XXIX. But here I find myself pressed with an objection, which is
pretended to be derived from common experience, to wit, that nothing
is seen in the world but perverse people exalted, and virtuous ones
cast down; that flattery and deceit ride triumphant; and that truth
and candour lie groaning and oppressed. I answer first, that all this
seems more like the voice of envy, than just observation founded on
experience. I confess, that you hear these complaints at every turn;
but who articulates them? not those who occupy places, for they
would hardly speak against themselves; neither do virtuous neglected
people utter them; for they are not apt to go about complaining,
and troubling the world with their disappointments, neither do they
snarl at, or envy the honours conferred on men in power, nor do they
compliment themselves with being the only people who possess any degree
of merit. Who are those then, that find themselves so neglected? none
but the bad and incapable; such who from want of ability, and by
their bad behaviour, have made themselves unworthy of all attention;
these are the men, who accuse Fortune of partiality; and the angry
and discontented people being very numerous, they make such a noise
with their complaints, that the cries vociferated from their vitiated
breasts, seem like the clamours of all the world. You may add to this,
that as no man who arrives at obtaining power, can serve every one he
sees in an inferior station, but only a few of them, all such then
as do not partake of his beneficence, think he has made an unjust
distribution of his favours; like the Cafres, they only worship God
when he sends them fair weather, and are very angry with him when
they have foul. The very people obliged, are apt to complain, because
the favours bestowed on them, fall short of what they expected, or
what they thought themselves entitled to. I can assert from my own
experience, that having had intercourse with some of those persons
who had been the artisans of their own fortune, I found them beyond
comparison better men, than common fame had represented them to be.
XXVIII. Secondly, even though it should appear true, that the fortunate
virtuous men are but few in number, I answer, nothing can be inferred
from thence to contradict what we have asserted. If those are few
who have made their fortunes by pursuing the paths of virtue, it is,
because few have attempted it in that way. How can many arrive at a
goal, which but few have set out on their rout to? It is certain, that
men of sanctity of manners, or those who are truly virtuous, are never
solicitous about ascending to high stations. They are like the stars,
none of which attempt rising to a sphere superior to that in which God
has placed them. Those who are not blessed with such solid virtue, but
are endowed with the talents we have mentioned before, are the men we
are about to treat of; and I say, that in all countries, such men are
but few in number, though I will venture to assure those few, if they
will apply themselves, that they will succeed and do their business.
Shew me a single man of distinguished natural parts, and of a clear
understanding, who is well intentioned, and has a firm and constant
heart; who is courteous, faithful, and just; that has not better’d his
fortune, if he has diligently endeavoured at it. Many of these, I mean,
many in proportion to the number of them, are sought by fortune, even
when they themselves seem to slight her; and although I may be possibly
shewn some such, who have been reduced; still, for every one of this
sort that can be instanced, I will venture to point out a hundred
crooked left-handed politicians, who have been brought to poverty and
misery, by their frauds, little tricks, and mean cunning.
XXIX. But I have not mentioned all, for I am firmly persuaded, that
you will rarely meet with a man, to whom virtue has not been of use,
even in point of temporal convenience; because, if the system of
government, and the men in power are favourable to him, he is raised;
if indifferent, he is respected; if adverse, he is at least not hated;
even when the state is inflam’d by factions, the opposite party, if in
power, although they do not confide employments to him, consider him
as an exception to their resentment. There never was seen in the world
a furor, equal to that of the Sicilians, when in their famous vespers,
they cut the throats of the French; nor was there ever any nation so
irritated against another; for their barbarity, carried them to rip
open the bellies of all the Sicilian women they suspected were with
child by Frenchmen. In this horrible massacre, they did not spare one
of that nation who fell into their hands, except William de Porceleto,
governor of the district of Calatafima, who was protected from the
general rage, by the fame of his goodness. So certain is it, that the
temple of virtue is the only asylum of public safety.
XXX. The noise and clamour that men of great abilities are neglected,
and lie hid in corners, is a mere fable; and if they do not voluntarily
hide themselves, totally void of truth, or if this is not the case,
they are neglected, because to their great talents, there are annexed
great defects. I have gone about and seen the world, but to this day,
have not observed a man of distinguished abilities, (who was not
blemished with glaring defects,) slighted and disregarded; however, as
we ought in every instance to speak the truth, the esteem for him, has
not always been in proportion to his degree of merit. Some maintain an
opposite sentiment to that we have been advancing, but if you attend
to them, they do not so much complain of other peoples’ slights and
disappointments as of their own. With their tongues, they lament that
men of talents are despised; in reality, they only grieve that those
are despised who are void of them, which are themselves; and under
the pretence of zeal for the public good, they vent their own private
spleen. It is the vulgar artifice of people of extreme incapacity to
censure the partial distribution of favours, and it has been remarked,
that if one of these censurers ever ascended to what he aspired at, he
immediately approved of all those measures of government, which he had
before clamoured against; from whence it may be inferred, that all the
merit he before lamented to have been trodden under foot, he considered
as centered and collected together in his own person. I have seen some
unworthy men exalted, but do not remember an instance of a great man
without spot ever having been despised or contemned.