2.

High honour is not only gotten and born by pain and danger, but must be nursed by the like, else it vanisheth as soon as it appears to the world.

Remark.

A French philosopher hath said, that “admiration is a kind of fanaticism, which expects miracles;" and there never was a hero that could not subscribe to the verity of this observation. Popular admiration is a microscope, which so magnifies its object, that he who cannot contravene the order of nature, and master impossibilities, can hardly hope to accomplish its extravagant expectations. The favourite of the people is one who is expected to govern Fortune, as absolutely as that insolent directress of human affairs rules over others. Let him shew all the courage and good conduct in the world, yet if against fearful odds, he prove not invariably victorious,he fails! let him effect more than ever man, under like circumstances, achieved; yet, if he

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do not every thing, he does nothing. If he controul not fate like a god, he is degraded from the dignity of a hero, despoiled of every well-earned laurel, and stripped of every attribute of praise. He is reviled by the multitude of illiberal censurers, who can form no adequate idea of the difficulties of his situation, or of the limited scope of mortal agency. Each arrogant idiot fancies he could have conquered where Hannibal was subdued; and thus the disasters of great men become palms to adorn fools!

3.

Honour flieth up to heaven, when borne on the wings of courage and justice.

4.

Who shoots at the mid-day sun, though he be sure he shall never hit the mark, yet as sure he is, that he shall shoot higher than he who aims but at a bush.

5.

Great is not great to the greater.

Remark.

The crown of ambition is a poor prize to him who aspires to the empire of glory. “To be ambitious of true honour, (says the divine Sherlock,) of the true glory and perfection of our natures, is the very principle and incentive of virtue; but to be ambitious of titles, of place, of ceremonial respects and civil pageantry, is as vain and little as the things are which we court."

6.

It is a great happiness to be praised of them that are most praise-worthy.

Remark.

There is also a praise without words, which produces the same effect, general attention. Is it not delightful to find ourselves the axis on which the souls of a whole company turn? the centre wherein all the points which compose the circle we move in, meet? Finding

ourselves tenderly regarded by others, we insensibly tender ourselves more dearly. We sce our own images reflected in the admiration of the worthy; and what they deem deserving of esteem, modesty itself cannot refuse to respect. When super-eminent talents have a fair field to act on, they never fail of exciting the plaudits of those, whose judgment ought to be the standard of fame; for there is a secret principle which unites kindred geniuses, as well as kindred souls; whereas contraries mingle with great reluctance.

7.

When men have honoured the course of their creation, and they fall into evil time, place, and fortune, it is lawful for them to speak gloriously.

Remark.

If ever it be lawful for a great man to speak in lofty terms of the merit of his own actions, it surely is when the unjust reproaches of envy or malignity have made an honourable

mention of his own praise-worthy doings indispensibly requisite to his just defence. An exalted character may, with becoming grace, remember his own virtue, when an ungrateful country has forgotten it. Plutarch affirms that self-praise is neither disgraceful nor blameable, when it is introduced by way of apology, to remove calumny or accusation; and he enforces the remark by many admirable examples, some of which I will repeat. Pericles, when a popular clamour was raised against him, broke out as follows: "But ye are angry with me, a man inferior to none, whether it be in the knowing or interpreting of necessary things; a man, who am a lover of my country, and above the meanness of bribes!" This was not arrogance nor vanity, but the dictates of a brave spirit, which nothing could subdue, and of a soul greatly conscious of its own nobility. When the Theban princes accused Pelopidas and Epaminondas for disobedience of orders, in retaining the government of Boeotia, contrary to law, and, moreover, making an incursion into Laconia and repeopling Messena; Pelopidas humbling