An Enquiry into an Origin of Honour; and the Usefulness of Christianity in War Part 2

Hor. But the Ambitious that are in Pursuit of Glory, and sacrifise their Lives to Fame and a lasting Reputation, sure they have Wishes beyond the Grave.

Cleo. Tho' a Man should stretch and carry his Ambition to the End of the World, and desire not to be forgot as long as that stood, yet the Pleasure that arises from the Reflection on what shall be said of him Thousands and Thousand of Years after, can only be enjoy'd in this Life. If a vain c.o.xcomb, whose Memory shall die with him, can be but firmly persuaded, that he shall leave an eternal Name, the Reflection may give him as much Pleasure as the greatest Hero can receive from reflecting on what shall really render him immortal. A Man, who is not regenerated, can have no Notion of another World, or future happiness; therefore his Longing after it cannot be very strong. Nothing can affect us forcibly but what strikes the Senses, or such Things which we are conscious of within. By the Light of Nature only, we are capable of demonstrating to our Selves the necessity of a First Cause, a Supreme Being; but the Existence of a Deity cannot be render'd more manifest to our Reason, than his Essence is unknown and incomprehensible to our Understanding.

Hor. I don't see what you drive at.

Cleo. I am endeavouring to account for the small Effect and little Force, which Religion, and the Belief of future Punishments, may be of to mere Man, una.s.sisted with the Divine Grace. The Practice of nominal Christians is perpetually clas.h.i.+ng with the Theory they profess.

Innumerable Sins are committed in private, which the Presence of a Child, or the most insignificant Person, might have hinder'd, by Men who believe G.o.d to be omniscient, and never question'd his Ubiquity.

Hor. But pray, come to the Point, the Origin of Honour.

Cleo. If we consider, that men are always endeavouring to mend their Condition and render Society more happy as to this World we may easily conceive, when it was evident that Nothing could be a Check upon Man that was absent, or at least appear'd not to be present, how Moralists and Politicians came to look for Something in Man himself, to keep him in Awe. The more they examin'd into Human Nature, the more they must have been convinced, that Man is so Selfish a Creature, that, whilst he is at Liberty, the greatest Part of his Time will always be bestow'd upon himself; and that whatever Fear or Revenerence he might have for an invisible Cause, that Thought was often jostled out by others, more nearly relating to himself. It is obvious likewise, that he neither loves nor esteems any Thing so well as he does his own Individual; and that here is Nothing, which he has so constantly before his Eyes, as his own dear Self. It is highly probable, that skilful Rulers, having made these observations for some Time, would be tempted to try if Man could not be made an Object of Reverence to himself.

Hor. You have only named Love and Esteem; they alone cannot produce Reverence by your own Maxim; how could they make a man afraid of himself?

Cleo. By improving upon his Dread of Shame; and this, I am persuaded, was the Case: For as soon as it was found out, that many vicious, quarrelsome, and undaunted Men, that fear'd neither G.o.d nor Devil, were yet often curb'd and visibly with-held by the Fear of Shame; and likewise that this Fear of Shame might be greatly encreas'd by an artful Education, and be made superiour even to that of Death, they had made a Discovery of a real Tie, that would serve many n.o.ble Purposes in the Society. This I take to have been the Origin of Honour, the Principle of which has its Foundation in Self-liking; and no Art could ever have fix'd or rais'd it in any Breast, if that Pa.s.sion had not pre-existed and been predominant there.

Hor. But, how are you sure, that this was the Work of Moralists and Politicians, as you seem to insinuate?

Cleo. I give those Names promiscuously to All that, having studied Human Nature, have endeavour'd to civilize Men, and render them more and more tractable, either for the Ease of Governours and Magistrates, or else for the Temporal Happiness of Society in general. I think of all Inventions of this Sort, the same which told [4] you of Politeness, that they are the joint Labour of Many, Human Wisdom is the Child of Time. It was not the Contrivance of one Man, nor could it have been the Business of a few Years, to establish a Notion, by which a rational Creature is kept in Awe for Fear of it Self, and an Idol is set up, that shall be its own Wors.h.i.+per.

[Footnote 4: Fable of the Bees, Part. II. page 132.]

Hor. But I deny, that in the Fear of Shame we are afraid of our Selves. What we fear, is the judgment of others, and the ill Opinion they will justly have of us.

