So last night I’m thumbing through a collection of essays by Yale historian Edmund S. Morgan. He is one of our nation’s most respected historians.
This is a new collection of his short essays on heroic figures (Washington, Winthrop, William Penn). Yet Morgan introduces the collection with this provocative little piece from Poor Richard.
Benjamin Franklin writing in 1748 said this:
‘There are three great destroyers of mankind. Plague, Famine, and Hero. Plague and Famine destroy your persons only, and leave your goods to your Heirs; but Hero, when he comes, takes life and goods together; his business and glory it is, to destroy man and the works of man. Hero, therefore, is the worst of the three.”
Interesting, isn’t it?
The history of the world proves it.
Just think of 1-2 Samuel, Kings and Chronicles.
Think of the Roman emperors, British monarchs, American presidents and senators.
How many times has popular opinion clamored for a human ruler to be our hero — only to end up regretting that sentiment?