Chapter 17 Part III On Self-Control
PART III OF SELF-CONTROL The man who acts according to the maxims of perfect prudence, strict justice, and proper benevolence may be said to be a man of perfect virtue.But a perfect knowledge of these maxims alone does not make a man act in this way: man's own passions are so apt to lead him astray--these passions sometimes impel him, sometimes entice him, to violate the laws of his sane and cool-headedness. All guidelines in favor of.The fullest knowledge of these maxims, if not backed up by the most perfect self-control, will never enable him to do his duty.
Some of the best moralists of antiquity seem to have studied these passions in two distinct classes; first, those which require a considerable effort of self-control to suppress, even for a moment; Passions which are easily restrained for a moment, or even for a short period; but, as they seduce frequently and almost continuously, they are very liable to lead men astray during a life. go up.
Fear and anger, together with other passions mixed and connected with them, constitute the first type.The love of comfort, pleasure, praise, and many other things which are merely personal gratification, constitute the second type.Excessive fear and intense anger are often difficult to suppress, even for a moment.Love of comfort, of pleasure, of praise, and of many other mere personal gratifications, is always apt to be suppressed for a moment, or even for a short period; Falling into many weaknesses of which there is good reason to be ashamed later on.The tendency of the former passion may often be said to drive us from our duty, the tendency of the latter may often be said to lead us from it.The control of the former passion is described by the above-mentioned ancient moralists as fortitude, fortitude, and fortitude.The control of the latter affections is spoken of by them as moderation, solemnity, prudence, and moderation.
There is a beauty in itself in the control of each of these two passions, and for its own sake it seems to deserve a certain degree of respect and admiration.This thing of beauty has nothing to do with the beauty which derives from the effect of this control, and from the action which it enables us to act on all occasions according to the demands of prudence, justice, and proper benevolence.In one case, the strength and nobility of such endeavors inspired a certain respect and admiration.In another case, the uniformity, equality, and fortitude shown in the effort inspired a certain respect and admiration.
He who, in danger, in pain, near death, keeps his usual self-possession, and refrains from saying or showing that he does not agree exactly with the opinion of the most impartial spectator, must command high admiration. admiration.If he suffered in the cause of liberty and justice for the sake of mankind and out of love for his country, the kindest sympathy for his sufferings, the strongest indignation against the injustice of his persecutors, the strongest sympathy for his good intentions Deepest heartfelt gratitude, the deepest awareness of his merits, merged and mingled with admiration for his noble conduct, and often aroused it into the most ardent and fanatical admiration.Many of the heroes, ancient and modern, who are remembered with the most peculiar fondness and affection, were those who, in the cause of truth, liberty, and justice, died on the guillotine, and there showed their sympathy. The freedom and dignity that befits one's status.Had Socrates' enemies allowed him to die peacefully in his bed, the praise of the great philosopher could not have acquired that dazzling brilliance which has been seen in posterity. .As we look at the heads of eminent men carved by Vertue and Houbraken, I think that there is a rare man in the history of England who does not feel that, in some of the most eminent figures carved— Mr. Thomas More, Raleigh, Russell, Sidney, etc.—the ax below the head, which has always been the mark of beheading, confers a certain real dignity and interest on these characters who bear this mark, which is more than that. They derive their superiority from the useless ornament of arms which they sometimes wear.
Nor is this noble conduct merely adding luster to the qualities of innocent and virtuous people.It conjures even a degree of cordial respect for the qualities of the offender; when a thief or highwayman is led to the scaffold, he is there dignified and firm, and though we are all in favor of his punishment, yet, We often have to feel sorry that a person with such excellent and outstanding talents should commit such a despicable and heinous crime.
War is a great school for acquiring and exercising this noble quality.Death, as we have said, is the most dreadful thing; and he who has overcome the fear of death will not be distraught when any other natural catastrophe approaches.In war the familiarity of death with death necessarily diminishes the superstitious horrors of the weak-willed and unwar-fighted.They see death only as the loss of life, as only the object of aversion, just as life happens to be the object of desire.They also know from experience that many seemingly great dangers are not as great as they appear; freed.The fear of death is thus greatly reduced, and the confidence or hope of escape from death is increased.
They learn not to push themselves against danger.When they're in danger, they're less eager to get out and less flustered.It is this customary contempt for danger and death which ennobles the profession of the soldier, and makes it appear in the minds of men more noble and respectable than other professions.The skilful and successful performance of military duties in the service of one's country seems to have been the most striking feature of the qualities of the most beloved heroes of all ages.
Great military feats, contrary to all principles of justice, and utterly inhuman, nevertheless sometimes arouse our interest, and even command a certain respect for the worthless man who directs the war.We are even interested in the deeds of pirates, and read with a certain respect and admiration the history of humble men.They endured greater hardships, overcame greater difficulties, and encountered greater dangers, in pursuit of their most diabolical ends, than any ordinary history-book can possibly mention.
On many occasions, the control of anger seems less noble and noble than the control of fear.Apt expressions of just indignation constitute many of the best and most admirable passages in ancient and modern eloquence.
The speeches of Demosthenes of Athens invective against the Macedonian king, and those of Cicero against the partisans of Catiline, derive their whole beauty from the noble propriety of expressing this passion.But this justified indignation is no more than an indignation restrained and properly tempered to the point where the impartial spectator can give it sympathy.Furious, boisterous passions that exceed this limit are always annoying and unpleasant.It is not the angry man that interests us, but the man who is the object of his anger.In many cases the noble quality of forgiveness is even superior to the most benign resentment.When a proper apology is made by those who arouse the indignation, or even if they fail to do so at all, when the public interest requires an alliance with the most hated enemy in order to perform some most important duty, the The man who expressed the confidence and zeal of those who had opposed him most vehemently seems to deserve our high admiration.
The suppression of anger, however, does not always take on such brilliant colors.Fear is the opposite of anger, and is often the motive for its repression; and in this case the humbleness of the motive removes all nobility of the repression.Anger drives people to attack each other, and condoning anger sometimes seems to show a certain guts and a quality above fear.Tolerating anger is sometimes an object of vanity, but never to condoning fear.The vain and the weak-willed, among their inferiors, or those who dared not oppose them, often put on an air of impassioned generosity, and imagined that they, too, displayed what is called courage.A villain often makes up many lies about how outrageous he is, and imagines that he thereby becomes, if not amiable and respectable, then at least terrible to his hearers.The modern ethos of encouraging duels, and thus in some cases, private vengeance, may be said to have done much to make the restraint of anger by fear all the more despicable today.There is always something noble in the inhibition of fear, no matter what motive it may be based on.The same is not true for the suppression of anger.Unless this restraint is based entirely on a sense of decency, dignity, and propriety, it will never be fully approved.
