their presence that the Wine he commonly used was prejudicial to him ordered Wine to be brought him both of Rhodes and Lesbos he drinks of both of them and says they did not in the least conceal their Country and that each in its kind was excellent the first was very strong but that of Lesbos more pleasant and to that it was he gave the preference Whatsoever we read of this Story in Aulus Gellius 't is certain that when Aristotle was accused by Eurimedon a Priest of Ceres of having spoken ill of the Gods fearing the fate of Socrates left Athens and retired to Chalâ—is a City of Euboea and left his School to a Lesbian whom he intrusted with his Writings on condition he should conceal them and 't is to this Theophrastus that we are obliged for the works of that great Man His name became so famous thro all Greece being successor to Aristotle that he could reckon soon after in the School that was left him near two thousand Scholars He was envied by Sophocles Son to Amphiclides and who at that time was chief Magistrate who out of Enmity to him but under a pretext of an exact polity and to hinder publick asâ—â—mblies made a Law which prohibited under pain of Death any Philosopher to teach in Schools They all submitted to it but the following year Philo succeeding Sophocles who was discharged his Office the Athenians repealed this detestable Law that the other had made and â—aying a fine of five Talents upon him re-established Theophrastus and the rest of the Philosophers He was in this more fortunate than Aristotle who was forced to submit to Eurimedon He had like to have seen one Agnonides punished by the Athenians as impious only because he durst accuse him of Impiety so great was the opinion this People had of him and which he merited by his Vertue They gave him the Character of a man of singular prudence zealous for the publick good Laborious Officious Affable Liberal Plutarch reports that when Eresus was opprest with Tyrants who usurped the Government of the Country he joyned Phydius his Countryman and out of his own Estate contributed with him to arm the banished men who entring into their City expelled the Traytors and restored the whole Isle of Lesbos to its liberty His many and excellent accomplishments did not only acquire him the good will of the People but the esteem and familiarity of Kings he was a friend of Cassander's who succeeded Arideus Brother to Alexander the Great in the Kingdom of Macedon and Ptolomy Son of Lagus and first King of Egypt kept a constant correspondence with this Philosopher At last he died worn out with Age and Fatigues and ceased at the same time both to Labour and Live all Grâ—ece lamented him and all the Athenians assisted at his Funeral It is said that in his extream old age not being able longer to go on Foot he caused himself to be carried on a Litter thro the City that he might be seen by the people to whom he was so dear It s reported also that his Scholars that stood about his Bed before his Death asking him if he had nothing to recommend to them he addrest himself to them after this manner Life deceives us it promises us great pleasure in the possession of Honour but Life and Misery begin together which end in Death there is often nothing more unprofitable than the love of reputation Therefore my Disciples be content if you contemn the esteem of men you 'll save your selves a great deal of trouble if it abate not your courage it may come to pass that Honour may be your reward remember only that in Life are many useless things and but few that tend to a solid end I have now no leisure to determine what Sect I ought to espouse but for you my Survivors you cannot too seriously consider what you ought to do These were his last words Cicero in the third Book of his Tusculan Questions says that Theophrastus dying complained of nature that she had given Harts and Crows so long a Life which was altogether useless and had alotted Man too short a time in regard it was of such consequence for them to live long that if the age of men were extended to a greater number of years their Life would be cultivated by an universal knowledge and all Arts and Sciences might be brought to perfection And St. Ierome concerning the matter before cited assures us that Theophrastus at one hundred and seven years old taken ill of that distemper of which he died lamented that he was obliged to quit Life at a time when he just began to be wise He used to say we ought not to love Friends to try them but to try them to love them That Friends ought to be common amongst brethren as all things are common amongst Friends That you ought as soon to trust to a Horse without a Bridle as to a Man that speaks without Judgment The greatest expence that a man can be at is that of his time He said once to a person that sate silent at Table during the entertainment If you are a Man of sense you are to blame to say nothing but if otherwise you do very well These were some of his Maxims But if we speak of his works they are infinities and we cannot find that any of the Antients wrote more than Theophrastus Diogones Laertius reckoned up more than two hundred different Tracts and the suctjects of which they treated the greatest part of which are lost by the injuries of time and the other remaining parts he reduces to twenty Tracts which are collected out of the Volumes of his works there are Nine Books of the History of Plants Six Books of their causes he wrote of Winds of Fire of Stones of Honey of the signs of fair Weather the signs of Tempests of the signs of Rain of Smells of Sweat of the Vertigo of Weariness of the Relaxations of the Nerves of Swooning of Fish that live out of the Water of Animals that change their colour of Animals that are suddenly born of Animals subject to envy the Characters of Manners these are what remain of his Writings amongst which this last only which I translate is not inferiour in beauty to any of those which are preserved but may be â—uperior in merit to any of those which are lost But if any one should coldly receive this moral Treatise on the account of those things they may observe there which are only applicable to the times in which they were wrote and are not suitable to their Manners what can they do more advantageous and obliging to themselves than to get loose from that prepossession in favour of their own Customs and Manners which they not only take up on trust without any deliberation but peremptorily pronounce all others contemptible which are not conformable to them and thereby deprive themselves of that pleasure and instruction which the reading of
