Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Parallel - Virtue reflected

Shake-Speare:

Ulysses:  [Man] feels not what he owes [owns], but by reflection,
              As, when his virtues shining upon others
              Heat them, and they retort that heat again
              To the first giver.
Achilles: This is not strange, Ulysses.
              The beauty that is borne here in the face
              The bearer knows not, but commends itself
              To others' eyes;
Troilus And Cressida 3.3.99-105


Bacon:    "A virtuous man will be virtuous in solitudine, and not only in theatro,
              though percase it will be more strong by glory and reflection".
Colours of Good and Evil

Comment: Has any other writer of the time observed that, not only is a virtuous person more virtuous in public, but also that his virtue excites virtue in others and then has these public virtues in others reflected back to him again, further exciting his own virtue?

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