To do what prudence, justice, and proper kindness require, does not seem to be a noble quality when there is no temptation to do otherwise.But to act calmly and prudently in the midst of great danger and difficulty; devoutly following the sacred rules of justice, regardless of great interests that might tempt us to violate them, or great harm that might provoke us to violate them; never allow One's own benevolent disposition, restrained and hindered by the viciousness and ingratitude of individual persons--to whom this kindness may have been exercised, belongs to such qualities as the noblest wisdom and virtue.Self-control is not only an important virtue in itself, but the chief splendor of all the other virtues seems to flow from self-control.
The suppression of fear, the suppression of anger, is always a great and noble force of self-control.When they are motivated by justice and benevolence, they are not only great virtues, but add splendor to other virtues.Sometimes, however, they are moved by very different motives; and, in such cases, though such self-control is still a great and respectable force, they can be extremely dangerous.Dauntless valor may be used for the most unjust causes.Apparent calm and good-naturedness may sometimes conceal a very determined and brutal determination to revenge when seriously provoked.The inner strength necessary for this disguise, though always and necessarily stained by base vanity, is often highly admired by many who do not hold base views.The concealment of Catherine of the Medicis is often admired by the learned historian Davila; the concealment of Lord Digby and later the Earl of Bristol by the stern and conscientious Lord Clarendon Commendation; Earl of Shaftesbury (first) is commended by the wise Mr. Locke for his concealment.Even Cicero seems to think that this kind of deceit is indeed not a very noble quality, but it is not unsuitable for a mode of behavior with a certain flexibility, and he thinks that it can be approved and respected in general. .As examples of this deceit he cites the qualities of Ulysses in Homer, Themistocles in Athens, Lysander in Sparta, Marcus Crassus in Rome, and others.This secret and calculated deceit is often seen in times of civil disorder, in the midst of violent faction and civil war.When the law has become largely impotent, when the most innocent have no rudimentary security, the majority of the population has to resort to improvisation, in order to protect themselves, against whatever party happens to prevail at that time. , adapt to the wind and the attitude of superficial obedience.This hypocritical quality is often accompanied by an extremely calm attitude and resolute courage.Its good use requires that courage, as death is usually determined by some test.It can be commonly used to intensify or lessen those deep animosities between opposing factions which make it necessary.While it can be useful at times, it can be at least equally harmful.
The repression of passions which are not very strong and violent, seems less liable to be abused to any pernicious purpose.Temperance, stateliness, discretion, and moderation are always lovely, and unlikely to be used for any harmful purpose.The virtues of lovely simplicity, of respectable industry and thrift, acquire all the homely splendor that accompanies them from the persistent effort of gentle exercise of self-control.
The conduct of those who walk the solitary and quiet paths of life derives from self-control a great part of the grace and grace which belong to it; Likability is not always less than that grace and grace that accompany the eminent actions of heroes, statesmen, and parliamentarians.
After several different aspects of the nature of self-control have been shown, I do not think it necessary to dwell on this virtue any further.For the present I will only consider that the degree of propriety, that is, the degree of any passion which the impartial spectator approves of, varies from passion to passion.With some passions excess is less unpleasant than deficiency; and this passion seems to attain a higher degree of propriety, or to approach it closer to the excess than to the deficiency.With other passions deficiency is less unpleasant than excess; and this passion seems to have attained a lower degree of propriety, or is closer to the deficiency than to the excess.The former is the passion with which the spectator is most willing to sympathize, the latter with which the spectator is least inclined to sympathize.The former is also a passion whose immediate feeling or feeling is in line with the party concerned, and the latter is a passion whose immediate feeling or feeling is not in the party's mind.It may be established as a general rule that the passion which the spectator is most willing to sympathize with--thus the degree of propriety which it attains may be said to be higher--is that which its immediate feeling or feeling more or less agrees with. A passion of the mind of the person involved; conversely, the passion with which the spectator is least inclined to sympathize—and therefore to a lesser degree of propriety—is one whose immediate feeling or feeling is more or less inappropriate. A passion that pleases, or even tires, the person concerned.This general rule, so far as I have been able to examine, admits of a single exception.A few examples will at once suffice to illustrate this maxim and prove its truth.
The inclinations of inner feeling which help to unite men in society, that is, those of benevolence, kindness, affection, friendship, respect, may sometimes be excessive.Even this excess of affection, however, makes a man pleasing to everyone.We condemn this excess of affection, but we regard it with sympathy, even affection, and never with aversion.We feel more regret than anger about it.
The indulgence of such excesses is, on many occasions, not only pleasant, but interesting to the person who directly arouses them.Indeed, on certain occasions, especially when, as is often the case, such excessive affections are cast upon base objects, they often cause very real and visceral distress to the person from whom they arose.Even on such occasions, however, a good-natured person would look upon him with the greatest sympathy, and feel the greatest indignation against those whom he affectedly despised for his weakness and indiscretion.On the contrary, that want of affection, which is called hard-heartedness, when it renders a man indifferent to the feelings and pains of others, renders others indifferent to his; To exclude him from friendship is to exclude him from all the best and most comfortable enjoyments of society.
The tendencies of the inner feelings which keep men apart, and which seem to serve to sever the ties of human society, tendencies to anger, hatred, envy, resentment, hatred, are more unpleasant in excess than in deficiency.
Such excesses base and shame a man himself, and make him an object of hatred, and sometimes even dread, to others.Its shortcomings are rarely complained by people.However it may be flawed.Lack of just indignation is the most fundamental defect in a man's character, and, on many occasions, renders a man incapable of protecting himself or his friends from insult and injury.Even the instincts of anger and hatred themselves are flawed.Excessive and misdirected anger and hatred is hateful and abominable jealousy.Envy is the passion to regard with malicious disgust the advantages in those who are really worthy of all the advantages they have.He who, however, meekly suffers, in great matters, to be over or superior to himself by others who have no such advantage, is justly reprimanded as a spineless man.This weakness is usually seen in laziness, sometimes in good-naturedness, in an aversion to haste and entreaties, and sometimes in a certain untimely magnanimity which fancies itself It was always possible to despise the interests it then despised, and gave it up so easily.This weakness, however, is often followed by deep regret and remorse; and the apparent magnanimity which begins, often gives way in the end to the most virulent envy and hatred of the superiority of such-- Once such an advantage has been acquired, such persons are often truly deserving of it simply because they have acquired it.In order to live comfortably in the world, it is in all circumstances necessary to preserve one's dignity and status as one's own life or property.
Our sense of personal danger and pain, like our sense of personal provocation, is more apt to be offended by its excess than by its deficiency.There is no quality more despicable than that of a coward; no quality more admirable than that of a man who, in the face of the most dreadful dangers, faces death fearlessly, and retains his poise and composure.We respect the man who bears pain and even torture with manliness and firmness; we have little respect for the man who sinks before pain and torture, and gives way to pointless cries and womanly weeping.The restlessness, which is all too keenly felt at every little misfortune, turns man into a man to whom he himself is pitiable, and which is a nuisance to others.A calm and self-possessed person does not allow his peace of mind to be disturbed by small injuries or insignificant mishaps in the course of human life's daily life; A little pain, a blessing to himself, brings comfort and peace to all his companions.
