The Works of Henry Fielding, vol. 12Fielding, Henry
General
The Works of Henry Fielding, vol. 12
Fielding, Henry
English literature -- 18th century
altar of his vanity--seems to arise from a blinder idolatry, and a
more bigoted and senseless superstition, than any which the sharp eyes
of priests have discovered in the human mind.
All gentlemen, therefore, who are not raised above each other by
title, birth, rank in profession, age, or actual obligation, being to
be considered as equals, let us take some lessons for their behaviour
to each other in public from the following examples; in which we shall
discern as well what we are to elect as what we are to avoid. Authades
is so absolutely abandoned to his own humour that he never gives it up
on any occasion. If Seraphina herself, whose charms one would imagine
should infuse alacrity into the limbs of a cripple sooner than the
Bath waters, was to offer herself for his partner, he would answer he
never danced, even though the ladies lost their ball by it. Nor doth
this denial arise from incapacity, for he was in his youth an
excellent dancer, and still retains sufficient knowledge of the art,
and sufficient abilities in his limbs to practise it, but from an
affectation of gravity which he will not sacrifice to the eagerest
desire of others. Dyskolus hath the same aversion to cards; and though
competently skilled in all games, is by no importunities to be
prevailed on to make a third at ombre, or a fourth at whisk and
quadrille. He will suffer any company to be disappointed of their
amusement rather than submit to pass an hour or two a little
disagreeably to himself. The refusal of Philautus is not so general;
he is very ready to engage, provided you will indulge him in his
favourite game, but it is impossible to persuade him to any other. I
should add both these are men of fortune, and the consequences of loss
or gain, at the rate they are desired to engage, very trifling and
inconsiderable to them.
The rebukes these people sometimes meet with are no more equal to
their deserts than the honour paid to Charistus, the benevolence of
whose mind scarce permits him to indulge his own will, unless by
accident. Though neither his age nor understanding incline him to
dance, nor will admit his receiving any pleasure from it, yet would he
caper a whole evening, rather than a fine young lady should lose an
opportunity of displaying her charms by the several genteel and
amiable attitudes which this exercise affords the skilful of that
sex. And though cards are not adapted to his temper, he never once
baulked the inclinations of others on that account.
But, as there are many who will not in the least instance mortify
their own humour to purchase the satisfaction of all mankind, so there
are some who make no scruple of satisfying their own pride and vanity
at the expence of the most cruel mortification of others. Of this kind
is Agroicus, who seldom goes to an assembly but he affronts half his
acquaintance by overlooking or disregarding them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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