Themanofrankanddistinction,onthecontrary,isobservedbyalltheworld。Everybodyiseagertolookathim,andtoconceive,atleastbysympathy,thatjoyandexultationwithwhichhiscircumstancesnaturallyinspirehim。Hisactionsaretheobjectsofthepubliccare。Scarceaword,scarceagesture,canfallfromhimthatisaltogetherneglected。Inagreatassemblyheisthepersonuponwhomalldirecttheireyes;itisuponhimthattheirpassionsseemalltowaitwithexpectation,inordertoreceivethatmovementanddirectionwhichheshallimpressuponthem;andifhisbehaviourisnotaltogetherabsurd,hehas,everymoment,anopportunityofinterestingmankind,andofrenderinghimselftheobjectoftheobservationandfellow-feelingofeverybodyabouthim。Itisthis,which,notwithstandingtherestraintitimposes,notwithstandingthelossoflibertywithwhichitisattended,rendersgreatnesstheobjectofenvy,andcompensates,intheopinionofallthosemortificationswhichmustmankind,allthattoil,allthatanxiety,beundergoneinthepursuitofit;andwhatisofyetmoreconsequence,allthatleisure,allthatease,allthatcarelesssecurity,whichareforfeitedforeverbytheacquisition。
Whenweconsidertheconditionofthegreat,inthosedelusivecoloursinwhichtheimaginationisapttopaintit。itseemstobealmosttheabstractideaofaperfectandhappystate。Itistheverystatewhich,inallourwakingdreamsandidlereveries,wehadsketchedouttoourselvesasthefinalobjectofallourdesires。Wefeel,therefore,apeculiarsympathywiththesatisfactionofthosewhoareinit。Wefavouralltheirinclinations,andforwardalltheirwishes。Whatpity,wethink,thatanythingshouldspoilandcorruptsoagreeableasituation!Wecouldevenwishthemimmortal;anditseemshardtous,thatdeathshouldatlastputanendtosuchperfectenjoyment。Itiscruel,wethink,inNaturetocompelthemfromtheirexaltedstationstothathumble,buthospitablehome,whichshehasprovidedforallherchildren。GreatKing,liveforever!
isthecompliment,which,afterthemannerofeasternadulation,weshouldreadilymakethem,ifexperiencedidnotteachusitsabsurdity。Everycalamitythatbefalsthem,everyinjurythatisdonethem,excitesinthebreastofthespectatortentimesmorecompassionandresentmentthanhewouldhavefelt,hadthesamethingshappenedtoothermen。ItisthemisfortunesofKingsonlywhichaffordthepropersubjectsfortragedy。Theyresemble,inthisrespect,themisfortunesoflovers。Thosetwosituationsarethechiefwhichinterestusuponthetheatre;because,inspiteofallthatreasonandexperiencecantellustothecontrary,theprejudicesoftheimaginationattachtothesetwostatesahappinesssuperiortoanyother。Todisturb,ortoputanendtosuchperfectenjoyment,seemstobethemostatrociousofallinjuries。Thetraitorwhoconspiresagainstthelifeofhismonarch,isthoughtagreatermonsterthananyothermurderer。
Alltheinnocentbloodthatwasshedinthecivilwars,provokedlessindignationthanthedeathofCharlesI。Astrangertohumannature,whosawtheindifferenceofmenaboutthemiseryoftheirinferiors,andtheregretandindignationwhichtheyfeelforthemisfortunesandsufferingsofthoseabovethem,wouldbeapttoimagine,thatpainmustbemoreagonizing,andtheconvulsionsofdeathmoreterribletopersonsofhigherrank,thantothoseofmeanerstations。
