An Enquiry into the Origin of Honour, and the Usefulness of Christianity in War | Page 7

as
fast as they can?
Hor. What Fault is it you find with the Moralists? I can't see what you
drive at.
Cleo. I would shew you, that the Want of Accuracy in them, when they
have treated of Human Nature, makes it extremely difficult to speak
intelligibly of the different Faculties of our intellectual Part. Some
Things are very essential, and yet have no Name, as I have given an
Instance in that Esteem which Men have naturally for themselves,
abstract from Self-love, and which I have been forced to coin the Word
Self-liking for: Others are miscall'd and said to be what they are not. So
most of the Passions are counted to be Weaknesses, and commonly
call'd Frailties; whereas they are the very Powers that govern the whole
Machine; and, whether they are perceived or not, determine or rather
create The Will that immediately precedes every deliberate Action.
Hor. I now understand perfectly well what you mean by Self-liking.
You are of Opinion, that we are all born with a Passion manifestly
distinct from Self-love; that, when it is moderate and well regulated,

excites in us the Love of Praise, and a Desire to be applauded and
thought well of by others, and stirs us up to good Actions: but that the
same Passion, when it is excessive, or ill turn'd, whatever it excites in
our Selves, gives Offence to others, renders us odious, and is call'd
Pride. As there is no Word or Expression that comprehends all the
different Effects of this same Cause, this Passion, you have made one,
viz. Self-liking, by which you mean the Passion in general, the whole
Extent of it, whether it produces laudable Actions, and gains us
Applause, or such as we are blamed for and draw upon us the ill Will of
others.
Cleo. You are extremely right; this was my Design in coining the Word
Self-liking.
Hor. But you said, that Honour owes its Birth to this Passion; which I
don't understand, and wish you would explain to me.
Cleo. To comprehend this well, we ought to consider, that as all Human
Creatures are born with this Passion, so the Operations of it are
manifestly observed in Infants; as soon as they begin to be conscious
and to reflect, often before they can speak or go.
Hor. As how?
Cleo. If they are praised, or commended, tho' they don't deserve it, and
good Things are said of them, tho' they are not true, we see, that Joy is
raised in them, and they are pleased: On the Contrary, when they are
reproved and blamed, tho' they know themselves to be in Fault, and bad
Things are said of them, tho' Nothing but Truth, we see it excites
Sorrow in them and often Anger. This Passion of Self-liking, then,
manifesting it self so early in all Children that are not Idiots, it is
inconceivable that Men should not be sensible, and plainly feel, that
they have it long before they are grown up: And all Men feeling
themselves to be affected with it, tho' they know no Name for the Thing
it self, it is impossible, that they should long converse together in
Society without finding out, not only that others are influenced with it
as well as themselves, but likewise which Way to please or displease
one another on Account of this Passion.

Hor. But what is all this to Honour?
Cleo. I'll shew you. When A performs an Action which, in the Eyes of
_B_, is laudable, B wishes well to _A_; and, to shew him his
Satisfaction, tells him, that such an Action is an Honour to Him, or that
He ought to be Honoured for it: By saying this, _B_, who knows that
all Men are affected with Self-liking, intends to acquaint _A_, that he
thinks him in the Right to gratify and indulge himself in the Passion of
Self-liking. In this Sense the Word Honour, whether it is used as a
Noun or a Verb, is always a Compliment we make to Those who act,
have, or are what we approve of; it is a Term of Art to express our
Concurrence with others, our Agreement with them in their Sentiments
concerning the Esteem and Value they have for themselves. From what
I have said, it must follow, that the greater the Multitudes are that
express this Concurrence, and the more expensive, the more operose,
and the more humble the Demonstrations of it are, the more openly
likewise they are made, the longer they last, and the higher the Quality
is of Those who join and assist in this Concurrence, this Compliment;
the greater, without all Dispute, is the Honour which is done to the
Person in whose Favour these Marks of Esteem are displayed: So