have given the [y] Words of a late very elegant Tran flation of Cicero's Letters.On the whole, I could wifh, that Mankind would be more candid and friendly with us; and inftead of ridiculing a diftorted Perfon, would rally the Irregularities of the Mind, which, generally, are as vifible as those of the Perfon; but being more common, they pafs with little Notice as well in high as low Life. [z] Macenas would laugh at any Irregularity in Horace's Drefs, but not at any Caprice in his Behaviour, because it was common and fashionable; so a Man's Perfon, which is the Dress of his Soul, only is ridiculed, while the vicious Qualities of it escape.-Let me add, that if ridiculing another's Person is in no Cafe to be juftified, the ill Treatment of it must be highly criminal: what then must we think of Balbus, a Roman Quæftor in Spain, who wantonly exposed to wildBeafts a certain noted Auctioneer at Seville, for no other Reason, but because he was deformed. This is related in a [a] Letter to Cicero by Afinius Pollio, the most accomplished Gentleman of that Age; who calls Balbus a Monster for this and other Acts of Bar [y] From the Tranflation, and Notes, of the Epiftle I have men tioned. [x] Si curtatus inæquali tonsore capillos Occurri, rides; fi forte fubucula pexæ Trita fubeft tunicæ, vel fi toga diffidet impar, [a] The 7th of the 15th Book in the Translation the 23d of the 10th in the Original, barity, barity. I am glad he has preserved the Memory of this poor Man, whom I here confecrate to Fame; and place foremost in the glorious Lift of our Martyrs. I will now follow Lord Bacon as my Guide, in tracing out fuch Paffions and Affections, as most naturally refult from Deformity: for he fays, "There "certainly is a Confent between the Body and the "Mind; and where Nature crreth in the one, fhe "veutureth in the other; and therefore Deformity may be beft confidered, in this refpect, as a Cause "which feldom fails of the Effect, and not as a "Sign, which is more deceivable; for as there is "an Election in Man touching the Frame of bis "Mind, the Stars of natural Inclination are fome"times eclipted by the Sun of Difcipline and Virtue." He begins with faying, that "deformed Perfons "are commonly even with Nature; for as Nature "hath done ill by them, fo do they by Nature, be"ing for the most part (as the Scripture faith) void " of natural affection." I can neither find out this Paffage in Scripture, nor the Reason of it; nor can I give my Affent or Negative to a Propofition, till I am well acquainted with the Terms of it. If by natural Affection is here meant univerfal Benevolence, and Deformity neceffarily implies a want of it, a deformed Perfon muft then be a complete Monster. But however common the Cafe may be, my own Senfations inform me, that it is not univerfally true. If, by natural Affection, is meant a partial Regard for Individuals; I believe the Remark is judicious, and founded in human Nature. Deformed Perfons are defpifed, ridiculed, and ill-treated by others; are feldom Favourites, and commonly moft neglected by Parents, Guardians, and Relations; and therefore, as they are not indebted for much Fondness, it is no wonder if they repay but little. It is the Command of Scripture, Not to set our Affections on Things below: it is the Voice of Reason, not to overvalue what we muft foon part with; and therefore,, to be fo fond of others, as not to be able to bear the Absence, or to furvive them, is neither a religious nor moral Duty; but a childish and womanish Weakness: And I must congratulate deformed Perfons,, who, by Example, are early taught another Leflon. And I will now lay open my own Heart to the Reader, that he may judge, if Lord Bacon's Position is verified in me. I hope it proceeds not from a Malignity of Heart; but I never am much affected with the common Accidents of Life, whether they befall my felf or others. I am little moved when I hear of Death, Lofs, or Misfortune; I think the Cafe is common, ([b] Tritus, & e medio fortunæ ductus acervo :) And as it is always likely to happen, I am not furprifed when it does. If I fee a Perfon cry or beat his Breaft on any fuch Occafion, I cannot bear him Company, but am not a Democritus to laugh at his Folly. I read of Battles and Fields covered with Slain; of Cities deftroyed by Sword, Famine, PeftiJence, and Earthquake; I do not shed a Tear: I fuppofe it is, because they are the ufual Storms, to which the Human Species are expofed, proceeding from the juft Judgments of God, or the mistaken and falfe Principles of Rulers. I read of Perfecutions, Tortures, Murders, Maffacres; my Compaffion for the Sufferers are great, but my Tears are ftopped by Refentment and Indignation against the Contrivers and Perpetrators of fuch horrid Actions. But there are many Things that bring Tears into my Eyes, whether I will or no; and when I reflect, I am often at a lofs in fearching out the fecret Source from whence they flow. What makes me weep? (for weep I do) when I read of Virtue or Innocence in Diftrefs; of a good Man helpless and forfaken, unmoved by the greatest Infults and Cruelties; or courageoufly fupporting himself against Oppreffion in the Article of Death. I fuppofe it is, to fee Vice triumphant, and Virtue fo ill rewarded in this Life. May I judge by myself, I should imagine, that few fincere Chriftians could read the Sufferings of their Saviour, or Englishmen those of a Cranmer, Ridley, or Latimer, without Tears; the first dying to establish his Religion, the last to rescue it from Corruption. When I read of [c] Regulus returning to Tor ment, and [d] John of France to Imprisonment, against the Persuasion of Friends, to keep Faith with their Enemies; I weep to think, there is scarce another Inftance of fuch exalted Virtue. Those who often hear me read, know, that my Voice changes, and my Eyes are full, when I meet with a generous and heroic Saying, Action, or Character, especially of Perfons, whofe Example or Command may influence Mankind. I weep when I hear a [e] Titus fay, That he had loft the Day in which he did no Good. When [ƒ] Adrian tells his Enemy, That he had escaped by his being Emperor; or [g] Lewis XII. That he is not to revenge the Affront of the Duke of Orleans. These are the first Inftances that happen to occur to me I might recollect many, too many to infert in this Effay; yet all are but few, compared to Inftances of Cruelty and Revenge: perhaps I am concerned that they are fo rare perhaps too I inwardly grieve that I am not in a Situation to do the like. I am entertained, but not moved, when I read Voltaire's Hiftory of Charles XII. but I melt into Tears on reading Hanway's Character of his Antagonist Peter the Great. The first is the Story of a Madman; the other of a Father, Friend, and Bene [d] En vain fes Miniftres & les plus confidérables Seigneurs du Royaume firent tous leurs efforts, pour le faire changer de résolution. I répondoit à tout ce qu'on lui difoit là-deffus, que quand la bonne foy feroit bannie du reste du monde, il falloit qu'on la trouvât toûjours dans la bouche des Rois. Hiftoire de France, par le P. G. Daniel. [e] Recordatus quondam fuper cœnam, quod nihil cuiquam toto die præftitiffet, memorabilem illam meritoque laudatam vocem edidita AMICI, DIEM PERDIDI.. Suetonius. |