some people should say will the Characters never be finisht shall we never see any thing else from this Author On one side several men of good sense told me the matter is solid useful pleasant inexhaustible live a long while and treat on 't without interruption as long as you live What can you do better The follies of Mankind will every year furnish you with a Volume While others with a great deal of reason made me apprehend the capriciousness of the multitude and the levity of the people with whom however I have good cause to be content These were always suggesting to me that for these 30 years past few have read with any other intent than for the sake of readingâ— and that to amuse the world there should be Chapters and a new Titleâ— that this humour of indifference had fill'd the Shops and stockt the Age with Piles of dull and tedious Books without stile or meaning rules or order contrary to decency or manners written in haste read with precipitation and taking a while only for their Novelty They added further if I could not enlarge a sensible Book I had best sit quiet and do nothingâ— I in some measure took both their Advices as opposite as they seem to be and observ'd a medium which disagrees with neither I don't pretend to have added any new Remarks to those which already had doubled the bulk of the first Edition of my Book but that the publick might not be oblig'd to read over what was done before to come at what has been added since and that they may immediately find out what they would only read I have taken care to distinguish the 2d augmentation by a greater mark and the first by a less as well to shew the progress of my Characters as to guide the Reader in the choice he might be willing to make And lest they should be afraid I shall never have done with these additions I add to all my exactness the sincere promise to venture on nothing more of this kind If any one accuses me with breaking my word by adding in the sixth Edition a few remarks I confess ingenuously I had not the power to suppress ' em He may perceive by mingling what was new with what was old without any mark of distinction I did not so much endeavour to entertain the world with novelties as to deliver down to posterity a Book of Manners more pure regular and compleat To conclude what I have written are not design'd for Maxims those are like Laws in Morality and I have neither Genius nor Authority sufficient to qualifie me for a Legislator I know well enough I have offended against the customs of Maxims which are deliver'd in short and concise terms like the manner of Oracles Some of my remarks are of this kind others are more extended We think things differently one from another and we express 'em in a turn altogether as differentâ— By a Sentence an Argument a Metaphor or some other Figure a Parallel a simple Comparison by one continuâ—d in all parts or in a single passage by a Description or a Picture from whence proceeds the length or shortness of my Reflexions Those who write Maxims would be thought infallible on the contrary I allow any body to say of me my Remarks are not always good provided he will himself make better OF Polite Learning WE are come too late after above seven thousand years that there have been men and men have thought to say any thing which has not been said already The finâ—st and most beautiful thoughts concerning manners are carry'd away before us and we can do nothing now but glean after the Ancients and the most ingenious of the Moderns * We must only endeavour to think and speak justly our selves without aiming to bring others over to our taste and sentimentâ— We shall find that too great an enterprize * To make a Book is like making a Pendulum a Man must have Experience as well as Wit to succeed in it A certain Magistrate arriving by his merit to the first dignities of the Gown thought himself qualifyâ—d for every thing He printed a Treatise of Morality and publish'd himself a Coxcomb * T is not so easie to raise a reputation by a compleat work as to make an indifferent one valu'd by a reputation already acquir'd * A Satire or a Libel when 't is handed privately from one to another with strict charge of secrecy if 't is but mean in it self passes for wonderful the printing it would ruin its râ—putation * Take away from most of our Moral Essays the Advertisement to the Reader the Epistle Dedicatory the Preface the Table and the Commendatory Verses there will seldom be enough left to deserve the name of a Book * Several things are insupportable if they are but indifferent as Poetry Music Painting and Public Speeches 'T is the worst punishment in the world to hear a dull Declamation deliver'd with Pomp and Solemnity and bad Verses rehears'd with the Emphasis of a wretched Poet. * Some Poets in their Dramatic pieces are fond of big Words and â—ounding Verses which seem strong elevated and sublime The people stare gape and hear 'em greedily They are transported at what they fancy is rare and where they understand leaâ—t are sure to aâ—mire mostâ— They scarce allow themselves time to breathe and are loth to be interrupted by Claps or Applauses When I was young I imagin'd these places were clear and intelligible to the Author the Pit Boxes and Galleries that the Actors understood 'em and that I was in the wrong to know nothing of the matter after much attention But I am now undeceiv'd * There never was seen any piece excellent in its kind that was the joint labour of several men Homer writ his Iliads Virgil his Eneidsâ— Livy his Decades and Cicero his Orations * As there is in Nature so there is in â—rt a point of Perfection He who is sensible of it and is toucht with it has a good taste He who is not sensible of it but is wavering has a vicious taste Since then there is a good and a bad taste we may with reason dispute the difference * Every one has more fire than judgment or rather there are few men of Wit who are good Criticks The Lives of Heroes have enrich'd History and History has adorn'd the Actions of Heroes And thus 't is difficult to tell who are most indebted the Historians to those who furnish'd 'em with such noble materials or the Great Men to their Historians * 'T is a sorry commendation that is made up of a heap of Epithetes 't is actions and the manner of relating 'em which speak a mans praise * The chief Art of an Author consists in making good definitions good pictures Moses Homer Plato Virgil and Horace excel other Writers mostly in their Expressions and Images Truth is the best guide to make a man write forcibly naturally and delicately * We
familiar Letters and Conversation a great delicacy or rather is not Wit and Delicacy the Sublime of those Works where they make the Perfection What is this Sublime and in what does it consist Synonyma's are several Dictions or Phrases that signifie the same thing An Antithesis is the opposition of two Truths which give light to each other A Metaphor or comparison borrows from a Strange thing the natural and sensible Image of a True one An Hyperbole expresses things above Truth to reclaim the mind that it may the better understand it The Sublime paints nothing but the Truth only in a noble subject it paints it all entire in its causes and effects 'T is the Expression or Image most worthy the dignity of the Truth it treats of Little Wits cannot find the simple Expression and use Synonyma's Young Men are dazled with the Lustre of an Antithesis and generally make use of ' em True Wits who would be exact in their images are for Metaphors and Comparisons Quick Wits full of fire and vast imagination carry themselves above Rules or Justice and are never satisfyâ—d without an Hyperbole As for the Sublime 't is only in the greatest Genius's the highest Elevation they can attain * Every one who would write purely should put himself in the place of his Readers examine his own work as a thing that is new to him which he never read before where he is not at all concern'd and the Author must submit to the Critick He should not suppose another Man will understand his Writings because he understands 'em himself but forasmuch as they are in themselves really intelligible An Author should not only endeavour to make himself understood he must strive to inform us of such things as deserve it He ought 't is true to have pure Language and a chast Expression but they ought also to express lively noble and solid thoughts full of good Sense and sound Reason He prostitutes Chastity and Clearness of Stile who wastes it on some frivolous puerile dull and common subject having neither Spirit Fire nor Novelty Where the Reader may perhaps easily find out the meaning of the Author but he is much more certain to be tir'd