Heevenlooksforwardwithsatisfactiontotheprospectofforeignwar，orcivildissension；and，withsecrettransportanddelight，seesthroughalltheconfusionandbloodshedwhichattendthem，theprobabilityofthosewished-foroccasionspresentingthemselves，inwhichhemaydrawuponhimselftheattentionandadmirationofmankind。Themanofrankanddistinction，onthecontrary，whosewholegloryconsistsintheproprietyofhisordinarybehaviour，whoiscontentedwiththehumblerenownwhichthiscanaffordhim，andhasnotalentstoacquireanyother，isunwillingtoembarrasshimselfwithwhatcanbeattendedeitherwithdifficultyordistress。Tofigureataballishisgreattriumph，andtosucceedinanintrigueofgallantry，hishighestexploit。Hehasanaversiontoallpublicconfusions，notfromtheloveofmankind，forthegreatneverlookupontheirinferiorsastheirfellow-creatures；noryetfromwantofcourage，forinthatheisseldomdefective；butfromaconsciousnessthathepossessesnoneofthevirtueswhicharerequiredinsuchsituations，andthatthepublicattentionwillcertainlybedrawnawayfromhimbyothers。Hemaybewillingtoexposehimselftosomelittledanger，andtomakeacampaignwhenithappenstobethefashion。Butheshudderswithhorroratthethoughtofanysituationwhichdemandsthecontinualandlongexertionofpatience，industry，fortitude，andapplicationofthought。Thesevirtuesarehardlyevertobemetwithinmenwhoareborntothosehighstations。Inallgovernmentsaccordingly，eveninmonarchies，thehighestofficesaregenerallypossessed，andthewholedetailoftheadministrationconducted，bymenwhowereeducatedinthemiddleandinferiorranksoflife，whohavebeencarriedforwardbytheirownindustryandabilities，thoughloadedwiththejealousy，andopposedbytheresentment，ofallthosewhowereborntheirsuperiors，andtowhomthegreat，afterhavingregardedthemfirstwithcontempt，andafterwardswithenvy，areatlastcontentedtotrucklewiththesameabjectmeannesswithwhichtheydesirethattherestofmankindshouldbehavetothemselves。
　　Itisthelossofthiseasyempireovertheaffectionsofmankindwhichrendersthefallfromgreatnesssoinsupportable。
　　WhenthefamilyofthekingofMacedonwasledintriumphbyPaulusAemilius，theirmisfortunes，itissaid，madethemdividewiththeirconquerortheattentionoftheRomanpeople。Thesightoftheroyalchildren，whosetenderagerenderedtheminsensibleoftheirsituation，struckthespectators，amidstthepublicrejoicingsandprosperity，withthetenderestsorrowandcompassion。Thekingappearednextintheprocession；andseemedlikeoneconfoundedandastonished，andbereftofallsentiment，bythegreatnessofhiscalamities。Hisfriendsandministersfollowedafterhim。Astheymovedalong，theyoftencasttheireyesupontheirfallensovereign，andalwaysburstintotearsatthesight；theirwholebehaviourdemonstratingthattheythoughtnotoftheirownmisfortunes，butwereoccupiedentirelybythesuperiorgreatnessofhis。ThegenerousRomans，onthecontrary，beheldhimwithdisdainandindignation，andregardedasunworthyofallcompassionthemanwhocouldbesomean-spiritedastobeartoliveundersuchcalamities。Yetwhatdidthosecalamitiesamountto？Accordingtothegreaterpartofhistorians，hewastospendtheremainderofhisdays，undertheprotectionofapowerfulandhumanepeople，inastatewhichinitselfshouldseemworthyofenvy，astateofplenty，ease，leisure，andsecurity，fromwhichitwasimpossibleforhimevenbyhisownfollytofall。Buthewasnolongertobesurroundedbythatadmiringmoboffools，flatterers，anddependants，whohadformerlybeenaccustomedtoattenduponallhismotions。Hewasnolongertobegazeduponbymultitudes，nortohaveitinhispowertorenderhimselftheobjectoftheirrespect，theirgratitude，theirlove，theiradmiration。Thepassionsofnationswerenolongertomouldthemselvesuponhisinclinations。Thiswasthatinsupportablecalamitywhichbereavedthekingofallsentiment；whichmadehisfriendsforgettheirownmisfortunes；
　　andwhichtheRomanmagnanimitycouldscarceconceivehowanymancouldbesomean-spiritedastobeartosurvive。
