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Article ON THE TITLE OF ESQUIRE. ← Page 5 of 5 Article AN ORIENTAL FABLE. Page 1 of 3 →
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On The Title Of Esquire.
in-possible for an obscure individual to entertain a very great respect for a man who took it amiss that be did not confer a tnle which no man has a l right to confer , and who is so weak as to be jealous of an empty name . The purpose of this paper , however , is to awaken t . ie a ' -iention of Esquires to the insignificancy of the title ; as men of sen .-, e they cannot be ignorant of this ; but long custom may have reci nciled
them to it , as custom will to many absurdities ; and an honest man , the moment he finds himself possessed of that to which he has no rigir , will resign it contentedly . To he proud of v'hat does not of ri ght belong to us , is to acknowledge a principle of injustice , and of" all things that men are proud of , I kniiw not that 1 could have selected one so insignificant in itself
as that which has been the subject of this paper . It may , indeed , be remarked , that a fondness for cities , even where regularly conferred , is often the symptom of a departure from internal worth . Where the latier fhines in its fullest lustre , we seldom find a desire for external distinctions , nor can it derive the smallest aid from them . All titles will seem little in the eye of a philosopher , and nothing in that of a Christian . Where they exist without virtue and without talents , they render the wantof these the more
conspicuous , and the individual the- more contemptible . The record they hear to posterity is that of splendid infamy , and eminent insignificance . A virtuous , active , and useful life is beyond all title , and stands in need of none . And , if we consider how useless the most dignified rank k to confer happiness , still more meanly must we _ think of those who repine , because they are refused " a title whichin
, reality , confers no rank ; or , if it did , cannot belong to them . The calamities of human life respect no distinctions of rank ; and fallen grandeur is the mast deplorable spectacle of human misery . To be pleased with trifles is the province of childhood ; age and maturity ought to set at naught petty distinctions , that can imply no merit , and which being self-assumed , argue the veriest of all of
species vanity . The time is fast hastening , when the insignificance of such honours will make us ashamed that we ever coveted them , and when nothing will be found of real value but the reflections of a spotless mind , that has been laudabl y employed in exertionsof wisdom , and acts of goodness , to promote the welfare and happiness of mankind . SIMPLEX .
An Oriental Fable.
AN ORIENTAL FABLE .
TI M E , the devourer of all things , has premitted me to be the spectator of a long series of events . The colour of my locks is now changed to that of the swans , which sport in the gardens of the mi g hty king ? ofthe earth . Age and experience have taught me to believe , that the sovereign disposer of our destinies has given to
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On The Title Of Esquire.
in-possible for an obscure individual to entertain a very great respect for a man who took it amiss that be did not confer a tnle which no man has a l right to confer , and who is so weak as to be jealous of an empty name . The purpose of this paper , however , is to awaken t . ie a ' -iention of Esquires to the insignificancy of the title ; as men of sen .-, e they cannot be ignorant of this ; but long custom may have reci nciled
them to it , as custom will to many absurdities ; and an honest man , the moment he finds himself possessed of that to which he has no rigir , will resign it contentedly . To he proud of v'hat does not of ri ght belong to us , is to acknowledge a principle of injustice , and of" all things that men are proud of , I kniiw not that 1 could have selected one so insignificant in itself
as that which has been the subject of this paper . It may , indeed , be remarked , that a fondness for cities , even where regularly conferred , is often the symptom of a departure from internal worth . Where the latier fhines in its fullest lustre , we seldom find a desire for external distinctions , nor can it derive the smallest aid from them . All titles will seem little in the eye of a philosopher , and nothing in that of a Christian . Where they exist without virtue and without talents , they render the wantof these the more
conspicuous , and the individual the- more contemptible . The record they hear to posterity is that of splendid infamy , and eminent insignificance . A virtuous , active , and useful life is beyond all title , and stands in need of none . And , if we consider how useless the most dignified rank k to confer happiness , still more meanly must we _ think of those who repine , because they are refused " a title whichin
, reality , confers no rank ; or , if it did , cannot belong to them . The calamities of human life respect no distinctions of rank ; and fallen grandeur is the mast deplorable spectacle of human misery . To be pleased with trifles is the province of childhood ; age and maturity ought to set at naught petty distinctions , that can imply no merit , and which being self-assumed , argue the veriest of all of
species vanity . The time is fast hastening , when the insignificance of such honours will make us ashamed that we ever coveted them , and when nothing will be found of real value but the reflections of a spotless mind , that has been laudabl y employed in exertionsof wisdom , and acts of goodness , to promote the welfare and happiness of mankind . SIMPLEX .
An Oriental Fable.
AN ORIENTAL FABLE .
TI M E , the devourer of all things , has premitted me to be the spectator of a long series of events . The colour of my locks is now changed to that of the swans , which sport in the gardens of the mi g hty king ? ofthe earth . Age and experience have taught me to believe , that the sovereign disposer of our destinies has given to