VIRTUE
VIRTUE is a subject which deserves your and every man’s
attention. It consists in doing good and in speaking truth: the effects of it,
therefore, are advantageous to all mankind, and to one’s self in particular.
Virtue makes us pity and relieve the misfortunes of mankind; it makes us
promote justice and good order in society; and, in general, contributes to
whatever tends to the real good of mankind. To ourselves it gives an inward
comfort and satisfaction, which nothing else can do, and which nothing else can
rob us of. All other advantages depend upon others, as much as upon ourselves.
Riches, power, and greatness, may be taken away from us by the violence and
injustice of others, or by inevitable accidents; but virtue depends only upon
ourselves, and nobody can take it away from us. Sickness may deprive us of all
the pleasures of the body; but it cannot deprive us of virtue, not of the
satisfaction which we feel from it. A virtuous man, under all the misfortunes
of life, still finds an inward comfort and satisfaction, which makes him
happier than any wicked man can be with all the other advantages of life. If a
man has acquired great power and riches by falsehood, injustice, and
oppression, he cannot enjoy them; because his conscience will torment him, and
constantly reproach him with the means by which he got them. The stings of his
conscience will not even let him sleep quietly; but he will dream of his
crimes; and in the daytime, when alone, and when he has time to think, he will
be uneasy and melancholy. He is afraid of every thing; for as he knows mankind
must hate him, he has reason to think they will hurt him if they can. Whereas,
if a virtuous man be ever so poor and unfortunate in the world, still his
virtue is its own reward, and will comfort him under all afflictions. The quiet
and satisfaction of his conscience make him cheerful by day and sleep sound at
night: he can be alone with pleasure, and is not afraid of his own thoughts.
Virtue forces her way, and shines through the obscurity of a retired life; and,
sooner or later, it always is rewarded.
To conclude: Lord Shaftesbury says, that
he would be virtuous for his own sake, though nobody were to know it; as he
would be clean for his own sake, though nobody were to see him.
No comments:
Post a Comment