , you make so Tragical a Business on 't ! Philal. By your favour : To have our Swords ready to execute the Orders of every paultry Passion ; To put Murther into our Creed , and cut Throats upon professed Principles , is a Tragical Business ; and I believe you 'll find it so . Philot. Trouble not your self ; we value neither your Judges , nor your Juries . If we kill fairly , we have always Interest at Court to bring us off . Philal. You may set up a Science against the Government , and range Murthering under Discipline and Rule , and call it by what fine Names you please : But your Methods of Killing , and that of Highway-men , are alike Fair in the Eye of Justice ; and the same Rewards are assigned to both . As for your Friends at Court , 'T is to be hoped that Princes in time will resent the Breach of their Laws , and the Loss of their Subjects , a little more heartily : That they will not encourage a Practice which insults their Authority , and ridicules their Ministers , and keeps up a Spirit of Barbarity throughout the Nation . Besides , there are Things they call Appeals , and in that Case you know your Pardon is out of Doors . Philot. We must take our Chance for that . Philal. You are hardy Men some of you . If all the Subjects should take the same Liberty , we should have wild Work. You say the Government is defective in considering the Respects of Honour , and therefore are resolved to be your own Carvers . What if the under Sort of People should take the Hint , and practice upon it , in the Instance of Property ? Look ye Neighbours ( says a sharp Country Fellow ) the Fine Folks have gotten away all the Land from us ; for my part I want so many score Acres to live easily , and I suppose you do so too , and I think our Industry deserves it . 'T is true , Estates are otherwise settled , and I should believe my self obliged to observe my Countries Customs , if others would do the same : But I perceive the Gentry can set the Constitution aside , without any Scruple . They can Tilt through one anothers Lungs in a Bravado , though the Law makes Hanging matter on 't . Why should we be more Slaves to the Goverment than others , I 'm sure we do not get so much by it ? We are enough of us , let us mind our Business . 'T is true , this would be a lewd Project ; but 't is the Consequence of your own Principle , therefore have a care of setting the Example . Philot. If we take a greater Freedom with the Government than the Vulgar , our Quality is our Excuse ; that will bear us out . Philal. Quite contrary . For first , a Gentleman is supposed to be better acquainted with the Laws than a Peasant ; therefore his Breaking them must be a greater Fault , because it implies more of Contempt in the Action . Secondly , Where the Example is of worse Consequence , the care to check it should be the greater . The Influence of Men of Figure is Considerable . When They are at the Head of an ill Custom , they have presently a Train to attend them . The Infection spreads like Lightning ; and 't is a Credit to live counter to Reason and Regularity . The slender Principles , the loose 〈◊〉 of these Men , is that which has so effectually Debauched the Age. This is it which has exposed Virtue , and banished Religion , and almost buried the Distinctions of Good and Evil. Thirdly , Since Quality is a Distinction settled by Law ; those who have the greatest Share of this Privilege are most obliged to observe the publick Regulations . The Government is a great Benefactor to such Persons , and they are very ungenerous and ungrateful , if they fly in the Face of it . A Man that enjoys Honour and Estate by a Society , has greater Engagements to Regard it , than he who receives only a common Protection . One has perhaps a 1000 l. per Annum for keeping the Laws and the other nothing but his Labour for his Pains ▪ And pray which is most to blame then if they break them ? Philot. You seem to forget that their Fortune and Condition follows their Birth , so that they are only obliged to their Family for the Advantage . Philal. You argue too fast . Pray are not Descents and Inheritances governed by Law ? What Claim can we make to Privilege or Property without it ? A Man when he is about it , may as easily be born to 10000 l. a year as to 10 Pence . The Trouble to himself , or his Mother , is much the same as to that matter . People come into the World in Turky the same way they do Here ; and yet , excepting the Royal Family , they get but little by it . Nature has set us all upon a Level as to these Things : 'T is only the Constitution which makes the Difference ; and therefore those who have the Advantage , should pay it a proportionable Respect . — Philot. I perceive you are coming on again : And to stop you a little , let me tell you , 't is my Observation , That the Custom of Duels puts Gentlemen upon their good Behaviour , 't is a check upon Conversation , and makes it more inoffensive than it would be otherwise . Philal. An admirable Remedy ! Just such a one as Death is against all Diseases . If there must be Disputes , is not Squabling less inconvenient than Murther ? Had not a Man better have a black Eye , than a Napkin drawn through him ; and Bleed rather at the Nose than at the Heart ? These Contests , though much better let alone , make neither Orphans , nor Widows , nor perpetuate Feuds among Families . Besides , the Disorders of Conversation may be prevented without such a dangerous Expedient . For not to mention Religion , a moderate share of Prudence and Behaviour will do the Business . 'T is not yet the Fashion for Women of Quality to Tilt. Now though they can hate one another pretty heartily ; though their Humours are full as nice , and their Passions as strong , as those of the other Sex ; yet the Sense of Decency is sufficient to keep them from coarse Language , and rude Provocations . Philot. However , Misunderstandings will happen sometimes . And when they do , it does not become Gentlemen to manage them like lesser People . Their Revenges must be particular , as well as the rest of their Breeding . It looks as odly for them to Quarrel , as to Salute like a Clown . Philal. So that I perceive if Butchers had but the Manners to go to Sharps , Gentlemen would be contented with a Rubber at Cuffs . If they must be singular in their Disputes , let it be for the better I beseech you . Let us not be so vain as to think it a Commendation to be more unreasonable in our Demands , and more savage in our Resentments than the Meanest , and most Undisciplined . If they must run counter to the Vulgar in every thing , I wonder they don't leave off Swearing , Drinking , &c. These , by their Assistance , are grown Plebeian Vices : Insomuch that Porters and Foot-men are as perfect in them as themselves . Philot. I grant you Clowns may Box it off , and be quiet ; this way of Satisfaction is agreable enough to their little Pretensions . But the Honour of a Gentleman must have other sort of Damages . Philal. If the Dispute was between Peasant and Gentleman , you would say something , though not enough . But you know a Gentleman is not obliged to Fight another who is not so . Now where the Condition of the Disobliged is equal , at least to the Degree of Gentlemen ; why should the Affront be counted so mortal an