impossible to strip a Man of that Passion, and preserve in him his
Principle of Honour, as you can leave him his Bed after you have taken
away the Feathers. A peaceful Disposition and Humility are not
Qualities more promising in the Day of Battle, than a contrite Heart
an broken Spirit are Preparatives for Fighting. In these Regulations,
so often mention'd, it is plainly to be seen, what Pains and Care were
taken, not to arraign, or lay the least Blame upon the Principle of
Honour, tho' the Kingdom groan'd under a Calamity which visibly arose
from, and could be the Effect of no other Cause than that very
Principle.

Hor. All the Fault, in my Opinion, ought to be laid on the Tyranny of
Custom; and therefore the Marshals of _France_ were in the Right not to
depreciate or run the least Risque of destroying or lessening the
Principle of Honour, which, I am confident, has been a greater Tie
upon Men than any Religion whatever.

Cleo. It is impossible that there should be a greater Tie, a stronger
Barrier against Injustice, than the Christian Religion, where it is
sincerely believ'd, and Men live up to that Belief. But if you mean,
that the Number of Men, who have stuck to the Principle of Honour, and
strictly follow'd the Dictates of it, has been greater than that of
Christians, who, with equal Strictness, have obey'd the Precepts of the
Gospel; if, I say, you mean this, I don't know how to contradict you.
But I thought, that I had given you a very good Reason for that, when
I shew'd you, that in the Notions of Honour there are many Allurements
to draw-in vain worldly Men, which the Christian Religion has not; and
that the Severity of this is more mortifying and disagreable to Human
Nature, than the Self-denial which is required in the other. There are
other Reasons besides, which I have likewise hinted at more than once.