with his productions If we aim to be profound in certain Writings if we affect a polite Turn and sometimes too much Delicacy 't is meerly for the good opinion we have of our Readers * We have this disadvantage in reading Books written by Men of Party and Cabal We seldom meet with the Truth in 'em Actions are there disguisâ—d the reasons of both sides are not alledg'd with all their force nor with an entire exactness He who has the greatest patience must read abundance of hard injurious reflexions on the gravest men with whom the Writer has some personal quarrel about a point of Doctrine or matter of Controversie These Books are particular in this that they deserve not the prodigious Sale they find at their first appearance nor the profound Oblivion that attends 'em afterwards When the fury and division of these Authors cease they are forgotten like an Almanack out of date 'T is the Glory and Merit of some men to write well and of others not to write at all * For this last twenty years we have been regular in our Writings We have faithfully observ'd Construction and enricht our Language with new Words thrown off the yoke of Latinism and reduc'd our stile to a pure French phrase We have almost found again the numbers which Malherbe and Balzaâ— hit upon first and so many Authors after 'em suffer'd to be lost We have in short brought into our discourses all the order and clearness they are capable of and this will insensibly lead us at last to add Wit * There are some Artists and skilful men whose Genius is as vast as the Art or Science they profess They restore with Interest by their Contrivance and Invention what they borrow from its Principals They frequently break through the rules of Art to ennoble it and thwart the common roads if they don't conduct 'em to what is great and extraordinary They go alone they leave their company a long way behind whilst they are by themselves mounting high and penetrating far into the secrets of their profession Embolden'd by their success and encourag'd by the advantages they draw from their irregularity Whilst men of ordinary soft and moderate parts as they can never reach 'em so they never admire 'em they can't comprehend and much less imitate ' em They live peaceably within the compass of their own sphere aiming at a certain point which makes the bounds of their insight and capacity They go no farther because they see nothing beyond it They are at best but the first of a second Class and excellent in mediocrity * I may venture to call certain Wits Inferiour or Subaltern they seem as if they were born only to collect register and raise Magazines out of the productions of other Geniusâ—s They are Plagiaries Translators or Compilers They ne're think but tell you what other men have thought And as the good choice of thoughts proceeds from Invention having none of their own they are seldom just in their Collections but choose rather to make 'em large than excellent They know nothing of what they learn and learn what the rest of the World are unwilling to know a vain and useless Science neither agreeable or profitable in commerce or conversation Like false Money it has no currency for we are at once surpriz'd with these Coxcombs reading and tir'd with their company and writings However the Great ones and the Vulgar mistake 'em for men of Learning but Wise men know very well what they are and rank 'em with the Pedants * Criticism is commonly a Trade not a Science it requireâ— more Health than Wit more Labour than Capacity and Habit than Genius If a person pretends to it who has less discernment than reading he will be at a loss where to exercise himself and corrupt his own judgment as well as his Readers * I advise an Author born only to Copy who in extream Modesty works after another Man to chuse for his patterns such Writings as are full of Wit Imagination and even good Learning If he does not understand his Originals he may at least come at 'em and read ' em He ought on the contrary to avoid as he would Destruction any desire to imitate those who write by humour who speak from their hearts which inspires 'em with figures and terms and draw if I may say it from their very Entrails what they express on their paper These are dangerous Models and will infallibly make him write meanly dully and ridiculously Besides I should laugh at a Man who would seriously endeavour to speak in my tone of voice or be like me in the face * A Man born a Christian and a Frenchman is confin'd in Satire Some Subjects are forbidden him by the greatness of their quality others
of their little sports and laws some differ from him and then they form an absolute Government which is guided only by pleasure * Who doubts but Children conceive judge and reason to the purpose If 't is on small things Consider they are Children and without much experience If in bad phrases 't is less their fault than their Parents and Masters * It balks the minds of Children to punish them for Crimes they have not really committed or to be severe with them for light offences They know exactly and better than any one what they deserve and deserve what they fear they know when they are chastisâ—d If 't is with or without reason and unjust sufferings do 'em more harm than Impunity * No Man lives long enough to profit himself by his faults he is committing 'em during the whole course of his life and as much as he can do at last is to dye corrected Nothing pleases a man more than to know he has avoided a foolish action * Men are loath to confess their faults They hide them or change their quality 't is this gives the Director an advantage over the Confessor * Blockheads faults are sometimes so odd and so difficult to foresee that wise men are at a loss to know how they could commit 'em and fools only can be profited by them * A spirit of party and faction sets the Great men and the Mob on an equal foot * Vanity and Decency make us do the same things in the same manner which we should do by inclination and duty A man dy'd at Paris of a Fever which he got by waking with his Wife whom he hated * All men in their hearts covet esteem yet are loath any one should discover they are willing to be esteem'd Thus men pass for Vertuous that they may draw some other advantages from it besides Vertue itself I would say Esteem and Praise This should no longer be thought Vertue but a love for Praise and Esteem and Vanity Men are very vain Creatures and of all things hate to be thought so * A vain man finds his account in speaking good or evil of himself a modest man never talks of himself We canâ—t better comprâ—hend the ridiculousness of Vanity and what a scandalous Vice 't is than by observing how much 't is afraid to be seen and how it often hides itself under the appearance of Modesty False Modesty is the most cunning sort of Vanity By this a man never appears what he is on the contrary raises a reputation by the Vertue quite opposite to the Vice which forms his Character This is a Lye false Glory is the Rock of Vanity it tempts men to acquire esteem by things which they indeed possess but are frivolous and not fit for a man to value himself on this is an Error * Men speak of themselves in such a manner that if they grant they are sometimes guilty of a few little faults or have some small defects these very faults and defects imply fine Talents and great Qualifications Thus they complain of a bad memory well enough contented otherwise in their good sense and judgment forgive people when they reproach them for being distracted or whimsical imagining it the sign of Wit acknowledge they are awkard and can do nothing with their hands comforting themselves