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| Philanthropy and Friendship.
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Chapter XXV.—Philanthropy and Friendship.
And when we were arrived and had partaken of food,
and given thanks according to our custom, there being still
time,1148
| 1148 [The
remainder of this Homily has no parallel in the
Recognitions. The views presented are peculiar, and
indicate a speculative tendency, less marked in the
Recognitions.—R.] | I said to Peter: “My lord
Peter, my mother has done a work of philanthropy in remembering the
woman her hostess.” And Peter answered, “Have you
indeed, O Clement, thought truly that your mother did a work of
philanthropy in respect of her treatment of the woman who took her in
after her shipwreck, or have you spoken this word by way of greatly
complimenting your mother? But if you spoke truly, and not by way
of compliment, you seem to me not to know what the greatness of
philanthropy is, which is affection towards any one whatever in respect
of his being a man, apart from physical persuasion. But not even
do I venture to call the hostess who received your mother after her
shipwreck, philanthropic; for she was impelled by pity, and persuaded
to become the benefactress of a woman who had been shipwrecked, who was
grieving for her children,—a stranger, naked, destitute, and
greatly deploring her misfortunes. When, therefore, she was in
such circumstances, who that saw her, though he were impious, could but
pity her? So that it does not seem to me that even the
stranger-receiving woman did a work of philanthropy, but to have been
moved to assist her by pity for her innumerable misfortunes. And
how much more is it true of your mother, than when she was in
prosperous circumstances and requited her hostess, she did a deed, not
of philanthropy, but of friendship! for there is much difference
between friendship and philanthropy, because friendship springs from
requital. But philanthropy, apart from physical persuasion, loves
and benefits every man as he is a man. If, therefore, while she
pitied her hostess, she also pitied and did good to her enemies who
have wronged her, she would be philanthropic; but if, on one account
she is friendly or hostile, and on another account is hostile or
friendly, such an one is the friend or enemy of some quality, not of
man as man.”
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