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Article ESSAY ON PRUDENCE. ← Page 5 of 5
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Essay On Prudence.
continual need of the assistance of others , it is of great importance ii have a due share of their esteem ; for their benevolence and good offices will be regulated by the opinion they have of our merit . It is our duty , because it is really incumbent upon us to contribute , to the improvement of our neighbours , by a conduct capable of inspiring them with a relish of the practice of virtue . It is notthereforesufficient to have virtue concealed in our hearts ;
, , We must render it visible : it ought to spread so luminous a colour round all our actions , as may prevent misconstructions , and set bur intention in the fairest light . The way to love our fellow-creatures , is to wish them all the good which we judge conducive to their happiness , and to procure it for themif in our power . As nothing is more conducive to
happi-, ness-than virtue , the first and most important duty of society is to display it in its full lustre to those who surround us , in order to make them fall in love with it . Now , example is the most proper means to produce this effect , and frequently it is the only one in our power . Every man cannot compose books , preach sermons , or make laws ; for every man has not the necessary talents , leisure , or authority :
besides , these are only lifeless pictures , which seldom touch the heart * , and exhibit only imperfect and mutilated representations of virtue . The pen , and even the tongue itself , like the pencil , paint only the surface of objects , and of this surface they represent no more than can be perceived at one view , and in one attitude ; but they cannot animate the figure . -
Example is a living picture , which paints virtue in action , and communicates the impression that'moves it to the heart of every spectator . Now every one is capable of giving an example of virtue ; since nothing more is requisite than to act the part of an honest
man . Let us admire the divine wisdom , which , of all the means capable of contributing to purity of morals , has invested all men with that which is known to produce the most certain effect . Some , indeed , contribute more than others ; but every one is capable of contributing in a degree . There is a radiancy in all the stars ; but they have not all orbits pf
equal extent . The same it is with respect to examples of virtue ^ Each , in the circle he occupies , illuminates and vivifies whatever approaches him ; but a virtuous prince sheds his salutary influence to a much greater distance than a private citizen who lives in a state of obscurity . Not that a virtuous man , seated on a throne , is of himself a more luminous . star than a private personbut his raj-s are beamed
, from a more elevated station . Cicero has left us a general and practical rule of prudence , which is so brief , yet so comprehensive , that we shall endeavour to fix its impression on the memories of our readers * by concluding this essay with it His meaning is , " That we should never undertake any thingfor which we cannot readily assign a good reason , if it should be demanded of us , " . J . Si
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Essay On Prudence.
continual need of the assistance of others , it is of great importance ii have a due share of their esteem ; for their benevolence and good offices will be regulated by the opinion they have of our merit . It is our duty , because it is really incumbent upon us to contribute , to the improvement of our neighbours , by a conduct capable of inspiring them with a relish of the practice of virtue . It is notthereforesufficient to have virtue concealed in our hearts ;
, , We must render it visible : it ought to spread so luminous a colour round all our actions , as may prevent misconstructions , and set bur intention in the fairest light . The way to love our fellow-creatures , is to wish them all the good which we judge conducive to their happiness , and to procure it for themif in our power . As nothing is more conducive to
happi-, ness-than virtue , the first and most important duty of society is to display it in its full lustre to those who surround us , in order to make them fall in love with it . Now , example is the most proper means to produce this effect , and frequently it is the only one in our power . Every man cannot compose books , preach sermons , or make laws ; for every man has not the necessary talents , leisure , or authority :
besides , these are only lifeless pictures , which seldom touch the heart * , and exhibit only imperfect and mutilated representations of virtue . The pen , and even the tongue itself , like the pencil , paint only the surface of objects , and of this surface they represent no more than can be perceived at one view , and in one attitude ; but they cannot animate the figure . -
Example is a living picture , which paints virtue in action , and communicates the impression that'moves it to the heart of every spectator . Now every one is capable of giving an example of virtue ; since nothing more is requisite than to act the part of an honest
man . Let us admire the divine wisdom , which , of all the means capable of contributing to purity of morals , has invested all men with that which is known to produce the most certain effect . Some , indeed , contribute more than others ; but every one is capable of contributing in a degree . There is a radiancy in all the stars ; but they have not all orbits pf
equal extent . The same it is with respect to examples of virtue ^ Each , in the circle he occupies , illuminates and vivifies whatever approaches him ; but a virtuous prince sheds his salutary influence to a much greater distance than a private citizen who lives in a state of obscurity . Not that a virtuous man , seated on a throne , is of himself a more luminous . star than a private personbut his raj-s are beamed
, from a more elevated station . Cicero has left us a general and practical rule of prudence , which is so brief , yet so comprehensive , that we shall endeavour to fix its impression on the memories of our readers * by concluding this essay with it His meaning is , " That we should never undertake any thingfor which we cannot readily assign a good reason , if it should be demanded of us , " . J . Si