in the loss of these little qualities for those of their Minds and the gifts of their Souls which every one allow them Talk of their negligence in phrases which denote their disinterest and their being void of ambition They are not asham'd of being Slovens which shews only that they are heedless about little things and seems to suppose in them an application for things solid and essential A Souldier affects to say 't was too much rashness and curiosity ingag'd him in the Trenches or at such a dangerous post without being on duty or commanded there And adds that the General chid him for 't Thus a good hand and a solid genius born with all the prudence which other men endeavour in vain to acquire who has strengthen'd the temper of his mind by great experience whom the number weight variety difficulty and importance of affairs employ without incumbering who by his large insight and penetration makes himself masteâ— of all events who very far from consulting the notions and reflections written on Government and Politicks is perhaps one of those sublime Souls born to rule others and from whose examples those rules were made who is led aside by the great things he does from the pleasant and agreeable things he might read and needs only to turn over his own life and actions a man thus form'd may say safely without doing himself any prejudice that he knows nothing of Books and never reads * Men would sometimes hide their imperfections or lessen the opinion we have of 'em by confessing them freely A Blockhead laughs and says I am a very ignorant fellow A man above threescore says Iâ—m old and doating And one in want that he is wretched poor * There is either no such thing as Modesty or 't is confounded with something in it self quite different If we take it for an interior sentiment which makes a man seem mean in his own eyes this is a supernatural Vertue and we call it Humility Man naturally thinks proudly and haughtily of himself and thinks thus of no body but himself Modesty only tends to qualifie this disposition 't is an exteriour Vertue which governs our eyes conduct words tone and obliges a man to act with others to outward appearance as if is was not true that he counted them for nothing * The world is full of people who making by custom and outward appearance a comparison of themselves with others always decide in favour of their own merit and act accordingly * You say men must be modest All persons well born say the same in return then do you take care that such as give way by their modesty may not be too much tyranniz'd over and that when they bend they be not broken to pieces Thus some say people should be modest in their Dress Men of merit desire nothing more But the world are for Ornament We give it them They are covetous of superfluity and we shew it Some value others for their fine Linnen or rich silks and we cannot always refuse esteem even on these terms There are some places where a full or a thin Sword-knot will get or hinder a man admittance * Vanity and the great value we have for our selves make us imagin that others carry it very proudly towards us which is sometimes true and often false A modest man has not this kind of delicacy * As we ought to deny our selves the vanity of thinking others regard us with so much curiosity and esteem that they are always talking of our Merit and in our commendation So we should have so much confidence in our selves that we should not fancy when any whisper 't is to speak
a smoother style a more ingenâ—â—us more expressive and more convincing way of arguing adorn'd with greater vigour of expression and more natural graces than most of those modern books which aâ—e read with applause and give the greatest reputation to their authors With what satisfaction if they had any love for Religion wou'd they see it explain'd and its truth believ'd and asserted by men who were masters of so much wit ingenuity and activity of judgment Especially since any one who will but observe the vastness of their knowledge the depth of their penetration the true grounds of their Philosophy their unweary'd diligence and their capacity in unfolding holy Mysteries the reasonableness of their inferences the nobleness of their expressions the purity of their principles and morals cannot compare for example any author to St. Austin but Plato or Cicero * Man being born a lyar cannot relish the plainness and simplicity of truth He is altogether for pomp and ornament Truth is not his own 'T is made as it were to his hands and descends to him from heaven with all its perfections But self-conceited man is fond of nothing but his own productions of fables and inventions Observe the generality of men they will invent a tale they 'll add to it and load it with a thousand silly and incredible particularities And even the wisest of them are not altogether exempt from doing thus sometimes their pride and vanity drawâ— 'em in to disguise the truth and to make a story pass current they will often set it off with false circumstances If an accident happens now in your neighbourhood and as it were under your eye you may hear it related by a hundred persons a hundred different ways and whoever comes after them will make a new story of it How then shall we believe the relation of things that were done so many ages before this What relyance shall we have upon the gravest of Historians and what must become of History was Caesar murder'd in the Senate was there ever such one as Caesar you laugh at the impertinence of such questions Such doubts and inferences you think not worth your answer And indeed I can't but commend you for doing so But should I suppose that the book which gives us an account of Caesar is not a profane History that it was not writ by a man who is given to lying that is was not found by chance and promiscuously amongst other manuscripts of which some are true and others more doubtful That on the contrary it was inspir'd by God That it bears the marks of Holiness and Divinity that it hath been kept for above these two thousand years by an innumerable â—ociety of men who all this while would not allow the least alteration to be made in it and have made a part of their Religion to preserve it in all its purity nay that these men are by their own principles indispencably oblig'd to believe all the transactions contain'd in that Hisâ—ory where Caesar and all his greatness is mention'd Own it Lucilius wou'd you then question whether there ever was such a man as Caesar * All sorts of Musick are not fit for the praises of God and become not the Sanctuary As all kinds of Philosophy are not fit for the discoursing worthily of his Godhead his Power the principles of his Operations or his holy Mysteries The more abstracted and notional the more vain and useless it is in explaining these things which require no more than a sound judgment to be understood to a certain pitch and which cannot be explain'd at all beyond it To pretend to give an exact account of the Essence of God of his Perfections and if I dare to speak of his Actions is indeed more than the ancient Philosophers than the Apostles themselves or the first Teachers of the Gospel ever did But the choice of such a task is less prudent than theirs Such pretenders may dig long and dig deep but will never be the nearer to the Springs of truth If they once set aside the words Goodness Mercy Justice and Omnipotence which are apt to form in our minds so lovely and so majestick an idea of Divinity let them afterwards strain their Imaginations â—ever so much they will find nothing but dry barren and nonsensical expressions to make use of They must admit of