Injury ? I know no reason for this , unless you will say , That Men of Quality are obliged to be more Bloudy and Implacable ; and to carry their Passions to greater heights of Fury , than other People . But this Plea proves them really less , not greater than the common Size of Mankind ; and is far wide of the true Character of Honour . If Quality consists in such Sallies as these are ; Tigers and Fiends may put in for a considerable Share . Philot. If this way of deciding Quarrels among Gentlemen were peculiar to our Age or Country , your Reasoning would have more Force ; but we have almost a general Prescription of Time and Place against you . Philal. Not so General as may be brought for the Heathen Religion , or the Alcoran ; and yet I hope you will not plead in defence of either of these . To give you an Instance near home . The French you know are far from being an inconsiderable Nation . Their Nobility are as numerous , and their Pretensions as well supported ; they have as much Fire in their Tempers , and as much Regard for their Honour , as any of their Neighbours : Notwithstanding this , you see the Practice of Duelling is absolutely suppressed , and they are all contented to refer their Grievances to the Government . Philot. The French King takes more care to right a Gentleman's Honour than is done with us , which makes the Case different . Philal. Particular satisfaction for every Affront in Conversation cannot be awarded by Stated Laws ; the Circumstances are too many to be brought within a Rule . A Prince must be little less than absolute to do this effectually . Now such a stretch of Prerogative would be agreeable neither to the English Genius , nor Constitution . And is it not a hard Case that we must either deliver up all our Property to the Crown ; or our Lives to every ungovernable Passion and Caprice ? Farther . You may remember that the Subject holds his Honour and Estate by no other Tenure then the Laws . What a monstrous Injustice ; what an Ingratitude ; what an insufferable Pride must it then be , for private Men to erect a Magistracy of their own ; to Iudge and Execute in Matters of Life and Death ; and to Hang and Draw within themselves ? If the Subjects may set the Laws aside with so little Ceremony , and make Supplemental Provisions at Discretion , the significancy of Government will be unintelligible . If Authority may be slighted in an Instance of so high a Nature , why not in a hundred ? And when the Fences are thus broken down , Peace and Property Good-night ! Philot. Your mentioning the French , puts me in mind of the old Romans ; they were a very brave People : Pray what was their Practise in the Case , for I have almost forgot it ? Philal. Not at all for your purpose . 'T is true , There was a sort of Duelling among them , as that of the Horatii , and Curiatii ; of Manlius Torquatus , and the Gaul that Challenged the Army . But then there was a difference in the Persons and Occasion . These Duellists were Enemies , Subjects of different Princes , a sort of Fighting Representatives , chosen like David and Goliah , to decide the Controversy of the Field . At least the Contest was allowed by Publick Authority , and undertaken upon the score of their Country . But as for one Subjects cutting anothers Throat about private Disputes , they were perfect Strangers to these Methods of Justice . When Milo killed Clodius upon the Road , though there was no such thing as a Challenge ; though Tully proves it no more then a Rencounter ; yet because there was a former misunderstanding between them ; neither the Rhetorick of the Council , nor the bravery of the Prisoner , could prevent the Execution . Philot. After all ; you cannot deny but that the present Custom has prevailed for several Ages . Philal. So have a great many other ill things besides . There is scarcely any Extravagance so singular as to want a Precedent . But Custom without Reason , is no better then antient Error . And since you press your Prescription , I shall trace it to the Original . Now the Practise of Subjects Righting themselves by the Sword , was introduced by the Lombards , Saxons , and Normans . A People , who possibly at that time of day , had not Brains to decide the matter any other way . For how much soever they may be of kin to us , we must own they were a very unpolished sort of Mortals . And why should we be tied up to the Dictates of Paganism and Ignorance ? If a Man's House , and Habit , and Eating , was not better than theirs ; he would not be thought to have much of the Spirit of a Gentleman . If we are bound to implicit Submission ; if we are to follow Antiquity , without any Exceptions of Judgment ; Why don't we feed upon Mast , and lodge in Caves , and go almost Naked ? And to come nearer our Northern Ancestors ; Why don't we vindicate our selves by Tryal Ordeal ? Bath our Innocence in Scalding Water , and hop over heated Plough-shares Blindfold ? Farther , We may observe that the Barbarity of this Custom was somewhat restrained , and bound up , to certain Forms of Law. The Occasion was generally Considerable : Either for wiping off Imputations of Treason , or prosecuting Appeals of Murther , or trying Titles of Land. As for the Disputes of Sharpers , of Bottles , Dice , and Wenches , we don't read of any Provisions made for the Honour of such Sparks , and Diversions as these . We may observe , Secondly , That the Men were just come off from Heathenism , and very undisciplined in Life . Their Reason was in the Oar , and their Understandings as low as their Morals . This Condition of things made their Princes either mislead or indulge them . They had Authority to misguide their Conscience , to encourage their Revenge , and in some measure to excuse it . The Writ of Combat was made out in the King's Courts , and the whole manage of the Quarrel under the Direction of the Government . 'T was none of their way to be kill'd in Hugger-mugger , and steal a Stabbing as they do now . ( Cotton ▪ posthum . ) Thirdly , If they fought without publick Allowance , and any Person fell in the Quarrel , the Survivers were apprehended and tryed for Murther . Fourthly , These Combats , though governed by these Restrictions , and under the Countenance of Law , were always condemned by the Censures of the Church . Philot. Do you think then , they are not capable of Regulation ? Philal. No more than Adultery . This Practise is Malum in se ; and an ill thing cannot be done within a Rule . 'T is like a strong Poyson , it must be Expelled ; for all the Cooking in Nature will ne're make Diet on 't . 