for him as a man. He came into the world greatly
favoured both by nature and fortune, blest with a noble
birth, heir to a large estate, endowed with a strong
constitution, and, as I have heard, a beautiful figure,
high spirits, a good memory and a lively apprehension,
which was cultivated by a learned education: all
these glorious advantages being left to the direction
of a judgment stifled by unbounded vanity, he dishonoured
his birth, lost his estate, ruined his reputation,
and destroyed his health, by a wild pursuit of eminence
even in vice and trifles.
“I am far from making misfortune a matter of
reproach. I know there are accidental occurences
not to be foreseen or avoided by human prudence, by
which a character may be injured, wealth dissipated,
or a constitution impaired: but I think I may
reasonably despise the understanding of one who conducts
himself in such a manner as naturally produces such
lamentable consequences, and continues in the same
destructive paths to the end of a long life, ostentatiously
boasting of morals and philosophy in print, and with
equal ostentation bragging of the scenes of low debauchery
in public conversation, though deplorably weak both
in mind and body, and his virtue and his vigour in
a state of non-existence. His confederacy with
Swift and Pope puts me in mind of that of Bessus and
his sword-men, in the King and no King,[18]
who endeavour to support themselves by giving certificates
of each other’s merit. Pope has triumphantly
declared that they may do and say whatever silly things
they please, they will still be the greatest geniuses
nature ever exhibited. I am delighted with the
comparison given of their benevolence, which is indeed
most aptly figured by a circle in the water, which
widens till it comes to nothing at all; but I am provoked
at Lord B.’s misrepresentation of my favourite
Atticus, who seems to have been the only Roman that,
from good sense, had a true notion of the times in
which he lived, in which the republic was inevitably
perishing, and the two factions, who pretended to
support it, equally endeavouring to gratify their
ambition in its ruin. A wise man, in that case,
would certainly declare for neither, and try to save
himself and family from the general wreck, which could
not be done but by a superiority of understanding
acknowledged on both sides. I see no glory in
losing life or fortune by being the dupe of either,
and very much applaud that conduct which could preserve
an universal esteem amidst the fury of opposite parties.
We are obliged to act vigorously, where action can
do any good; but in a storm, when it is impossible
to work with success, the best hands and ablest pilots
may laudably gain the shore if they can. Atticus
could be a friend to men without engaging in their
passions, disapprove their maxims without awaking their
resentment, and be satisfied with his own virtue without
seeking popular fame: he had the reward of his
wisdom in his tranquillity, and will ever stand among
the few examples of true philosophy, either ancient
or modern....
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