§ I.

It is said of Marcus Brutus, that before killing himself, he pronounced these words: “Oh, Virtue! I believed that thou wert something, but thou art only a vile phantom!”

Thou wast right, Brutus, if thou madest virtue consist in being the chief of a party, and the assassin of thy benefactor, of thy father, Julius C?sar. Hadst thou made virtue to consist only in doing good to those who depended on thee, thou wouldst not have called it a phantom, or have killed thyself in despair.

I am very virtuous, says a miserable excrement of theology. I possess the four cardinal virtues, and the three theological ones. An honest man asks him: What are the cardinal virtues? The other answers: They are fortitude, prudence, temperance, and justice.

honest man.

If thou art just, thou hast said all. Thy fortitude, prudence, and temperance are useful qualities: if thou possessest them, so much the better for thee; but if thou art just, so much the better for others. It is not sufficient to be just, thou shouldst be beneficent; this is being truly cardinal. And thy theological virtues, what are they?

theologian.

Faith, hope, and charity.

honest man.

Is there virtue in believing? If that which thou believest seems to thee to be true, there is no merit in believing it; if it seems to thee to be false, it is impossible for thee to believe it.

Hope should no more be a virtue than fear; we fear and we hope, according to what is promised or threatened us. As to charity, is it not that which the Greeks and Romans understood by humanity — love of your neighbor? This love is nothing, if it does not act; beneficence is therefore the only true virtue.

theologian.

What a fool! Yes, truly, I shall trouble myself to serve men, if I get nothing in return! Every trouble merits payment. I pretend to do no good action, except to insure myself paradise.

Quis enim virtutem amplectitur, ipsam

Pr?mia si tollas?

— Juvenal, sat. x.

For, if the gain you take away,

To virtue who will homage pay!

honest man.

Ah, good sir, that is to say, that if you did not hope for paradise, or fear hell, you would never do a good action. You quote me lines from Juvenal, to prove to me that you have only your interest in view. Racine could at least show you, that even in this world we might find our recompense, while waiting for a better:

Quel plaisir de penser, et de dire en vous-même,

Partout en ce moment on me bénit, on m’aime!

On ne voit point le peuple à mon nom s’alarmer;

Le ciel dans tous leurs pleurs ne m’entend point nommer,

Leur sombre inimitie ne fuit point mon visage;

Je vois voler partout les c?urs à mon passage.

Tels étaient vos plaisirs.

— Racine, Britannicus, act iv, sc. ii.

How great his pleasure who can justly say,

All at this moment either bless or love me;

The people at my name betray no fear,

Nor in their plaints does heaven e’er hear of me!

Their enmity ne’er makes them fly my presence,

But every heart springs out at my approach!

Such were your pleasures!

Believe me, doctor, there are two things whic............