86 A GREAT PUBLIC CHARACTER. 



crowd of newer activities ; it is the memory of what he was 

 that is precious to us. Bonum virum facile crederes, magnum 

 libenter. If John Winthrop be the highest type of the men 

 who shaped New England, we can find no better one of those 

 whom New England has shaped than Josiah Quincy. It is 

 a figure that we can contemplate with more than satisfac 

 tion a figure of admirable example in a democracy as that 

 of a model citizen. His courage and high-mindedness were 

 personal to him; let us believe that his integrity, his indus 

 try, his love of letters, his devotion to duty, go in some sort 

 to the credit of the society which gave him birth and formed 

 his character. In one respect he is especially interesting to 

 us, as belonging to a class of men of whom he was the last 

 representative, and whose like we shall never see again. Born 

 and bred in an age of greater social distinction than ours, he 

 was an aristocrat in a sense that is good even in a republic. 

 He had the sense of a certain personal dignity inherent in 

 him, and which could not be alienated by any whim of the 

 popular will. There is no stouter buckler than this for inde 

 pendence of spirit, no surer guaranty of that courtesy which, 

 in its consideration of others, is but paying a debt of self- 

 respect. During his presidency, Mr. Quincy was once riding 

 to Cambridge in a crowded omnibus. A coloured woman got 

 in, and could nowhere find a seat. The President instantly 

 gave her his own, and stood the rest of the way, a silent 

 rebuke of the general rudeness. He was a man of quality in 

 the true sense of quality not hereditary, but personal. Posi 

 tion might be taken from him, but he remained where he was. 

 In what he valued most, his sense of personal worth, the 

 world s opinion could neither help nor hinder. We do not 

 mean that this was conscious in him; if it had been, it would 

 have been a weakness. It was an instinct, and acted with 

 the force and promptitude proper to such. Let us hope that 

 the scramble of democracy will give us something as good ; 

 anything of so classic dignity we shall not look to see again. 



Josiah Quincy was no seeker of office ; from first to last he 

 and it were drawn together by the mutual attraction of need 

 and fitness, and it clung to him as most men cling to it. The 

 people often make blunders in their choice; they are apt to 

 mistake presence of speech for presence of mind; they love 

 so to help a man rise from the ranks, that they will spoil a 

 good demagogue to make a bad general ; a great many faults 