'T is true , there are degrees in Deformity , as well as Beauty ; and therefore some Cases may be more remarkable then others . For the purpose ; when a Gentleman of Estate Fights an indigent Bully , who possibly knows no more how to live in this World , then he does in the next . This Man is angry to see his Neighbour in easy Circumstances . And when it comes once to this ; the strength of his Malice and the Opinion of his Skill , will pick a Quarrel from a slender Occasion . Now should I desire him to get an answerable Fortune before the Glove comes : To make the hazards of the Combat equal , their Pockets as well their as Weapons should be in some measure adjusted . To throw down a few Farthings , and make a Noise to have them covered with Gold ; would be absurd in a Wager ; And a Man must be very weak to accept it . And if Life be either valuable to keep , or dangerous to loose , one would think the Paralel should hold . This venturing All against Nothing , puts me in mind of Mark Antony , who after he had lost the Battle at Actium , and was Penned up in Alexandria , would needs send Augustus a Challenge . Caesars Answer was , That if he was weary of Living , there was other ways of Dispatch besides Fighting him ; And for his part he should not trouble himself to be his Executioner . Antony , I suppose , thought the return reasonable ; and in a short time did his own Business . Philot. I confess , as you have represented the Case , it looks odly enough . Philal. I will give you one that 's more odd , if you call it so . I mean the Mystery of Seconds , and Thirds . This is such a Masterpiece ; that I think no Description can reach it . These Under-pullers in Distraction , are such implicit Mortals as are not to be matched upon any other occasion : A perfect Stranger shall Engage them at the first word . To ask Questions would be ungentile . On they go without any Acquaintance either with the Man , or the Matter . A most honourable Undertaking , to Fight about they know not what ; for , and against , they know not whom ! So that for ought they can tell , they may be under the Pious necessity of Murthering their Father . Philot. However you can't say there is any Malice Prepence . Philal. Right ! There is nothing Prepence ; neither Malice nor Reason . But for all that , I don't like a Man that can hate at first Sight , and kill Extempore ? Philot. You mistake , a Second is not angry . He only engages in Complaisance to his Principal . Philal. So much the worse ; because it argues the greater Contempt of human Kind . For my Heart , I can't understand a Combatant that can kill in cool Blood ; and shew the utmost effects of Rage without Passion ! 'T is a Sign his common Temper is as bad as the Malice , and Provocations of other People . This Stoical Improvement , is the Philosophy of a Butcher . It makes a Beast of an Enemy , and knocks him down with as little concern as if he were an Oxe . Philot. To requite you for your extraordinary Instances , I will give you a pretty tough one on the other side . If a Souldier refuses a Challenge from another , he will not only be counted a Coward , but in all likelihood Cashiered into the Bargain . Philal. The Case is hard I confess , but not yours ; for you are none of the Military List. To those who may be concerned , I answer . 1. You know the Challenger is punished as well as the Challenged ; which Discipline will prevent the Case from being common . But when it does happen , it may be replied in the Second Place , That he who professes Arms , may prove his Courage by more defensible Instances . His former Behaviour in the Field is oftentimes sufficient to wipe off an Aspersion of Cowardize . Thirdly , If he is not furnished with Proof this way : Let him desire his Superior Officer that the next time he is drawn out , the Challenger may be Posted near him . And then would I heartily convince him , and the Enemy to boot , that I wanted no Resolution . If a Man miscarries in such a Tryal , he may justify himself to his Reason . He dyes in his Calling ; and if nothing else hinders , he may look the other World in the Face . Philot. But a Souldier may sometimes wait a long while for such an Opportunity of purging himself : And would you have him starved , and laughed at , in the mean time ? Philal. Let him remember he is a Christian as well as a Souldier ; and that he was first Listed under God Almighty . Now a Man of Honour will rather starve , than be false to a solemn Engagement . And where the Cause is just , he is to be commended for his Constancy . And if Interest strikes in too , 't is not only Criminal but Weakness to desert it . As for the point of Contempt , let him return it with pity : 'T is no Dishonour to be undervalued by those who want either Understanding , or Conscience , or both . If bare Contempt without Reason is so terribly Significant , a Fool would be better than a Philosopher ; a Slave than an Emperour ; provided the first had but the Insolence to scorn the latter . Philot. For all that , you will have a great many against you . Philal. So there are a great many Sheep , but I think ne're the Wiser for their Number . Philot. Do you think then this Custom is so absolutely forbidden by Religion ? Philal. I am surprized one Baptized should put the Question ! In earnest , I believe this Notion of Honour as much an Idol , as Nebuchadnezzar's Golden Image : 'T is set up by the same Interest , and probably has done more Mischief . Philot. If it be so , the Mettal must be good , according to your own Comparison . Philal. Yes . But the Worship is stark naught , and less to be chosen than the Fiery Furnace . 'T is great pity so much good Blood should be offered at it . That Men who have such Opportunities for Sense , should be entangled in so monstrous an Absurdity ! That those who might be the Ornament of their Age , and Defence of their Country , should make themselves a Misfortune to both ! Philot. I believe the danger of the Adventure makes them think it honourable . Philal. Look you ! To risque the Main without Reason or Warrant , is Rashness : 'T is to be more Stupid than Brave . If a Man should leap a Garret , or vault down the Monument , do you imagine he would leave the Memory of a Hero behind him ? Philot. Methinks 't is fine to seem above the Impressions of Fear , and to Flash in the Face of Danger . Philal. I grant you Fortitude is a very valuable Quality . But then it must be under the Conduct of Prudence and Justice : Without this Assistance the best Event will prove Ruinous , and the Victory it self a Defeat . Philot. You mean Religion will not endure the Duelling Principle . Philal. No more than all the Heresies since Simon Magus . 'T is a Principle so full of Pride , and Passion , and Revenge ; so Tempestuous and Absurd ; so absolutely unallied to Reason and Good-nature , that polisht Heathenism would be ashamed on 't . In a Word , 'T is as contrary to the Tendency and Temper of Christianity , as Hobs's Creed is to the Apostles , as Light is to Darkness , as God is to the Devil . Philot. 