Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

rowly infpect every Part of him, con fider him nicely in all Views, and not be a little pleased when they have taken him in the worst and most difadvantageous Light. There are many who find a Pleasure in contradicting the common Reports of Fame, and in fpreading abroad the Weakneffes of an exalted Character. They publish their ill-natur'd Difcoveries with a fecret Pride, and applaud themselves for the Singularity of their Judgment which has fearched deeper than others, detected what the rest of the World have overlooked, and found a Flaw in what the Generality of Mankind admires. Others there are who proclaim the Errors and Infirmities of a great Man with an inward Satisfaction and Complacency, if they difcover none of the like Errors and Infirmities in themfelves; for while they are expofing another's Weakneffes, they are tacitly aiming at their own Commendations, who are not fubject to the like Infirmities, and are apt to be transported with a fecret kind of Vanity to fee themfelves fuperior in fome refpects to one of a fublime and celebrated Reputation. Nay, it very often happens, that none are more industrious in publishing the Blemishes of an extraordinary Reputation, than fuch as lie open to the fame Cenfures in their own Characters, as either hoping to excuse their own Defects by the Authority of fo high an Example, or raifing an imaginary Applaufe to themfelves for refembling a Perfon of an exalted Reputation, though in the blameable Parts of his Character. If allthefe fecret Springs of Detraction fail, yet very often a vain Oftentation of Wit fets a Man on attacking an eftablished Name, and facrificing it to the Mirth and Laughter of thofe about him. A Satire or a Libel on one of the common Stamp, never meets with that Reception and Approbation among its Readers, as what is aimed at a Perfon whofe Merit places him upon an Eminence, and gives him a more confpicuous Figure among Men. Whether it be that we think it fhews greater Art to expofe and turn to ridicule a Man whofe Character feems fo improper a Subject for it, or that we are pleased by fome implicit kind of Revenge to fee him taken down and humbled in his Reputation, and in fome measure reduced to our own Rank, who had fo far raised himself above us in the Reports and Opinions of Mankind.

THUS

THUS we fee how many dark and intricate Motives there are to Detraction and Defamation, and how many malicious Spies are searching into the Actions of a great Man, who is not always the best prepared for fo narrow an Infpection. For we may generally observe, that our Admiration of a famous Man leffens upon our nearer Acquaintance with him; and that we seldom hear the Description of a celebrated Perfon, without a Catalogue of fome notorious Weakneffes and Infirmities. The Reafon may be, because any little Slip is more confpicuous and obfervable in his Conduct than in another's, as it is not of a Piece with the rest of his Character, or because it is impoffible for a Man at the fame time to be attentive to the more important Part of his Life, and to keep a watchful Eye over all the inconfiderable Circumitances of his Behaviour and Converfation; or because, as we have before obferved, the fame Temper of Mind which inclines us to a Defire of Fame, naturally betrays us into fuch Slips and Unwarineffes as are not incident to Men of a contrary Difpofition.

AFTER all it must be confefs'd, that a noble and triumphant Merit often breaks through and diffipates these little Spots and Sullies in its Reputation; but if by a miftaken Pursuit after Fame, or through human İnfirmity, any falfe Step be made in the more momentous Concerns of Life, the whole Scheme of ambitious Designs is broken and difappointed. The fmaller Stains and Ble mishes may die away and difappear amidst the Brightness that furrounds them; but a Blot of a deeper Nature cafts a Shade on all the other Beauties, and darkens the whole Character. How difficult therefore is it to preserve a great Name, when he that has acquired it is fo obnoxious to fuch little Weakneffes and Infirmities as are no fmall Diminution to it when discovered, efpecially when they are fo industriously proclaimed, and aggravated by fuch as were once his Superiors or Equals; by fuch as would fet to fhow their Judgment or their Wit, and by such as are guilty or innocent of the fame Slips or Milconducts in their own Behaviour.

BUT were there none of these Difpofitions in others to cenfure a famous Man, nor any fuch M.fcarriages in himself, yet would he meet with no fmall Trouble in VOL. IV. keep

B

keeping up his Reputation in all its Height and Splendor. There must be always a noble Train of Actions to preferve his Fame in Life and Motion. For when it is once at a Stand, it naturally flags and languishes. Admiration is a very fhort-liv'd Paffion, that immediately decays upon growing familiar with its Object, unless it be ftill fed with fresh Discoveries, and kept alive by a new perpetual Succeffion of Miracles rifing up to its View. And even the greatest Actions of a celebrated Perfon labour under this Difadvantage, that however surprising and extraor◄ dinary they may be, they are no more than what are expected from him; but on the contrary, if they fall any thing below the Opinion that is conceived of him, tho' they might raise the Reputation of another, they are a Diminution to his.