Uponthisdispositionofmankind,togoalongwithallthepassionsoftherichandthepowerful,isfoundedthedistinctionofranks,andtheorderofsociety。Ourobsequiousnesstooursuperiorsmorefrequentlyarisesfromouradmirationfortheadvantagesoftheirsituation,thanfromanyprivateexpectationsofbenefitfromtheirgood-will。Theirbenefitscanextendbuttoafew。buttheirfortunesinterestalmosteverybody。Weareeagertoassistthemincompletingasystemofhappinessthatapproachessoneartoperfection;andwedesiretoservethemfortheirownsake,withoutanyotherrecompensebutthevanityorthehonourofobligingthem。Neitherisourdeferencetotheirinclinationsfoundedchiefly,oraltogether,uponaregardtotheutilityofsuchsubmission,andtotheorderofsociety,whichisbestsupportedbyit。Evenwhentheorderofsocietyseemstorequirethatweshouldopposethem,wecanhardlybringourselvestodoit。Thatkingsaretheservantsofthepeople,tobeobeyed,resisted,deposed,orpunished,asthepublicconveniencymayrequire,isthedoctrineofreasonandphilosophy;butitisnotthedoctrineofNature。Naturewouldteachustosubmittothemfortheirownsake,totrembleandbowdownbeforetheirexaltedstation,toregardtheirsmileasarewardsufficienttocompensateanyservices,andtodreadtheirdispleasure,thoughnootherevilweretofollowfromit,astheseverestofallmortifications。Totreattheminanyrespectasmen,toreasonanddisputewiththemuponordinaryoccasions,requiressuchresolution,thattherearefewmenwhosemagnanimitycansupporttheminit,unlesstheyarelikewiseassistedbyfamiliarityandacquaintance。Thestrongestmotives,themostfuriouspassions,fear,hatred,andresentment,arescarcesufficienttobalancethisnaturaldispositiontorespectthem:andtheirconductmust,eitherjustlyorunjustly,haveexcitedthehighestdegreeofallthosepassions,beforethebulkofthepeoplecanbebroughttoopposethemwithviolence,ortodesiretoseethemeitherpunishedordeposed。Evenwhenthepeoplehavebeenbroughtthislength,theyareapttorelenteverymoment,andeasilyrelapseintotheirhabitualstateofdeferencetothosewhomtheyhavebeenaccustomedtolookuponastheirnaturalsuperiors。Theycannotstandthemortificationoftheirmonarch。Compassionsoontakestheplaceofresentment,theyforgetallpastprovocations,theiroldprinciplesofloyaltyrevive,andtheyruntore-establishtheruinedauthorityoftheiroldmasters,withthesameviolencewithwhichtheyhadopposedit。ThedeathofCharlesIbroughtabouttheRestorationoftheroyalfamily。
CompassionforJamesIIwhenhewasseizedbythepopulaceinmakinghisescapeonship-board,hadalmostpreventedtheRevolution,andmadeitgoonmoreheavilythanbefore。
Dothegreatseeminsensibleoftheeasypriceatwhichtheymayacquirethepublicadmiration;ordotheyseemtoimaginethattothem,astoothermen,itmustbethepurchaseeitherofsweatorofblood?Bywhatimportantaccomplishmentsistheyoungnoblemaninstructedtosupportthedignityofhisrank,andtorenderhimselfworthyofthatsuperiorityoverhisfellow-citizens,towhichthevirtueofhisancestorshadraisedthem?Isitbyknowledge,byindustry,bypatience,byself-denial,orbyvirtueofanykind?Asallhiswords,asallhismotionsareattendedto,helearnsanhabitualregardtoeverycircumstanceofordinarybehaviour,andstudiestoperformallthosesmalldutieswiththemostexactpropriety。Asheisconscioushowmuchheisobserved,andhowmuchmankindaredisposedtofavourallhisinclinations,heacts,uponthemostindifferentoccasions,withthatfreedomandelevationwhichthethoughtofthisnaturallyinspires。Hisair,hismanner,hisdeportment,allmarkthatelegantandgracefulsenseofhisownsuperiority,whichthosewhoareborntoinferiorstationscanhardlyeverarriveat。Thesearetheartsbywhichheproposestomakemankindmoreeasilysubmittohisauthority,andtogoverntheirinclinationsaccordingtohisownpleasure:andinthisheisseldomdisappointed。Thesearts,supportedbyrankandpreheminence,are,uponordinaryoccasions,sufficienttogoverntheworld。LewisXIVduringthegreaterpartofhisreign,wasregarded,notonlyinFrance,butoverallEurope,asthemostperfectmodelofagreatprince。