The Good Book_ A Secular Bible - A. C. Grayling [330]
10. Seek first, then, for the predominant passion of the character which you mean to engage and influence, and address yourself to it;
11. But without defying or despising the inferior passions; get them in your interest too, for now and then they will have their turns.
12. In many cases, you may not have it in your power to contribute to the gratification of the prevailing passion;
13. Then take the next best to your aid. There are many avenues to every man,
14. And when you cannot get at him through the great one, try the serpentine ones, and you will arrive at last.
15. There are two inconsistent passions, which frequently accompany each other, like man and wife;
16. And which, like man and wife too, are commonly clogs upon each other. I mean: ambition and avarice.
17. The latter is often the true cause of the former, and then is the predominant passion.
18. Though men are all of one composition, the several ingredients are so differently proportioned in each individual that no two are exactly alike; and no one is at all times like himself.
19. The ablest man will sometimes do weak things; the proudest man, mean things;
20. The most honest man, ill things; and the wickedest man, good ones.
21. Study individuals then, and if you take, as you ought to do, their outlines from their prevailing passion,
22. Suspend your last finishing strokes till you have attended to, and discovered the operations of their inferior passions, appetites and humours.
23. A man’s general character may be that of the most honest man of the world: do not dispute it; you might be thought envious or ill-natured;
24. But, at the same time, do not take this probity upon trust to such a degree as to put your life, fortune or reputation in his power.
25. This honest man may happen to be your rival in power, in interest or in love: three passions that often put honesty to most severe trials, in which it is too often cast;
26. But first analyse this honest man yourself; and then only you will be able to judge how far you may, or may not, with safety trust him.
Epistle 14
1. My son, be on your guard against those who, on very slight acquaintance, obtrude their unasked and unmerited friendship and confidence upon you;
2. For they probably cram you with them only for their own eating;
3. But, at the same time, do not roughly reject them on that mere supposition.
4. Examine further, and see whether those unexpected offers flow from a warm heart and a silly head,
5. Or from a designing head and a cold heart; for knavery and folly have often the same symptoms.
6. In the first case, there is no danger in accepting them; in the latter case, it may be useful to seem to accept them, and artfully to turn the battery upon him who raised it.
7. There is an incontinency of friendship among young fellows who are associated by their mutual pleasures only,
8. Which has, very frequently, bad consequences. A parcel of warm hearts and inexperienced heads, heated by convivial mirth,
9. And possibly a little too much wine, vow, and really mean at the time, eternal friendships to each other,
10. And indiscreetly pour out their whole hearts in common, and without the least reserve.
11. These confidences are as indiscreetly repealed as they were made;
12. For new pleasures and new places soon dissolve this ill-cemented connection; and then very ill uses are made of these rash confidences.
13. Bear your part, however, in young companies; indeed, excel, if you can, in all the social and convivial joy and festivity that become youth.
14. Trust them with your love tales, if you please; but keep your serious views secret.
15. Trust those only to some tried friend, more experienced than yourself,
16. And who, being in a different walk of life from you, is not likely to become your rival;
17. For I would not advise you to depend so much upon the heroic virtue of mankind, as to hope or believe that your competitor will ever be your friend in such matters.
18. These are reserves and