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can be gained by the uniting together of titled persons simply on account of their titles, even though every one of them so associating had all the titles that were ever heard of in the world. The nothingness of titles is thus farther apparent. Were we to try ten intelligent young persons, we might as well endeavour to get them to solve the most difficult mathematical problem, as to comprehend the difference between the titles,-marquis, baron, earl, viscount, and duke. One nonentity cannot possibly differ from another. That therefore which has no value, whether taken separately or in the aggregate, or at any time, or in any place; and which truly exists no where but in the disordered imagination of oppressors, can never be desired by the wise and good.

81. All those things which have reference to the mind of man, if there is any quality really valuable in the nature of them, it is immutable, and of equal worth in all places, in all times, and through all eternity. Or if its value ever ceases, men had it in order that they may attain something still more precious. And it is beneficial not only to the possessor, but to those with whom he is connected. Thus the divine virtue of love is of equal value every where, both in time and eternity. And not only to its possessor, but all that come within its happy influence. Again, faith which, when lost in fruition, will be no longer valuable, is here of the greatest importance to our well-being; as without the full assurance of the wisdom, power, and goodness of the Deity, we cannot believe that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. And this faith, though not apparently of immediate benefit to others, is so; because we cannot truly possess it, without its influencing our practice, so as to become ready to do to every one all the good in our power.

82. With regard to those things which are eagerly desired by mankind, such as wealth, talent, personal beauty, strength, courage, &c.,-men can acquire wealth in all lawful ways, as well without those nonentities, called titles, as with them: as to the other things, no one imagines titles can be of the slightest degree availing; neither can they be in any great emergency, nor under any calamity, as of fire, shipwreck, bodily illness, a mind diseased, &c.; neither are titles of any avail to enable a man to perform any of the ordinary or extraordinary duties of life. They will not make him a better painter, lawyer, physician, or general; nor render him more capable of filling the legislative or executive offices of whatever degree. Thus of two men, one would not make a better legislator, nor the other a more efficient parish beadle, though either was called a duke. Our Lord has told us, that the really happy-that is, those who love their fellows and the Divine Being as they ought; are, the poor in spirit,-they that mourn,-the meek,-they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, the merciful,-the pure

in heart, the peace-makers. It can hardly be imagined that titles of honour will in the least degree avail us, in our endeavours to attain any of the divine qualities.

83. Suppose a man certainly knew that his life was to terminate in a month. Can any one imagine, if he could be assured that all mankind, whenever they spoke of him, would affix to his name the following,-The most noble baron, viscount, earl, and duke of any place,-it would not appear to be as much folly to him, as to be called "Jack the giant-killer?" But could it be pointed out to him, how he could better love God and his fellow-creatures, an hour before his death; he would, if a wise man, exert all his remaining strength to practise it, because it is intrinsically and durably valuable. At the day of judgment, it will not be of the smallest conceivable benefit to a man, that all who knew him on earth were in the habit of calling him a duke. The only inquisition that will then be entered into with any man, will be, as to the degree in which he has loved God and his fellow-creatures. Consequently, as every thought, word, and deed, throughout a man's life, has reference to that day; it is clear, that what would be folly to a man who had but a month to live, will be valueless at the day of judgment; it must be, therefore, equally valueless at every period of his life.

84. It has been attempted to evince that the true philosophy of life consists in all educing nothing but the highest degree of good to each other. It has also been intimated, that in all nations and ages, the general conduct of men, whenever they have had opportunities, has been, and now is, to aggrandize themselves at the expense of their neighbours; in other words, to patronize the system of sacrificing the many to the few, that they might, or may, be one of the latter. The great object of titles and their concomitants is to uphold this wretched system. In those countries, therefore, where they are tolerated, they are eagerly sought after. In nations where the most absurd and wicked of them are discountenanced, such as are allowed are objects of ambition. One curious characteristic of the Viennese, says a contemporary writer, is a most inordinate and silly love of high-sounding [titles, and forms of address; which, being conceived to give dignity and consequence to the person who assumes them, are therefore most scrupulously exacted. A clerk in a public office, perhaps on a salary of forty pounds a year, must not be styled a simple clerk, but an "Imperial and Royal Clerk," in such and such an "Imperial and Royal Office." The Baron Riesbeck, who travelled through Germany in the assumed character of a Frenchman, notices this practice when recounting the difficulties which he experienced, before he could provide himself with a suitable habitation. He says, "the first room I saw was up four pair of stairs; the looks

of it did not displease me; but as soon as I heard that the owner was a Gnädige Herr (Gracious Sir), I said in French to my lacquais,-Away, I will have nothing to do with a Gnädige Herr who has half of his hired habitation to underlet." The Baron did not succeed in his search, until he had had a plentiful choice of titled landlords, among whom, one bore the designation of-your Honour,-and another was styled an Excellence, or rather a Magnificence.- (Saturday Magazine, No. 112.) The reader will not have forgotten that these Magnificences, Honours, and Gracious Sirs, with all the rest of their countrymen, are a set of wretched slaves. (vi. 151.) The utmost extent, says Mr. W. R. Wilson, of the wish and vanity of the Sicilians, is to be placed in such circumstances as will enable them to keep a carriage, when it is ostentatiously displayed along the Via Toledo, especially at a particular hour. Even princes are found contented to live in a state of obscurity in the upper part of a house, and to limit their bill of fare to maccaroni, in order to save what they can to attain this distinction. (Travels in the Holy Land, &c.) "There is," says an American writer, "perhaps no nation so fond of titles as our own. Every man in office, or who has been in office, is addressed by the appellation of it ;-Mr. President, Mr. Constable, Colonel such-a-one, and Judge such-aone;-though the colonel, out of commission, is working at his bench; and the country judge, out of court, is serving his customers in a tavern. This is universal, and we feel neglected if our title be forgotten. Yet we smile contemptuously at the weakness of nations by which titles are acknowledged."