wide and empty notions must be singular in their fancies or at least must attain to a sort of ingenious subtilty which by degrees will make them lose their Religion as fast as they improve in the knowledge of their own new Metaphysicks * What excesses will not men be transported to by their zeal for Religion which yet they are as far from believing as they are from practicing * That same Religion which men will defend so zealously and with so much heat and animosity against those who are of a quite different perswasion is incroach'd upon by themselves who fond of their own peculiar notions add or diminish from it in their minds a thousand things sometimes most material according as it suits best with their conveniencies And having thus wholly alter'd the frame of it remain stedfast and unmoveable in these their perswasions So that one may say with the vulgar of a Nation that it hath but one manner of Worship and one Religion but properly speaking it really hath many and almost every individual man in it hath one of â—is own * If Religion be nothing but a respectful fear of God what shall we think of those who dare affront him in his representatives on earth Kings and Princes â— Were we assur'd that the secret intent of the Ambassadors who came lately from Siam was to perswade the most Christian King to renounce Christianity to admit their Priests in his Kingdom to creep into Houses in order to allure by their discourses our Wives our Children and our selves into the principles of their Religion to suffer them to build Temples amongst us for the worshipping their Golden Images with what scorn and derision should we hear the relation of such a ridiculous enterprize Yet we think little of sailing a thousand leagues through the vast Ocean in order to bring over to Christianity the Kingdoms of India Siam China or Iapan that is with an intent which in the eyes of all these Nations is full as ridiculous and impertinent And they protect our Priests and other Religious men they give attention sometimes to their discourses they suffer them to build Churches and to perform all the Duties of their Mission From whence proceeds such a temper both in them and us Would not one think it came from that secret impulse which truth generally carries along with it * 'T is not becoming for all men to set up for hospitality as to have all the common beggars of the Parish daily crouding at their door and not to suffer one to go home empty But what man is there who is not sensible of the more secret wants
certain manners which we can't excuse and appear ridiculous to us we ought to remember that Theophrastus had the same thought of them that he lookt upon them as vices which he had drawn so to the Life that the Picture would serve to shame and correct the Atheniâ—ns But being desirous to please those who coldly receive whatsoever concerns strangers and the Antients and value none but their own Manners we have added them to this Work It may be thought hazardous to follow the design of this Philosopher as well because it is always pernicious to imitate the works of another and especially if he be an Antient or an Author of great reputation as also because every figure which is called a description or ennumeration employ'd with so great success in these twenty eight Chapters of Characters will now seem abundantly less if managed by a Genius much inferior to Theophrastus On the contrary remembering that amongst the great number of Tracts of this Philosopher related by Diogenes Laertius there is one under the Title of Proverbs that is to say independant pieces as reflections or remarks the first and greatest Book of Morality that ever was made bears the same name in Sacred Writ I found my self excited by so great models to follow according to my abilities the same method to write of manners and I am not at all discouraged from the undertaking by two works of Morality which are in every ones hands and either for want of attention or â—hro a Spirit of Criticism some may think these remarks are imitations One by the engagement of his Author makes Metaphysicks subservient to Religion explains the nature of the Soul its Passions its Vices discusses the most serious motives that lead to Vertue and will make a Man a Christian the other which is the production of a Soul furnished by conversation in the World and in which delicacy was equal to penetration observing that self-love in Man is the cause of all his errors he attacks without intermission every part where he finds it and this one thought when multiplied in a thousand different ways by choice of words and variety of expressions hath always the grace of Noveâ—ty I shall not follow either of these two ways in the work which is joined to the Translation of these Characters it is quite different from the other two which I spoke of less sublime than the first and less delicate than the second its sole design is to render man reasonable by plain and common ways and examining indifferently without any great regard to method and according as the several Chapters there are directed by the Ages Sexes and conditions by the Vices the foibles and ridicules which are there attackt I have mostly applied my self to the Vices of the mind the secrets of the heart and to all the interiour part of Man which Theophrastus has not done and I may say thâ—t as his Characters by a thousand exterioâ—r things which are observed of Man by his Actions his Words his Gate shew what is their foundation and lead us to the very source of their disorder on the quite contrary these new Characters imploy'd about the thoughts sentiments and inclinations of Men discover the principle of their Villany and Follies making us easily foresee all that they are capable to say or do and abate our wonder at a thousand Vicious and Frivolous actions of which their Life is full It must be acknowledged that in the Titles of these two works the difficulty is found near equal for those who are not pleased with the latter may make themselves amends with the former But with relation to the Title of the Characters of Theophrastus the same Liberty cannot be allowed because we are not Masters of another mans goods but must follow the Spirit of the Author and to render him according to the nearest sense of the Greek words and at the same time according to the most exact conformity to their Chapters which will be found very difficult because very often the signification of a Greek Term translated word for word is quite another thing in our Language for example Irony which with us is a raillery in conversatron or Rhetorical Trope with Theophrastus it signifies somewhat between cheating and dissembling which altogether is neither the one nor the other but that very particular Vice which is described in his first Chapter And in other places the Greek have sometimes two or three terms very different to express those things that are so which we cannot render but only by one single word this poverty of our Language doth much embarrass us You may observe in this Greek work thâ—ee â—orts of troublesome persons Flatterers of two â—orts and as many of great Talkers the Characters to which persons resemble inâ—efere one with the other to the prejudice of the Titles they are not always so exactly followed and perfectly conformed to because Theophrastus diverted by a design which he had to make his pourtraicts found himself obliged to these alterations by reason of the Characters and Manners of the persons he paints or Satyrizes The definitions that are at the beginning of each Chapter are very difficult they are short and concise in Theophrastus according to the force