'T is a hard matter to part with the Character of a Gentleman . Philal. Fear it not . As long as the Laws are on our side , the Heraldry is all safe And if it were otherwise , let us remember we are Christians . If there happens a Competition between these two Pretensions ; let us drop the Gentleman and keep the Christian ; for he is a Person of the best Quality . Philot. Say you so ? Philal. Yes . I say a Christian and no Gentleman , is more a Person of Condition , than a Gentleman and no Christian. The former is more nobly Related , Born to a greater Fortune , and better Founded in personal Merit . Philot. You say something . I wish you would enlarge upon this Head. Philal. You know my Business is not Preaching ; any Divine will give you Satisfaction . Philot. Upon second Thoughts , they need not : A little of the Bible will do it without them . To speak frankly , I am so well satisfied upon the whole , that I am resolved to take no Notice of my Spark ; but I am afraid he will Post me up for a Coward , and how then ? Philal. I would mind it no more than the Railing of a Feaver , or a Proclamation from Bedlam . Philot. I shall take your Advise . But I must tell you withall , That if he draws upon me in the Streets , I will not be so passive as to let the Sun shine through me if I can help it . Philal. I have nothing to say as to that . But then you should wish the Occasion may never happen ; and keep your Resolution to your self . For to give out this sort of Language , looks too like a Provocation : And if you should be so unfortunately set upon , be sure you keep within the Compass of Self-defence . OF General Kindness . The Fifth CONFERENCE BETWEEN Philotimus and Philalethes . Philot. WHat false , humorsome , insipid Creatures are Men ! Sure these are none of the best Things God ever made ! Upon the whole , I think one might as good disband , and turn Hermit , as be troubled with them any longer . I begin now to understand the Conduct of the first Monks , but believe their History misreported . They fled the Persecution of Mankind , more than that of a single Tyrant . They prefer'd the Wilderness to the Town , and found their Safety and their Satisfaction better secured in Solitude , than Society . For a wild Beast does not pretend above his Order , and is so frank as to discover his Design : But a Man is a Beast , and yet has not the Modesty to own it . Hah ! here is Philalethes , he has over-heard me : In earnest , I shall be called to an Account for my Expostulations ! Philal. What , Mr. Hobs's Ghost ! No less than a Satyr upon your whole Kind ? I 'm not sorry I have interrupted your Soliloquies , except they had been better natured . Philot. I did not think you had been so near : But since you have catched me , give me leave to tell you I know the World , and upon Experiment I find there is not one in forty without Design , or Vanity , in their Conversation . Pray peruse your Acquaintance well , and if you don't discover some Flaw in their Honesty , or their Humour , I 'm much mistaken . Philal. Are not you a Man , Philotimus ? Philot. What then ? Philal. Then , by your own Confession , 't is forty to one but that some part of the disagreable Character belongs to your self . Philot. However , you know Odds will not win Wagers ; Difficulties are not Demonstrations ; 't is unreasonable to argue from Improbabilities against Matter of Fact. If I find my self Well ; if my Constitution , or my Care , is my Preservative , you must not charge the Plague upon me , because I converse with Epidemical Infection . Philal. You are resolved to keep Well with your self : I doubt not but in time your good Opinion will reach your Neighbours : They may , to use your own Similitude , be as free from Contagion as your self : And if they are seized , the Plague is not always Mortal . Besides , it might have been your own Case . So that all things considered , I hope you will not Mark the House upon bare Suspition : And when the Tokens appear , you will pity their Condition , and endeavour their Recovery . Philot. Do deal freely , I shall take care of my self , and so I suppose will every body else that is wise . For that which People call Vniversal Benevolence is but a piece of Knight Errantry : It looks prettily in a Romance , but in Life 't is neither prudent , nor practicable . Philal. Do you think it so impracticable an Absurdity to wish all People well , and endeavour to make them so ? Philot. What of all Perswasions , Countries , Tempers , and Conditions , whatsoever ? Philal. Yes . We comprehend all Mankind in the League . Philot. You have a notable Grasp : I dare not strain my Inclinations at that rate . I love to keep fair with the World as well as you , but it may be upon different Reasons . In a word , I take Civility to be only a Compliance with the Mode , Friendship but another Name for Trade , all mercenary and designing . Indeed considering the state of humane Affairs , 't is next to impossible to be otherwise . Where there is so much of Indigence , Competition , and Uncertainty , you must expect Self-interest will govern . You may observe , That which you call Good Nature , is most remarkable in the Young and Unexperienced . Such Persons I confess are often very Lavish of their Favours , and Caressing in their Conversation : But these Blandishments seem only designed for a State of Impotence ; that what they can't carry by Force and Foresight , they may obtain by Flattery . Like unfledged Birds , they are fond of every one , that they may be Fed the better . And where this Reason fails , that which I am going to add will supply it . Philal. What is that ? Philot. Why young People generally don 't Think so far as others , nor consider a Necessity at a Distance : This often makes them more Liberal than Wise. They are apt to be over-credulous at first Setting out ; and cannot so well see through Artifice and Pretence : So that 't is no wonder if they bestow their Inclinations too freely upon their Neighbours . Philal. This early Disposition to Oblige , appears to me an Impression of Nature , which was intended for Continuance : For as the Use and Posture of the Limbs hold the same in Manhood as they were in Infancy ; so one would think the Motions of the Mind should be set Right at first . And therefore when good Humour happens to wear off with Age , it seems to proceed from Misnanagement ; and looks more like a Degeneracy of Nature , than an Improvement of Reason . If you please to hear me , I shall endeavour to prove Vniversal Benevolence both an acknowledged , and a practicable Disposition . Philot. Pray begin . Philal. My first Argument then shall be drawn from Community of Nature . We are all cast in the same Mould , allied in our Passions , and in our Faculties : We have the same Desires to satisfy , and generally the same Pleasure in satisfying of them . All Mankind is as it were one great Being , divided into several Parts ; every part having the same Properties and Affections with another . Now as we can't chuse but desire Accommodations for our own Support and Pleasure ; so if we leave Nature to her Original Biass , if we hearken to the undepraved Suggestions of our Minds , we shall wish the same Conveniencies to others . For the apprehending a Being so like our own , in prosperous Circumstances , must be an Advancement of our selves : By this we see as it were our own Nature pleased , and Flourishing in another . And thus much Mr. Hobs himself confesses to the Ruin of his Cause , That the Sense of haviug communicated Satisfaction is naturally Delightful . Philot. But will this Notion spread wide enough to do any Execution ? Philal. Yes . For if a Man can but disengage himself from the Excesses of Self-love , in a single Instance , he does the Business . If he can but wish well to another , without making Interest the only Motive , he may be generous enough to take all Mankind into his Affections . For he that can do it to one , without any mercenary View , may for the same reason do it to a Million . 