But our feelings about our own hurt and misfortune, while often very strong, can also be very weak.He who feels little about his own misfortunes must always feel little about those of others, and is all the less inclined to relieve them.He who has little resentment for injuries done to himself must always have little resentment for injuries done to others, and is much less inclined to protect or avenge them.Insensitivity to the events of human life necessarily dampens all earnest and sincere concern for the propriety of one's conduct.This attention constitutes the true essence of virtue.If we were indifferent to the consequences of our actions, we would hardly care about their propriety.To feel all the pain of the calamity that befalls oneself, to feel all the baseness of the injuries one suffers, and to feel more strongly that dignity which one's character demands, and not to allow oneself to be not to be governed by those discursive passions which his situation necessarily arouses, but by those restrained and corrected emotions which are appointed and sanctioned by the great inhabitant, the god-like being, which governs all his manners and actions. , such a man is truly virtuous, the only true and proper object of love, respect, and admiration.Insensitivity and that noble firmness, that noble self-control based on a sense of dignity and propriety, are by no means identical; Value will be totally lost.
Although complete insensitivity to personal injury, to personal danger and misfortune, would nullify all value of self-control, such feelings can easily be, and often are, excessive.
When the sense of propriety, or the power of the judge of the heart, can control such extreme feelings, there can be no doubt that that power must appear very noble and great.But this effort to control your strong feelings can be very strenuous and not easy to do.A person may be perfect in behavior through some kind of great effort.But the strife between the two natures, the conflict of inner thoughts, may be too violent to keep the inner peace and joy at all times.The wise man whose Creator has endowed him with such too strong a feeling, and which has not been much weakened and hardened by early education and proper exercise, will do so as duty and propriety will permit. , Avoid situations that you cannot adapt well to.A man whose weakness and frailty of sentiments render him oversensitive to pain, suffering, and physical suffering of every kind will not rashly enter into the military profession.People who are too sensitive to harm will not throw themselves into faction wars lightly.Though the sense of propriety can be strengthened enough to control all those feelings, the peace of mind is always destroyed in this struggle.Judgment is not always able to maintain its usual sharpness and precision in such harassment; and although he always intends to act properly, he often acts recklessly and rashly in a way that he will in his future life You will always be ashamed of acting in a manner.A certain amount of fortitude, courage, and strength of character, whether innate or acquired, is undoubtedly the best preparation for all noble endeavors of self-control.
Though war and faction are certainly the best schools for forming a strong and steadfast character in every man, and though they are the best medicines for curing a man's opposite cowardice, yet, if the date to test him, happens to be in Come before he has fully learned his lesson, just before the drug has had time to do what it should, and the result will not be satisfactory.
Our feelings about the joys, amusements, and enjoyments of human life are equally distasteful in their excess or insufficiency.Of the two, however, excess seems less unpleasant than deficiency.A strong inclination to pleasure, both spectator and party, is necessarily more agreeable than insensitivity to the objects of amusement and amusement.We are fascinated by the gaiety of youth, even the frolics of children, and soon weary of the tedious solemnity which so often accompanies old age.Indeed, when the inclination is not restrained by a sense of propriety, when it is out of proportion to the time or place, to the man's age or position, when he is so addicted to it that he neglects his own interests and duties, it is justified. The accusation is excessive and is said to be harmful to individuals and society.On most such occasions, however, it is not a very strong propensity for pleasure, but a weak sense of propriety and duty, that is chiefly criticized.A young man who is not interested in the pastimes and amusements naturally befitting his age, and talks only of books and careers, is repugnant for being rigid and pedantic; Inappropriate indulgences, for which he does not seem to have much taste, compliment him.
Self-esteem can be too high, or too low.To overestimate oneself is so pleasant, and to underestimate oneself so unpleasant, that there is no doubt for the individual that it is less unpleasant to some extent to overestimate oneself than to underestimate one's self a little.But the impartial spectator might see it quite differently.It must always have been less unpleasant for him to underestimate himself than to overestimate himself.In the case of our companions, we undoubtedly complain more often of an overestimation of self than an insufficiency.When they put on an air of being above us or put themselves ahead of us, their self-evaluation hurts our self-esteem.Our self-esteem and ego prompt us to blame theirs, and we cease to be impartial spectators of their actions.But if these companions suffer any other to pretend before them that he has some merit which is not his, we not only blame them, but often despise them as mean beings.If, on the other hand, they strive to advance a little further among others, and then climb to a position which we consider disproportionate to their merit, then, though we cannot entirely approve of their conduct, on the whole say, we are often pleased with it; and, in the absence of envy, we are almost always much less displeased with them than we would be if they tolerated being reduced to a place below their due. The discomfort you will feel.
In evaluating our own merits, in judging our own qualities and conduct, there are two different standards by which we necessarily measure them.One is the notion of complete propriety and perfection, a notion that any one of us can grasp.The other is a standard close to this idea, a standard generally attainable by the world, and a standard which perhaps the greater part of our friends and companions, rivals and competitors actually attain.We seldom (I am inclined to think never) fail to pay more or less attention to these two different standards in our attempts to judge ourselves.But the attention of various persons, and even of the same person at different times, is often very differently divided between them, sometimes directed mainly to the former criterion, sometimes to the latter.
When our attention is directed to the former standard, the wisest and best among us see but faults and inadequacies in our characters and conduct; There is no excuse for self-importance and self-righteousness other than repentance.When our attention is directed to the latter standard, we may be influenced in one way or another to feel that we are truly above or below the standard by which we measure ourselves.
The wise and virtuous man fixes his chief attention on the former criterion—the idea of complete propriety and perfection.This idea exists in the mind of every human being, and it has gradually formed from observation of the character and behavior of himself and others.It is the work of this great god-like being within, this great judge and arbiter of good and bad deeds, slowly, step by step, step by step.Everyone grasps this idea more or less accurately, according to the subtlety and precision of the observations made about it, according to the concentration and attention with which the observations are made The ideas are more or less harmonious in colour, and the outlines are more or less lifelike.Men of wisdom and virtue are endowed with the most precise and subtle sensibility, and they devote all their attention to this observation.Every day the features of the outline are improved, and the blemishes of the color are corrected every day.He explored this idea harder than anyone else, he understood it more deeply, he formed in himself a more correct conception, and was more deeply fascinated by its graceful and divine beauty.He molded his qualities as best he could after that perfect model.He copies the works of that extraordinary painter, but he never copies them exactly.He feels the imperfection of all his best endeavors, and sees with sorrow and distress how much man-made reproductions differ from the divine original.He recalled with concern and shame how often he had violated these strict laws of perfect propriety, in word and deed, conduct and conversation, by want of attention, of good judgment and temper; and Thus departing from the model according to which he was willing to change his character and behavior.Indeed, when he directs his attention to the second criterion, to that degree of perfection to which his friends and acquaintances usually attain, he may be aware of his own superiority.But since his principal attention is always directed to the former criterion, he must be more degraded by comparison with the former than he may be exalted by comparison with the latter.He had never been so complacent that he even looked down arrogantly on those who were really inferior to him.He is so conscious of his own inadequacy, and so aware of his difficulties in making an approximate copy of the correct model, that he does not look down upon the greater inadequacies of others. .He never insulted them with his baseness, but looked upon them with the widest sympathy, and was ready at all times to promote their improvement by his counsel and example.If, on some particular occasion, they happen to outdo him (whose qualities are so perfect that not a few men would outdo him on many different occasions?), he never envies them. He knows how hard it is to surpass himself in their merits, and he respects and respects their merits, and must give them the high praise they deserve.In short, that quality of true modesty, of a very modest assessment of his own merits, while fully recognizing those of others, made a deep impression on his whole mind, and left its unmistakable stamp on all his actions and manners. .
