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

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 good to their Morals; and yet, which is amazing to me, most wise men in all Ages have agreed, that, without some Religion or other, it would be impossible to govern any considerable Nation. However, I believe it is Fact, that it never was done.
Cleo. That no large Society of Men can be well govern'd without Religion, and that there never was a Nation that had not some Worship, and did not believe in some Deity or other, is most certain: But what do you think is the Reason of that?
Hor. Because Multitudes must be aw'd by Something that is terrible, as Flames of Hell, and Fire everlasting; and it is evident, that if it was not for the Fear of an After-Reckoning, some