Inmarchingtothelatter，theycouldfeelnoothersentimentthanthatofthedulnessofordinaryduty:inmarchingtotheformer，theyfeelthattheyaremakingthenoblestexertionwhichitispossibleformantomake。Theyknowthattheirgeneralwouldnothaveorderedthemuponthisstation，haditnotbeennecessaryforthesafetyofthearmy，forthesuccessofthewar。
Theycheerfullysacrificetheirownlittlesystemstotheprosperityofagreatersystem。Theytakeanaffectionateleaveoftheircomrades，towhomtheywishallhappinessandsuccess；
andmarchout，notonlywithsubmissiveobedience，butoftenwithshoutsofthemostjoyfulexultation，tothatfatal，butsplendidandhonourablestationtowhichtheyareappointed。Noconductorofanarmycandeservemoreunlimitedtrust，moreardentandzealousaffection，thanthegreatConductoroftheuniverse。Inthegreatestpublicaswellasprivatedisasters，awisemanoughttoconsiderthathehimself，hisfriendsandcountrymen，haveonlybeenorderedupontheforlornstationoftheuniverse；
thathaditnotbeennecessaryforthegoodofthewhole，theywouldnothavebeensoordered；andthatitistheirduty，notonlywithhumbleresignationtosubmittothisallotment，buttoendeavourtoembraceitwithalacrityandjoy。Awisemanshouldsurelybecapableofdoingwhatagoodsoldierholdshimselfatalltimesinreadinesstodo。
TheideaofthatdivineBeing，whosebenevolenceandwisdomhave，fromalleternity，contrivedandconductedtheimmensemachineoftheuniverse，soasatalltimestoproducethegreatestpossiblequantityofhappiness，iscertainlyofalltheobjectsofhumancontemplationbyfarthemostsublime。Everyotherthoughtnecessarilyappearsmeaninthecomparison。Themanwhomwebelievetobeprincipallyoccupiedinthissublimecontemplation，seldomfailstobetheobjectofourhighestveneration；andthoughhislifeshouldbealtogethercontemplative，weoftenregardhimwithasortofreligiousrespectmuchsuperiortothatwithwhichwelookuponthemostactiveandusefulservantofthecommonwealth。TheMeditationsofMarcusAntoninus，whichturnprincipallyuponthissubject，havecontributedmore，perhaps，tothegeneraladmirationofhischaracter，thanallthedifferenttransactionsofhisjust，merciful，andbeneficentreign。
Theadministrationofthegreatsystemoftheuniverse，however，thecareoftheuniversalhappinessofallrationalandsensiblebeings，isthebusinessofGodandnotofman。Tomanisallottedamuchhumblerdepartment，butonemuchmoresuitabletotheweaknessofhispowers，andtothenarrownessofhiscomprehension；thecareofhisownhappiness，ofthatofhisfamily，hisfriends，hiscountry:thatheisoccupiedincontemplatingthemoresublime，canneverbeanexcuseforhisneglectingthemorehumbledepartment；andhemustnotexposehimselftothechargewhichAvidiusCassiusissaidtohavebrought，perhapsunjustly，againstMarcusAntoninus；thatwhileheemployedhimselfinphilosophicalspeculations，andcontemplatedtheprosperityoftheuniverse，heneglectedthatoftheRomanempire。Themostsublimespeculationofthecontemplativephilosophercanscarcecompensatetheneglectofthesmallestactiveduty。
OfSelf-commandThemanwhoactsaccordingtotherulesofperfectprudence，ofstrictjustice，andofproperbenevolence，maybesaidtobeperfectlyvirtuous。Butthemostperfectknowledgeofthoseruleswillnotaloneenablehimtoactinthismanner:hisownpassionsareveryapttomisleadhim；sometimestodrivehimandsometimestoseducehimtoviolatealltheruleswhichhehimself，inallhissoberandcoolhours，approvesof。Themostperfectknowledge，ifitisnotsupportedbythemostperfectself-command，willnotalwaysenablehimtodohisduty。
