 and exemplifying, rather than defining.
It has already been intimated that
Hector
was the finest Gentleman of whom we read in History, and
Don Quixote
the finest Gentleman we read of in Romance; as was instanced from the Tenour of their Principles and Actions.
Some Time after the Battle of
Cressy, Edward
the Third of
England,
and
Edward
the
Black Prince,
the more than Heir of his Father's Renown, pressed
John
King of
France
to indulge them with the Pleasure of his Company at
London. John
was desirous of embracing the Invitation, and accordingly laid the Proposal before his Parliament at
Paris.
The Parliament objected that the Invitation had been made with an insidious Design of seizing his Person, thereby to make the cheaper and easier Acquisition of the Crown, to which
Edward
at that Time pretended. But
John
replied, with some Warmth, that he was confident his Brother
Edward,
and more especially his young Cousin, were too much of the GENTLEMAN to treat him in that Manner. He did not say too much of the King, of the Hero, or of the Saint, but too much of the GENTLEMAN to be guilty of any Baseness.
The Sequel verified this Opinion. At the Battle of
Poictiers
King
John
was made Prisoner, and soon after conducted by the
Black Prince
to
England.
The
Prince
entered
London
in Triumph, amid the Throng and Acclamations of Millions of the People. But then this rather appeared to be the Triumph of the
French
King than that of his Conqueror.
John
was seated on a proud Steed, royally robed and attended by a numerous and gorgeous Train of the
British
Nobility; while his Conqueror endeavoured, as much as possible, to disappear, and rode by his Side, in plain Attire, and degradingly seated on a little
Irish
Hobby.
As
Aristotle
and the
Critics
derived their Rules, for Epic Poetry and the Sublime, from a Poem which
Homer
had written long before any Rules were formed, or Laws established for the Purpose. Thus, from the Demeanour and innate Principles of particular Gentlemen, Art has borrowed and instituted the many Modes of Behaviour, which the World has adopted under the Title of Good-Manners.
One Quality of a Gentleman is that of Charity to the Poor; and this is delicately instanced in the Account which Don
Quixote
gives, to his fast Friend
Sancho Pansa,
of the valorous but yet more pious Knight Errant Saint
Martin.
On a Day, said the Don, Saint
Martin
met a poor Man half naked, and taking his Cloak from his Shoulders, he divided and gave him the one Half. Now, tell me at what