Butwhatwerethetalentsandvirtuesbywhichheacquiredthisgreatreputation?Wasitbythescrupulousandinflexiblejusticeofallhisundertakings,bytheimmensedangersanddifficultieswithwhichtheywereattended,orbytheunweariedandunrelentingapplicationwithwhichhepursuedthem?Wasitbyhisextensiveknowledge,byhisexquisitejudgment,orbyhisheroicvalour?Itwasbynoneofthesequalities。Buthewas,firstofall,themostpowerfulprinceinEurope,andconsequentlyheldthehighestrankamongkings;andthen,sayshishistorian,’hesurpassedallhiscourtiersinthegracefulnessofhisshape,andthemajesticbeautyofhisfeatures。Thesoundofhisvoice,nobleandaffecting,gainedthoseheartswhichhispresenceintimidated。Hehadastepandadeportmentwhichcouldsuitonlyhimandhisrank,andwhichwouldhavebeenridiculousinanyotherperson。Theembarrassmentwhichheoccasionedtothosewhospoketohim,flatteredthatsecretsatisfactionwithwhichhefelthisownsuperiority。Theoldofficer,whowasconfoundedandfaulteredinaskinghimafavour,andnotbeingabletoconcludehisdiscourse,saidtohim:Sir,yourmajesty,Ihope,willbelievethatIdonottremblethusbeforeyourenemies:hadnodifficultytoobtainwhathedemanded。’Thesefrivolousaccomplishments,supportedbyhisrank,and,nodoubttoo,byadegreeofothertalentsandvirtues,whichseems,however,nottohavebeenmuchabovemediocrity,establishedthisprinceintheesteemofhisownage,andhavedrawn,evenfromposterity,agooddealofrespectforhismemory。Comparedwiththese,inhisowntimes,andinhisownpresence,noothervirtue,itseems,appearedtohaveanymerit。
Knowledge,industry,valour,andbeneficence,trembled,wereabashed,andlostalldignitybeforethem。
Butitisnotbyaccomplishmentsofthiskind,thatthemanofinferiorrankmusthopetodistinguishhimself。Politenessissomuchthevirtueofthegreat,thatitwilldolittlehonourtoanybodybutthemselves。Thecoxcomb,whoimitatestheirmanner,andaffectstobeeminentbythesuperiorproprietyofhisordinarybehaviour,isrewardedwithadoubleshareofcontemptforhisfollyandpresumption。Whyshouldtheman,whomnobodythinksitworthwhiletolookat,beveryanxiousaboutthemannerinwhichheholdsuphishead,ordisposesofhisarmswhilehewalksthrougharoom?Heisoccupiedsurelywithaverysuperfluousattention,andwithanattentiontoothatmarksasenseofhisownimportance,whichnoothermortalcangoalongwith。Themostperfectmodestyandplainness,joinedtoasmuchnegligenceasisconsistentwiththerespectduetothecompany,oughttobethechiefcharacteristicsofthebehaviourofaprivateman。Ifeverhehopestodistinguishhimself,itmustbebymoreimportantvirtues。Hemustacquiredependantstobalancethedependantsofthegreat,andhehasnootherfundtopaythemfrom,butthelabourofhisbody,andtheactivityofhismind。
Hemustcultivatethesetherefore:hemustacquiresuperiorknowledgeinhisprofession,andsuperiorindustryintheexerciseofit。Hemustbepatientinlabour,resoluteindanger,andfirmindistress。Thesetalentshemustbringintopublicview,bythedifficulty,importance,and,atthesametime,goodjudgmentofhisundertakings,andbythesevereandunrelentingapplicationwithwhichhepursuesthem。Probityandprudence,generosityandfrankness,mustcharacterizehisbehaviouruponallordinaryoccasions;andhemust,atthesametime,beforwardtoengageinallthosesituations,inwhichitrequiresthegreatesttalentsandvirtuestoactwithpropriety,butinwhichthegreatestapplauseistobeacquiredbythosewhocanacquitthemselveswithhonour。Withwhatimpatiencedoesthemanofspiritandambition,whoisdepressedbyhissituation,lookroundforsomegreatopportunitytodistinguishhimself?Nocircumstances,whichcanaffordthis,appeartohimundesirable。
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