An excerpt from "The History of Sandford and Merton"

An excerpt from "The History of Sandford and Merton"

An excerpt from "The History of Sandford and Merton" which describes the Virtue.

An excerpt from "The History of Sandford and Merton" which describes the Virtue as a trait developed and sustained by the mind and conscious efforts of a person rather than something one is born with. This excerpt presents evidence against inherently attributing Virtue to higher social class.

Thomas Day

Day, Thomas. “The History of Sandford and Merton.", 1783, pp.29-30, Mind Is a Metaphor RSS, metaphors.iath.virginia.edu/metaphors/17941.

The Mind is a Metaphor

1783

Valeriia Rubanova

Richardson, "Pamela"

English

Text

Indeed, the real seat of all superiority, even of manners, must be placed in the mind: dignified sentiments, superior courage, accompanied with genuine and universal courtesy, are always necessary to constitute the real gentleman; and where these are wanting, it is the greatest absurdity to think they can be supplied by affected tones of voice, particular grimaces, or extravagant and unnatural modes of dress; which, far from becoming the real test of gentility, have in general no other origin than the caprice of barbers, taylors, actors, opera-dancers, milliners, fidlers, and French servants of both sexes. I cannot help, therefore, asserting, said he very seriously, that this little peasant has within his mind the seeds of true gentility and dignity of character; and though I shall also wish that our son may possess all the common accomplishments of his rank, nothing would give me more pleasure than a certainty that he would never in any respect fall below the son of farmer Sandford.