Someofthebestoftheancientmoralistsseemtohaveconsideredthosepassionsasdividedintotwodifferentclasses:
first，intothosewhichitrequiresaconsiderableexertionofself-commandtorestrainevenforasinglemoment；andsecondly，intothosewhichitiseasytorestrainforasinglemoment，orevenforashortperiodoftime；butwhich，bytheircontinualandalmostincessantsolicitations，are，inthecourseofalife，veryapttomisleadintogreatdeviations。
Fearandanger，togetherwithsomeotherpassionswhicharemixedorconnectedwiththem，constitutethefirstclass。Theloveofease，ofpleasure，ofapplause，andofmanyotherselfishgratifications，constitutethesecond。Extravagantfearandfuriousanger，itisoftendifficulttorestrainevenforasinglemoment。Theloveofease，ofpleasure，ofapplause，andotherselfishgratifications，itisalwayseasytorestrainforasinglemoment，orevenforashortperiodoftime；but，bytheircontinualsolicitations，theyoftenmisleadusintomanyweaknesseswhichwehaveafterwardsmuchreasontobeashamedof。
Theformersetofpassionsmayoftenbesaidtodrive，thelatter，toseduceusfromourduty。Thecommandoftheformerwas，bytheancientmoralistsabovealludedto，denominatedfortitude，manhood，andstrengthofmind；thatofthelatter，temperance，decency，modesty，andmoderation。
Thecommandofeachofthosetwosetsofpassions，independentofthebeautywhichitderivesfromitsutility；fromitsenablingusuponalloccasionstoactaccordingtothedictatesofprudence，ofjustice，andofproperbenevolence；hasabeautyofitsown，andseemstodeserveforitsownsakeacertaindegreeofesteemandadmiration。Intheonecase，thestrengthandgreatnessoftheexertionexcitessomedegreeofthatesteemandadmiration。Intheother，theuniformity，theequalityandunremittingsteadinessofthatexertion。
Themanwho，indanger，intorture，upontheapproachofdeath，preserveshistranquillityunaltered，andsuffersnoword，nogesturetoescapehimwhichdoesnotperfectlyaccordwiththefeelingsofthemostindifferentspectator，necessarilycommandsaveryhighdegreeofadmiration。Ifhesuffersinthecauseoflibertyandjustice，forthesakeofhumanityandtheloveofhiscountry，themosttendercompassionforhissufferings，thestrongestindignationagainsttheinjusticeofhispersecutors，thewarmestsympatheticgratitudeforhisbeneficentintentions，thehighestsenseofhismerit，alljoinandmixthemselveswiththeadmirationofhismagnanimity，andofteninflamethatsentimentintothemostenthusiasticandrapturousveneration。
Theheroesofancientandmodernhistory，whoarerememberedwiththemostpeculiarfavourandaffection，are，manyofthem，thosewho，inthecauseoftruth，liberty，andjustice，haveperisheduponthescaffold，andwhobehavedtherewiththateaseanddignitywhichbecamethem。HadtheenemiesofSocratessufferedhimtodiequietlyinhisbed，thegloryevenofthatgreatphilosophermightpossiblyneverhaveacquiredthatdazzlingsplendourinwhichithasbeenbeheldinallsucceedingages。Intheenglishhistory，whenwelookovertheillustriousheadswhichhavebeenengravenbyVertueandHowbraken，thereisscarceanybody，Iimagine，whodoesnotfeelthattheaxe，theemblemofhavingbeenbeheaded，whichisengravedundersomeofthemostillustriousofthem。underthoseoftheSirThomasMores，oftheRhaleighs，theRussels，theSydneys，etc。shedsarealdignityandinterestingnessoverthecharacterstowhichitisaffixed，muchsuperiortowhattheycanderivefromallthefutileornamentsofheraldry，withwhichtheyaresometimesaccompanied。
