The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

From Thomas's Massachusetts Spy.

The Life of the Man of HONOR.

" An honest man's the noblest work
of God."

No term, perhaps, is more frequently made use of, by men of all ranks and situations in life, than that of honor :-in their most trifling, uninteresting affairs, honor is pledged as an affirmative of their assertions :-Yet how few, alas ! too few, follow its heavenly dictates !--Wise men of all ages have unanimously agreed, that honor is the grand foundation of every thing great and noble in the human character-and that the being entirely dispossessed of it, represents but a deformed picture upon the theatre of existence.--That society which contains a member possessed of an inclination, and a capacity to follow the pleasing paths of honor, possesses a jewel of inestimable worth ;--In him they have an example of all those social virtues, and a pattern of that moral goodness, which sweetens life, and render its enjoyments more desirable and pure. Honor is not only an essential requisite to the man in a private station but highly so to him whom Providence hath ordained to tread the political path of life, to protect our rights and guard against the numerous evils incident to all nations upon the globe, however independently established their systems of government may be : On the former's possession thereof, depends individual happiness-on the latter's, national dignity, happiness and prosperity.--That a great part of mankind, at the present day, entertain a very mistaken idea of what constitutes real honor, is demonstrated by the occurrences of every day, and indeed every hour, of our lives. Some there are who, fondly imagine that honor consists in the acquirement of riches--in appearing independent ;-Others in being a debauchee--in spending their time in continual scenes of extravagance, dissipation, and riot ;-And others that exalted titles-high birth, &c. constitute every refined principle of honor.-But these are all merely the fanciful ideas of infatuated minds.--The real Son of honor values himself not upon his riches ; he is not haughty and imperious from a sense of his worldly independence- but bows to merit wherever he finds it, though clothed in the tattered garb of poverty ;--he is no friend to debauchery ; neither does he participate of the sources of dissipation and riot ;--he stoops to no servile means to procure titles, and increase his popularity--but risks his promotion, in that respect entirely upon his reputation ;-he is biassed by no party views--but pays a sacred regard to the calls of justice ; envy and malice find no residence in his heart--every breath is filled with sympathy, benevolence, fortitude and courage :--In fact, his character includes all the social virtues--and suffer me to say, he is the most perfect being this sublunary world contains.

Pleasing, sublime indeed, must be the sensations which fill the mind of the man of honor, when he has arrived to the evening of his life, on taking a retrospective view of his past days !-- The reflection that he has ever endeavoured to walk in the paths of moral rectitude, honor and honesty, and that thereby he has incurred the affections and friendship of his fellow men, must render his declining days pleasant and peaceful--must cause the sunshine of tranquility to beam with resplendent lustre upon his soul-and the glorious prospect of finding favour with his heavenly Father, will induce him to take his last farewell of the world, with all its gaudy, enchanting objects, with unruffled composure, and smile even in the momentary agonies of death.