mitchell-P044_A-2_11

Honour and dignity

Tuae sapientiae est, omnes amplitudines et dignitates tuas, in virtute tuâ, positas esse existimare.

Honour and dignity are acquirements, at which, men universaly aspire. General consent tends to establish their value and to give them a high esteemation among mortals. No one is willing to be thought destitute of theese. Even those, whose deportment proves them to be strangers to theese qualities, would resent it as an insult, were they charged with the want of them. --- Since then men hold theese in great repute, and all profess to be the subjects of them, it may be a question worthy of attention, to inquire wherein consist true honour and dignity? are they to be found in martial exploits? Do they consist in the eminence to which eloquence may raise a man? or Is it an accumulation of years, or the silvery locks, that impart true honour and dignity? -- No! Theese of themselves are not sufficient, without a [nobler] great active principle to guide them. But true H honour and dignity lie in true real virtue. This is the principle that will make a person truly great, and without which he will sink into degradation. Hence a man rises or falls in the esteemation of an enlightened publick in [propotion] as he is thought to be virtuous or vicious. Virtue makes men good and wise, and then she is revered by all the good and the wise. The Romans worshipd virtue as a Godess. Marcellus built two temples near to the Porta Capena, one dedicated to virtue the orther to honour. And so situated were they in respect to each other, that to see the temple of honor, a person must pass through the temple that of virtue. As if to teach men the Romans, that to be honerable, they must be virtuous. Virtue is necessary to direct other qualities which otherwise would be perniciously employed. A man of martial valour without virtue, might enslave his country to gratify his ambition; But virtue will direct his millitary talent to the use of his county; he will hold it subject to her command, and never employ it to her injury. --- How necessary is virtue to guide the orator? especialy when occupying the bar? Inspired by this sared principle, he will become the advocate of justice; and in him, the widows and fatherless, when oppressed will find a defender. It is virtue that will make the hoary head and advanced years appear honorable and dignified. A very wise man said, that “the hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of rightiousness or virtue]. Let him then that would seek subsantial honour, and lasting ho dignity consider Theese to consist in true virtue,

and aspire after those, in the persuit of this. Then he will be feared by the vicious, loved by the good, and approved by heaven.

April, 1824. E. M.

Mitchell

P044/A.2.11