'T is but repeating the Action , where for his Encouragement the Pleasure will be likewise repeated . — Philot. You are going too fast . The different Capacities and Behaviour of Men will leave your Repetition neither Sense , nor Possibility : For to love Insignificancy is Dotage , and seldom passes any farther than Children or Relations . — Philal. For all that ; one may wish a poor Man an Estate , or a Fool Understanding ; there is no unconquerable Aversion , nor so much as any Difficulty in these things . Philot. I say farther ; to love malitious and disobliging Qualities is impossible . Philal. If those Qualities were inseparable from the Object , I grant your Meaning : But where Malice is only Accidental , and Reformation possible , the Case is otherwise . A Physician may have a Kindness for the Patient , without being fond of the Disease . Philot. To illustrate your Distinction . If a Man gives me a sower Box on the Ear ; I may love the Hand , though I don 't like the Blow . I assure you he that can thus abstract the Affront from the Person that gives it , and take off a Cuff so metaphysically , is very much a Philosopher . Philal. If you are not satisfied , I 'll consider your Objection farther afterwards . At present I shall go on to a second Proof , That Universal Benevolence is agreable to humane Nature , unless you have a mind to interpose . Philot. Not just now . Take your Method . Philal. I prove my Point , from that Compassion which generally follows any considerable Misfortune . This Civility is so very common , and so much expected , that those who are unconcerned at the Troubles of another , are called Inhumane . i. e. They are degenerated from their Kind , and don 't deserve the Name of Men. And does it not plainly follow , That those who are thus sensibly Touched , must have a real Kindness for the Unfortunate ? Philot. I think not . For Compassion is but the Consequence of Infirmity , and bottom'd upon Self-love . We are affected with what another suffers , because this puts us in mind we are not secure our selves . And when our Neighbour's Calamity discovers more than the possibility of our own , 't is no wonder if we are somewhat uneasy . Philal. I grant you Compassion may be sometimes accounted for , as you say : But then 't is a Mistake to suppose it can come from no other Cause . For 't is easy to observe , That the most generous Dispositions are the most Compassionate . Such Persons , though their Fortune is never so well Guarded ; though the greatness of their Mind exempts them from Fear , and makes them least concerned for any Accident of their own , yet none condole and sympathize more heartily than they . 'T is plain therefore that this Pity and Tenderness , being so void of Self-interest , must proceed from Good-will . Philot. Go on . I shall come in with you by and by . Philal. I affirm then in the Third place , That 't is not agreable to the Attributes of God to suppose , that he has made the Nature of Man such , that according to his Original Inclinations , he should be unconcerned about the Happiness of his Neighbour . Philot. Why so ? Philal. Because this would be a Reflection both upon the Goodness , and Wisdom , of God Almighty . Philot. Prove the Parts of your Assertion . Philal. 1. This Supposition is repugnant to the Goodness of God. For can we imagiue that God , who is infinite Goodness himself , who made all rational Creatures that they might be Happy ; can we imagine that he should contradict the Affections of his own Blessed Nature , and form a Being wholly unlike himself ? A Being which he would not only hate as soon as it was made ; but , which is more , he could impute his Dislike to nothing but his own Workmanship ? But if either out of Indifferency , or Disaffection , 't was contrary to the Nature of Man to wish the Happiness of another , he must be such a Thing as I have described . And is it possible to conceive , That Goodness and Perfection can be the Parent of so unlovely an Off-spring ? That the over-flowing Generousness of the Divine Nature , would create immortal Beings with mean or envious Principles ? To be thus furnish'd , would make them both Miserable and Troublesom ; neither acceptable to this World , nor fit for the other . Philot. These Inclinations you so much dislike are very common ; therefore if they don't come from Above , you must find them out some other Original . Philal. That will be done without difficulty . To begin ; The Reason which hinders Men from wishing the Happiness of others , proceeds sometimes from the Prejudices of Education , from the ill Examples and Flatteries of those they first conversed with , and sometimes 't is afterwards contracted by their own Fault . The general Cause of this Depravation , is Covetousness , and Pride . 1. An immoderate Love of Money spoils those generous Dispositions they were sent into the World with . It confines their Affections to their Pockets , and shrinks up their Desires into the narrow and scandalous Compass of their own Concerns . Their Nature is so impoverish'd by their ill Management , that they are not able to spare one kind Wish from themselves , nor expend one generous Thought in favour of another . Philot. The Case is somewhat worse than you have represented it . People don't always keep within the terms of Neutrality . They are not contented to forbear Wishing well , but are oftentimes averse to the Happiness of others . Philal. Right . When Pride strikes in , that is the Consequence . This Vice makes Men think their Neighbours Advantage prejudicial to their own ; and that the greatest Pleasure is to see others beneath them . Such an ill-natured Notion as this , made Lucifer uneasy , and envious in Heaven ; and we know what was the Issue . Far be it from us to suppose , that God would stamp such Ignoble , such Apostatizing Qualities upon any rational Being . These would not be the Image of the Deity , but the Devil . Philot. In my Opinion Self-love seems the best Expedient to secure Individuals . By such a Bent of Nature , a Man will be sure to take care of one , and not leave his Business to the Generosity of his Neighbours . Philal. If every one could stand upon his own Legs , what you say would have a better Colour . However , your Objection leads me to shew you , That it reflects upon the Wisdom of God , to suppose Men made with such narrow inconversable Inclinations : For by this Temper they would be unfit for Society . But God has design'd Man a sociable Creature . To this end he has sent him into the World weak , and defenceless ; so that without the Care of others 't is impossible for him to subsist . And when he is best able to Shift , if he had no Assistance , or Converse but his own , the Indigence of his Nature would make him very uneasy , and ill supplied . Now there is nothing so strongly cements Society ; nothing makes it flower , and flourish so much , as a hearty Regard to the publick Good. 