The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1826-03-08
For the Massachusetts, Spy.l

| OF the massachusetts Spy.
"Who so unworthy, but may proudly deck him
With his fair-weather virtue
Heavens if privileged from trial,
How cheap thing were virtues
Men regard the world as it has treated
them. Can we then be surprised at the wide
difference of their estimate All are not saints
whom successful adventure and we'll disposed
philanthropy esteems such, nor all cheats whom
3oured misfortune denounces-nor is every hon.
est visaged knave hypocrite. General con-
domination falls harmless on all but him who
makes it,and undiscriminating panegyric is use
| less, but as an index to the heart or fortune
of the well Contented eulogist.
The vicious may be thus divided-men OF
weak minds, incapable of forsecing conse-
quences, and men of weak principles, who
| have fallen into temptation. The latter class
| Is lar the most numerous and the most repre-
| henslole, as it often embraces men of great
capacity; and as these will fatter their deg
radiation with the belief, that where they fell
lew could have stood, so it should humble the
| pride OF virtue in those who esteem themse selves
honest, to reflect that they have had little in
| ducement to he otherwise. Perfection itself is
not perfect till it is proved so by the ordeal of
adversely. What are the claims Of the every
day cant of integrity? With many it is part of
the cunning of traffic with more it is a vain.
ill-iounded boast, that they never have had
the opportunity and the temptation to do
great wrong-with all, when uncalled for, the
assertion of honesty is not merely superfuous,
it is suspicious. What object so poor and so
base, that, when the sun shines, does not deck
itself with light? Where, then, is the praise
where the distinction In this gaudy hour
stars disdain to shine.
| Onlu in fbo 81. 4
moral hero be known. Action is the life, the
sublimity of virtue Kindling IFS latent fire,
feeding the growing flame, they combine with
energy to form true moral grandeur. The vir-
tue is sublime from the action it produced the
action great from the virtue which produced
it. Separated, one is but an idle speculation
( the other, the impinging OF two masses of mat
ter. Goldsmith's criticism of the celebrated
line of Pope,
" An honest man is the noblest work of God. y
would be most just, were the honesty referred
to that which mantles on the stagnant surface
OF society, gliding with its painted scum the
corruption which generated it. But true hon
esty IS worthy the encomium which the Eng
llsh Homer has bestowed upon it. 1t always
exists; but the Misrepresentation arises from
mstaklng the evidence of its existence for the
1N'SeS"NS 'tSell' IL eAlstS pOtentldllV as light
ming sleeps in the clouds but the latter is not
called lightning till it blazes in the storm nor
the former virtue, till, assaed by some over
whelmns temptation, it vindicates its lofty
claim to celestial descent, by attacking and
Vanqulshlng the monster. Yet it is no more
virtue than before, but virtue with the seal of
trial.
But for this vulgar cloak of society-these
uncontrolled assumptions--theya are, as il regards
proof, like the phosphorescence of decay-an
Indication of the escape, not Of the inference
of virtue. just action, an honest life, are
at best, but Prescriptions of the existence of
| those attributes, and virtue lies in the proof
Let not the man of sober blood pride himself
on his temperance-nor the timid man on his
prudence--nor the unambitious on his modera-
tlon; and let no man, for not choosing to be a
villain, arrogate to himself large share of that
which Heaven approves-which all admire
which good men Worship The only amaran-
thine flower on EARTH What object is there
| so worthy TO fix the eyes of the universe as tr-
umphant virtue? That forgetfuIness of self
that lofty contempt of every thing but right
that godlike spirit, which emboldens the fee
blest man, nay, the timid woman, to bear alone
the curse of all mankind No wonder the yir-
tuous enthusiast pants for the hour of trial, as
the hero for battle. This is indeed glorious
ambition; but let him beware lest he lose his
crown, by the eagerness with which he grasps
after 1t for that is no trial which is sought.
r..