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There was a wise old heathen once, who said, "Maxima debetur pueris reverentia" The greatest reverence is due to children; that is, that grown people should never say or do anything wrong before children, lest they should set them a bad example. Cousin Cramchild says it means, "The greatest respectfulness is expected from little boys."
If I may parody a celebrated aphorism of Quintilian, I would say, "Magna debetur hominibus reverentia :" in other words, we should carefully examine what it is that we propose to deliver in a permanent form to the taste and understanding of our species. An author ought only to commit to the press the first fruits of his field, his best and choicest thoughts.
"And that both the said charters shall be sent under the great seal to all cathedral churches throughout the realm, there to remain, and shall be read to the people twice every year. "Magna fuit quondam magnae reverentia chartae." Coke also says, "All pretence of prerogative against Magna Charta is taken away." 2 Inst., 36.
The University of Paris, nec pontificis reverentia prohibuit, says the report, quominus veritati insistereat, "reverence of the holy father prevented not the university from declaring the truth" , although the matter then in question was an article of the faith and lay within a field within which the competence of the pope could not be doubted, still the university, on the 22d of January, 1332, put forth a decree in which this construction of the dogma was classed to be erroneous.
Equally elevated in tone, and with a temperate gravity peculiar to itself, is the part of the fourteenth satire which deals with the education of the young. We seem to hear once more in it the enlightened eloquence of Quintilian; in the famous Maxima debetur puero reverentia he sums up in a single memorable phrase the whole spirit of the instructor and the moralist.
Hence the exclamation of "Reverentia pueris," which the chaplain had addressed to his neighbour at the ordinary on Harry's first appearance there. Mr. Sampson, if he had not strength sufficient to do right himself, at least had grace enough not to offend innocent young gentlemen by his cynicism.
Maxima debetur puero reverentia. Give him my compliments. I don't know his highly respectable name. His highly respectable name," says Clive, cracking with laughter "those were his very words. 'And inform him that I am an orphan myself in needy circumstances' he said he was in needy circumstances; 'and I heartily wish he'd adopt me."
In passing, we ask ourselves whether Diderot's suggestion is not available in the discussion of certain questions, where freedom of speech in the vernacular tongue is scarcely compatible with the reverentia quæ debetur pueris?
Now, do not Papists place worship in their cross and crucifix? yet do they place no holiness in it per se, but only per aliud, in respect of Christ crucified thereby represented, and they tell us, that creaturae insensibili non debetur honor vel reverentia, nisi ratione rationalis naturae; and that they give no religious respect unto the tree whereon Christ was crucified, the nails, garments, spear, manger, &c., but only quantum ad rationem contactus membrorum Christi.
But a master must not hear it; and even for a very inferior reason. He cannot be a critical instructor. GRATIAN. You are right: that was a deep observation of Juvenal; it gave the caution, "Maxima debetur pueris reverentia." I have often thought that good masters have ever shown very great tact in reading the Classics, where there is so much, even in the purest, that it is best not to understand.
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