day
And as those nightly tapers disappear,
When day's bright lord ascends our hemisphere;
So pale grows Reason at Religion's sight;
So dies, and so dissolves, in supernatural light.

XIV. ON THE LOVE OF COUNTRY AS A PRINCIPLE OF ACTION.

RICHARD STEELE.--1672-1729.

_From_ THE TATLER, June 10, 1710.

When men look into their own bosoms, and consider the generous seeds
which are there planted, that might, if rightly cultivated, ennoble
their lives, and make their virtue venerable to futurity; how can they,
without tears, reflect on the universal degeneracy from that public
spirit, which ought to be the first and principal motive of all their
actions? In the Grecian and Roman nations, they were wise enough to keep
up this great incentive, and it was impossible to be in the fashion
without being a patriot. All gallantry had its first source from hence;
and to want a warmth for the public welfare, was a defect so scandalous,
that he who was guilty of it had no pretence to honor or manhood. What
makes the depravity among us, in this behalf, the more vexatious and
irksome to reflect upon, is, that the contempt of life is carried as far
amongst us, as it could be in those memorable people; and we want only a
proper application of the qualities which are frequent among us, to be
as worthy as they. There is hardly a man to be found who will not fight
upon any occasion, which he thinks may taint his own honor. Were this
motive as strong in everything that regards the public, as it is in this
our private case, no man would pass his life away without having
distinguished himself by some gallant instance of his zeal towards it in
the respective incidents of his life and profession. But it is so far
otherwise, that there cannot at present be a more ridiculous animal,
than one who seems to regard the good of others. He, in civil life,
whose thoughts turn upon schemes which may be of general benefit,
without further reflection, is called a projector; and the man whose
mind seems intent upon glorious achievements, a knight-errant. The
ridicule among us runs strong against laudable actions; nay, in the
ordinary course of things, and the common regards of life, negligence of
the public is an epidemic vice. The brewer in his excise, the merchant
in his customs, and, for aught we know, the soldier in his muster-rolls,
think never the worse of themselves for being guilty of their respective
frauds towards the pub