The like Kind of Confideration often stirs up the Envy of fuch as were once his Superiours, who think it a Detraction from their Merit to fee another get Ground upon them and overtake them in the Purfuits of Glory; and will therefore endeavour to fink his Reputation, that they may the better preferve their own. Thofe who were once his Equals envy and defame him, because they now fee him their Superiour; and thofe who were once his Superiours, because they look upon him as their Equal.

BUT further, a Man whofe extraordinary Reputation thus lifts him up to the Notice and Obfervation of Mankind, draws a Multitude of Eyes upon him that will narrowly infpect every Part of him, confider him nicely in all Views, and not be a little pleafed when they have taken him in the worst and most disadvantagious Light: There are many who find a Pleasure in contradicting the common Reports of Fame, and in fpreading abroad the Weakneffes of an exalted Character. They publish their illnatured Discoveries with a fecret Pride, and applaud themselves for the Singularity of their Judgment which has fearched deeper than others, detected what the rest of the World have over-looked, and found a Flaw in what the Generality of Mankind admires. Others there are who proclaim the Errours and Infirmities of a great Man with an inward Satiffaction and Complacency, if they discover none of the like Errours and Infirmities in themselves; for while they are exposing an

C 4.

other's

other's Weaknesses, they are tacitly aiming at their own Commendations who are not fubject to the like Infirmities, and are apt to be trans ported with a fecret Kind of Vanity, to fee themselves fuperiour in fome Respects to one of a fublime and celebrated Reputation. Nay it very often happens, that none are more industrious in publishing the Blemishes of an extraordinary Reputation, than fuch as lie open to the fame Censures in their own Characters; as either hoping to excufe their own Defects by the Authority of fo high an Example, or raising an imaginary Applaufe to themselves for refembling a Perfon of an exalted Reputation, though in the blameable Parts of his Character: If all these fecret Springs of Detraction fail, yet very often a vain Oftentation of Wit fets a Man on attacking an established Name, and facrificing it to the Mirth and Laughter of those about him. A Satyr or a Libel on one of the common Stamp, never meets with that Reception and Appro bation among its Readers, as what is aimed at a Person whose Merit places him upon an Eminence, and gives him a more confpicuous Figure among Men. Whether it be that we think it fhews greater Art to expofe and turn to Ridicule a Man whofe Character feems fo improper a Subject for it, or that we are pleased by fome implicit Kind of Revenge to fee him taken down and humbled in his Reputation, and in fome Measure reduced to our own Rank, who had fo far raised himself above us in the Reports and Opinions of Mankind.

THUS

THUS we see how many dark and intricate Motives there are to Detraction and Defamation, and how many malicious Spies are fearching into the Actions of a great Man, who is not always the beft prepared for fo narrow an Infpection. For we may generally observe, that our Admiration of a famous Man leffens upon our nearer Acquaintance with him; and that we seldom hear the Defcription of a celebrated Perfon, without a Catalogue of fome notorious Weaknesses and Infirmities. The Reason may be, because any little Slip is more confpicuous and obfervable in his Conduct than in another's, as it is not of a Piece with the reft of his Character, or because it is impoffible for a Man at the fame Time to be attentive to the more important Part of his Life, and to keep a watchful Eye over all the inconfiderable Circumftances of his Behaviour and Converfation; or because, as we have before observed, the fame Temper of Mind which enclines us to a Defire of Fame, naturally betrays us into fuch Slips and Unwarineffes as are not incident to Men of a contrary Difpofition.

AFTER all it must be confefs'd, that a noble and triumphant Merit often breaks through and diffipates thefe little Spots and Sullies in its Reputation; but if by a mistaken Purfuit after Fame, or through humane Infirmity, any falfe Step be made in the more momentous Concerns of Life, the whole Scheme of ambitious Designs is broken and disappointed. The smaller Stains and Blemishes

may

may die away and disappear amidst the Brightnefs that surrounds them; but a Blot of a deeper Nature cafts a Shade on all the other Beauties, and darkens the whole Character. How difficult therefore is it to preserve a great Name, when he that has acquired it is fo obnoxious to fuch little Weakneffes and Infirmities as are no small Diminution to it when difcovered, especially when they are fo industriously proclaimed, and aggravated by fuch as were once his Superiours or Equals; by fuch as would fet to Show their Judgment or their Wit, and by fuch as are guilty or innocent of the fame Slips or Misconducts in their own Behaviour.

BUT were there none of these Dispositions in others to cenfure a famous Man, nor any fuch Miscarriages in himself, yet would he meet with no fmall Trouble in keeping up his Reputation in all its Height and Splendour, There must be always a noble Train of Actions to preferve his Fame in Life and Motion. For when it is once at a Stand, it naturally flags and languishes. Admiration is a very fhortlived Paffion, that immediately decays upon growing familiar with its Object, unless it be till fed with fresh Discoveries, and kept alive by a new perpetual Succeffion of Miracles rifing up to its View. And even the greatest Actions of a celebrated Perfon labour under this Difadvantage, that however furprizing and extraordinary they may be, they are no more than what are expected from him; but on the contrary,

contrary, if they fall any thing below the Opinion that is conceived of him, tho' they might raise the Reputation of another, they are a Diminution to his.

ONE would think there fhould be fomething wonderfully pleafing in the Poffeffion of Fame, that, notwithstanding all these mortifying Confiderations, can engage a Man in fo defperate a Purfuit; and yet if we confider the little Happiness that attends a great Character, and the Multitude of Difquietudes to which the Defire of it subjects an ambitious Mind, one would be ftill the more surprised to see so many restlefs Candidates for Glory.

AMBITION, raifes a fecret Tumult in the Soul, it inflames the Mind, and puts it into a violent Hurry of Thought: It is ftill reaching after an empty imaginary Good; that has not in it the Power to abate or fatisfy it. Most other Things we long for can allay the Cravings of their proper Senfe, and for a while fet the Appetite at Reft: But Fame is a Good fo wholly foreign to our Natures, that we have no Faculty in the Soul adapted to it, nor any Organ in the Body to relifh it; an Object of Defire placed out of the Poffibility of Fruition.

It

may indeed fill the Mind for a while with a giddy Kind of Pleasure, but it is fuch a. Pleasure as makes a Man reftlefs and uneafy under it; and which does not fo much fatisfy the prefent Thirst, as it excites fresh Defires, and fets the Soul on new Enterprises. For how few am. bitious Men are there, who have got as much

Fame