of the Greek and the Style of Aristotle who furnished him with the first Ideas I was obliged to enlarge them in the Translation to make them intelligible there are also in this Tract some unfinisht Phrases which make but imperfect sense but it is easy to supply the true one You 'll find in the various readings some things very abrupt which may admit of diverse explications and to avoid wandering amongst these Ambiguities I have followed the best interpreters To conclude as this work is nothing but a plain instruction concerning the Manners of Men by which 't is rather designed to make them Wise than Learned I think my self exempt from the trouble of long and curious observations or of Learned Commentators who give an exact accompt of Antiquity I have only added some small notes in the Margin to some things I thought required them to the end that none of those who have justness and vivacity and are pretty well read should blame this small fault and that they may not be obstructed in reading these Characters or doubt one moment about the sense of Theophrastus THE Moral Characters OF THEOPHRASTUS Done from the Greek BEfore I particularly applied my self to the Study of this subject I have often wondered nor can I yet forbear so to do how it comes to pass that all Greece being scituated under the same Air and all the Grecians alike educated yet there should be so great a disparity of Manners amongst them I therefore dear Policles having for a long time studied Men being now ninety nine years old during which time I have been conversant with persons of all sorts of Tempers Humours and Inclinations and observing with great nicety both the Good and Bad comparing
Lauzun whose Amours with Mademoiselle de Montpenâ—â—er made so great a noise in the World He was several yeaâ—s close Prisoner in the Cittadel of Pignerol and afterwards sent into Ireland to command the French Forces under the late King James 200. 30. Theophilus The Bishop of Autuâ— 201. 26. A Person of Quality The late King James 203. 4. Antiphon Mr de la Feuillade 204â— 24. Of Hannibal Caesar c. The Author characterizes certain Noblemen who assume the names of Gods and Demigods 213. 13. Theognis The late Archbishop of Paris Francis de Harlay 214. 7. Pamphilus The Marquis of Dangeau 223. 12. Demophilus The Abbot of St. Helen who was dissatisfied with the Ministers of State 224. 20. Basilidius Councellour Aubray 225. 26. That such a Prince c. The Duke of Savoy 27. A second The King of Spain 29. A third The present King of England 239. 23. A good Monarch The King of France 245. 12. Menalcas The Count de Brancas Chevalier d' Honneur to the Queen Mother 165. 32. A man dy'd at Paris c. The late Prince of Conde 276. 20 Some men Mr de Feuillade 277. 24. 'T is easier for some men c. The late Archbishop of Paris Francis de Harlay 278. 5. Some men c. The Cardinal de Bouillon and the Bishop of Noyon 12. Others begin their lives c. The Counts of Guiche and Bussy Rabutin 284. 1. Phidippus The Abbot Dance 15. Gnathon The Marquis de Sable 285. 20. Cliton Ms D' Olonne and du Broussin 298. 11. Adrastus Mr. Derbarreau 308. 9. Antisthene Mr de la Bruyere Author of this Book 16. Berylle The Abbot Rubec 27. A Lacâ—uey is made c. Mr Berrier who had been a Footman 31. One enriches himself Benoist 32. The Mountebank Barbereau the Empirick 309. 28. If the Ambassadors c. Those of Siam 310. 28. When the Bishop c. Cardinal le Camus 314. 12. Gravity too much affected The first President of the Parliament of Paris 320. 24. There is a thing c. Mr de la Fontaine 32. Another is foolish timerous c. Mr Corneille Senior 321. 24. Theodas Mr Santeuil de St Victor one of the best Latin Poets alive 322. 15. Such an one c. Mr Peletier de Soucy and his Brother the Minister of State 325. 5. Socrates The Author speaks of himself and of his Book in the three following Paragraphs 328. 23. What surprizing success c. Theâ— late Chancellor of France Mr Le Tellier 357. 12. When a Courtier becomes humble The Duke of Beauvilliers President of the Kings Councel and Governour to the Duke of Burgundy 369. 4. Some men c. Mr de L'Anglois de Rieux 372. 20. A Brisk Jolly Priest Mr Hameau Curate of S. Pauls 386. 8. Titius Monsieu Hennequin 389. 13. Hermippus Mr Dasserville 397. 15. Till such time c. Mr Le Tourneâ—r deceas'd some years ago 398. 4. Apostolick Man Father Seraphin a Capuchin 401. 7. The man must have some Wit The Abbot Bavyn and others 402. 13. A soft Effeminate Morality The Abbot Flechier Bishop of Nismes 26. The Heroick Virtue The Abbot Roquerre Nephew to the Bishop of Authun 405. 24. A man starts up c. Pontier Author of the Cabinet of Princes ERRATA 〈◊〉 183. l. â— for at â—iburs read the Tyber l. 3. for with 〈…〉 there for the blank l. 19. r. Hurâ—n â— and for 〈…〉 l. 20. r Iroquois p. 231. l. 16. dele not p. 265. 〈…〉 waking r. watching p. 272. l. 12. for she r. be THE CHARACTERS OR Manners of the Age. I Borrow'd the subject matter of this Book from the Publick and I now restore it what it lent me Indeed having finish'd the whold Work with the utmost regard to truth that I was capable of 't is but just I should make it this restitution The world may view here the Picture I have drawn of it from Nature and if I have hit on any defects which it agrees with me to be such it may at leisure correct them This is what a man ought chiefly to propose to himself in writing tho he can't always be sure of success However as longâ— as men distaste Vice so little as they do we should never give over reproaching them They would perhaps be worse were it not for censure and reproof which makes writing and preaching of absolute necessity The Orator and Writer can't stifle the Joy they feel when they are applauded but they ought to blush in themselves if they aim at nothing more than praise by their discourses or writings Besides that the most certain and least equivocal approbation is the change of Manners in their Readers or Hearers we should neither write nor speak but for Instruction yet we may lawfully rejoyce if we at the same time please those to whom we address and by this means make the truths we should advance the more insinuating and the better receiv'd when any thoughts or reflections slide into a Book which have neither fire nor turn or vivacity agreeable to the rest tho they seem at first to be set there for variety to divert our minds and render them more attentive on what is to follow but otherwise are not proper sensible or accommodated to the capacity of the people whom we must by no means neglect both the Reader and Author ought to condemn ' emâ— This is one rule which I desire every one to remember There 's another which my particular Interest obliges me to request may not be forgot that is always to have my Title in view and to think as often as this Book is read that I describe the Characters or Manners of the Age for though I frequently take 'em from the Court of France and men of my own Nation â—et they cannot be confinâ—d to any one Court or Country without losing a great deal of the compass and usefulness of my Book and destroying the design of the work which is to paint Mankind in general as the reasons of every Chapter and the connexion which insensibly the reflections that compose them have one with another plainly demonstrate After this so necessary a precaution the consequences of which 't is easie enough for any body to penetrate I must protest against all chagrin complaint all malicious interpretation prejudice and scandal Men must know how to read and hold their Tongues or say nothing more or less than they have really read but this caution will not sometimes be sufficient unless the Readers are willing themselves to judge favourably Without these conditions which an exact and scrupulous Author is in the right to require of some people as the only Recompence of his Labour I question whether he ought to continue writing if he prefers his private satisfaction to the publick good and a zeal for promoting Truth I confess about the year 1690 I was divided between an impatience to give my Book another Figure and a better form by new Characters and a fear lest