　　’Love，’saysmyLordRochfaucault，’iscommonlysucceededbyambition；butambitionishardlyeversucceededbylove。’Thatpassion，whenonceithasgotentirepossessionofthebreast，willadmitneitherarivalnorasuccessor。Tothosewhohavebeenaccustomedtothepossession，oreventothehopeofpublicadmiration，allotherpleasuressickenanddecay。Ofallthediscardedstatesmenwhofortheirowneasehavestudiedtogetthebetterofambition，andtodespisethosehonourswhichtheycouldnolongerarriveat，howfewhavebeenabletosucceed？Thegreaterparthavespenttheirtimeinthemostlistlessandinsipidindolence，chagrinedatthethoughtsoftheirowninsignificancy，incapableofbeinginterestedintheoccupationsofprivatelife，withoutenjoyment，exceptwhentheytalkedoftheirformergreatness，andwithoutsatisfaction，exceptwhentheywereemployedinsomevainprojecttorecoverit。Areyouinearnestresolvednevertobarteryourlibertyforthelordlyservitudeofacourt，buttolivefree，fearless，andindependent？Thereseemstobeonewaytocontinueinthatvirtuousresolution；andperhapsbutone。Neverentertheplacefromwhencesofewhavebeenabletoreturn；nevercomewithinthecircleofambition；noreverbringyourselfintocomparisonwiththosemastersoftheearthwhohavealreadyengrossedtheattentionofhalfmankindbeforeyou。
　　Ofsuchmightyimportancedoesitappeartobe，intheimaginationsofmen，tostandinthatsituationwhichsetsthemmostintheviewofgeneralsympathyandattention。Andthus，place，thatgreatobjectwhichdividesthewivesofaldermen，istheendofhalfthelaboursofhumanlife；andisthecauseofallthetumultandbustle，alltherapineandinjustice，whichavariceandambitionhaveintroducedintothisworld。Peopleofsense，itissaid，indeeddespiseplace；thatis，theydespisesittingattheheadofthetable，andareindifferentwhoitisthatispointedouttothecompanybythatfrivolouscircumstance，whichthesmallestadvantageiscapableofoverbalancing。Butrank，distinctionpre-eminence，nomandespises，unlessheiseitherraisedverymuchabove，orsunkverymuchbelow，theordinarystandardofhumannature；unlessheiseithersoconfirmedinwisdomandrealphilosophy，astobesatisfiedthat，whiletheproprietyofhisconductrendershimthejustobjectofapprobation，itisoflittleconsequencethoughhebeneitherattendedto，norapprovedof；orsohabituatedtotheideaofhisownmeanness，sosunkinslothfulandsottishindifference，asentirelytohaveforgotthedesire，andalmosttheverywish，forsuperiority。
　　Astobecomethenaturalobjectofthejoyouscongratulationsandsympatheticattentionsofmankindis，inthismanner，thecircumstancewhichgivestoprosperityallitsdazzlingsplendour；sonothingdarkenssomuchthegloomofadversityastofeelthatourmisfortunesaretheobjects，notofthefellow-feeling，butofthecontemptandaversionofourbrethren。
　　Itisuponthisaccountthatthemostdreadfulcalamitiesarenotalwaysthosewhichitismostdifficulttosupport。Itisoftenmoremortifyingtoappearinpublicundersmalldisasters，thanundergreatmisfortunes。Thefirstexcitenosympathy；butthesecond，thoughtheymayexcitenonethatapproachestotheanguishofthesufferer，callforth，however，averylivelycompassion。Thesentimentsofthespectatorsare，inthislastcase，lesswideofthoseofthesufferer，andtheirimperfectfellow-feelinglendshimsomeassistanceinsupportinghismisery。Beforeagayassembly，agentlemanwouldbemoremortifiedtoappearcoveredwithfilthandragsthanwithbloodandwounds。Thislastsituationwouldinteresttheirpity；theotherwouldprovoketheirlaughter。Thejudgewhoordersacriminaltobesetinthepillory，dishonourshimmorethanifhehadcondemnedhimtothescaffold。Thegreatprince，who，someyearsago，canedageneralofficerattheheadofhisarmy，disgracedhimirrecoverably。Thepunishmentwouldhavebeenmuchlesshadheshothimthroughthebody。Bythelawsofhonour，tostrikewithacanedishonours，tostrikewithasworddoesnot，foranobviousreason。Thoseslighterpunishments，wheninflictedonagentleman，towhomdishonouristhegreatestofallevils，cometoberegardedamongahumaneandgenerouspeople，asthemostdreadfulofany。Withregardtopersonsofthatrank，therefore，theyareuniversallylaidaside，andthelaw，whileittakestheirlifeuponmanyoccasions，respectstheirhonouruponalmostall。Toscourgeapersonofquality，ortosethiminthepillory，uponaccountofanycrimewhatever，isabrutalityofwhichnoEuropeangovernment，exceptthatofRussia，iscapable。