85. When we remember that the most powerful men in various nations of the world, adopt the miserable inventions we have been considering, we are at a loss at which most to be astonished, those who adopt such inventions, or those who countenance the adoption! If we suppose the former alone sensible of their absurdity, how great must be the sum of their iniquity,-how amazing their assurance, so to delude their brethren out of their unquestionable rights! If, again, we suppose both the actors and spectators in the political drama, to have laboured under equal ignorance, what a melancholy view have we of mankind; how profound, how universal the darkness, under which so many nations, for so many ages, have laboured, and still labour! A few almost every where imposing on the many, the former employing, as one of the means of enabling them to do so, that which can, by no possibility, be of the least benefit to either; but, when rightly considered, can only excite astonishment, that the few should attempt such means, and the many allow them to succeed. The appropriators of high-sounding titles, mummeries, &c., well know that outward appearance makes the greatest impression on the unthinking.

Ornaments, says Buffon, are intended to excite the attention of spectators, to give them an idea of splendour and wealth, and to dazzle their fancies: how few have the capacity of distinguishing the person from the dress, or of estimating the man in any other manner! Every thing that is rare and brilliant, will, therefore, always be fashionable, while men derive more eminence from riches than virtue; and while the means of acquiring respect differs so widely from real merit.-(Of Manhood.) The generality of titled persons, conscious of not possessing superiority of any kind over those by whom they are surrounded, feel the necessity of investing themselves with some external mark of distinction, or assuming a title, or both; for if something of this kind is not had recourse to, the many could scarcely help perceiving there was no difference between themselves and the few that contrive to enslave them!

86. It has been elsewhere remarked, that there is no neutral ground in morality. Every man that comes into the world, must either be labouring with God in advancing all the best interests of humanity, or fighting against God in retarding them. (vi. 191.) Titles of honour, and all their concomitants, are things which fight against God! Their names of themselves indicate that the system they assist to uphold is founded in robbery and murder, and maintained throughout by unrighteousness! But for an unhallowed purpose, it cannot be imagined that even a small number of persons in one age, much less many in successive ages; would become parties to any folly so excessive, as to be in any manner connected with them. The end that is unrighteous, cannot however be attained, by means that are wise and good. The east is not farther from the west, than these distinctions are from every thing that really tends to benefit mankind; from all that truly ennobles human nature. The temporal and eternal happiness of mankind can only be educed in the way the wisdom and goodness of Heaven has appointed.

87. So far, therefore, from these distinctions being any ground for gratulation, let it never be forgotten, that they are only some of the signs of our wretched apostacy from our Great Creator, who to all the children of men thus saith,'Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom; neither let the mighty man glory in his might; let not the rich man glory in his riches. But let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.' Let men, then, not forget, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep. The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let' them, 'therefore, cast off the works of darkness,' and put on the armour of light. Let us trust that they will consign to ever

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lasting repose, institutions which are sad reflections on human nature. May the day not be far distant, when men shall speak of them as the miserable absurdities of those times of darkness, from which they will then be happily emancipated; and that such absurdities will be held forth to the rising generations of future ages, as evils which experience has taught men religiously to guard against. Thus, the folly and wickedness of past and present generations, may be beneficial in the only way it can,-namely, to serve as a beacon to all succeeding ages. And were it practicable, it would convey no unimportant lesson to them, to build a temple and deposit therein an account of the various ranks and orders which have been invented by mankind, their styles, titles, &c.; also a collection of the insignia and other things, by which they have been distinguished; over the entrance of which temple the following inscription might be placed,-THINGS HIGHLY ESTEEMED AMONG MEN, BUT ABOMINATIONS IN THE SIGHT OF GOD.

CHAP. XIII.

INTERNATIONAL LAW.

1. INTERNATIONAL law, in common with all other, is entirely deducible from the divine law; the whole of the great family of mankind being brethren in the sight of the Most High(vi. 36.)

2. Nations who may hereafter have constitutions and codes in accordance with this holy law, in whatever part of the world they may be situated, should enter into a general alliance If a nation, having a righteously constituted government and laws, and its people obeying those laws, was attacked by another nation, it is the duty of all other nations (even if they have not righteous constitutions and codes) to aid as far as possible in repelling the attack. It is evidently the divine will, that either righteous individuals or nations should afford one another all possible support: but if either a nation or an individual chooses to be unrighteous in some respects, this affords no exemption to such individual or nation, from assisting a righteous individual or nation in any thing lawful. The unrighteousness of men as to some things, is assuredly no warrant for their being so in others. It is also the duty of righteous nations to afford assistance to those who have unlawful constitutions and codes,

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