Cæcus is a rich man, of good birth, and very fine parts; is very full of every thing that he says or does, and never imagines it possible for such a judgment as his to be mistaken. He can bear no contradiction, and discovers the weakness of your understanding, as soon as ever you oppose him. Cæcus would have been very religious, but that he always thought he was so.
There is nothing so odious to Cæcus as a proud man; and the misfortune is, that in this he is so very quicksighted, that he discovers in almost everybody, some strokes of vanity.
On the other hand, he is exceeding fond of humble and modest persons. Humility, says he, is so amiable a quality, that it forces our esteem wherever we meet with it. There is no possibility of despising the meanest person that has it, or of esteeming the greatest man that wants it.
Cæcus no more suspects himself to be proud, than he suspects his want of sense. And the reason of it is, because he always finds himself so in love with humility, and so enraged at pride.
It is very true, Cæcus, you speak sincerely when you say you love humility, and abhor pride. You are no hypocrite, you speak the true sentiments of your mind; but then take this along with you, you only love humility, and hate pride, in other people. You never once in your life thought of any other humility, or of any other pride, than that which you have seen in other people.
8. The case of Cæcus is a common case: many people live in all the instances of pride, and yet never suspect themselves, because they dislike proud people, and are pleased with humility and modesty, wherever they find them.
All their speeches in favour of humility, and all their railings against pride, are looked upon as effects of their own humble spirit.
Whereas in truth, these are so far from being proofs of humility, that they are great arguments of the want of it.
*For the fuller of pride any one is himself, the more impatient will he be at the smallest instances of it in other people. And the less humility any one has in his own mind, the more will he demand it in other people.
*You must therefore act by a quite contrary measure, and reckon yourself only so far humble, as you impose every instance of humility upon yourself, and never call for it in other people. So far an enemy to pride, as you never spare it in yourself, nor ever censure it in other persons.