Cleo. Men of Honour, I told you, were required and supposed to be
possess'd of those Qualities; and I believe, that several endeavour'd
to be, and some actually were such, as far as Human Frailty would let
them; but I believe likewise, that there were others, who gain'd the
Title, by their Undauntedness only, and had but a small Stock of any
other Virtue besides; and that the Number of these was always far the
greatest. Courage and Intrepidity always were, and ever will be the
grand Characteristick of a Man of Honour: It is this Part of the
Character only, which it is always in our Power to demonstrate. The
best Friend a King has, may want an Opportunity to shew his Loyalty:
So a Man may be just and chaste, and yet not be able to convince the
World that he is so; but he may pick a Quarrel, and shew, that he
dares to Fight when he pleases, especially if he converses with Men of
the Sword. Where the Principle of Honour was in high Esteem, Vanity
and Impatience must have always prompted the most proud and forward to
seek after Opportunities of Signalizing themselves, in order to be
stiled Men of Honour. This would naturally occasion Quarrelling and
Fighting, as it did and had frequently done before the Time I speak
of. As Duelling was made a Fashion, the Point of Honour became, of
Course, a common Topick of Discourse among the best bred Men: By this
Means the Rules for Quarrelling and Ponctilio in Behaviour, which at
first were very uncertain and precarious, came to be better
understood, and refin'd upon from Time to Time, till, in the Beginning
of the last Century, the Sence of Honour was arrived to such a Degree
of Nicety all over _Europe_, especially in _France_, that barely looking
upon a Man was often taken for an Affront.
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