Cleo. Examine this thoroughly, and you'll find, that when we covet Glory, or dread Infamy, it is not the good or bad Opinion of others that affects us with Joy or Sorrow, Pleasure or Pain; but it is the Notion we form of that Opinion of theirs, and must proceed from the Regard and Value we have for it. If it was otherwise, the most Shameless Fellow would suffer as much in his Mind from publick Disgrace and Infamy, as a Man that values his Reputation. Therefore it is the Notion we have of Things, our own Thought and Something within our Selves, that creates the Fear of Shame: For if I have a Reason, why I forbear to do a Thing to Day, which it is impossible should be known before to Morrow, I must be with-held by Something that exists already; for Nothing can act upon me the Day before it has its Being.

Hor. The Upshot is I find, that Honour is of the same Origin with Virtue.

Cleo. But the Invention of Honour, as a Principle, is of a much later Date; and I look upon it as the greater Atchievement by far. It was an Improvement in the Art of Flattery, by which the Excellency of our Species is raised to such a Height, that it becomes the Object of our own Adoration, and Man is taught in good Earnest to wors.h.i.+p himself.

Hor. But granting you, that both Virtue and Honour are of Human Contrivance, why do you look upon the Invention of the One to be a greater Atchievement than that of the other?

Cleo. Because the One is more skilfully adapted to our inward Make.

Men are better paid for their Adherence to Honour, than they are for their Adherence to Virtue: The First requires less Self-denial; and the Rewards they receive for that Little are not imaginary but real and palpable. But Experience confirms what I say: The Invention of Honour has been far more beneficial to the Civil Society than that of Virtue, and much better answer'd the End for which they were invented.

For ever since the Notion of Honour has been receiv'd among Christians, there have always been, in the same Number of People, Twenty Men of real Honour, to One of real Virtue. The Reason is obvious. The Persuasions to Virtue make no Allowances, nor have any Allurements that are clas.h.i.+ng with the Principle of it; whereas the Men of Pleasure, the Pa.s.sionate and the Malicious, may all in their Turns meet with Opportunities of indulging their darling Appet.i.tes without trespa.s.sing against the Principle of Honour. A virtuous Man thinks himself obliged to obey the Laws of his Country; but a Man of Honour acts from a Principle which he is bound to believe Superiour to all Laws. Do but consider the Instinct of Sovereignty that all Men are born with, and you'll find, that in the closest Attachment to the Principle of Honour there are Enjoyments that are ravis.h.i.+ng to Human Nature. A virtuous Man expects no Acknowledgments from others; and if they won't believe him to be virtuous, his Business is not to force them to it; but a Man of Honour has the Liberty openly to proclaim himself to be such, and call to an Account Every body who dares to doubt of it: Nay, such is the inestimable Value he sets upon himself, that he often endeavours to punish with Death the most insignificant Trespa.s.s that's committed against him, the least Word, Look, or Motion, if he can find but any far-fetch'd reason to suspect a Design in it to under-value him; and of this No body is allow'd to be a Judge but himself. The Enjoyments that arise from being virtuous are of that Nicety, that every ordinary Capacity cannot relish them: As, without Doubt, there is a n.o.ble Pleasure in forgiving of Injuries, to Speculative Men that have refin'd Notions of Virtue; but it is more Natural to resent them; and in revenging one's self, there is a Pleasure which the meanest Understanding is capable of tasting. It is manifest then, that there are Allurements in the Principle of Honour, to draw in Men of the lowest Capacity, and even the vicious, which Virtue has not.

Hor. I can't see, how a Man can be really virtuous, who is not likewise a Man of Honour. A Person may desire to be Honest, and have an Aversion to Injustice, but unless he has Courage, he will not always dare to be just, and may on many Occasions be afraid to do his Duty. There is no Dependance to be had on a Coward, who may be bully'd into vicious Actions, and every Moment be frighten'd from his Principle.

Cleo. It never was pretended, that a Man could be Virtuous and a Coward at the same Time, since Fort.i.tude is the very First of the Four Cardinal Virtues. As much Courage and Intrepidity as you please; but a virtuous Man will never display his Valour with Ostentation, where the Laws of G.o.d and Men forbid him to make Use of it. What I would demonstrate, is, that there are many Allowances, gross Indulgences to Human Nature in the Principle of Honour, especially of modern Honour, that are always exclaim'd against by the Voice of Virtue, and diametrically opposite to the Doctrine of _Christ._

Hor. Yet the further we look back for these Seven or Eight Hundred years, the more we shall find Honour and Religion blended together.