Nordoesthismagnanimitygivelustreonlytothecharactersofinnocentandvirtuousmen。Itdrawssomedegreeoffavourableregardevenuponthoseofthegreatestcriminals；andwhenarobberorhighwaymanisbroughttothescaffold，andbehavestherewithdecencyandfirmness，thoughweperfectlyapproveofhispunishment，weoftencannothelpregrettingthatamanwhopossessedsuchgreatandnoblepowersshouldhavebeencapableofsuchmeanenormities。
Waristhegreatschoolbothforacquiringandexercisingthisspeciesofmagnanimity。Death，aswesay，isthekingofterrors；andthemanwhohasconqueredthefearofdeath，isnotlikelytolosehispresenceofmindattheapproachofanyothernaturalevil。Inwar，menbecomeFamiliarwithdeath，andaretherebynecessarilycuredofthatsuperstitioushorrorwithwhichitisviewedbytheweakandunexperienced。Theyconsideritmerelyasthelossoflife，andasnofurthertheobjectofaversionthanaslifemayhappentobethatofdesire。Theylearnfromexperience，too，thatmanyseeminglygreatdangersarenotsogreatastheyappear；andthat，withcourage，activity，andpresenceofmind，thereisoftenagoodprobabilityofextricatingthemselveswithhonourfromsituationswhereatfirsttheycouldseenohope。Thedreadofdeathisthusgreatlydiminished；andtheconfidenceorhopeofescapingit，augmented。
Theylearntoexposethemselvestodangerwithlessreluctance。
Theyarelessanxioustogetoutofit，andlessapttolosetheirpresenceofmindwhiletheyareinit。Itisthishabitualcontemptofdangeranddeathwhichennoblestheprofessionofasoldier，andbestowsuponit，inthenaturalapprehensionsofmankind，arankanddignitysuperiortothatofanyotherprofession。Theskilfulandsuccessfulexerciseofthisprofession，intheserviceoftheircountry，seemstohaveconstitutedthemostdistinguishingfeatureinthecharacterofthefavouriteheroesofallages。
Greatwarlikeexploit，thoughundertakencontrarytoeveryprincipleofjustice，andcarriedonwithoutanyregardtohumanity，sometimesinterestsus，andcommandsevensomedegreeofacertainsortofesteemfortheveryworthlesscharacterswhichconductit。WeareinterestedevenintheexploitsoftheBuccaneers；andreadwithsomesortofesteemandadmiration，thehistoryofthemostworthlessmen，who，inpursuitofthemostcriminalpurposes，enduredgreaterhardships，surmountedgreaterdifficulties，andencounteredgreaterdangers，than，perhaps，anywhichtheordinarycourseofhistorygivesanaccountof。
Thecommandofangerappearsuponmanyoccasionsnotlessgenerousandnoblethanthatoffear。Theproperexpressionofjustindignationcomposesmanyofthemostsplendidandadmiredpassagesbothofancientandmoderneloquence。ThePhilippicsofDemosthenes，theCatalinariansofCicero，derivetheirwholebeautyfromthenobleproprietywithwhichthispassionisexpressed。Butthisjustindignationisnothingbutangerrestrainedandproperlyattemperedtowhattheimpartialspectatorcanenterinto。Theblusteringandnoisypassionwhichgoesbeyondthis，isalwaysodiousandoffensive，andinterestsus，notfortheangryman，butforthemanwithwhomheisangry。
Thenoblenessofpardoningappears，uponmanyoccasions，superioreventothemostperfectproprietyofresenting。Wheneitherproperacknowledgmentshavebeenmadebytheoffendingparty；or，evenwithoutanysuchacknowledgments，whenthepublicinterestrequiresthatthemostmortalenemiesshoulduniteforthedischargeofsomeimportantduty，themanwhocancastawayallanimosity，andactwithconfidenceandcordialitytowardsthepersonwhohadmostgrievouslyoffendedhim，seemsjustlytomeritourhighestadmiration。