The National Register.
London, England, 1811-07-28 00:00:00

FORTITUDE

Is the fourth cardinal virtue, for the practice of which ever,
situation in life supplies numerous occasions, surrounded as we
are by such multifarious evils, arising not only from the acciden-
tal combinations of circumstances, and the wilful devices of busyw
malignant, or revengeful spirits, but also from the perpetual
hostility or seductions of our own evil dispositions, the violence
of our passions, or the improper nature of our desires. Placed
theu in a state obnoxious to so many sources of calamity, it is
imperatively incumbent upon us to study the nature of this vir-
tue with the utmost diligence, and to exercise it with the most
dignified resolution. It may not be in our power to prevent
many of the misfortunes that happen to us, but it certainly comes
within our ability to render them in all cases more tolerable, in
most to destroy the greatest part of their power, and in many to
counteract their evil efforts completely.

It is not required of us to be insensible of calamity, our natures
are not so calculated ; but it is our duty so to support our sufier-
ings that we may not, by sinking beneath the state of reasonable
beings, subject ourselves to the reproach of wanting confidence
in the Great Dispen:,er of all good, who permits, us to be troubled
for the most salutary purposes both to ourselves and others. I
cannot figure to myself any source of Fortitude but religion ;
philosophy may boast of it, but it is a vain boast ; and, indeed,
philosophy itself, when it is not an emanation of religion, is idle
in its construction, and fallacious in its promised support.
Those beings who affect Fortitude from what they call the
independency of their minds, act only, I am apt to conclude.
from a stoical vanity, a false shame, or a puerile pride; whereas,
true Fortitude results only from humility, the conscientiousness
of integrity, and a dignified modesty. The man who acts from
the principle first mentioned seeks only the applause of the world,
and deriving his sources of support only from the strength of his
own mind (which being imperfect, must frequently betray its
own succours) while outwardly he appears serene, he is internally
struggling with a conflict of passions which, like the fox conceal-
ed by the. Spartan boy, destroys his existence. On the ether
hand, the man whose Fortitude arises from the second principle
exhibits, instead of a stern resistance to calamity, a chearful re-
signation: for placing no dependence on his own powers, be looks
with confidence to the Supreme of all, and makes his approba-
tion the sole impulse of his actions; and as he is certain that con-
fidence is placed on an infallible foundation, his anxieties are
allayed, and his hopes effectively excited.
How beautifully David, dnring one of his troubles, evinces his
possession of this humility, and his religious sense of this source
of dependence! " Hide me, 0 Lord! under the shadow of thy
wings, until this tyranny be past."
• The great ce.:: of our want of Fortitude is, making a wrong
estimate of the blessings of life; and consequently when we are
deprived of any blessing, we haVe overrated our grief for the loss
of it in proportion to the exaggerated value we set upon the pos-
session. The only bliss we ought to be inconsolable for the lots
of, is the favour of the Deity, and though we ought to prize, and
most gratefully to enjoy every other happiness granted us, still,
if we would " use the things of this life as not abusing them," we
should never set our hearts so upon them as to make their depri-
vation a source of despair.
But calamity is not. the sole requisite for the exercise of Forti-
tude; prosperity presents us as great, if not a wider field for the
practice of it. Seductions (the cusupanions of prosperity) are
always greater enemies to virtue, than avowed hostilities (the
attendants on beauty), because in the latter case the mind is ap-
prized of, and consequently prepared fur opposition, but in the
former, apparent security renders it an easy prey to the under-
mining Tower; but in prosperity, the humility I have before no-
ticed, will find perpetual occasion for employ; indeed humility
may be stiled the radix of all virtues.
_ If our state of prosperity be power, let our Fortitude preserve

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