In all the free and original arts, in painting, poetry, music, eloquence, and philosophy, the greatest artist, more than anyone else, always feels a real inadequacy in his own best work. Clearly aware that there is a great distance between these works and his idea of perfection, of which he has formed an idea, which he imitates as best he can, but he cannot count on himself Can imitate exactly the same.Only inferior artists are very satisfied with their achievements.He has formed little conception of perfection in that idea, he has scarcely considered it; and what he condescends to compare with his own work is mainly that of other artists, perhaps less so. Works of other artists.Boileau, the great French poet (some of whose works may not be inferior to the best poems of the same kind, ancient or modern), used to say: No great man has ever been quite satisfied with his own work.His old friend Santoir (a Latin verse writer who likes to fantasize about being a poet because he wrote something that was only at the school-school level) pretended to always be quite satisfied with his work.Boileau answered him with some sort of perhaps sly pun: he was, of course, the only great man who ever lived in this respect.When Boileau evaluates his own works, he compares them with a certain ideal standard of perfection in his poetic field.I believe that he did his best to think deeply about this conceptual standard, to imagine it with precision, as much as a man can do.I think that Santwell judged his own work mainly against the works of some other Latin poets of his time.For most of these people, his level is certainly not low.但是，如果可以这样说的话，使整个一生的行为和谈吐始终如一地和这种观念上的完美有些相像的话，确实要比渐渐做成任何一个精微艺术品的复制品困难得多。艺术家总是以其全部技能、经验和知识的充分掌握和重新整理，从容不迫地坐下来从事他那宁静的工作。聪明人在健康时和患病时、在成功时和失意时、在劳累和懒懒散散时、也在最清醒时， 都必定保持自己行为的合宜性。极其突然和出乎意料的困难和不幸的袭击决不会使他惊骇。他人的不义决不会惹得他采取不义行动。激烈的派系斗争决不会使他惊慌失措。战争的一切艰难险阻决不会使他沮丧和胆寒。
在以其很大部分的注意力指向第二条标准、指向他人通常得到的那种平常程度的优良品质，以评价自己的优点，判断自己的品质和行为的人们中间，有一些人真实和正确地感到自己的所作所为大大超过了这条标准，这一点也为每个富有理智和没有偏见的旁观者所承认。然而，这些人的主要注意力总是指向一般的完美标准而不是观念上的完美标准，他们很少意识到自己的缺点和不足；他们几乎谈不上什么谦虚；他们常常是傲慢、自大和专横的；他们还是那种最喜欢赞美自己和小看别人的人。虽然他们的品质一般说来是很不端正的，而且他们的优点不具有真正谦虚美德的人所具备的那种优点，但是，他们那以极端的自我赏识为依据的极端的自以为是，迷惑了民众，甚至常常使比民众高明得多的那些人受到欺骗。民间和宗教界最没有学问的冒充内行的人和骗子经常并且是令人惊奇的成功，足以说明民众是多么容易为最放肆和没有根据的各种自我吹嘘所欺骗。而且， 当这些自我吹嘘为某种高度真实和实在的优点所维护时，当它们因为夸示卖弄所能给与的一切光彩而变得炫耀夺目时，当它们得到地位很高和拥有巨大权力的人物的支持时，当他们常常吹牛成功并且为此博得民众的高声喝采时，即使能清醒地作出判断的人也常常沉湎于众口交赞之中。正是这种愚蠢的喝采声常常起到使他那悟性发生混乱的作用。而且当他只是从某一远处观察那些伟大人物时，他常常倾向于怀着某种真诚的钦佩心情去敬仰他们，甚至怀着比那些人所显示的自我尊崇更强烈的尊崇心情去敬仰他们。在不存在妒忌的场合，我们都乐于表示钦佩， 并且因此而在自己的心意中，自然而然地倾向于把在许多方面非常值得赞美的那些品质，变得在一切方面都十全十美。或许这些伟大人物过分的自我赞美是很容易理解的，甚至被十分熟悉他们并且对这些目空一切的自我吹嘘——不接近他们的人常常怀着尊重、而且几乎是崇敬的心情来看待它——一笑置之的那些聪明人抱着某种程度的嘲笑态度看透。然而，在所有时代中都有这种情况：大部分名噪一时、信誉卓著的人，其名声和信誉也常常在相隔最远的后代中变得一文不值。