'T is general Kindness and Good-will , which establishes the Peace , and promotes the Prosperity of a People : To say , this Disposition keeps Men just and inoffensive , is too mean a Commendation . It improves their Practice much higher , and makes them Munificent and Obliging . Without this Virtue the publick Union must unloose , the Strength decay , and the Pleasure grow faint and languid . And can we suppose that God would underfurnish Man for the State he designed him , and not afford him a Soul large enough to pursue his Happiness ? That he should give him Solitary Principles , and yet intend him for publick Converse ? Create him so , that he shall naturally care for nothing but himself ; and at the same time make his Interest depend upon mutual Affection , and good Correspondence with others ? Is it imaginable that such a comprehensive Wisdom , which has made all things in Number , Weight , and Measure ; secured the Preservation of Brutes , by Instinct and Sympathy , and made so fair a Provision for the inferiour World ; Is it to be conceived , I say , that so glorious a Providence should not proportion the Faculties of his noblest Creatures , but send them into Being with Inclinations unsuitable to the Condition they must necessarily be placed in ? Philot. Under favour , the●e are other Materials for a Commonwealth besides stark Love and Kindness , and I believe the Building might last , without tempering the Mortar with Hony. What do you say to the fear of receiving Harm , and the hopes of Assistance ? These are the Motives of Self-love , and I think sufficient to make Men just , and willing to do a good Turn . Philal. Truly I think not . I grant you these Motives are not insignificant : They have an Interest in Life , but not enough to push it to Perfection , and secure it's Happiness . For first they will not restrain a secret Mischief which considering the unfortified State of Mankind , is a great Defect . Besides , the Agreableness of Society must be lost this way . 'T is Inclination and Endearment that gives Life and Pleasure . But when People have nothing but Fears , and Jealousies and Plots in their Heads , there is no Musick in their Company . And farther , I would gladly know , how these scanty Principles can explain why Men should dye for their Friends , and sacrifice their Interest for their Country , without Necessity ? By the Maxims of Self-love , such Actions as these must be foolish and unnatural : And yet those who are thus forgetful of themselves , have been alwas reckon'd the Noblest , and best Deserving . Philot. You forget that there is such a thing as Honour and vain Glory in the World. This is the Bait that catches the Men you speak of : 'T is the Reputation of the Action that fires their Spirits , and makes them so Prodigal , and Resigning . Philal. In earnest you are catched your self ! Your Objection supposes the Truth of what I am contending for . It supposes that Benevolence and Generosity are possessed of the publick Esteem ; That they have Custom and Prescription on their side ; That they are the highest Improvements of the Will , the most admired and heroick Qualities . Now 't is very strange , so universal a Consent should be founded in a Mistake ; and none but Mr. Hobs , and some few of his Discipling , should understand the Operations of their own Minds , and the right Constitution of them . Philot. Well! If this World won't satisfy you , the other shall . I say then , That the fear of invisible Powers , and the Expectations of future Punishments , are sufficient to keep Men upon their good Behaviour ; to be a check upon their Privacies , and make them honest at Midnight . And yet after all , they may have no great Stomach to the Matter . 'T is the Rod , not the Inclination , which learns the Lesson . Philal. I grant you the Disciplining part of Religion is very significant . However , it would not give a sufficient Relief in this Case . Philot. Why so ? Philal. Because upon your Supposition the Force of it would be lost . For if the Nature of Man was averse to general Kindness ; if he could not chuse but think it unreasonable to love any Body but himself , then God in commanding him to love his Neighbour would oblige him to an impossibility . We might as well be commanded to taste Gall as sweet as Hony : For 't is as much in our Power to alter the Perceptions of our Senses , as to love any thing contrary to our Reason and Inclination . Upon this Supposition therefore no Man could have an inward Affection for his Neighbour , which yet 't is certain we are obliged to have . Philot. If I am used well I 'll ne'er trouble my self about what People think . If they always act like Friends , they may wish like Enemies , if they please . Philal. Have a Care ! If they are not so within , they will not be long so without . For if we had a kind of Antipathy against minding any thing but our selves : If we thought our own Interest prejudiced , or our Quiet embarrassed by being concerned for others , in this Case , all Offices of Humanity and Obligation , would be so many Acts of Penance . And since the opportunities of Obliging return so fast ; to be commanded the Use of them , would make our Lives almost a perpetual Torment . It would be like feeding upon that we naturally abhor ; which instead of nourishing , would throw us into Sweats and Convulsions . And at this rate a Kindness would often be a greater Mischief to the Doer , than a Benefit to the Receiver . The Upshot is , that if the Mind of Man was naturally averse from Wishing well to any thing but himself , the command of general Benevolence would be impossible to be entertain'd in Principle , and Affection . And as for the Counterfeit in outward Practise , that would be such a Grievance to ill Nature , that very few would submit to it . For if Men are so unreasonable as not to be governed by Religion Now , when 't is both profitable and pleasant , of how little force would it be , should it lye almost wholly in Violence and Aversion ? If Envy , and ill Nature , were the natural Frame and Complexion of the Mind , Religion would signify not much towards Reformation ; so that Society could receive but small Advantage from thence . — Philot. Hold ! Don't cry Victory , I have a Reserve for you . Besides , you owe me some Satisfaction to an old Objection . Philal. What 's that ? Philot. I told you that the Injuriousness and the Vanity of a great part of the World was such , That general Kindness , if it came down from Speculation to Practise , would be quickly out of doors . I confess if we could stand clear of the Troublesome and the Treacherous , I could be as good natured as the best of you . But alass , we are in foece Romuli , and that 's enough to stir any Man's Spleen , that has either his Understanding , or his Senses about him . Philal. You find Coldness and Disaffection very general , and thence you argue from Fact to Necessity . 'T is so , therefore it must be so . Under favour , that 's no Consequence . I suppose that you 'll grant that Men don't act always up to the stretch of their Capacities : And that 't is possible for them to be much more Prudent , Benign , and Inoffensive , than they are . Philot. What then ? Would you have a Man a Stock , must he not be sensible of ill Usage ? Philal. Look you , all ill Usage proceeds from ignorance and disorder of Mind . Those that give it , are the greatest Sufferers . They destroy their own Happiness more than ours . And under this Notion they will deserve our Compassion much better than our Hatred : Our Charity will take them in as naturally as Bedlam . 