in vindicating it. It must be treated like the grass on a lawn which you wish to keep in good order: you neither attempt, nor wish, to destroy the grass; but you mow it down from time to time, as close as you possibly can, well trusting that there will be quite enough left, and that it will be sure to grow again. One difficulty in acting upon this principle is, that it is often even a duty to seek the good opinion of others, not as an ultimate object for its own sake, but for the sake of influencing them for their own benefit, and that of others. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.' But we are to watch and analyse the motives even of actions which we are sure are in themselves right. Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them.' And this is a kind of vigilance, which human nature is always struggling One class of men are satisfied so long as they do what is justifiable;—what may be done from a good motive, and, when so done, would be right, and which therefore may be satisfactorily defended. Another class-the ascetic-are for cutting off everything that may be a snare. They have heard of the deceitfulness of riches,' and so they vow poverty; which is less trouble than watching their motives in gaining, and in spending, money. And so on with the rest. But if we would cut off all temptations, we must cut off our heads at to escape. once. The praise of men is not the test of our praiseworthiness; nor is their censure; but either should set us upon testing ourselves. It is to be observed that, in some cases, censure is equivalent to high praise. If, for instance, those who wish to perpetuate some abuse, fiercely assail one who advocates needful reform, or if revolutionists of any description decry some defender of law and order, this affords a presumption that he is a formidable champion. And the more pains they take to assure us that his arguments deserve nothing but contempt, the more they prove that they themselves do not feel any. Again, if any defender of the truth of Christianity, who refuses to join any Party in the Church, is thereupon denounced as unsound by zealous party-men, this adds to the force of his arguments, by indicating that the belief he professes is sincere, and not assumed for the sake of popularity. And if, again, some violent and injudicious advocates of a good cause are doing it harm instead of good, so that it is needful for a wise and moderate man to repudiate all connexion with them, no disclaimer on his part will have so much weight, as their vehemently reviling him. IT ESSAY LIV. OF VAIN GLORY. T was prettily devised of Æsop, the fly sat upon the axletree of the chariot wheel, and said, 'What a dust do I raise!' So there are some vain persons, that, whatsoever goeth alone, or moveth upon greater means, if they have never so little hand in it, they think it is they that carry it. They that are glorious' must needs be factious; for all bravery' stands upon comparisons. They must needs be violent to make good their own vaunts; neither can they be secret, and therefore not effectual; but, according to the French proverb, beaucoup de bruit, peu de fruit-much bruit,' little fruit. Yet certainly, there is use of this quality in civil affairs: where there is an opinion and fame to be created, either of virtue or greatness, these men are good trumpeters. Again, as Titus Livius' noteth, in the case of Antiochus and the Etolians, there are sometimes great effects of cross lies, as if a man that negotiates between two princes, to draw them to join in a war against a third, doth extol the forces of either of them above measure, the one to the other and sometimes he that deals between man and man raiseth his own credit with both, by pretending greater interest than he hath in either; and in these, and the like kinds, it often falls out, that somewhat is produced of nothing; for lies are sufficient to breed opinion, and opinion brings on substance. In military commanders and soldiers, vain glory is an essential point; for as iron sharpens iron, so by glory one courage sharpeneth another. In cases of great enterprise upon' Glorious. Boastful. See page 465. See page 386. 2 Bravery. Ostentation. Glory. Vaunting; boastfulness. I will punish the glory of his high looks --Isaiah x. 'On death-beds some in conscious glory lie, Since of the doctor in the mode they die.'-Young. 7 Upon. At. See page 367. charge and adventure,' a composition of glorious natures doth put life into business; and those that are of solid and sober natures, have more of the ballast than of the sail. In fame of learning, the flight will be slow without some feathers of ostentation: Qui de contemnenda gloria libros scribunt, nomen suum inscribunt." Socrates, Aristotle, Galen, were men full of ostentation: certainly vain glory helpeth to perpetuate a man's memory; and virtue was never so beholden' to human nature, as it received its due at the second hand. Neither had the fame of Cicero, Seneca, Plinius, Secundus, borne her age so well if it had not been joined with some vanity in themselves, like unto varnish, that makes ceilings not only shine, but last. But all this while, when I speak of vain glory, I mean not of that property that Tacitus doth attribute to Mucianus, 'Omnium, quæ dixerat feceratque, arte quadam ostentator:" for that proceeds not of vanity, but of natural magnanimity and discretion; and in some persons it is not only comely, but gracious: for excusations,' cessions, modesty itself, well governed, are but arts of ostentation; and amongst those arts there is none better than that which Plinius Secundus speaketh of, which is, to be liberal of praise and commendation to others, in that wherein a man's self hath any perfection; for, saith Pliny, very wittingly, 'In commending another, you do yourself right;" for he that you commend is either superior to you in that you commend, or inferior; if he be inferior, if he be to be commended, you much more; if he be superior, if he be not to be commended, you much less. 1 Charge and adventure. Cost and risk. That I may make the gospel of Christ without charge.'-1 Cor. ix. 18. 'One castle yielded: but two stood on their adventure.'-Hayward. Those who write books on despising glory inscribe their names therein.'— Cicero, Tusc. Disp. i. 15. Beholden. Indebted. We are not much beholden to your love.'-Shakespere. As. That. See page 23. By a certain art he made a display of all he had said or done.'—Hist. xi. 80. Gracious. Graceful. See page 433. 7 Excusation. Excuse; apology. 'He made his excusation, Cessions. And feigneth cause of pure drede.'-Shakespere. (Gower.) ESSAY LIV. OF VAIN GLORY. IT. T was prettily devised of Æsop, the fly sat upon the axletree of the chariot wheel, and said, 'What a dust do I raise!' So there are some vain persons, that, whatsoever goeth alone, or moveth upon greater means, if they have never so little hand in it, they think it is they that carry it. They that are glorious' must needs be factious; for all bravery' stands upon comparisons. They must needs be violent to make good their own vaunts; neither can they be secret, and therefore not effectual; but, according to the French proverb, beaucoup de bruit, peu de fruit-much bruit, little fruit. Yet certainly, there is use of this quality in civil affairs: where there is an opinion and fame to be created, either of virtue or greatness, these men are good trumpeters. Again, as Titus Livius* noteth, in the case of Antiochus and the Etolians, there are sometimes great effects of cross lies, as if a man that negotiates between two princes, to draw them to join in a war against a third, doth extol the forces of either of them above measure, the one to the other and sometimes he that deals between man and man raiseth his own credit with both, by pretending greater interest than he hath in either; and in these, and the like kinds, it often falls out, that somewhat is produced of nothing; for lies are sufficient to breed opinion, and opinion brings on substance. In military commanders and soldiers, vain glory is an essential point; for as iron sharpens iron, so by glory one courage sharpeneth another. In cases of great enterprise upon' 1 Glorious. Boastful. See page 465. 2 Bravery. Ostentation. Bruit. Noise; report. Great cry and little wool.') Vid. Liv. xxxvii. 48. See page 386. (This proverb has its parallel in the English one, All that hear the bruit of thee.'-Nahum iii. 19. Of. From. See page 268. Glory. Vaunting; boastfulness. I will punish the glory of his high looks --Isaiah X. 'On death-beds some in conscious glory lie, Since of the doctor in the mode they die.'-Young. 7 Upon. At. See page 367. |