ennoble
their lives, and make their virtue venerable to futurity; how can they,
without tears, reflect on the universal degeneracy from that public
spirit, which ought to be the first and principal motive of all their
actions? In the Grecian and Roman nations, they were wise enough to keep
up this great incentive, and it was impossible to be in the fashion
without being a patriot. All gallantry had its first source from hence;
and to want a warmth for the public welfare was a defect so scandalous,
that he who was guilty of it had no pretence to honour or manhood. What
makes the depravity among us in this behalf the more vexatious and
irksome to reflect upon, is, that the contempt of life is carried as far
amongst us as it could be in those memorable people; and we want only a
proper application of the qualities which are frequent among us to be as
worthy as they. There is hardly a man to be found who will not fight
upon any occasion which he thinks may taint his own honour. Were this
motive as strong in everything that regards the public, as it is in this
our private case, no man would pass his life away without having
distinguished himself by some gallant instance of his zeal towards it in
the respective incidents of his life and profession. But it is so far
otherwise, that there cannot at present be a more ridiculous animal than
one who seems to regard the good of others. He in civil life whose
thoughts turn upon schemes which may be of general benefit, without
further reflection, is called a "projector"; and the man whose mind
seems intent upon glorious achievements, a "knight-errant." The ridicule
among us runs strong against laudable actions. Nay, in the ordinary
course of things, and the common regards of life, negligence of the
public is an epidemic vice. The brewer in his excise, the merchant in
his customs, and for aught we know the soldier in his muster-rolls,
think never the worse of themselves for being guilty of their respective
frauds towards the public. This evil is come to such a fantastical
height, that he is a man of a public spirit, and heroically affected to
his country, who can go so far as even to turn usurer with all he has in
her funds. There is not a citizen in whose imagination such a one does
not appear in the same light of glory as Codrus, Scaevola, or any other
great name in old Rome. Were it not for the heroes of so much per cent.
as have regard enough for themselves and their nation to trade