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Objection 1: It seems that the daughters of vainglory are unsuitably
reckoned to be "disobedience, boastfulness, hypocrisy, contention,
obstinacy, discord, and eccentricity [Praesumptio novitatum,
literally 'presumption of novelties']." For according to Gregory
(Moral. xxiii) boastfulness is numbered among the species of pride.
Now pride does not arise from vainglory, rather is it the other way
about, as Gregory says (Moral. xxxi). Therefore boastfulness
should not be reckoned among the daughters of vainglory.
Objection 2: Further, contention and discord seem to be the outcome
chiefly of anger. But anger is a capital vice condivided with
vainglory. Therefore it seems that they are not the daughters of
vainglory.
Objection 3: Further, Chrysostom says (Hom. xix in Matth.)
that vainglory is always evil, but especially in philanthropy, i.e.
mercy. And yet this is nothing new, for it is an established custom
among men. Therefore eccentricity should not be specially reckoned as
a daughter of vainglory.
On the contrary, stands the authority of Gregory (Moral. xxxi),
who there assigns the above daughters to vainglory.
I answer that, As stated above (Question 34, Article 5;
Question 35, Article 4; FS, Question 84, Articles
3,4), the vices which by their very nature are such as to be
directed to the end of a certain capital vice, are called its
daughters. Now the end of vainglory is the manifestation of one's own
excellence, as stated above (Articles 1,4): and to this end a
man may tend in two ways. In one way directly, either by words, and
this is boasting, or by deeds, and then if they be true and call for
astonishment, it is love of novelties which men are wont to wonder at
most; but if they be false, it is hypocrisy. In another way a man
strives to make known his excellence by showing that he is not inferior
to another, and this in four ways. First, as regards the intellect,
and thus we have "obstinacy," by which a man is too much attached to
his own opinion, being unwilling to believe one that is better.
Secondly, as regards the will, and then we have "discord," whereby
a man is unwilling to give up his own will, and agree with others.
Thirdly, as regards "speech," and then we have "contention,"
whereby a man quarrels noisily with another. Fourthly as regards
deeds, and this is "disobedience," whereby a man refuses to carry
out the command of his superiors.
Reply to Objection 1: As stated above (Question 112, Article
1, ad 2), boasting is reckoned a kind of pride, as regards its
interior cause, which is arrogance: but outward boasting, according
to Ethic. iv, is directed sometimes to gain, but more often to glory
and honor, and thus it is the result of vainglory.
Reply to Objection 2: Anger is not the cause of discord and
contention, except in conjunction with vainglory, in that a man thinks
it a glorious thing for him not to yield to the will and words of
others.
Reply to Objection 3: Vainglory is reproved in connection with
almsdeeds on account of the lack of charity apparent in one who prefers
vainglory to the good of his neighbor, seeing that he does the latter
for the sake of the former. But a man is not reproved for presuming to
give alms as though this were something novel.
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