Never be haughty to the humble; never be humble to the haughty.

The maxim urges a calibrated kind of dignity: treat those of modest station with respect and gentleness, and do not abase yourself before people who wield power arrogantly. It assumes that “humble” and “haughty” describe moral postures as much as social rank—humility deserving courtesy, haughtiness warranting firmness. The line also reflects a code of honor common in nineteenth-century political and military culture: civility downward, independence upward. As a piece of advice, it warns against two symmetrical failures—cruelty toward the vulnerable and servility toward the overbearing—arguing that true self-respect shows itself in how one responds to both.