'T is true , there may be some degrees of difference in the Distraction , but that is all . And as we may Wish , we may likewise Attempt their Welfare : Not only out of Pity , and common Alliance ; but also from the Prospect of a Return . Philot. How so ? Philal. Why by our Kindness we shall either reform the injurious Person or not ; if we do , the ground of our Dislike is gone , and we have made him more commodious for our purpose ; if we are disappointed , we shall have the satisfaction of doing Good against Evil , which as 't is the most divine Quality , so to maintain it , the Pleasure is proportionably raised . There is a secret Triumph and Exultation of Spirit upon such an occasion . There is no one that acts in this manner who does not inwardly applaud himself for it ; which is as much as to say . God bids him go on . Philot. If we may be Kind to those we believe our Enemies : 〈◊〉 we can fall in Love with Malice and Opposition , then by parity of reason we may court undisguised Ruin , and hate our selves . Philal. If by Kindness you mean Pity and good Wishes , I think it very practicable to go thus far with an Enemy ; but if you enlarge your Sense to Complacency and Affection , I grant it impossible . Besides , there is no need of winding up the String thus high : We are not obliged to be pleased with those that do us Mischief ; the Goodness of God himself does not proceed thus far . For tho he is kind to the Unthankful and the Evil , and desires the Conversion of a Sinner , yet he does not delight in him while he continues such . Philot. When you have made the most of it , I foresee this Latitudinarian Love will be expensive ; and therefore I would gladly be farther informed what is to be gotten by it . Philal. Very much . In good earnest this Quality is well worth the Courting ; 't is valuable in Fortune , as well as in Beauty and Humour . 'T will make a Man an interest in the World. It removes Difficulties , & smooths the Passage for Business ; and like the Marriage of Princes , there is Policy as well as Pleasure in the Alliance . You know the Trade of Life can't be driven without Partners ; there is a reciprocal Dependance between the Greatest and the Least . And the best Figure is but a Cypher , where it stands alone . For this reason a wise Man will strengthen the Confederacy , and take in all the Help he can get . Now there is nothing so engaging as a benevolent Disposition . This Temper makes a Man's Behaviour inoffensive , affable , and obliging ; it multiplies Friends , and disarms the Malice of an Enemy . He that is kind out of Principle , will be so to all the Advantages of Decency and Compass . That which is Natural , is Uniform , Constant , and Graceful . Whereas he who Counterfeits good Nature , he who is civil only out of Breeding or Design , will be apt to have Breaks , and Inequalities in his Humour . A Man cannot always stand bent ; so that either Negligence , or Passion , or Interest , will some time or other return the Posture , and unmask the Pretence , and then the Labour is all lost . But the natural Complexion of Goodness will hold . Philot. Yes , till the Man breaks . Philal. No fear of that . This Quality will do more than pay for its keeping . Remember that Power goes in with the Inclinations of Course : Get but Mens Hearts , and their Hands will follow . But to do this , there is nothing more likely than a plausible and obliging Honesty . The Charms of Kindness are irresistable ; they conquer , and captivate , and return with Spoil and Triumph . Besides , the Assistance that comes from Inclination , is generally safer , and more serviceable , than that which is haled in by Force or Money . He that reigns in the Affections is the happy Prince ; for in Love there 's neither Treachery nor Desertion . A Man remarkably Obliging , is almost proof against the most Malitious . They 'll be afraid of attaquing one so fortified in publick Esteem , and under so sacred a Character . Though his Virtue may be over-looked , the Infamy of the Action will prevent an ●njury . Philot. Will this Disposition do us any farther Service ? Philal. Yes ; our Affection to others gives us a share in their Happiness , and so becomes an Addition to our own . Wishing well enlarges a Man's Capacity of being Happy : This hinders his Satisfaction from being confined to his private Interest . He is really the better for whatever good his Neighbour enjoys ; because every thing of this Nature satisfies his desires , and gives him that he delights in . Philot. I warrant you his Mind is like a Burning-glass ! The Rays of good Fortune from all diversities of Points ▪ concenter in his Benevolence , and excite an intense and multiplied Pleasure ? Philal. Yes . And in a great measure make him Master of all the Happiness he sees , or hears of . All prosperous Events , all Improvements of Industry , and Blessings of Providence which he is acquainted with , his excellent Temper gives him an ●nterest in ; for tho he has not the Possession of these things , he has what is most desirable , the Satisfaction of them . Nay , I believe the generous Congratulation may be improved to exceed the Occasion ; and make a Man more happy than those he rejoyces for . In this Case , the Laws of Nature give way for the Encouragement of Goodness , the Stream rises higher than the Fountain , and the Rebound is stronger than the first Motion . Philot. This is a new way of extracting the Spirit of Happiness ; the Chymistry of a Bee is nothing to it : It sucks the Sweet , without impoverishing the Flower . Were I Master of this Secret , I would not concern my self about laying in the usual Provision for Satisfaction . No , I would rather chuse to be happy at the second hand , that is much the easier way ; there the Gains come in a main , without any Venture . For Instance . I would not trouble my self about getting an Estate ; 't were only Loving a Man dearly that has one , and that will do as well . But the Mischief is , at present I am not a Man of that fortunate Imagination . Philal. The power of Thought and Imagination you know is very great , and therefore 't is prudent to set them the right way at work . Philot. Be it so . I shall allow your Argument in some measure , and make my Advantage upon it . Philal. Which way ? Philot. Why , if kind Wishing and Obliging are such entertaining Actions ; if they may be carried up to transport , and almost sensuality ; then your general Benevolence is nothing but a resined sort of Self-love , because it acts upon a foreseen Reward . I told you Self would be at the Bottom after All. Philal. So let it , since it has Company . For let me tell you , to be delighted in the Happiness of another , is so far from being mercenary , that 't is an infallible proof of a natural and undissembled Goodness . How can we better demonstrate the reality of our Affections to a Friend , than by rejoycing at his Prosperity ? As for the Pleasure which attends so noble a Disposition , the Expectation of that is no vitious self design . For we are allowed to love our selves , as well as our Neigbour : So that the prospect of being pleased does not lessen the generosity of the Action , if His Advantage was as sincerely sought , and delighted in , as our own . Therefore by Charitys not seeking her own , ( which you know is made a part of its Character ) is only meant , that it does not seek its own , without a joynt Respect to the Welfare of another . In short , I think the Pleasure of