如果没有一定程度的这种过度的自我赞赏，就很少能取得人世间的伟大成就，取得支配人类感情和想法的巨大权力。最杰出的人物，完成了最卓越行动的人，在人类的处境和看法方面引起了极其剧烈的变革的人；成就巨大的战争领导人，最伟大的政治家和议员，人数最多和取得最大成功的团体和政党的能言善辩的创始人和领袖，他们中间的许多人不是因为他们所具有的很大的优点，而是因为某种程度的、甚至同那种很大的优点完全不相称的自以为是和自我赞赏，而崭露头角。或许，这种自以为是，不仅是驱使他们去从事头脑冷静的人决不想从事的一项事业所必需的，而且是驱使他们去博得追随者们的服从和忠顺，使其在这项事业中支持他们所必需的。因此，当他们屡获成功时，这种自以为是常常诱使他们迷恋虚荣，这是一种几乎接近疯狂和愚蠢的虚荣。亚历山大大帝不仅希望别人把他看成是一个神，而且起码很想把自己看成是这样一个神。他在临终时，完全不像神做的那样，要求他的朋友把他列入人们尊敬的神的名单——他自己很早以前就开列的名单，他那年迈的母亲奥林匹娅（Olympia）或许也荣幸地被列入了。在他的追随者和门徒们充满敬意的赞美声中，在公众普遍的赞扬声中、人们仿照神谕（或许是跟着这种赞扬声），宣告他是最有智慧的人，是最伟大的苏格拉底式的贤人。虽然这个神谕已不容他自命为神，但其威力尚不足以阻止他幻想从某个无形而非凡的神那里得到神秘而频繁的提示。凯撒的头脑没有健全到足以阻止他非常愉快地认为自己是女神维纳斯的家谱中的一员；而且，在这个被他说成是自己曾祖母的维纳斯的神殿前，当罗马元老院这个显赫的机构把一些过高的荣誉作为天命授与他的时候，他没有离开座位去接受。这种目空一切同几乎是充满孩子气的爱好虚荣的其它一些行为结合在一起——这种孩子气的爱好虚荣是几乎不能马上凭借非常敏锐和广泛的理解力想象出来的——似乎加剧了公众的猜忌，从而增加了他的刺客的胆量，加速了他们的密谋的实施。当代的宗教和风俗很少鼓励我们的伟大人物自命为神，甚或自命为预言家。然而，成功同公众强烈的爱戴结合在一起，使得一些最伟大的人物晕头转向，以致把大大超过自己真正具有的价值和能力归于自己；而且，由于这种自以为是，促使自己从事许多轻率的有时具有毁灭性后果的冒险活动。伟大的马尔伯勒公爵所取得的几乎没有一个平常人能够自夸的那一10 年不间断的辉煌胜利，并没有诱使他做出一个轻率的举动，说一句轻率的话或显示出一种轻率的表情。这几乎是他所独有的特性。
我想，不能说后世另外一些伟大的战争领导人——尤金王子、已故的普鲁士国王、 伟大的孔代亲王、甚至古斯塔夫二世——也具备这种适度的冷静和自我控制。蒂雷纳似乎最接近于这种品质，但是，他一生中所处理的几件不同的事情足以表明， 他身上的这种品质并没有马尔伯勒公爵身上的那种完美。
在平民百姓的小小打算中，同样也在高层人士的雄心勃勃和勇敢的追求中， 巨大的才能和成功的计划起初常常怂恿人们去从事最后必然导致破产和毁灭的事业。
每一个公正的旁观者对勇敢、宽宏大量和品格高尚的那些人的真正优点所表示的尊敬和钦佩，是一种恰如其分和有充分根据的情感，所以也是一种稳固和持久的情感，并同他们命运的好坏完全无关。而这个旁观者对他们过分的自我评价和自以为是所易于产生的那种钦佩，是另外一回事。当他们取得成功时，他确实常常被他们完全征服和制服。成功遮住了他的眼睛，不仅使其不能看到他们事业中的许多轻率鲁莽之处，并常常使他不能看到他们事业中的许多不符合正义的地方；而且使他对他们品质中的缺陷不加挑剔，而常常抱着极其热烈的钦佩态度去看待它。然而，如果他们时运不济，各种事情的面目和名声就会大大不同。过去认为是英雄式的宽宏大量的行为，恢复了过分轻率鲁莽和愚蠢所应该有的名声； 过去隐藏在繁荣景象后面的那些贪婪和不义的邪恶的东西，现在暴露无遗，并且损害了他们事业的一切声誉。如果凯撒在法萨卢斯战役中不是取得胜利而是遭到失败，这时他的品质就会被贬低到只比喀提林稍好一点的程度，而且最愚钝的人也会用甚或比当时加图所具有的一个党徒看待凯撒的事时具有的全部敌意更为邪恶的情调，把这种事业看成是反对国家法律的行径。凯撒真正的美德——正当的爱好、简明而高雅的文笔、合宜的修辞、娴熟的指挥战争的能力、对付不幸事件的才略、面临危险时显示出的冷静和镇定的判断能力、对朋友忠诚的感情、对敌人无比的宽宏大量，这些都为人们所公认，同喀提林他具有许多高尚的品质的真实优点在当时为大家所公认一样。但是，他妄图夺取一切的野心所表明的那种目空一切和不义，将使所有那些真实优点黯然失色。在这方面和其它一些已经提到的方面，命运对人类的道德情感具有重大的影响。而且，根据境遇的有利或不利，能使同样的品质变成普遍爱戴和钦佩的对象，或者变成普遍憎恨和蔑视的对象。然而，人类道德情感的这种巨大的失调，并非毫无用处；在这里和在其它许多场合一样，甚至在人类的弱点和邪恶方面，我们也可能赞佩上帝的贤明。我们对成功的钦佩，同我们对财富和地位的尊敬一样，是以同一原则为基础的，它对于确立各阶层之间的区别和社会的秩序同样是必要的。这种对于成功的钦佩，引导我们较为平静地去顺从人类事务的发展进程向我们指出的那些优胜者；引导我们以一种尊重、有时甚至是尊敬的心情来看待那种再也不能抗拒的能带来幸运的暴力，不仅是像凯撒或亚历山大大帝那种杰出人物的暴力，而且常常是最蛮横和残暴的人，如阿提拉、成吉思汗、或帖木儿等人的暴力。对所有这些强大的征服者，人类之中的大部分人必然倾向于带着一种惊奇的、虽则无疑是不充分和愚蠢的钦佩心情来看待他们。这种钦佩引导他们不很勉强地顺从某种不可抗拒的力量对自己的统治，而且没有一种反抗能把他们从这种统治中解救出来。