should do by Stile as we have done by Architecture banish entirely the Gothick order which the Barbarians introduc'd in their Palaces and Temples and recall the Dorick Ionick and Corinthian Let what we see in the Ruines of ancient Rome and old Greece shine in our Porticoes and Peristils and become Modern Since we cannot arrive to perfection or if possible surpass the Ancients in Building or Writing but by imitating them How many Ages were lost in Ignorance before men could come back to the taste of the Ancients in the Arts and Sciences or recover at last the Simple and the Natural We nourish our selves by the Ancients and ingenious Moderns we draw from 'em as much as we can and at their expence in the end become Authors Then we quickly think we can walk alone and without help We oppose our benefactors and treat 'em like those Children who grown pert and strong with the Milk they have suckt turn themselves against their Nurses 'T is the practice of a Modern Wit to prove the Ancients inferiour to us by two ways Reason and Example He takes the Reason from his particular Opinion and the Example from his Writings He confesses the Ancients as unequal and incorrect as they are have a great many good lines he cites them and they appear so fine that they ruine his Criticisms Some learned Men declare in favour of the Ancients against the Moderns But we are afraid they judge in their own Cause and so many of their Works are made after the Model of Antiquity that we except against their Authority * An Author should be fond of reading his Works to those who know how to correct and esteem â—em He that will not be corrected nor advis'd in his Writings is a Pedâ—nt An Author ought to receive with equal Modesty the Praises and the Criticisms which are past on his productions * Amongst all the different expressions which can render any one of our thoughts there is but one good we are not always so fortunate as to hit upon 't in writing or speaking However 't is true that it exists That all the rest are weak and will not satisfie a man of sense who would make himself understood A good Author who writes with care when he meets with the Expression he has searcht after for some time without knowing it finds it at last the most simple and the most natural and fancies it ought to have presented it self to him at first without search or enquiry Those who write by Humour are frequently subject to revise their Works and give 'em new touches And as their Humours are never fix'd but vary on every slight occasion they quickly spoil their Writings by new expressions and terms which they like better than the former * The same true sense which makes an Author write a great many good things tells him that there are not enough to deserve reading A Man of little sense is ravish'd with himself and thinks his Writings divine a Man of good sense is harder to be pleas'd and would only be reasonable * One says Aristus engagâ—d me to read my Book to Zoilus I read it he was satisfy'd and before he had leisure to dislike it he commended it coldly in my presence since that he takes no notice onâ—t nor says a word in its favour however I excuse him I desire no more of an Author and even pity him the hearing so many fine things which were not his own making Such as by their circumstances are free from the Jealousies of an Author have other cares and passions to distract 'em and make 'em cold towards another Man's conceptions 'T is difficult to find a person whose fortune and good humour put him in a condition to taste all the pleasure a compleat piâ—ce can give him * The pleasure of Criticising takes away the pleasure of being sensibly charm'd with very fine productions * Many Men who perceive the Beauâ—ies of a Manuscript when they hear it read will not declare themselves in its favour till they see what success it has in the world when 't is printed and what Character the Ingenious give it They will not hazard their Votes before its Fortune is made and they are carry'd away with the Croud or engagâ—d by the Multitude Then they are very forward to publish how early they were in their approbation and how glad they are to find the World is of their opinion These men lose a fair opportunity to convince us they are persons of capacity and insight that they make a true judgment and distinguish an excellent thing from one that is good A fine piece falls into their hands the Authors first work before he has got a name or they are yet prepossest in his behalf he has not endeavour'd to make his court to the great men by flattering their Writings neither is it requirâ—d that they should proclaim to please some man of Quality or Topping Wit who has declar'd himself in its favour This is a Master-piece Humane Wit never went so far We will judge of no bodies opinion but in proportion to what thoughts he has of this Book Extravagant and offensive expressions which smell of the Pension or the Abbey and are injurious to what is really commendable Why did they not profess it by themselves when they might have been alone in their praises why did they not then commend it 'T is true at last they cry aloud â—tis an admirable Book when the whole Kingdom has approvâ—d it when foreigners as well as their own Counâ—rymen are fond of it when 't is printed all over Europe translated into all Languages in short when â—tis too late and the Author is not oblig'd to â—em for their Applauses * Some of 'em read a Book collect certain lines which they don't understand and rob 'em of their value by what they put in of their own yet these lines so broken and disguis'd that they are indeed their proper stile and thoughts they expose to censure maintain 'em to be bad and as they cite 'em the World readily agree with them But the passage they pretend to quote is never the worse for their Injustice * Well says one what 's your opinion of Hermedorus's Book That â—tis bad replys Anthimus That 't is bad What dâ— ye mean Sir That 't is bad continues he at least it deserves not the Character people give it Have you read it No says Anthimus but Fulvia and Melania have condemn'd it without reading and I am a Friend to Fulvia and Melania * Arsenes from the Altitudes of his Understanding contemplates Mankind and at the distance from whence he beholds them seems affrighted at their Littleness He is commended exalted and mounted to the Skies by certain persons who have reciprocally covenanted to admire one another Contented with his own Merit he fancies he has as much Wit as he wants and more than he ever will have Thus employâ—d by his high thoughts and full of sublime