Congratulation is so far from a Fault , that the first Satisfaction ought rather to create a second ; we should be pleased with our Pleasure , because it brings us the good News that our Minds are rightly disposed . Philot. I confess I am beaten off here , but hope to succeed better in my next Attempt . — Philal. In the mean time give me leave to observe , that Envy and Disquiet are uneasy Passions ; they fret and exhaust the Spirits . The Mind is as it were sore , and put to pain at every turn , which is a fair Intimation things are not in the Condition they should be . Philot. And what help is there for all this ? Philal. A kind reconciling Thought is present Remedy . This Balsamick Humour closes the Wound , and scatters the Anguish . Like the Motion of Restitution , it returns Nature to her Ease , and sets her in the Posture she was made for . Philot. I grant you Benevolence has a healing Quality , and sits very smooth at first . But as the World goes the Consequences of it are more likely to make us unhappy , than otherwise . Philal. How so ? Philot. If you look Abroad you 'll find Indigence , and Disappointment , and Vexation , much more common than Prosperity . Now this predominancy of Misfortune lyes very hard upon Benevolence , and makes the kindest People the greatest Sufferers . Their Compassion rises in proportion to their Generosity ; their Tenderness is more passive , which makes a foreign Calamity strike deeper , and grow more pungent . Having strong desires to Relieve , but small Abilities to effect it ; their good Nature must needs grow troublesome , because 't will often make 'em Wish those things which they see are impossible to compass . But others who keep their Inclinations at Home , are not so much exposed to disquiet ; because their Passions and Expectations being confined to their private Interest , they are concerned for no Misfortune but their own . Philal. Supposing what you say would hold , it would be no just discouragement to Goodness , considering how much it will be rewarded hereafter . But because your Objection relates chiefly to the present , I shall direct my Answer against that Sense , and give it you by Parts . I affirm therefore , That if a Man does but joyn Consideration with his Benevolence ; if his Understanding be good , as well as his Will , his Affection for the common Welfare will never hurt him . For 1. He will perceive that the unhappy part of the World is not so numerous as at first it appeared . Those who are of low Condition , tho they may seem most Deserted , are not the worst Provided for . Their Fortune is little 't is true , and so generally are their Desires , which makes them want as few things as those whose Possessions are larger . They have the Pleasure of their Senses as well as others ; and what is denied in Variety , is supplied by Labour , which sharpens the Appetite , and strengthens the Constitution . 2. As for those who are real Objects of Compassion , the old Maxim will in great measure relieve them ; Dolor , si gravis brevis , si longus levis . At the worst , Life and Misery will be dispatched e're long ; and then , if they deserve it , they are Happy ; as Happy as Goodness can wish . 3. Commiseration has a mixture of Satisfaction , as well as Trouble in it . By this a Man is conscious he does the Office of a Friend ; that he is of a generous and humane Disposition . These Thoughts make the Pleasure of the Sympathy equalize the Trouble , if the Person be not very near , or the Calamity very great , which we are concern'd for . Philot. There is something in what you say ; for I have observed that Women will Weep and Condole with abundance of Tenderness and Affection : I believe they are pleased with the Pomp and Passion of their Sorrow ; and think themselves the best Natur'd People in the World for 't . Philal. We should interpret all Signs of good Nature in the fairest Sense . But I shall proceed , and observe 4. A wise Well wisher will consider there is a necessity of Discipline , both to secure the Orderly and reclaim the Evil. Goals and Gibbets are as useful in a State , as great Places , and Patents of Honour . Where Goodness is mutable , and Reason unabsolute , there must be Rigour to fence in Duty , and check the Abuse of Liberty . As things stand , 't is not conceivable how Providence can Govern without Punishing . Upon this Contemplation a good Man will no more be disturbed at the Methods of Correction , than by seeing his Friend take unpalatable Physick , which he knows to be proper for his Health . And as for those who are lost beyond Recovery , tho he wishes t were otherwise , yet their obstinacy does ' not so deeply affect him as to make him uneasy . Philot. Is not such a Sedateness a Sign of Neglect , and Stoical Indifference ? Philal. Not at all . The Saints above are not afflicted at the Punishment of the damned , and yet they have Charity in perfection : But your Objection runs into an absurd Inference . It dilutes the Happiness of the other World , and gives Hell an Influence upon Heaven . Philot. I have nothing farther to object , and therefore must be your Proselyte : But if you have any more to say , let 's hear it , for a Man can never be too well fortified against Custom . Philal. Yes . General Kindness may be recommended from the Nobleness of such a Temper . It springs from a generous Root , and spreads and flourishes upon the best Nourishment imaginable . There 's nothing in it that is Mercenary or Fantastical . 'T is not supported by Chance or Humour , by Flattery or Design : It stands upon its own independent Strength , and holds on through all Opposition . 'T is above Discouragement and ill Usage , and not so much as checked into Indifferency , by frequent Injury and Provocation . I need say no more for this Virtue , than that 't is the Temper of God. This Truth I shall take for granted . Indeed the Universe proves it ; all the Powers and Delights of Nature are standing Evidence . If Omnipotence were in other Hands than Goodness , we should feel terrible Effects on 't . Now to resemble God is the Perfection of Virtue ; 't is doing the wisest and the greatest Action in its Kind . To mention but one Advantage , We can't recommend our selves more effectually to God Almighty than by delighting in the same Actions which he does . Love naturally arises from Likeness of Disposition . Our Imitation of another is an unquestioned proof that we value his Person , and admire his Choice ; which lays a kind of an Obligation for a return . Such a Consent of Wills , such an Uniformity of Desires , does as it were incorporate distinct Essences , and makes us almost the same thing with another ; so that as long as he has a Regard for himself , he must have one for us too . By being of the same Temper with God Almighty , we do as it were engage his Inclinations to make us happy . While we are thus affected , he can no more be unconcerned about our Welfare , than he can deny himself , or put a neglect upon his own Attributes . — Philot. You may please to hold your hand . For I am so far convinced , That unless I am Kind to others , I shall now be forced to fall out with my self . Philal. May the Impression continue . Philot. I hope recollecting the Reasons , will make it do so . Your Servant . THE END .