An Enquiry into the Origin of Honour, and the Usefulness of Christianity in War | Page 9

are differently observed in us, according as we either enjoy
Pleasure, or are aggriev'd on Account of that Passion; in the same
Manner as the most happy and the most miserable Lovers are happy
and miserable on the Score of the same Passion. Do but compare the
Pleasure of a Man, who with an extraordinary Appetite is feasting on
what is delicious to him, to the Torment of another, who is extremely
hungry, and can get Nothing to eat. No Two Things in the World can
be more different, than the Pleasure of the One is from the Torment of
the other; yet Nothing is more evident, than that both are derived from
and owing to the same craving principle in our nature, the Desire of
Food; for when this is entirely lost, it is more vexatious to eat, than it is
to let it alone, tho' the whole Body languishes, and we are ready to
expire for Want of Sustenance. Hitherto I have spoken of honour in its
first literal Sense, in which it is a Technic Word in the Art of Civility,

and signifies a Means which Men by Conversing together have found
out to please and gratify one another on Account of a palpable Passion
in our Nature, that has no Name, and which therefore I call Self-liking.
In this Sense I believe the Word Honour, both as a Verb and a Noun, to
be as Ancient as the oldest Language. But there is another Meaning
besides, belonging to the same Sound; and Honour signifies likewise a
principle of Courage, Virtue, and Fidelity, which some men are said to
act from, and to be aw'd by, as others are by Religion. In this latter
Sense, it is much more modern, and I don't believe to be met with a
Thousand Years ago in any Language.
Hor. How! Is it but within these Thousand Years that there have been
men of Bravery and Virtue? Have not the Greeks and Romans had great
Numbers of them? Were not the Horatii and Curiatii Men of Honour?
Cleo. They never were call'd so. All Ages and most Countries have
produced Men of Virtue and Bravery; but this I do not enquire into now:
What I assert to be modern is the Phrase, the Term of Art; it is that
which the Ancients knew Nothing of; nor can you with Ten Words, in
either Greek or _Latin_, express the entire Idea which is annex'd to the
Word Honour when it signifies a Principle. To be a Man of Honour, it
is not sufficient, that he, who assumes that Title, is brave in War, and
dares to fight against the Enemies of his Country; but he must likewise
be ready to engage in private Quarrels, tho' the Laws of God and his
Country forbid it. He must bear no Affront without resenting it, nor
refuse a Challenge, if it be sent to him in a proper Manner by a Man of
Honour. I make no Doubt, but this Signification of the Word Honour is
entirely Gothick, and sprung up in some of the most ignorant Ages of
Christianity. It seems to have been Invention to influence Men, whom
Religion had no Power over. All Human Creatures have a restless
Desire of mending their Condition; and in all Civil Societies and
Communions of Men there seems to be a Spirit at Work, that, in Spight
of the continual Opposition it receives from Vice and Misfortunes, is
always labouring for, and seeking after what can never be obtain'd
whilst the World stands.
Hor. What is that pray?

Cleo. To make Men compleatly Happy upon Earth. Thus Men make
Laws to obviate every Inconveniency they meet with; and as Times
discover to them the Insufficiency of those Laws, they make others
with an Intent to enforce, mend, explain or repeal the former; till the
Body of Laws grows to such an enormous Bulk, that to understand it is
a tedious prolix Study, and the Numbers that follow and belong to the
Practise of it, come to be a Grievance almost as great as could be fear'd
from Injustice and Oppression. Nothing is more necessary than that
Property should be secured; and it is impossible but on many Occasions
Men must trust one another in the Civil Society. Now Nothing has ever
been thought to be more obligatory or a greater Tie upon Man than
Religion.
Hor. This I have often wonder'd at: Considering the Absurdities on the
Religion of the Greeks and _Romans,_ the bad Examples and
Immoralities of their Deities, the ridiculous Fables of a _Charon,_ a
_Styx,_ a _Cerberus,_ &c, and the obscenity display'd in several of
their Festivals, I cannot conceive how Men could expect, that such
Religions should make Men Honest, or do any