CHAPTER XII.
1. The character of a proud man: a glutton upon himself: is proud of his pedigree.—2. He is insolent and quarrelsome, but cowardly, yet cruel.—3. An ill child, subject, and servant.—4. Inhospitable.—5. No friend to any.—6. Dangerous and mischievous in power.—7. Of all things, pride bad in ministers.—8. They claim prerogative above others.—9. And call themselves the clergy: their lordliness and avarice.—10. Death swallows all.—11. The way to escape these evils.
I. To conclude this great head of pride, let us briefly see, upon the whole matter, what is the character of a proud man in himself, and in divers relations and capacities. A proud man then is a kind of glutton upon himself; for he is never satisfied with loving and admiring himself; whilst nothing else, with him, is worthy either of love or care: if good enough to be the servant of his will, it is as much as he can find in his heart to allow: as if he had been only made for himself, or rather that he had made himself. For as he despises man, because he cannot abide an equal, so he does not love God, because he would not have a superior: he cannot bear to owe his being to another, lest he should thereby acknowledge one above himself. He is one that is mighty big with the honour of his ancestors, but not of the virtue that brought them to it; much less will he trouble himself to imitate them. He can tell you of his pedigree, his antiquity, what estate, what matches; but forgets that they are gone, and that he must die too.
II. But how troublesome a companion is a proud man! Ever positive and controlling; and if you yield not, insolent and quarrelsome: yet at the upshot of the matter, cowardly: but if strongest, cruel. He feels no more of other men's miseries than if he were not a man, or it were a sin to be sensible. For not feeling himself interested, he looks no further; he will not disquiet his thoughts with other men's infelicities; it shall content him to believe they are just: and he had rather churlishly upbraid them as the cause, than be ready to commiserate or relieve them. So that compassion and charity are with him as useless as humility and meekness are hateful.
III. A proud man makes an ill child, servant, and subject; he contemns his parents, master, and prince; he will not be subject. He thinks himself too wise, or too old, to be directed; as if it were a slavish thing to obey; and that none were free that may not do what they please; which turns duty out of doors and degrades authority. On the other hand, if he be a husband, or father, or master, there is scarcely any enduring: he is so insufferably curious and testy that it is an affliction to live with him; for hardly can any hand carry it even enough to please him. Some peccadillo about his clothes, his diet, his lodging, or attendance quite disorders him: but especially if he fancies any want of the state and respect he looks for. Thus pride destroys the nature of relations: on the one side, learns to contemn duty; and on the other side, it turns love into fear, and makes the wife a servant, and the children and servants slaves.
IV. But the proud man makes an ill neighbour too; for he is an enemy to hospitality: he despises to receive kindness, because he would not show any, nor be thought to need it. Besides, it looks too equal and familiar for his haughty humour. Emulation and detraction are his element; for he is jealous of attributing any praise to others, where just; lest that should cloud and lessen him, to whom it never could be due: he is the man that fears, what he should wish, to wit, that others should do well. But that is not all; he maliciously miscalls their acts of virtue, which his corruptions will not let him imitate, that they may get no credit by them. If he wants any occasion of doing mischief, he can make one: either they use him ill, or have some design upon him; the other day they paid him not the cap and knee; the distance and respect he thinks his quality, parts, or merits do require. A small thing serves a proud man to pick a quarrel; of all creatures the most jealous, sullen, spiteful and revengeful: he can no more forgive an injury, than forbear to do one.
V. Nor is this all: a proud man can never be a friend to anybody. For besides that his ambition may always be bribed by honour and preferment to betray that relation, he is unconversable; he must not be catechised and counselled, much less reproved or contradicted: no, he is too covetous of himself to spare another man a share, and much too high, stiff, and touchy: he will not away with those freedoms that a real friendship requires. To say true, he contemns the character; it is much too familiar and humble for him: his mighty soul would know nothing besides himself and vassals to stock the world. He values other men, as we do cattle, for their service only; and, if he could, would use them so; but as it happens, the number and force are unequal.