　　Abravemanisnotrenderedcontemptiblebybeingbroughttothescaffold；heis，bybeingsetinthepillory。Hisbehaviourintheonesituationmaygainhimuniversalesteemandadmiration。Nobehaviourintheothercanrenderhimagreeable。
　　Thesympathyofthespectatorssupportshimintheonecase，andsaveshimfromthatshame，thatconsciousnessthathismiseryisfeltbyhimselfonly，whichisofallsentimentsthemostunsupportable。Thereisnosympathyintheother；or，ifthereisany，itisnotwithhispain，whichisatrifle，butwithhisconsciousnessofthewantofsympathywithwhichthispainisattended。Itiswithhisshame，notwithhissorrow。Thosewhopityhim，blushandhangdowntheirheadsforhim。Hedroopsinthesamemanner，andfeelshimselfirrecoverablydegradedbythepunishment，thoughnotbythecrime。Theman，onthecontrary，whodieswithresolution，asheisnaturallyregardedwiththeerectaspectofesteemandapprobation，sohewearshimselfthesameundauntedcountenance；and，ifthecrimedoesnotdeprivehimoftherespectofothers，thepunishmentneverwill。Hehasnosuspicionthathissituationistheobjectofcontemptorderisiontoanybody，andhecan，withpropriety，assumetheair，notonlyofperfectserenity，butoftriumphandexultation。
　　’Greatdangers，’saystheCardinaldeRetz，’havetheircharms，becausethereissomeglorytobegot，evenwhenwemiscarry。Butmoderatedangershavenothingbutwhatishorrible，becausethelossofreputationalwaysattendsthewantofsuccess。’Hismaximhasthesamefoundationwithwhatwehavebeenjustnowobservingwithregardtopunishments。
　　Humanvirtueissuperiortopain，topoverty，todanger，andtodeath；nordoesitevenrequireitsutmosteffortsdodespisethem。Buttohaveitsmiseryexposedtoinsultandderision，tobeledintriumph，tobesetupforthehandofscorntopointat，isasituationinwhichitsconstancyismuchmoreapttofail。Comparedwiththecontemptofmankind，allotherexternalevilsareeasilysupported。
　　Ofthecorruptionofourmoralsentiments，whichisoccasionedbythisdispositiontoadmiretherichandthegreat，andtodespiseorneglectpersonsofpoorandmeanconditionThisdispositiontoadmire，andalmosttoworship，therichandthepowerful，andtodespise，or，atleast，toneglectpersonsofpoorandmeancondition，thoughnecessarybothtoestablishandtomaintainthedistinctionofranksandtheorderofsociety，is，atthesametime，thegreatandmostuniversalcauseofthecorruptionofourmoralsentiments。Thatwealthandgreatnessareoftenregardedwiththerespectandadmirationwhicharedueonlytowisdomandvirtue；andthatthecontempt，ofwhichviceandfollyaretheonlyproperobjects，isoftenmostunjustlybestoweduponpovertyandweakness，hasbeenthecomplaintofmoralistsinallages。
　　Wedesirebothtoberespectableandtoberespected。Wedreadbothtobecontemptibleandtobecontemned。But，uponcomingintotheworld，wesoonfindthatwisdomandvirtuearebynomeansthesoleobjectsofrespect；norviceandfolly，ofcontempt。Wefrequentlyseetherespectfulattentionsoftheworldmorestronglydirectedtowardstherichandthegreat，thantowardsthewiseandthevirtuous。Weseefrequentlythevicesandfolliesofthepowerfulmuchlessdespisedthanthepovertyandweaknessoftheinnocent。Todeserve，toacquire，andtoenjoytherespectandadmirationofmankind，arethegreatobjectsofambitionandemulation。Twodifferentroadsarepresentedtous，equallyleadingtotheattainmentofthissomuchdesiredobject；theone，bythestudyofwisdomandthepracticeofvirtue；theother，bytheacquisitionofwealthandgreatness。Twodifferentcharactersarepresentedtoouremulation；theone，ofproudambitionandostentatiousavidity。
　　theother，ofhumblemodestyandequitablejustice。Twodifferentmodels，twodifferentpictures，areheldouttous，accordingtowhichwemayfashionourowncharacterandbehaviour；theonemoregaudyandglitteringinitscolouring；theothermorecorrectandmoreexquisitelybeautifulinitsoutline:theoneforcingitselfuponthenoticeofeverywanderingeye；theother，attractingtheattentionofscarceanybodybutthemoststudiousandcarefulobserver。Theyarethewiseandthevirtuouschiefly，aselect，though，Iamafraid，butasmallparty，whoaretherealandsteadyadmirersofwisdomandvirtue。Thegreatmobofmankindaretheadmirersandworshippers，and，whatmayseemmoreextraordinary，mostfrequentlythedisinterestedadmirersandworshippers，ofwealthandgreatness。