Of self-love. situation. Why does the robber, when transported from England to America, frequently become honest? Because he becomes a man of property, and has land to cultivate; in short, because his situation is changed. The officer in the camp is void of compassion; accustomed to the sight of blood, he beholds it unmoved. But when he returns to London, Paris, or Berlin, he returns to the feelings of humanity. Why should we regard each character as the effect of a particular organization, when we cannot determine what that organization is? Why search in occult qualities for the cause of a moral phenomenon, which the developement of the passion of self-love so clearly and readily explains? CHAP. IV. OF SELF-LOVE. MAN is sensible of bodily pleasure and pain, consequently he flies from the one, and pursues the other; and it is to this constant pursuit and flight that is given the name of self-love. This sentiment, the immediate effect of corporeal sensibility, and consequently common to all, is inseparable from man. As a proof I offer its permanence, impossibility of destruction, or even alteration. Of all Self-love occasions the difference in the characters of men. all our sentiments it is the only one that has these pro perties; it is to this we owe all our desires, and all our passions; which are nothing more in us than the application of self-love to particular objects*. It is therefore to this sentiment, variously modified according to the education we receive, the government under which we live, and the different situations in which we are placed, that we are to attribute the amazing difference in the passions and characters of men. Self love makes us totally what we are. Why are we so covetous of honours and dignities? Because we love ourselves, and desire our own happiness, and consequently the power of procuring it. The love of power, and the means of procuring it, are therefore necessarily connected in man with the love of himself (10). Every one would command, because every one would increase his felicity, and engage all his fellowcitizens to promote it. Now among all the methods to engage them, the most certain is power or force. The love of power, founded on that of happiness, is there * Modes of self-love the passions we may call; VOL. I. U POPE. fore Of the love of riches and glory. fore the common object of all our desires (11). Thus riches, honour, glory, envy, importance, justice, virtue, intolerance, in a word, all the factitious passions are nothing but the love of power, disguised under those different names.— Power is the only object of man's pursuit. To prove this, I shall shew that all the passions above recited are properly nothing more than the love of power; and I conclude from this love being common to all, that all are susceptible of the desire of esteem and glory, and consequently of the sort of passion proper to put in action the equal aptitude that men, organized in the common manner, have to understanding. CHAP. V. OF THE LOVE OF RICHES AND GLORY. Ar the head of the cardinal virtues is placed force or power: it is the virtue most, and perhaps the only one really esteemed. The portion of weakness is contempt. Whence arises our disdain of the Oriental nations, * All our passions are factitious, except corporeal wants, pains, and pleasures. some The love of power common to all men. some of whom are equal to us in industry, as is apparent from the fabric of their stuffs; and several of whom surpass us perhaps in the social virtues ? Do we despise them merely for the meanness with which they bear the cruel and shameful yoke of tyrannical power? Such a contempt would be just: but no; we despise them as enervated and not practised in arms. It is then force that we respect (12), and weakness that we despise. The love of power how ever is common to all*; all desire it; but all do not, like Cæsar and Cromwell, aspire to supreme power: few men can conceive the design, and still fewer are able to execute it. The sort of power generally desired is that easily attained. Every one may become rich, and every one desires wealth for by this we can gratify all our appetites, succour the afflicted, and oblige, consequently command, a boundless number of individuals+. Glory, like riches, procures power; and we in like * The man without desire, who thinks himself perfectly happy, must, be, without doubt, insensible to the love of power. Are there men of this sort? Yes: but their number is too small to deserve regard. ↑ What nature wants, commodious gold bestows, 'Tis thus we eat the bread another sows. Useful, I grant, it serves what life requires, Trade it may help, society extend; But lures the pirate, and corrupts the friend. Of glory and the means of acquiring it. manner pursue it. Glory is acquired either by arms or eloquence. We know in what esteem eloquence was held at Rome and in Greece; it there conducted men to grandeur and power. Magna vis & magnum nomen, says Cicero, sunt unum et idem. Among those people a great name gave great power. The renowned orator commanded a number of clients. Now in every republic, whoever is followed by a croud of clients is always a powerful citizen. The Hercules of the Gauls, from whose mouth issued an infinite quantity of gold threads, was the emblem of the moral force of eloquence. But why is that eloquence, formerly so respected, no longer honoured and cultivated, except in England? Because it is no where else the road to honours. The love of glory, of esteem, and importance is therefore properly nothing more than a disguised love of power. Glory is said to be the mistress of almost all great men: they pursue her through all dangers to obtain her they brave the labours of war, the fatigue of study, and the resentment of a thousand rivals (13). That is, in countries where glory gives power; where it is nothing more than an empty title, where merit has no real importance, the citizen, indifferent about public fame, will make few efforts to obtain it. Why is glory It raises armies in a nation's aid; But bribes a senate, and the land's betray'd. POPE. regarded |