The proper means of increasing the love we bear our native

Hearken, children of the future, and attend to the reflective wisdom of William Shenstone, who proclaimed, “The proper means of increasing the love we bear our native country is to reside some time in a foreign one.” In these words lies a profound truth: distance and contrast illuminate the treasures and virtues of the homeland. To dwell only within familiar borders is to take the nation for granted, to overlook its beauty, culture, and the subtleties that make it unique. Exposure to foreign lands awakens the heart, sharpens discernment, and deepens appreciation for the soil, the people, and the values from which one springs.

The origin of this reflection arises from Shenstone’s own life as a poet and observer of human society. He recognized that the virtues of a country are most vividly perceived when contrasted with the customs, laws, and manners of distant lands. In the experience of foreign residence, the eye becomes keen, the heart reflective, and love for the native soil transforms from passive affection to active reverence. Patriotism, Shenstone suggests, is strengthened not by isolation but by the perspective gained from the world beyond.

Consider the historical example of Benjamin Franklin, who spent many years in France as a diplomat. Removed from the immediate comfort and familiarity of his American homeland, he observed the subtleties of European culture, law, and society. In this distance, his love and appreciation for the principles and possibilities of his own country deepened. He returned with renewed vigor, a more profound sense of purpose, and a dedication to shaping the nation he cherished, exemplifying Shenstone’s wisdom.

Shenstone’s reflection also illuminates the moral and emotional dimensions of patriotism. To experience the foreign is to perceive both the strengths and weaknesses of one’s own country, allowing love to be informed rather than blind. True devotion grows from understanding: one who has wandered, observed, and compared develops a nuanced loyalty that blends pride with discernment, affection with commitment. The heart that has glimpsed the wider world returns to its homeland with gratitude and clarity.

In modern reflection, this insight resonates with the experiences of travelers, expatriates, and global citizens. Living abroad teaches resilience, empathy, and appreciation for the familiar. The contrasts between societies, their challenges and triumphs, reveal the values, freedoms, and virtues of the nation left behind. Shenstone reminds us that distance is not estrangement; it is a mirror in which love of country is strengthened and clarified.

From this reflection flows a practical lesson: seek the wisdom of distance. Engage with foreign lands, cultures, and peoples, and allow your experiences to illuminate the qualities that make your homeland unique. Observe, compare, and reflect, letting admiration for your country grow alongside understanding of the broader world. True patriotism is nurtured by perspective and informed by experience, not by mere proximity.

Moreover, encourage others to embrace this practice of reflective distance. Teach that love of country is deepened by understanding its place in a wider human tapestry. Travel, study, and cultural exchange become instruments of patriotic insight, cultivating citizens whose devotion is both informed and enduring. In this way, patriotism is enriched, strengthened, and purified through exposure to the wider world.

Thus, children of tomorrow, inscribe upon your hearts this eternal truth: to love your native country fully, one must sometimes leave it, walk foreign lands, and witness the variety of human life. Let your devotion be informed by contrast, your gratitude strengthened by experience, and your service guided by reflection. In heeding William Shenstone’s counsel, you transform simple affection into profound, enduring, and enlightened patriotism that honors both the homeland and the human spirit.