Owen Feltham says: "I never yet found pride in a noble nature, nor
humility in an unworthy mind. It may seem strange to an inconsiderate
eye, that such a poor violet virtue should ever dwell with honour; and
that such an aspiring fume as pride is, should ever sojourn with a
constant baseness. It is sure, we seldom find it, but in such as being
conscious of their own deficiency, think there is no way to get honour
but by a bold assuming it. If you search for high and strained
carriages, you shall for the most part meet with them in low men.
Arrogance is a weed that ever grows in a dunghill. It is from the
rankness of that soil that she hath her height and spreadings. Witness
clowns, fools, and fellows that from nothing are lifted some few steps
upon fortune's ladder; where, seeing the glorious representment of
honour above, they are so greedy of embracing, that they strive to
leap thither at once: so by overreaching themselves in the way, they
fail of the end, and fall. And all this happiness, either for want of
education, which should season their minds with the generous precepts
of morality; or, which is more powerful, example; or else for lack of
a discerning judgment, which will tell them that the best way thither,
is to go about by humility and desert. Otherwise the river of contempt
runs betwixt them and it: and if they go not by these passages, they
must of necessity either turn back with shame, or suffer in the
desperate venture. Of trees, I observe, God hath chosen the vine, a
low plant that creeps upon the helpful wall. Of all beasts, the soft
and patient lamb. Of all fowls, the mild and gall-less dove. Christ is
the rose of the field, and the lily of the valley. When God appeared
to Moses, it was not in the lofty cedar, nor the sturdy oak, nor the
spreading plane; but in a bush, an humble, slender, abject shrub: as
if he would, by these elections, check the conceited arrogance of man.
Nothing procureth love like humility; nothing hate, like pride. The
proud man walks among daggers pointed against him; whereas the humble
and the affable, have the people for their guard in dangers. To be
humble to our superiors, is duty; to our equals, courtesy; to our
inferiors, nobleness: which for all her lowness, carries such a sway
that she may command their souls. But we must take heed, we express it
not in unworthy actions. For then leaving virtue, it falls into
disdained baseness, which is the undoubtable badge of one that will
betray society. So far as a man, both in words and deeds, may be free
from flattery and unmanly cowardice, he may be humble with
commendation; but surely no circumstance can make the expression of
pride laudable. If ever it be, it is when it meets with audacious
pride, and conquers. Of this good it may then be author, that the
affronting man, by his own folly, may learn the way to his duty and
wit. Yet this I cannot so well call pride, as an emulation of the
divine justice; which will always vindicate itself upon presumptuous
ones, and is indeed said to fight against no sin but pride."