The New York Packet

The Unreasonableness of treating Men with Contempt.

A GREAT part of the pleasure of life results from society. The pleasure of society depends much more on a courteous, obliging behaviour, than on any great and remarkable benefits; for the latter are seldom expected, because the occasions are rare, and the persons capable of them are few; but the former is in every one's power, and may take place daily, and at every transient interview. This indicates an habitual benevolence of temper; the other usually proceeds from the violent impulse of compassion, awakened by some sudden and great calamity. If you treat your neighbour with lofty and scornful airs; if you take pleasure in afflicting him with little, wanton mischiefs to his person or property; if you let him pass you unnoticed, or speak to you unheard; or flatly contradict whatever he says; if you ridicule his poverty, or infirmity; make him your diversion in company, and mark him out as the butt of your jest and laughter, you mortify him ten times more than by open and substantial injuries, because by the former you discover a contempt of him as a person unworthy your regard; the latter only indicates your own immoderate selfishness. Against gross injuries humanity may provide defence or obtain redress, but against the other he has no remedy.

No man, considered simply as a man, can be a just object of contempt. He that was not too mean a creature for God to make and preserve, is not mean enough for us to despise. Man considered as being endowed with reason and intellect by the inspiration of the Almighty, and designed for immortality, is to be regarded with real esteem; with a sort of veneration. Considered as a religious being, conformed to the character, and sharing in the peculiar favor of his Creator, he is to be honored as one of the excellent of the earth. Viewed in circumstances of adversity, in sickness, poverty, bodily deformity, or mental weakness, he is entitled to compassion.

Nothing makes one really despicable, but that which implies some fault; some contrariety to the design of his creation. Vice is a perversion of the original design of our nature, and therefore renders one vile and contemptible. But contempt even of a vicious man should never exceed the viciousness of his character; it should rather be directed against the vice, than the person.

As open vice, so also an affectation of appearing what we are not, a fondness of distinguishing ourselves by trifles, renders us contemptible. He that prides himself in a fantastic foppery of dress; he that assumes odd and singular airs in his behaviour; he that, in common discourse, labours for a sublimity of style which his education will not enable him to reach or understand; he that affects a peculiar kind of pronunciation scarcely intelligible, that he may seem to talk prettily, seldom fails to bring on himself the contempt of others, not so much because his affectation is really vicious, as because it betrays a trifling vanity of mind, inconsistent with that manly dignity, which commands respect.

Ridicule may often be more effectual than severe and grave reproof, to put vice and folly out of countenance: And for this purpose it is laudably employed. But that contemptuous treatment of others, which only wounds their feelings, without a tendency to correct their sentiments or manners; which cramps their powers, without directing their conduct, is perfectly base and inhumane. It discovers a wanton cruelty of disposition, an intolerable pride of heart, an unpardonable ignorance of one's self.

The distinctions, which take place among men, and are the ground of one's boasted superiority to another, are but trifling, compared with the grand points in which they are alike. They are all creatures, formed by the same hand, from the same materials, for the same purposes; all dependent, accountable, and mortal. A few days ago we had no existence; in a few days more we shall be forgotten: These bodies will lie undistinguished in the common mass of senseless matter, and the mind will take its flight to an unknown world, to exist in a new manner, divested of every circumstance of worldly distinction.

If we have advantages which others have not, we are proportionably more indebted. We despise our neighbour; but perhaps he has filled his narrower circle better than we. The man who bears poverty and adversity with cheerful contentment, who promotes the happiness of those around him according to his ability, and serves his Creator in humble hopes of a future recompence; such a man, in the lowest condition of life, is far more worthy and excellent, than the richest and proudest of the human race, who confines his views within himself, and shuts his hands against the calls of poverty.

The poor widow, with her two mites, stands higher in the esteem of Heaven and earth, than the rich nobleman who suffered a beggar to starve at his gate.

Let us raise our thoughts to that immense Being, whose presence, power and goodness, sustain all worlds, and these little differences between worm and worm, on which pride is built, will instantly disappear. There is a small difference between a candle and a glow worm, but hold them both to the sun, and both are extinguished.

Let us learn to think greatly of God, justly of men, wisely of virtue, humbly of ourselves, and we shall treat no man with scorn and derision; we shall think nothing contemptible but vice, and that will appear most contemptible.