THE 



MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 



VOL. V.] JANUARY, 1828. [No. 25. 



ON PERSONAL IDENTITY. 



Ha! here be three of us sophisticated." Lear. 



" IF I were not Alexander, I would be Diogenes !" said the Mace- 

 donian hero ; and the cynic might have retorted the compliment upon 

 the prince by saying, that, " were he not Diogenes, he would be Alex- 

 ander !" This is the universal exception, the invariable reservation that 

 our self-love makes, the utmost point at which our admiration or envy 

 ever arrives to wish, if we were not ourselves, to be some other indi- 

 vidual. No one ever wishes to be another, instead of himself. We may 

 feel a desire to change places with others to have one man's fortune 

 another's health or strength his wit or learning, or accomplishments of 

 various kinds 



<( Wishing to be like one more rich in hope, 

 Featured like him, like him with friends possessed, 

 Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope :" 



but we would still be ourselves, to possess and enjoy all these, or we 

 would not give a doit for them. But, on this supposition, what in truth 

 should we be the better for them ? It is not we, but another, that would 

 reap the benefit ; and what do we care about that other ? In that case, 

 the present owner might as well continue to enjoy them. We should not 

 be gainers by the change. If the meanest beggar who crouches at a 

 palace-gate, and looks up with awe and suppliant fear to the proud 

 inmate as he passes, could be put in possession of all the finery; the 

 pomp, the luxury, and wealth that he sees and envies, on the sole con- 

 dition of getting rid, together with his rags and misery, of all recollec- 

 tion that there ever was such a wretch as himself, he would reject the 

 proffered boon with scorn. He might be glad to change situations ; but 

 he would insist on keeping his own thoughts, to compare notes, and point 

 the transition by the force of contrast. He would not, on any account, 

 M.M. New Series. VoL.V. No. 25. B 



