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Article ON THE TITLE OF ESQUIRE. ← Page 4 of 5 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On The Title Of Esquire.
great defect in the understanding . It is , indeed , a species of childishness ; for we observe that children are remarkably fond of " playing at lords , dukes , generals , and judges ; " mimicking the consequence which they conceive to be attached to such elevated ranks . To a man fond of the title of Esquire , I would perhaps address self in terms like these : " You have been dubbed Esquireby
my , " persons who have not the power to confer the title upon you . " Here is one who wrote you down Esquire , because you appeared " well-drest ; your title , therefore , consists in externals , and the " taylor is your fountain of honour ; there is another man who ad" dresses you Esquire on the cover of his letter , and he wants to * ' borrow money of you ; your best method will be to address him
" Esquire , and refuse the request ; for a title , which confers no " merit , is dearly bought by a dividend of sixpence iu the pound . " But perhaps you may say , if a man addresses me as Esquire , I " cannot do less than return the compliment ; common politeness " requires it . Very true ; and depend upon it , he expects it ; for " he knows that common politeness will have weig ht with you ,
" though common sense has none with him . But if you are your" self fond of this title , let me mention a circumstance which ought , " in some measure , to lessen its charms . All titles are estimable " in proportion to their superiority , as all metals are valuable in " proportion to tkeir scarcity . Now , as the title of Esquire is at " present bestowed upon five hundred times more persons than it
" was thirty years ago , and is becoming every day more common , " you may perceive that a time is approaching when it will be " universal , and an equality of Esquireship will prevail . You will " then be on a level with the mass of mankind , and your out-door " clerk will be as good a squire as yourself . The title then will " lose its value , and be as common and contemptible as Mister is " now in the eyes of you Esquires . This considerationsince it is
, " an appeal to vanity , which is the parent of promiscuous esquires , " ought to be well attended to ; for what resource will then be left " to you ? I cannot suppose that you will become self-created " Knights , or Baronets ; for the law will not allow you , unless you " can set up the plea insanity oridiotism ; but let me tell you , in " the mean timethat by being pleased with the title of Esquire ¦
•, , " which does not belong to you , you share very much in the tem" per and disposition of that self-created Knight Sir Jeffrey Duu" stan , " To all this the reply ' may be , that a merchant , banker , or gentleman , who is commonly styled Esquire , might be offended if any person of my way of thinking were to degrade him to plain Mister .
And this , iir all probability , would be the case with many ; for where a certain reverence is generally paid to a man , to withhold it marks a difference of opinion that may easily be construed into contempt or disrespect . Where there is danger that this may be ths case , it may be prudent to abide by general custom , though it is S s
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On The Title Of Esquire.
great defect in the understanding . It is , indeed , a species of childishness ; for we observe that children are remarkably fond of " playing at lords , dukes , generals , and judges ; " mimicking the consequence which they conceive to be attached to such elevated ranks . To a man fond of the title of Esquire , I would perhaps address self in terms like these : " You have been dubbed Esquireby
my , " persons who have not the power to confer the title upon you . " Here is one who wrote you down Esquire , because you appeared " well-drest ; your title , therefore , consists in externals , and the " taylor is your fountain of honour ; there is another man who ad" dresses you Esquire on the cover of his letter , and he wants to * ' borrow money of you ; your best method will be to address him
" Esquire , and refuse the request ; for a title , which confers no " merit , is dearly bought by a dividend of sixpence iu the pound . " But perhaps you may say , if a man addresses me as Esquire , I " cannot do less than return the compliment ; common politeness " requires it . Very true ; and depend upon it , he expects it ; for " he knows that common politeness will have weig ht with you ,
" though common sense has none with him . But if you are your" self fond of this title , let me mention a circumstance which ought , " in some measure , to lessen its charms . All titles are estimable " in proportion to their superiority , as all metals are valuable in " proportion to tkeir scarcity . Now , as the title of Esquire is at " present bestowed upon five hundred times more persons than it
" was thirty years ago , and is becoming every day more common , " you may perceive that a time is approaching when it will be " universal , and an equality of Esquireship will prevail . You will " then be on a level with the mass of mankind , and your out-door " clerk will be as good a squire as yourself . The title then will " lose its value , and be as common and contemptible as Mister is " now in the eyes of you Esquires . This considerationsince it is
, " an appeal to vanity , which is the parent of promiscuous esquires , " ought to be well attended to ; for what resource will then be left " to you ? I cannot suppose that you will become self-created " Knights , or Baronets ; for the law will not allow you , unless you " can set up the plea insanity oridiotism ; but let me tell you , in " the mean timethat by being pleased with the title of Esquire ¦
•, , " which does not belong to you , you share very much in the tem" per and disposition of that self-created Knight Sir Jeffrey Duu" stan , " To all this the reply ' may be , that a merchant , banker , or gentleman , who is commonly styled Esquire , might be offended if any person of my way of thinking were to degrade him to plain Mister .
And this , iir all probability , would be the case with many ; for where a certain reverence is generally paid to a man , to withhold it marks a difference of opinion that may easily be construed into contempt or disrespect . Where there is danger that this may be ths case , it may be prudent to abide by general custom , though it is S s