The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 06 (of 11)
Thomas Hobbes · en
5. _Magnanimity_, which is a virtue by which a man is apt to do great
benefits.
6. _Magnificence_, which is a virtue by which a man is apt to be at
great cost.
7. _Prudence_, which is an _intellectual_ virtue, by which a man is able
to deliberate well concerning any good leading to felicity.
And _honourable_ are the causes and effects of things honourable. And
the works of virtue. And the signs of virtue. And those actions the
reward whereof is _honour_. And the reward whereof is rather _honour_
than _money_. And that which we do not for our sakes. And what we do for
our country’s good, neglecting our own. And those things are
_honourable_ which, good of themselves, are not so to the owner. And
those things which happen to the dead, rather than to the living. And
what we do for other men, especially for benefactors. And bestowing of
benefits. And the contrary of those things we are ashamed of. And those
things which men strive for earnestly, but without fear of adversary.
And of the more _honourable_ and better men, the virtues are more
_honourable_. And more _honourable_ are the virtues that tend to other
men’s benefit, than those which tend to one’s own.
And _honourable_ are those things which are just. And revenge is
_honourable_. And victory. And honour. And monuments. And those things
which happen not to the living. And things that excel. And what none can
do but we. And possessions we reap no profit by. And those things which
are _had in honour_, particularly in several places. And the signs of
praise. And to have nothing of the servile, mercenary, or mechanic.
And that which _seems_ honourable; namely, such as follow: Vices
confining upon virtue. And the extremes of virtues. And what the
auditors _think_ honourable. And that which is in estimation. And that
which is done according to custom.
Besides, in a _demonstrative_ oration, the orator must show that he whom
he praiseth, did what he praiseth unconstrainedly and willingly. And he
does so, who does the same often.
_Praise_ is speech, declaring the magnitude of a virtue, action, or
work. But to praise the work from the virtue of the worker, is a
circular proof.
_To magnify_ and _to praise_, differ in themselves as _felicity_ and
_virtue_. For praise declares a man’s _virtue_; and _magnifying_
declares his _felicity_.
Praise is a kind of inverted precept. For to say, “_Do it because it is
good_,” is a precept; but to say, “_He is good because he did it_,” is
praise. An orator in _praising_, must also use the forms of
_amplification_; such as these: He was the first that did it. The only
man that did it. The special man that did it. He did it with
disadvantage of time. He did it with little help. He was the cause that
the law ordained rewards and honours for such actions.
Further, he that will _praise_ a man, must compare him with others, and
his actions with the actions of others, especially with such as are
renowned.