Wrap yourself in your own virtue, and
seek a friend and your daily bread. If you have in your own cause
grown gray with unbleached honour, bless God and die!"
Men inspired by high principles are often required to sacrifice
all that they esteem and love rather than fail in their duty.
The old English idea of this sublime devotion to duty was expressed
by the loyalist poet to his sweetheart, on taking up arms for
his sovereign:-
"I could love thee, dear, so much,
Loved I not honour more.' (1)
And Sertorius has said: "The man who has any dignity of character,
should conquer with honour, and not use any base means even to
save his life." So St. Paul, inspired by duty and faith, declared
himself as not only "ready to be bound, but to die at Jerusalem."
When the Marquis of Pescara was entreated by the princes of Italy
to desert the Spanish cause, to which he was in honour bound, his
noble wife, Vittoria Colonna, reminded him of his duty. She wrote
to him: "Remember your honour, which raises you above fortune and
above kings; by that alone, and not by the splendour of titles, is
glory acquired--that glory which it will be your happiness and
pride to transmit unspotted to your posterity." Such was the
dignified view which she took of her husband's honour; and when he
fell at Pavia, though young and beautiful, and besought by many
admirers, she betook herself to solitude, that she might lament
over her husband's loss and celebrate his exploits.
Pages:
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258