Cleo. When Ignorance, for several Ages, had been successfully encouraged and was designedly introduced to make Way for Credulity, the Simplicity of the Gospel and the Doctrine of _Christ_ were turn'd into Gaudy Foppery and vile Superst.i.tion. It was then, that the Church of _Rome_ began openly to execute her deep-laid Plot for enslaving the Laity. Knowing, that no Power or Authority can be established or long maintain'd upon Earth without real Strength and Force of Arms, she very early coax'd the Soldiery, and made all Men of Valour her Tools by Three Maxims, that, if skilfully follow'd, will never fail of engaging Mankind in our Favour.

Hor. What are those, pray.

Cleo. Indulging Some in their Vices, Humouring Others in their Folly, and Flattering the Pride of All. The various Orders of Knighthood were so many Bulwarks to defend the Temporals of the Church, as well against the Encroachments of her Friends, as the Invasions of her Enemies. It was in the Inst.i.tutions of these Orders, that Pains were taken by the grand Architects of the Church, to reconcile, in outward Shew, the Principle of Honour with that of the Christian Religion, and make Men stupidly believe, that the Height of Pride is not inconsistent with the greatest Humility. In these Solemnities the jugling Priests resolved to be kept out no where; had commonly the greatest Share; continually blending Rites seemingly Sacred with the Emblems of vain Glory, which made all of them an eternal Mixture of Pomp and Superst.i.tion.

Hor. I don't believe, that ever Any body set those Things in such a Light besides your Self; but I see no Design, and the Priests gave themselves a great Deal of Trouble for Nothing.

Cleo. Yet it is certain, that, by this and other Arts, they made themselves sure of the most dangerous Men; for by this Means the boldest and even the most wicked became Bigots. The less Religion they had, the more they stood in Need of the Church; and the farther they went from G.o.d, the more closely they stuck to the Priests, whose Power over the Laity was then the most absolute and uncontroul'd when the Crimes of These were most flagrant and enormous.

Hor. I believe, that among the Men of Honour Many were tainted with Pride and Superst.i.tion at the same Time; but there were others in whom superlative Bravery was united with the strictest Virtue.

Cleo. All Ages have had Men of Courage, and all Ages have had Men of Virtue; but the Examples of Those you speak of, in whom superlative Bravery was united with the strictest Virtue, were always extremely scarce, and are rarely to be met with, but in Legends and Romances, the Writers of both which I take to have been the greatest Enemies to Truth and sober Sense the World ever produc'd. I don't deny, that by perusing them Some might have fallen in Love with Courage and Heroism, others with Chast.i.ty and Temperance, but the Design of both was to serve the Church of _Rome_, and with wonderful Stories to gain the Attention of the Readers, whilst they taught Bigotry, and inured them to believe Impossibilities. But what I intended was to point at the People that had the greatest Hand in reconciling, to outward Appearance, the Principle of Honour with that of the Christian Religion, the Ages This was done in, and the Reasons for which it was attempted. For it is certain, that by the Maxims I named, the Church made her self sure of Those who were most to be fear'd. Do but cast your Eyes on the childish Farces, some Popes have made great Men the chief Actors in, and the apish Tricks they made them play, when they found them intoxicated with Pride, and that at the same Time they were Believers without Reserve. What Impertinence of tedious Ceremonies have they made the greatest Princes submit to, even such as were noted for being cholerick and impatient! What Absurdities in Dress have they made them swallow for Ornaments and Marks of Dignity! If in all these the Pa.s.sion of Self-liking had not been highly gratify'd as well as play'd upon, Men of Sense could never have been fond of them, nor could they have been of that Duration; for many of them are still remaining even in Protestant Countries, where all the Frauds of Popery have been detected long ago; and such Veneration is paid to some of them, that it would hardly be safe to ridicule them. It is amazing to think, what immense Mult.i.tudes of Badges of Honour have been invented by Popery, that are all distinct from the Rest, and yet have Something or other to shew, that they have a Relation to Christianity. What a vast Variety of Shapes, not resembling the Original, has the poor Cross Cross been tortur'd into! How differently has it been placed and represented on the Garments of Men and Women, from Head to Foot! How inconsiderable are all other Frauds that Lay-Rogues now and then have been secretly guilty of, if you compare them to the bare-fac'd Cheats and impudent Forgeries, with which the Church of _Rome_ has constantly imposed upon Mankind in a triumphant Manner! What contemptible Baubles has that Holy Toy-shop put off in the Face of the Sun for the richest Merchandize! She has bribed the most Selfish and penetrating Statesmen, with empty Sounds, and t.i.tles without Meaning. The most resolute Warriours She has forced to desist from their Purposes, and do her dirty Work against their own Interest. I shall say Nothing of the Holy War; how often the Church has kindled and renew'd it, or what a Handle She made of it to raise and establish her own Power, and to weaken and undermine that of the Temporal Princes in Christendom. The Authority of the Church has made the greatest Princes and most haughty Sovereigns fall prostrate before, and pay Adoration to the vilest Trumpery, and accept of, as Presents of inestimable Worth, despicable Trifles, that had no Value at all but what was set upon them by the Gigantick Impudence of the donors, and the childish Credulity of the Receivers. the Church misled the Vulgar, and then made Money of their Errors. There is not an Attribute of G.o.d, and hardly a Word in the Bible, to which she gave not some Turn or other, to serve her Worldly Interest. The Relief of Witch-craft was the Fore-runner of Exorcisms; and the Priests forged Apparitions to shew the Power they pretended to, of laying Spirits, and casting out Devils. To make accused Persons, sometimes by Ordeal, at others by single Combat, try the Justice of their Cause, were both Arrows out of her Quiver; and it is from the latter, that the Fas.h.i.+on of Duelling took its Rise. But those single Combats at first were only fought by Persons of great Quality, and on some considerable Quarrel, when they ask'd Leave of the Sovereign to decide the Difference between them by Feats of Arms; which being obtain'd, Judges of the Combat were appointed, and the Champions enter'd the List with great Pomp, and in a very solemn Manner. But as the Principle of Honour came to be very useful, the Notions of it, by Degrees, were industriously spread among the Mult.i.tude, till at last all Swords-men took it in their Heads, that they had a right to decide their own Quarrels, without asking any Body's Leave. Two Hundred Years ago----

