The Good Book_ A Secular Bible - A. C. Grayling [331]
Epistle 15
1. If you have great talents and great virtues, my son, they will procure you the respect and the admiration of mankind;
2. But it is the lesser talents which must procure you their love and affection.
3. The former, unassisted and unadorned by the latter, will extort praise; but will, at the same time, excite both fear and envy;
4. And these are two sentiments absolutely incompatible with love and affection.
5. Caesar had all the great vices, and Cato all the great virtues, that men could have.
6. But Caesar had the lesser virtues which Cato lacked, and therefore Caesar was beloved by many,
7. Even by his enemies, and he gained the hearts of mankind, in spite of their reason:
8. While Cato was not even beloved by his friends, notwithstanding the esteem and respect which they could not refuse to his virtues.
9. I am inclined to think that if Caesar had lacked, and Cato had possessed, those lesser virtues,
10. The former could not have stolen, and the latter could have protected, the liberties of Rome.
11. As a dramatist says of Caesar, and with truth, ‘Curse his virtues, they have undone his country.’
12. By which he means those lesser, but engaging virtues of gentleness, affability, complaisance and good humour.
13. The knowledge of a scholar, the courage of a hero and the virtue of a Stoic will be admired;
14. But if the knowledge be accompanied with arrogance, the courage with ferocity and the virtue with inflexible severity, the man will never be loved.
15. We are all so formed that our understandings are generally the dupes of our hearts, that is, of our emotions;
16. And the surest way to the former is through the latter, which must be engaged by the lesser virtues alone, and the manner of exerting them.
17. The insolent civility of a proud man is, if possible, more shocking than his rudeness could be;
18. Because he shows you by his manner that he thinks it mere condescension in him;
19. And that his goodness alone bestows upon you what you have no pretence to claim.
20. He intimates his protection, instead of his friendship, by a gracious nod, instead of a usual bow;
21. And rather signifies his consent that you may, than his invitation that you should, sit, walk, eat or drink with him.
22. The costive liberality of a purse-proud man insults the distresses it sometimes relieves;
23. He takes care to make you feel your own misfortunes, and the difference between your situation and his,
24. Both of which he insinuates to be justly merited: yours, by your folly; his, by his wisdom.
25. The arrogant pedant does not communicate, but promulgates his knowledge. He does not give it to you, he inflicts it on you;
26. And is if possible more desirous to show you your own ignorance than his own learning.
27. Such manners as these shock and revolt that little pride and vanity which every man has in his heart;
28. And obliterate in us the obligation for the favour conferred, by reminding us of the motive which produced it, and the manner which accompanied it.
29. These faults point out their opposite perfections, and your own good sense, my son, will naturally suggest them to you.
30. But besides these lesser virtues, there are what may be called the lesser talents, or accomplishments, which are of valuable use to adorn and recommend all the greater accomplishments;
31. And the more so, as all people are judges of the lesser, and but few are of the greater.
32. Everybody feels the impression which an engaging address, an agreeable manner of speaking and an easy politeness, makes upon them;
33. And as a result this prepares the way for a favourable reception and friendliness.
Epistle 16
1. No less necessary than either ancient or modern knowledge, therefore, is knowledge of the world, manners, politeness and society.
2. In that view, keeping company and learning well to be sociable is an important part of education.
3. To be well-mannered without ceremony, easy without negligence,
4. Steady and intrepid with modesty,