ONE would think there fhould be fomething wonderfully pleafing in the Poffeffion of Fame, that, notwithftanding all thefe mortifying Confiderations, can engage a Man in fo defperate a Purfuit; and yet if we confider the little Happiness that attends a great Character, and the Multitude of Difquietudes to which the Defire of it fubjects an ambitious Mind, one would be ftill the more furprised to fee fo many restless Candidates for Glory.

AMBITION raises a fecret Tumult in the Soul, it inflames the Mind, and puts it into a violent Hurry of Thought It is ftill reaching after an empty imaginary Good; that has not in it the Power to abate or fatisfy it. Moft other Things we long for can allay the Cravings of their proper Senfe, and for a while fet the Appetite at Reft: But Fame is a Good fo wholly foreign to our Natures, that we have no Faculty in the Soul adapted to it, nor any Organ in the Body to relifh it; an Object of Defire placed out of the Poffibility of Fruition. It may indeed fill the Mind for a while with a giddy kind of Pleafure, but it is fuch a Pleasure as makes a Man reflefs and uneafy under it; and which does not fo much fatisfy the prefent Thirft, as it excites fresh Defires, and fets the Soul on new Enterprizes. For how few ambitious Men are there, who have got as much Fame as they defired, and whofe Thirft after it has not been as eager in the very Height of their Reputation, as it was before they became known and eminent among Men? There is not any Cir

cumftance

cumstance in Cæfar's Character which gives me a greater Idea of him, than a faying which Cicero tells us he frequently made ufe of in private Converfation, That he was Jatisfied with his Share of Life and Fame, Se fatis vel ad Naturam, vel ad Gloriam vixiffe. Many indeed have given over their Purfuits after Fame, but that has proceeded either from the Disappointments they have met in it, or from their Experience of the little Pleasure which attends it, or from the better Informations or natural Coldness of Old Age; but feldom from a full Satisfaction and Acquiefcence in their prefent Enjoyments of it.

NOR is Fame only unfatisfying in it felf, but the Defire of it lays us open to many accidental Troubles which thofe are free from who have no fuch a tender Regard for it. How often is the Ambitious Man caft down and difappointed, if he receives no Praise where he expected it? Nay how often is he mortified with the very Praises he receives, if they do not rife fo high as he thinks they ought, which they feldom do unless increased by Flattery, fince few Men have fo good an Opinion of us as we have of our felves? But if the ambitious Man can be so much grieved even with Praise it felf, how will he be able to bear up under Scandal and Defamation? For the fame Temper of Mind which makes him defire Fame, makes him hate Reproach. If he can be tranfported with the extraordinary Praises of Men, he will be as much dejected by their Cenfures. How little therefore is the Happinefs of an ambitious Man, who gives every one a Dominion over it, who thus fubjects himself to the good or ill Speeches of others, and puts it in the Power of every malicious Tongue to throw him into a Fit of Melancholy, and destroy his natural Reft and Repofe of Mind? Efpecially when we confider that the World is more aptto cenfure than applaud, and himself fuller of Imperfections than Virtues.

WE may further observe, that fuch a Man will be more grieved for the Lofs of Fame, than he could have been pleafed with the Enjoyment of it. For tho' the Prefence of this imaginary Good cannot make us happy, the Absence of it may make us miferable: Because in the Enjoyment of an Object we only find that Share of Pleafure which it is capable of giving us, but in the Lofs of B 2

[ocr errors]

it we do not proportion our Grief to the real Value it bears, but to the Value our Fancies and Imaginations set upon it.

SO inconfiderable is the Satisfaction that Fame brings along with it, and fo great the Difquietudes, to which it makes us liable. The Defire of it ftirs up very uneasy Motions in the Mind, and is rather inflamed than fatisfied by the Prefence of the Thing defired. The Enjoyment of it brings but very little Pleasure, tho' the Lofs or Want of it be very fenfible and afflicting; and even this little Happiness is so very precarious, that it wholly depends on the Will of others. We are not only tortured by the Reproaches which are offered us, but are difappointed by the Silence of Men when it is unexpected; and humbled even by their Praises.

MOTCE

257. Tuesday, December 25.

Ουχ εὕδει Διὸς

Οφθαλμός· ἐγγὺς δ ̓ ἔτι καὶ παρῶν πόνῳ.

C

Incert. ex Stob.

HAT I might not lofe my felf upon a Subject of

[ocr errors]

great Extent as that of Fame, I have treated it in a particular Order and Method. I have firft of all confidered the Reasons why Providence may have implanted in our Mind fuch a Principle of Action. I have in the next Place fhewn from many Confiderations, first, that Fame is a Thing difficult to be obtained, and eafily loft; Secondly, that it brings the ambitious Man very little Happiness, but fubjects him to much Uneafinefs and Diffatisfaction. I fhall in the last Place fhew, that it hinders us from obtaining an End which we have Abilities to acquire, and which is accompanied with Fulness of Satisfaction. I need not tell my Reader, that I mean by this End that Happiness which is referved for us in another World, which every one has Abilities to pro

cure,

« AnteriorContinuar »