虽然自我评价过高的人在顺利时，有时似乎会比具有端正和谦虚的美德的人得到更多的好处；虽然群众的赞扬声，以及那些从远距离来观察他们双方的人所发出来的赞扬声，其对前一种人发出的常常比对后一种人发出的更为响亮；但是， 从各方面加以公正的估量，或许在所有场合，两相比较，真正大为有利的是后一种人而不是前一种人。那个既不把除了自己所真正具有的优点之外的任何其它优点都归于自己，也不希望别人把这种优点归于他的人，并不担心丢脸，并不害怕暴露真相，而是对自己品质名副其实的真实性和稳定性感到满意和安心。钦佩他的人可能不太多，他们的赞扬声也可能不很响亮；然而在其近傍观察他和极其深刻地了解他的那个最聪明的人，对他的赞扬最为热烈。一个真正的智者，对另外一个智者对他的审慎而恰如其分的赞美，比对一万个人对他的虽则热情然而出于无知的嘈杂的赞扬声，更感到由衷的满足。这个智者可能提到巴门尼德：他在雅典的一次群众集会上宣读一篇哲学演讲时，看到除了柏拉图一人外，其他所有的听众都已离他而去，他还是继续宣读下去，并且说，只有柏拉图一个听众，我就心满意足了。
对自我评价过高的人来说，情况就不是如此。在其近傍观察他的那些明智的人，对他的赞美最少。在他陶醉于自己的成就时，他们对他表示的适度和恰当的敬意远远不及他那过度自我赞赏，因而他只把他们的敬意当成是某种恶意和妒忌。他猜疑自己那些最好的朋友。他对同他们交往感到不快。他把他们从自己身旁赶走，而且对他们为自己做的好事的报答，不仅常常采取忘恩负义的态度，而且常常是冷酷的和不公正的。他轻易地信任那些表面上迎合他的虚荣心和自大心理的奉承拍马的人和叛徒卖国贼，而且早先那些虽然在某些方面有缺点但是总的说来还是可亲可敬的人，最终变成了他所轻视和讨厌的人。在陶醉于自己的成就时，亚历山大大帝杀死了克莱特斯（Clytus），因为他想把自己父亲菲利普开拓疆界的功绩占为己有；他使卡利斯塞纳斯（Calisthenes）受尽折磨而死。因为后者拒绝按照波斯方式来崇敬他；他还因为对父亲的好朋友、年高德助的帕尔梅尼奥（Parmenio）产生毫无根据的猜疑而谋杀了他；其后先是使这个老人唯一存活的儿子——其余的儿子都在为亚历山大效劳时死去——受折磨，然后把他送上断头台。菲利普提到帕尔梅尼奥时常常说，雅典人非常幸运，每年能找到十个将军， 而他自己在一生中除了帕尔梅尼奥之外找不到第二个这样的人。信赖帕尔梅尼奥的警戒防范和心无旁骛，菲利普在任何时候都可以安然入睡。他在高兴和欢宴时常常说：让我们干杯吧，朋友们，我们可以安然无虞地畅饮，因为帕尔梅尼奥从来不喝酒。据说，就是由于这个帕尔梅尼奥的干预和筹划，亚历山大大帝赢得了一切胜利；如果没有他的干预和筹划，亚历山大大帝就决不会获得一次胜利。而那些恭顺的、赞声不绝的和奉迎拍马的朋友，他们拥有亚历山大给予的仅次于他的势力和权限，瓜分了他的帝国，甚而在劫走了他的家庭成员以及同这些成员有血统关系的亲属之后，不论男女，一个接一个地加以杀害。
对于具有比平常人更多和更卓越的长处的那些杰出人物的过高自我评价，我们不仅常常加以宽恕，而且常常完全加以体谅和同情。我们把他们看做勇敢的、 宽宏大量的和品格高尚的人，用到他们身上的所有这些词语，意味着高度的赞扬和钦佩。但是，我们不能体谅和同情这样一些人过高的自我评价，在这些人身上， 我们看不出什么超人之处。我们对他们过高的自我评价感到讨厌和憎恶，要我们加以原谅或容忍会有一些困难。我们把它称为骄傲和虚荣——用到他们身上的这两个词语中的后一个词总是意味着严厉的责备，前一个词也在很大程度上含有这个意思。 那两个罪名，虽然用来在某些方面制约过高的自我评价时是相似的，但是在许多地方，两者是大不相同的。
骄傲的人由衷地并且在自己的心灵深处确信自己身上的长处；虽然要去猜测这种确信以什么为基础有时可能是困难的。他希望你只用他把自己置于你的地位时真正能用来看待他自己的那种眼光来看待他。他向你提出的要求，只是他认为是正当的要求。如果你显然没有像他尊重自己那样去尊重他，他就会比受到屈辱更为不快，并且像受到某种真正的伤害那样感到愤愤不平。但是，甚至在那时， 他也不会屈尊说明自己提出那种要求的理由。他不屑于求得你的尊敬。他还装作蔑视它，并努力保持自己虚假的身份，甚至不使你意识到他的优越从而意识到自己的低劣。他甚或不愿激起你对他本人的尊敬，从而伤害你对你自己的尊敬。
爱好虚荣的人并不是由衷地、并且在自己的心灵深处简直不相信自己真的具有他希望你归于他的那种长处。他希望你用来观察他的眼光比这种眼光——他把自己放到你的位置上，并假定你了解他所了解的一切时，他真正能用来观察自己的眼光——带有更为鲜明的感情色彩。因此，当你像是以不同的观点，或许是以他本来的面目来观察他时，他会比遭到伤害更感到不快。他抓住一切机会，通过极其夸张和极其不必要地显示他所具有的一些还算可以的优良品质和才能，有时甚至通过虚伪地夸示他具备或者没有具备、或者具备得如此之少以致完全可以说他丝毫未曾具备的那些品质和才能，来展示自己提出希望你归于他的那种品质的要求的理由。他非但不轻视你的敬意，而且用使你极为不安的照顾来博取它。他非但不想压抑你的自我评价，而且适当地维护它，以期你用维护他对自己的评价来作为回报。他奉承你是为了得到奉承。他对你彬彬有礼，大献殷勤，有时甚至向你提供真正和实在的帮助（虽然往往是以此夸耀自己，或许还带有不必要的卖弄的味道），努力使你感到愉快，努力收买你，使你对他有一个好的看法。
爱好虚荣的人看到人们对地位和财产的敬意，很想得到这种敬意，也很想得到人们对才能和美德的敬意。因此，他的服饰、用具和生活方式，全都用来显示他具有比实际属于他的更高的地位和更多的财产。为了在他一生的早期阶段维持几年这种愚蠢的欺骗，他常常在这种状况终止以前长期陷于贫穷和不幸之中。然而，只要他能维持他的开支，他的虚荣心总是由于自我欣赏而得到满足，他不是在用如果你了解了他所了解的一切你会用来观察他的那种眼光来观察自己，而是在用他设想你受到他服饰的引诱而实际用来观察他的眼光来观察自己。在虚荣心所引致的一切幻觉之中，这或许是最常见的一种。到国外去访问的无名之辈，或者从一个僻远的省份到自己国家的首都作一次短期访问的人，常常试图以此满足自己的虚荣心。这种企图的愚蠢，虽然总是彰明较著的，虽然对一个有理智的人来说是极其卑劣，但是在这里，也许完全不像在其它大多数场合所表现出来的那样明显。如果他们逗留的时间不长，就可能避免不光彩地被别人察觉；而且，在几个月或几年的时间内满足了自己的虚荣心之后，他们可以回到自己的家里，用今后极度的节俭来弥补过去的挥霍所造成的浪费。
