The Legacy of Fane

Know this: we have lost ourselves, and sold our identity to Jesamine as a resolution to our ills. It is written, and it will be; let us not dwell upon the past and the glories we will lose by this merger. Our blood is Jesamine blood now, and our triumphs and failings will be theirs to share. We will live.

I offer this to you, young Fane, for you to pass on to the Fane that follows, and the Fane after that, and so on. Do not let this name be forgotten, and do not let the lessons, below, fall upon an unhearing son. Our experience is our currency, now; it is to you to maintain its value. I am old, and I will soon be forgotten.

Penned this redsky by Lord Fane I, on the eve of his House's demise.

On Knowledge

  1. Philosophy triumphs easily over past evils and future evils; but present evils triumph over it. (+)

  2. We may give advice, but we cannot inspire the conduct. (+)

  3. The veracity which increases with old age is not far from folly. (+)

On Love

  1. The pleasure of love is in loving. We are happier in the passion we feel than in that we inspire. (+)

On Esteem

  1. Friendship is only a reciprocal conciliation of interests, and an exchange of good offices; it is a species of commerce out of which self-love always expects to gain something.(+)

  2. And what is friendship but a name, A charm that lulls to sleep, A shade that follows wealth or fame, And leaves the wretch to weep? (+)

  3. We always like those who admire us; we do not always like those whom we admire. (+)

  4. We hardly find any persons of good sense save those who agree with with us.(+)

On Debt

  1. Too great haste to repay an obligation is a kind of ingratitude. (+)

  2. The gratitude of most men is but a secret desire of receiving greater benefits. (+)

On Secrecy

  1. There is great ability in knowing how to conceal one's ability. (+)

  2. The greatest fault of a penetrating wit is to go beyond the mark. (+)

  3. Our virtues are most frequently but vices disguised.(+)

  4. Silence gives consent. (+)

  5. The true use of speech is not so much to express our wants as to conceal them. (+)

On Conflict and Consequence

  1. Our repentance is not so much regret for the ill we have done as fear of the ill that may happen to us in consequence. (+)

  2. Quarrels would not last long if the fault was only on one side. (+)

On Rewards

  1. Little things are great to little man. (+)

  2. The sports of children satisfy the child. (+)

  3. Man wants but little here below, Nor wants that little long.(+)

On Success

  1. Where wealth and freedom reign contentment fails, And honour sinks where commerce long prevails. (+)

  2. An object in possession seldom retains the same charm that it had in pursuit.(+)

On Law

  1. Laws grind the poor, and rich men rule the law. (+)