17° | Essays 7 
I suppose those who disapprove of it have not 
hitherto given it much opposition, from a principle 
somewhat like that of your good mother, relating to 
punctilious persons, who are always exacting little 
observances of respect: that, “if people can be pleased 
with small matters, it is a pity but they should have 
them.” 
In this view, perhaps, I should not myself, if my 
advice had been asked, have objected to their wear- 
ing their ribands and badges themselves according to 
their fancy, though I certainly should to the entailing 
it asan honor on their posterity. For honor, worthily 
obtained (as that, for example, of our officers), is in 
its nature a personal thing, and incommunicable to 
any but those who had some share in obtaining it. 
Thus among the Chinese, the most ancient, and from 
long experience the wisest of nations, honor does not 
descend, but ascends. If a man, from his learning, 
his wisdom, or his valor, is promoted by the em- 
peror to the rank of Mandarin, his parents are im- 
mediately entitled to all the same ceremonies of 
respect from the people that are established as due 
to the Mandarin himself; on the supposition that 
it must have been owing to the education, instruction, 
and good example afforded him by his parents, that 
he was rendered capable of serving the public. 
This ascending honor is therefore useful to the 
state, as it encourages parents to give their children 
a good and virtuous education. But the descending 
honor, to a posterity who could have no share in ob- 
taining it, is not only groundless and absurd, but 
‘64, 23"