Hor. Pardon my Rudeness, I cannot stay one Moment. An Affair of Importance requires my Presence. It is an Appointment which I had entirely forgot when I came hither. I am sure I have been staid for this Half Hour.

Cleo. Pray, _Horatio_, make no Apologies. There is no Company I love better than I do yours when you are at Leisure; but----

Hor. You don't stir out I know; I shall be back again in Two Hours Time.

Cleo. And I shall be at Home for No body but your Self.

The Second Dialogue Between _Horatio_ and _Cleomenes_.

Horatio. I Believe I am within my Time.

Cleo. By above Ten Minutes.

Hor. When I came back in the Chair, I was thinking how artfully, all this Afternoon, you avoided saying any Thing of Honour, as it relates to the Fair s.e.x. Their Honour, you know, consists in their Chast.i.ty, which is a real Virtue in your own Sense, not to be practis'd without palpable Self-denial. To make a Vow of perpetual Virginity, and to be resolute enough, never to break it, is a Task not to be perform'd without the utmost Mortification to Flesh and Blood, especially in handsome clever Women that seem to be made for Love, as you and I have seen a great many in the Nunneries in _Flanders_. Self-liking or Pride have Nothing to do there; for the more powerfully that Pa.s.sion operates in either Men or Women, the less Inclination they'll shew to be mew'd up in a Cloyster, where they can have None but their own s.e.x to converse with.

Cleo. The Reason why I said Nothing of Honour as it relates to the fair s.e.x, was because we had spoke of it already in a former Conversation; by the same Token, that I told you then, that [5] _the Word Honour, I mean, the Sence of it, was very whimsical, and the Difference in the Signification so prodigious, according as the Attribute was either applied to a Man, or to a Woman, that neither shall forfeit their Honour, tho' each should be guilty, and openly boast of what would be the other's greatest Shame._

[Footnote 5: Fable of the Bees, part II. page 128.]

Hor. I remember it, and it is true. Gallantry with Women, is no Discredit to the Men, any more than Want of Courage is a Reproach to the Ladies. But do you think this is an Answer to what I said?

Cleo. It is an Answer to your Charge against me of making Use of an Artifice, which, I declare to you, never enter'd into my Head. That the Honour of Women in general, is allow'd to consist in their Chast.i.ty, is very true; the Words themselves have been made Use of as Synonimous even among the Ancients: But this, strictly speaking, ought only to be understood of Worldly Women, who act from Political Views, and at best from a Principle of Heathen Virtue. But the Women you speak of among the Christians, who, having vow'd a perpetual Virginity, debar themselves from sensual Pleasures, must be set on, and animated by a higher Principle than that of Honour. Those who can voluntarily make this Vow in good Humour and Prosperity, as well as Health and Vigour, and keep it with Strictness, tho' it is in their Power to break it, have, I own with you, a Task to perform, than which Nothing can be more mortifying to Flesh and Blood. Self-liking or Pride, as you say, have Nothing to do there. But where are these Women to be found?