骄傲的人很少会因这种愚蠢而受人指责。他的自尊心使得他小心翼翼地保持自己的独立，并且，当他的财产恰好不多时，虽然他愿意过像样一些的生活，但他还是努力在一切开销中坚持节俭和谨慎用钱。他极其讨厌爱好虚荣的人的那种讲排场的花消。或许，这种开支会使他相形见绌。作为某种身份决不应有的僭越， 这种开支激起了他的愤怒；他谈到它时所作的责骂从来是极其刺耳和严厉的。
在同那些和自己地位相等的人们相处时，骄傲的人总是感到不那么舒服；在同地位比自己高的人们相处时，他更感到不舒服。他不能申述他那巨大的抱负， 这些地位比他高的同伴的面容和谈吐深切地慑服了他，因而他不敢显示出他的抱负。他转而求助于比他低一等的同伴——他不太尊重的人，他不愿选为朋友的人， 以及同他们相处不会使他愉快的人，这些人就是他的下级、他的奉承者和侍从们。
他很少拜访地位比他高的人，或者，如果他这样做的话，与其说是为了在同他们相处时得到真正的满足，不如说是为了显示他有资格同这种同伴相处。正如克拉伦登勋爵在提到阿伦德尔伯爵时所说的：他有时到宫廷里去，因为只是在那里能发现比他伟大的人；但是阿伦德尔却很少去，因为他在那里发现了比他伟大的人。
爱好虚荣的人就完全不是这样。骄傲的人力求避开地位比他高的人；爱好虚荣的人则力求他们同自己相处。他似乎认为，他们的光彩总会有一些反射到接近他们的人身上。他经常出没于君主们的宫廷和大臣们的招待会，摆出一副就要得到财产和肥缺的神态，而实际上他若不得到财产和肥缺，反而拥有更珍贵得多的幸福，只要他知道如何享受这种幸福。他喜欢有资格成为大人物宴会的座上宾， 更喜欢向其他人夸耀自己在那里荣幸地与大人物亲近。他尽可能同上流社会的那些人物，同被认为是指导公众舆论的那些人，同有聪明才智的、学识渊博的和深得民心的那些人交往；一旦易变的公众爱好的倾向偶然在某些方面对他最好的朋友们不利，他就会避免同他们相处。对于他希望他们引荐自己的那些人，他为了达到这个目的而采用的手法并不总是很高雅的：不必要的张大其词、没有根据的自我吹嘘、持续不断的盲从附和、习以为常的奉承拍马，虽然这种奉承拍马在大部分情况下是使人感到愉快和轻松的，而很少是一个谄媚者粗俗的和令人作呕的奉承拍马。相反，骄傲的人从来不是奉承拍马者，对任何人都并不总是那么彬彬有礼。
然而，尽管一切自我吹嘘都毫无根据，虚荣心几乎总是一种轻松和愉快的、 而且常常是温厚的激情。骄傲总是一种庄重的、阴沉的和严厉的激情。爱好虚荣的人即使撒谎，说的也全是无害的谎言，意在抬高自己而不是压低他人。说句公道话，骄傲的人很少堕落到卑劣地撒谎。可是，如果他这样做，他的谎言就决不会如此无害。骄傲的人撒谎和不撒谎对他人来说都是有害的，本意都是贬低他人。
骄傲的人对于他认为他人不正当地享有的较高地位满怀愤怒；他怀着敌意和妒忌来看待他人；而且，在谈到他们时，他常常竭尽所能对凡是他认为是他人的长处由以产生的根据都加以低估和贬低。无论什么有关他人短处的流言蜚语传播开来，虽然这些流言蜚语很少是他自己编造出来的，但他常常乐于相信它们，决不会不愿散播，有时甚至添油加醋。爱好虚荣的人最恶劣的谎言，都是我们称之为小谎的谎言；一旦骄傲的人堕落到说出最恶劣的谎言，情况就完全相反。
我们对骄傲和虚荣的厌恶，通常使我们宁可把我们指责为有这两种缺点的那些人置于通常水平之下而不愿把他们置于通常水平之上。然而我认为，我们的这种判断经常会使我们犯错误；而且骄傲的人和爱好虚荣的人常常是（或许绝大部分是）大大高于通常的水平，虽然并不像骄傲的人实际自认为的那么高，也不像爱好虚荣的人希望别人所看的那么高。如果我们把他们同他们的自我吹嘘相比较，他们好像是适当的鄙视对象。但是如果我们把他们同他们的大部分对手和竞争者真正具有的水平相比较，他们的水平就大不一样，很可能大大超过通常的水平。在存在这种真正的长处的地方，骄傲常常会伴随着这样一些令人尊敬的美德： 真诚、正直、高度的荣誉感、热诚和始终如一的友谊、坚忍不拔和不可动摇的决心；虚荣心常常会伴随着许多令人感到亲切的美德：仁爱、有礼貌、在一切小事上报答别人、有时在一些重大的事情上真正慷慨地报答别人的愿望；然而，这种慷慨是虚荣心常常以它所能有的最绚丽的色彩展示出来的慷慨。在上个世纪，法国人被他们的竞争者和敌人指责为爱好虚荣；西班牙人被指责为骄傲；外国人倾向于把前者看成是更可爱的人；把后者看成是更令人尊敬的人。
爱虚荣的和虚荣心这两个词从来不会被人以褒义来使用。我们有时在心情很好的状况下谈论一个人时，说他因为有虚荣心反而显得更好一些，或者说，他的虚荣心给人的感受更多的是高兴而不是讨厌。但是我们仍然把这种虚荣心看成是他品质中的一个弱点和笑柄。
相反，骄傲的和骄傲这两个词有时会被人以褒义来使用。我们常常说起某个人，说他是一个很骄傲的人，或者说他过于高傲，从来不做一件下贱的事情。骄傲在这里就混杂着某种高尚的东西。亚里士多德这个当然是对世事洞察无遗的哲学家，在描写高尚人物的品质时，描绘了这种人物的许多特色，这些特色在过去两个世纪内，通常被说成是西班牙人的品质：对一切决心要做的事，他都曾深思熟虑；一切行动都从容不迫甚至迟缓；他的声音是庄重的，他的谈吐是审慎的， 他的步伐和举止是缓慢的；他不是在为一切小事奔忙时显得不积极和懒散，而是在所有那些重大的和特出的事务上，需要以最坚定的和最强烈的决心去行动时显得不积极和懒散。他不是一个喜欢危险的人，或者说不是一个鲁莽地去经受没有意义的危险的人，而是敢于使自己面临有重大意义的危险的人，而且，当他面临这样的危险时，他完全不顾自己的生命。
骄傲的人通常对自己感到非常满意，因而认为自己的品质不需要作任何改善。感到自己十全十美的人必然十分鄙视一切进一步的提高。对于自己的长处过于自信和荒唐可笑的自高自大，通常从他年轻时就伴随着他直至耄耄之年。像哈姆莱特所说的那样，他死时，未经抹油，没有受过临终涂油礼，负着他的全部罪恶死去。
