t pagan, but professedly Christian, cannot venture to
reprobate humility in set terms, or to make a boast of pride. Accordingly,
it looks out for some expedient by which it may blind itself to the real
state of the case. Humility, with its grave and self-denying attributes,
it cannot love; but what is more beautiful, what more winning, than
modesty? what virtue, at first sight, simulates humility so well? though
what in fact is more radically distinct from it? In truth, great as is its
charm, modesty is not the deepest or the most religious of virtues. Rather
it is the advanced guard or sentinel of the soul militant, and watches
continually over its nascent intercourse with the world about it. It goes
the round of the senses; it mounts up into the countenance; it protects
the eye and ear; it reigns in the voice and gesture. Its province is the
outward deportment, as other virtues have relation to matters theological,
others to society, and others to the mind itself. And being more
superficial than other virtues, it is more easily disjoined from their
company; it admits of being associated with principles or qualities
naturally foreign to it, and is often made the cloak of feelings or ends
for which it was never given to us. So little is it the necessary index of
humility, that it is even compatible with pride. The better for the
purpose of Philosophy; humble it cannot be, so forthwith modesty becomes
its humility.

Pride, under such training, instead of running to waste in the education
of the mind, is turned to account; it gets a new name; it is called
self-respect; and ceases to be the disagreeable, uncompanionable quality
which it is in itself. Though it be the motive principle of the soul, it
seldom comes to view; and when it shows itself, then delicacy and
gentleness are its attire, and good sense and sense of honour direct its
motions. It is no longer a restless agent, without definite aim; it has a
large field of exertion assigned to it, and it subserves those social
interests which it would naturally trouble. It is directed into the
channel of industry, frugality, honesty, and obedience; and it becomes the
very staple of the religion and morality held in honour in a day like our
own. It becomes the safeguard of chastity, the guarantee of veracity, in
high and low; it is the very household god of society, as at present
constituted, inspiring neatness and decency in the servant girl, propriety
of carriage and refin