Hor. I told you; in the Religious Houses.

Cleo. I don't believe there is one in a Thousand that answers the Character you gave of them. Most Nuns are made whilst they are very young, and under the Tuition of others; and oftner by Compulsion than their own Choice.

Hor. But there are Women grown, who take the Veil voluntarily, when they are at their own Disposal.

Cleo. Not many, who have not some substantial Reason or other for it, that has no Relation to Piety or Devotion; such as the Want of a Portion suitable to their Quality; Disappointments or other Misfortunes in the World. But to come to the Point. There are but two Things which, in Celibacy, can make Men or Women, in Youth and Health, strictly comply with the Rules of Chast.i.ty; and these are Religion, and the Fear of Shame. Good Christians, that are wholly sway'd by the Sense of a Religious Duty, must be supernaturally a.s.sisted, and are Proof against all Temptations. But These have always been very scarce, and there are no Numbers of them any where, that one can readily go to. It would perhaps be an odious Disquisition, whether, among all the young and middle-aged Women who lead a Monastick Life, and are secluded from the World, there are Any that have, abstract from all other Motives, Religion enough to secure them from the Frailty of the Flesh, if they had an Opportunity to gratify it to their Liking with Impunity. This is certain, that their Superiors, and Those under whose Care these Nuns are, seem not to entertain that Opinion of the Generality of them. They always keep them lock'd up and barr'd; suffer no Men to converse with them even in Publick, but where there are Grates between them, and not even then within Reach of one another: And tho' hardly a Male Creature of any Kind is allow'd to come near them, yet they are ever suspicious of them, pry into their most Secret Thoughts, and keep constantly a watchful Eye over them.

Hor. Don't you think this must be a great Mortification to young Women?

Cleo. Yes, a forc'd one; but there is no voluntary Self-denial, which was the Thing you spoke of. The Mortifitation which they feel is like that of Vagabonds in a Work-House: There is no Virtue in the Confinement of either. Both are dissatisfied, without Doubt, but it is because they are not employ'd to their Liking; and what they grieve at, is, that they can't help themselves. But there are Thousands of vain Women, whom no Thoughts of Futurity ever made any Impression upon, that lead single Lives by Choice, and are at the same Time careful of their Honour to the greatest Nicety, in the Midst of Temptations, gay sprightly Women, of amorous Complexions, that can deny a pa.s.sionate, deserving Lover, whose Person they approve of and admire, when they are alone with him in the dark; and all this from no better Principle than the Fear of Shame, which has its Foundation in Self-liking, and is so manifesty derived from that and no other Pa.s.sion. You and I are acquainted with Women, that have refused Honourable Matches with the Men they loved, and with whom they might have been Happy, if they themselves had been less intoxicated with Vanity.

Hor. But when a Woman can marry, and be maintain'd suitably to her Quality, and she refuses a Man upon no other Score, than that his Fortune, or his Estate, are not equal to her unreasonable Desires, the Pa.s.sion she acts from is Covetousness.

Cleo. Would you call a Woman covetous, who visibly takes Delight in Lavishness, and never shew'd any Value for Money when She had it: One that would not have a s.h.i.+lling left at the Year's End, tho' she had Fifty Thousand Pounds coming in? All Women consult not what is befitting their Quality: What many of them want is to be maintain'd suitably to their Merit, their own Worth, which with great Sincerity they think inestimable and which consequently no Price can be equal to. The Motive therefore of these Women is no other, than what I have call'd it, their Vanity, the undoubted Offspring of Self-liking, a palpable Excess, an extravagant Degree of the Pa.s.sion, that is able to stifle the loudest Calls of Nature, and with a high Hand triumphs over all other Appet.i.tes and Inclinations. What Sort of Education now do you think the fittest to furnish and fill young Ladies with this high Esteem for themselves and their Reputation, which, whilst it subsists and reigns in them, is an ever-watchful and incorruptible Guardian of their Honour? Would you mortify or flatter; lessen or increase in them the Pa.s.sion of Self-liking, in order to preserve their Chast.i.ty? In short, which of the Two is it, you would stir up and cultivate in them if you could, Humility or Pride?