爱好虚荣的人就常常不是这样。为了这样一些品质和才能——它们是尊敬和钦佩的自然和恰当的对象——而希望得到他人尊敬和钦佩的欲望，是一种对名副其实的光荣的真正的热爱。这种热爱即使不是人类天性中最好的激情，也肯定是最好的激情之一。虚荣心通常不过是企图过早地僭取今后在时机成熟时应该得到的荣誉。虽然你的儿子只有25 岁（这当然只是一个纨袴子弟的年龄），但不要因此对他的未来，对他在40 岁之前成为一个非常聪明的和高尚的人，成为一个真正具有一切才能和美德的人——目前他只能是一个吹嘘自己具有、或徒劳无益地妄求获得这些和美德的人——丧失信心。教育事业中的一个重要秘诀就是把这种虚荣心引导到正确的目标上去。决不能容许他夸耀自己那些微不足道的才艺。但是，不要总是使他对实现有关真正重要的那些才艺的抱负失去信心。如果他并不热切地想具有这些才艺，他就不会要求获得它们。鼓励这种欲望；提供一切手段以促使他获得这种才艺；虽然有时他会在功夫尚未到家时装出一副已经获得这种才艺的样子，但不要对此过于生气。
我说，这些就是骄傲和虚荣心按照各自固有的品质发生作用时表现出来的不同特点。但是，骄傲的人常常是爱虚荣的；爱虚荣的人常常是骄傲的。没有什么会比如下情况更为自然：对自己的评价超过他应有评价的人，希望别人也更高地评价他；或者，希望别人对自己的评价超过他对自己所作评价的人，这时对自己的评价还是高于他应有的评价。这两种缺点常常存在于同一种品质之中，两者的特点必然混杂在一起；我们有时会发现，虚荣心的浅薄和不恰当的卖弄夸张同骄傲的最有害和幼稚的傲慢无礼结合在一起。因此，我们有时不知道如何去识别一种特定的品质，或者不知道把这种品质列为骄傲还是虚荣。
其优点显著地超过通常水平的人们，有时会低估自己，有时也会高估自己。
这种人虽然不是非常高尚的，但在私人交往中往往完全不是令人不快的。他的同伴们在同这样一个虚怀若谷和不摆架子的人交往时都感到自己非常舒畅自在。然而，如果这些同伴们并不具有比常人更强的识别能力和更宽宏大量的品质，虽然他们会对他产生一些友好的感情，但是他们不常对他产生较大的敬意，而且他们的友好热情远远不足以补偿他们淡薄的敬意。不比常人具有更大识别能力的人们，对别人的评价从来不超过对自己的评价。他们认为，他似乎在怀疑自己是否同这样一种地位或这样一种职务完全相称；于是立即转而喜欢一些对自己的资格不抱任何怀疑的厚颜无耻的蠢徒。虽然他们可能具有识别能力，然而，如果他们不宽宏大量，他们肯定要利用他的单纯，并且装作对他们有某种优势的样子，这种优势是他们根本没有资格拥有的。他的和善可能使他对此忍受一段时间。但是最后，常常在为时已晚之时，在他应得的地位无可挽回地失去，因他的犹疑不决而被他的一些很热心虽则并不那么有功的同伴所篡夺时，他才变得不耐烦。这样一个人早先一定为选择了这些同伴而感到莫大的幸福，如果在以后的现实生活中，他从那些他昔日对他们友好的同伴中得到的总是相当公正的报答的话，他就会有某些理由把他们作为自己最好的朋友；而且，一个过于谦虚和过于朴实的年青人常常会变为一个不被人看重、整天抱怨和心怀不满的老人。
天赋大大不如通常水平的不幸的人们，有时对自己的评价似乎更不如他们的实际状况。这种谦卑有时似乎会使他们陷入白痴的行列。无论谁不辞辛劳去仔细调查一下白痴，就会发现：他们中许多人的理解力决不低于另外一些人——这些人虽然被人认为生性迟钝和愚蠢，但没有人认为他们是白痴。许多白痴受到同常人一样的教育，就差强人意地学会了读书、写字和算账。许多从未被看成是白痴的人，尽管受到了精心的教育，尽管在他们年事已高时尚有足够的精力去试图学会他们在幼时的教育中未能学到的东西，但从未能差强人意地学会上述三种技能中的任何一种。然而，出于某种骄傲的本能，他们把自己列入年龄和地位与自己相同的那些人的行列，并且鼓起勇气坚决地在自己的同伴中维护自己本来的地位。出于某种相反的本能，白痴感到自己不如你可以介绍他认识的每一个朋友。
他非常容易受到的虐待，可能使他陷入愤激和狂怒剧烈发作的状态。但是，任何良好的对待，任何善意或恩惠，都不能使他挺起身来平等地同你交谈。然而，如果你最终能使他同你交谈，你就常常会发现他的答话非常中肯，甚至通情达理。
不过，他们内心巨大的自卑感这种特有的意识总是留着痕迹。他似乎畏畏葸葸， 而且可以说是不敢正视你的面容和同你谈话。尽管你貌似谦虚，他在把自己摆在你的位置上来考虑问题时，还是感到你必然会认为他大大地不如你。一些白痴， 或许还是大部分白痴，似乎主要或完全由于理解能力上的某种麻木或迟钝，而被看成是白痴。但是，另外有些白痴，他们的理解力并不显得比未被看成是白痴的许多人更为麻木或迟钝。然而，在自己的同事中维持自己平等地位所必需的那种骄傲的本能，在前一种人身上似乎完全没有，在后一种人身上就不是如此。
因此，最能为当事人带来幸福和满足的那种自我评价，似乎同样也能给公正的旁观者带来最大的愉快。那个按照应有的程度、只按这种程度来评价自己的人， 很少不能从他人身上得到他认为是应当得到的一切敬意。他所渴望的并不多于他所应得到的，而且他对此感到非常满足。
相反，骄傲的人和爱好虚荣的人始终不会感到满意。前者对于他认为别人的长处不符合实际感到愤慨和憎恨。后者对于他预先感觉到的随同自己那些没有根据的自我吹嘘被人发觉而来的羞耻一直忐忑不安。即使真正具有高尚品德的人的各种过分的自我吹嘘，因其杰出的才能和美德而得到维护，更主要的是因为他运气好而得到维护，它们也欺骗了群众，这些群众的赞赏他不怎么重视，但是它们欺骗不了那些智者，这些智者的赞同是他不得不加以重视的、他们的敬意是他渴望获得的。他觉得他们看透了他，也怀疑他们鄙视他那过度的傲慢；从而他常常相应地遭受很大的不幸，这些人起先是他留意提防和秘而不宣的敌人，最后是他公开的、狂暴的和极其仇恨的敌人，而他们以前的友谊似乎曾使他无忧无虑地享受最大的幸福。
虽然我们对骄傲的人和爱好虚荣的人所感到的厌恶，常常使得我们宁可把他们估计得低于他们的真正地位而不愿高估，然而，除非我们被某种特殊的人身侮辱所激怒，我们简直不敢粗鲁地对待他们。在一般情况下，为了使我们自己畅快， 我们尽量采取默许的态度，并且尽可能迁就他们的愚蠢行为。但是，对于那些低估自己的人，除非我们具有比大部分人更大的识别能力和更慷慨的品质，至少我们很少不像他对待自己那样不公平地对待他，而是经常比他做得过头。不仅是他的心情比骄傲的人和爱好虚荣的人更不愉快，而且他更容易受到他人的各种虐待。几乎在一切场合，过于骄傲都稍好于在各方面过于谦逊；而且在当事