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127
In elevated life the higher a man's station, the less likely is it to awaken envy or jealousy
on the part of the subject many: – for envy & jealousy can hardly exist except where
competition exists – & the greater the distance between rank & rank – the less room is there for competition.
At the same time the higher a man's station the wider is the field in which he can exercise
his beneficence – and in so far as by acts of beneficence his vanity seeks its gratification
the esteem which he obtains serves to counterbalance, if not to outweigh the pains &
dangers which are produced by the envy & jealousy of others, – whether as acting upon him, –
or upon those in whose minds the envy & jealousy have place.
The effect will be different among the subject many – for as the power of beneficence
is less the envy & jealousy will be greater. Here the assumption of superiority under the
influence of vanity will be more offensive – & "the best wrestler on the green" may
excite feelings of envy & jealousy in the breasts of all the other wrestlers, – while he can
produce no counterbalancing pleasure. Pain he may clearly awaken, – but what
sensible addition to happiness can he make to the happiness of any individual not
comprised within his own domestic circle. * Insert here
* The vain man exaggerates to himself the value of the services of the others, and is occupied in
undue exertions to obtain them. The proud man diminishes to his own mind the
value of the services of others, – and considers himself entitled to measures his right to claim them, by the inverse
ratio of his need of them, – of the esteem in which he holds them. Activity is the
companion of Vanity – immobility of pride. Every addition to the affection of
vanity adds something to the power of sympathy, towards others. Every addition to the affection
of pride excludes a portion of sympathy towards others.
Yet the denial of the good offices sought will awaken the hostility both of the
proud & the vain man. On the part The proud man's hostility will be more open,
undisguised & conspicuous. He gives you to understand that he cares not whether your
dispositions towards him be friendly or adverse – his importance is such that from
respect or fear others will are engaged to render him the services – or more services, than you can offer him –
but the vain man appears to exercise no despotism over you in order to obtain
your good will – the increase of greater bis vanity the greater his desire, – the more strenuous
his efforts to secure it.
Pride is thus accompanied with a sense of independence, vanity not.
The proud man is persuaded that he shall receive from others as much respect
as he stands in need of – he therefore will not take the trouble of courting them
that is of employing exertion in order to administer to their gratification.
He will not himself put forward the titles he believes himself to
possess to their esteem. He assumes that they are obvious, & will be
recognized as a matter of course. In as far as he succeeds the his pride
conveys to the minds of others a sense of his own importance – he causes them
to think that in some way or other their comfort depends upon his favor
which favor he would have them believe is difficult to gain. Hence on their
part there exists towards him a sort of fear, – the fear of not being able to gain it.
Now this fear is necessarily attended with suffering. Of this suffering
he has himself a perception, yet will not do what depends upon him to
remove or to lessen it. By mixing condescension with his pride he
might lessen it. By laying aside his pride, – & dealing with them on
a footing of equality he might remove it altogether.
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Identifier: | JB/015/277/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 15.
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015 |
deontology |
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277 |
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001 |
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linking material |
1 |
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recto |
f127 |
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sir john bowring |
[[watermarks::[prince of wales feathers] mj&l 1811]] |
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colonel aaron burr |
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1811 |
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5493 |
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