Of wisdom three books / written originally in French by the Sieur de Charron ; with an account of the author, made English by George Stanhope ...

CHAP. XXXIV. Remedies against Revenge.

[unspec 1] FOr the beating down this cruel passion, several Consi∣derations may be of use to us; as first of all, That there is not any action of our Lives so truly honourable and glorious as that of pardoning and passing by injuries and affronts, nor any attaintment which requires greater skill than this to master and excuse it readily and gracefully. Eve∣ry body knows but too well how to prosecute Wrongs and demand Satisfaction; but the remitting and receiving those that have done them into grace again, is a Glory reserved for Princes, and truly great Souls: If then thou wilt prove thy Soveraignty, shew that thou art King of thy self, and do a truly royal act by forgiving freely, and extending thy kind∣ness to those that have most justly merited thy displeasure.

[unspec 2] Secondly, Remember that this is of all others the noblest Conquest, to convince the World that thou art impregnable, and above the reach or resentment of injuries and Affronts. For by this means they all rebound back again upon the head of the Author; and like blows upon Anvils when they make no impression, only benumb and put the party to pain, who laid about him with such impotent malice and fury. To continue Revenge, is to give our Enemy the sa∣tisfaction of knowing that he hath hurt us; and he that com∣plains declares himself worsted in the Controversie. So say the Moralist;* 1.1 He that is impatient for satisfaction, ac∣knowledges

himself in pain; that Soul cannot be truly great, which bends beneath an Injury: A generous Spirit, and one that truly values himself, never revenges a wrong, because he is too big to feel the smart of it.

[unspec 3] You will reply perhaps, that it is very hard though to suffer Injuries and Offences; grievous in it self, and scanda∣lous to the World; I know it very well, and therefore my Advice is, that you would not suffer them; but vanquish and get so absolute a mastery over them, that nothing of this kind should reach up to you. And this to be done in a fair and honourable way, by disdaining the thing and the Person that is guilty of it; or, if you please, advancing the Con∣quest higher still, and reclaiming him. Caesar was remarka∣ble for both these good Qualities: No Victory is so desire∣able, none so triumphant, as that which makes your Enemy buckle under you by kindness undeserved: That which lays him with his mouth in the Dust, and strikes him dumb at his own Baseness, and so shames his Spight into Friendship: For what can melt him, if this will not? What can deserve Laurels so justly, as the being thus invincible, and not suffering any Aggravations an Injury is capable of, to stop our hands, or get the better of Virtue and Reason? This in∣deed is a Resolution we should settle to our selves, as con∣sidering, that the more grievous the Crime, and the bitterer and more implacable the Spight, the more fit it is for us to pardon it: And the better we could justifie taking a severe Revenge, the more it makes for our Honour and Commen∣dation, to take none at all.

[unspec 4] Remember how great a Contradiction it is to all Equity and Reason, that the same Person should be Judge and Party both in the same Cause; and yet this is an Absurdity, which every one that undertakes to revenge his own Quarrels una∣voidably runs upon. This ought therefore constantly to be left to the Arbitration of a third Person, or at least a Man should never take it into his own hands, without advising with his Friends; following such measures, as they who are calm and indifferent Judges, think proper; and not leaning to the rash, and hot determinations of our own disordered Minds. The Old Poetical Fables have given us a beautiful Representation of this Matter, in their accounts of the Hea∣then Deities, and the Limitations of their respective Provin∣ces and Powers. Jupiter, they tell you, hath a right to cast such Thunderbolts, as are favourable to Mankind, and por∣tend good Events, by vertue of his own Despotick Autho∣rity:

But when any Thunder is to be discharged upon wick∣ed Men, and those Bolts are let fly, which carry Devastation and Ruin, and any sort of mischievous Effects; This he hath no right to do of his own head, nor without the advice and assistance of twelve Gods met in Counsel. This was a very significant Thought, and shewed the importance of the Occasion; That even the Supreme of all the Heavenly Powers, who had unlimited Commission to do good to all the World of his own head, should yet have it restrained, and his hands tied up from hurting; so much as one single Person, till the matter and merits of the Cause had been so∣lemnly debated. But the Reason couched at the bottom, deserves our attention: Kindness and Beneficence there can be no danger in, no mistakes, no excesses of this kind are pernicious; But when Revenge and Punishment come under Deliberation, this is so nice a point, that even the wisdom of Jupiter himself was not secure from all possibility of Errour; and therefore an assembly of dis-interested Persons was requi∣site to direct and moderate his Anger.

[unspec 5] And this Moderation and Temper is what every Man should make it his Business to acquire, and be well fixed in: Which with respect to the case now before us, is but another name for Clemency. For by that I mean, such a mildness and sweetness of Spirit; such an inclination to forgive and be kind, as curbs and holds in the violent Careers of Passion; and makes us move coolly and regularly. This will arm us with Patience, will convince us that we cannot be injured in reality, except from our own selves; and that for the wrongs others maliciously intend us, so much and no more will stick, as we fasten and bind upon our selves by resenting the Pro∣vocation. This will secure us the good will, and affections of all Mankind; and will season all our Behaviour with that Modesty and Decency that cannot fail to render our Conver∣sation innocent, courteous and agreeable, and universally desired.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ultio doloris confessio est; non est magnus animus, quem in∣curvat Injuria. Ingens animus & verus aestimator sui non vindicat injuriam, quia non sentit.