Ideas he scarcely finds time to pronounce the sacred Oracles He is elevated by his Character above humane Judgments and leaves it for common Souls to value a common and uniform Life being answerable for his inconstancy to none but his particular friends who have resolvâ—d to Idolize him for this reason They only know how to judge or think They only know how to write and 't is only in Them a duty As for other Pieces however receiv'd in the World or universally lik'd by Men of Honour and Worth he is so far from approving 'em that he never condescends to read 'em and is incapable of being corrected by this Picture which will not be so happy as to reach him * Theocrines is very well acquainted with what is trivial and unprofitable He is less profound than methodical He is the Abstract of Disdain and seems continually laughing in himself at such as he thinks despise him By chance I once read him something of mine he heard it out with impatience he cry'd presently is it done And then talkt of his own But what said he of yours say you I have told you already Sir he talkt of his Own * The most accomplisht piece which the Age has produc'd would fail under the hands of the Criticks and Censurers if the Author would hearken to their Objections and allow 'em to throw out what is not to their satisfaction * Experience tells us if there are ten persons who would blot a thought or an expression out of a Book there are a like number who would oppose it These will alledge for what would you suppress that thought 't is new fine and handsomely exprest Those on the contrary affirm it should be omitted at least they would have given it another turn In your work says one there is a term exceeding witty it points out your meaning very naturally Methinks says another that word is too bold and yet does not signifie so much as you would have it 'T is the same word and the same line these Criticks differ so much about and yet they are all Judges or pass for such amongst their Acquaintance What then shall an Author do but follow the advice of those who approve it * A serious Author is not oblig'd to trouble his Head with all the extravagant Banters and bad Jests which are thrown on him or to be concern'd at the impertinent Constructions which a sort of Men may make on some pasages of his Writings neither ought he to give himself the trouble to suppress ' em He is convinc'd that if a Man is never so exact in his manner of writing the dull Railery and wretched Buffooniry of certain worthless People are unavoidable since they make use of the best things only to turn 'em into ridicule * There is a prodigious difference between a Fine piece and one that 's Regular and Perfect I question if there is any thing to be found in the last kind it being less difficult for a rare Genius to hit upon the Great and Sublime than to avoid all Errors The Cid at its first appearance was universally admir'd It liv'd in spite of Policy or Power which attempted in vain to destroy it The Wits who were otherwise divided in their sentiments united in favour of this Tragedy The Persons of Quality and the common People agreed to keep it in their memory they were beforehand with the Actors in rehearsing it at the Theatre The Cid in short is one of the â—inest Poems which can be made and one of the best Critiques which ever was written on any Subject is that on the Cid * Capys sets up for a Judge of Stile and fancys he writes like Bouhours or Rabutin he opposes himself to the Voice of the People and says all alone Damis is not a good Author however Damis gives way to the Multitude and affirms ingenuously with the publick that Capys is a dull Writer * â—Tis the business of a News-monger to inform us when a Book is to be publisht for whom 't is printed for Cramoisy or for whom else in what Character how bound and what Paper how many of 'em are gone off and at what Sign the Bookseller lives This is his Duty 't is foolish in him to pretend to be a Critick The highest reach of a News-monger is an empty Reasoning on Policy and vain Conjectures on the publick Management Boevius lies down at night in great Tranquility at some false News which dies before morning and he is oblig'd to abandon it assoon as he awakes * The Philosopher wastes his Life in observing Men and exposing Foppery and Vice he gives his thoughts no other turn than what serves to set a Truth he has found out in a proper Light that it may make the Impression he designs He has little of the Vanity of an Author and yet some Readers think they do very well by him if they say with a Magisterial Air They have read his Book and there is some Sense in it But he returns them their Praises having other ends than bare Applause in his Sweating so much and breaking his Rest he has higher Aims and acts by a more elevated Policyâ— he requires from Mankind a greater and more extraordinary Success than Commendation or even Rewards He expects Amendment and Reformation * A Fool reads a Book and understands nothing in it a Little Wit reads it and is presently master of all without exception a Man of Sense sometimes does not comprehend it entirely he distinguishes what is clear from what is obscure whilst the Beaux Esprits will have those passages dark which are not and can't understand what is really intelligible * An Author indeavours in vain to make himself admir'd by his productions A fool may sometimes admire himâ— but then he is a fool And a Man of Sense has in him the Seeds of all Truth and Opinions nothing is new to him He admires little it being his Province chiefly to approve * I question if 't is possible to find in Letters of Wit a better manner more agreeableness and a finer Stile than we see in Balzac's and Voiture's â—Tis true they are void of those sentiments which have since taken amongst us and were invented by the Ladies That Sex excels ours in this kind of writing Those Expressions and Graces flow from 'em which are in us the effect of tedious Labour and troublesome Enquiry They are happy in their terms and place them so justly that every one presently lights upon their meaning As familiar as they are yet they have the Charm of Novelty and seem only design'd for the use they put 'em to They only can express a whole sentence in a single word and render a delicate thought in a turn altogether as delicate We find in all their Letters an inimitable connexion continuâ—d thro the whole very naturally and always bounded by good senâ—e If the Ladies were more correct I might affirm that they have producâ—d
abound in Riches * To make one's Fortune is so fine a Phrase and so very significant that t is universally us'd it past from the Court to the City broke its way into the Cloysters scal'd the Walls of the Abbyes of both Sexes There is no place sacred or prophane where it has not penetrated it pleases Strangers and Barbarians 't is met with in all Languages and there is scarce any one now who can speak but has learnt to make use on 't * He who has cunning enough to make Contracts and fill his Coffers thinks presently he has a Head fit for Government * To make one's Fortune a Man ought to have some sort of Wit but neither the good nor the fine the great nor the sublime the strong nor the delicate I cannot exactly tell which it is and am yet to be inform'd Custom and Experience are more useful in making one's Fortune than Wit We think of it too late and when at last we resolve on t we begin by those Faults which we have not always time to repair Whence perhaps it proceeds that Fortunes are so rarely acquired A Man of a little Genius may be fond of advancing himself and in such case neglecting all things else he will think on 't from morning till night and then break his Rest with contriving how to effect it He begins early and sets out in his youth in the way to Preferment If he finds any thing oppose his passage he naturally turns his byass and goes on the right-hand or left according as he sees it most convenient If new Obstacles arise here he returns into the old path he quitted and disposes himself by the nature of the Difficulties sometimes to surmount 'em sometimes to avoid em or take other measures as Use Interest and Opportunity direct him Is so good a Head and such great Talents necessary for a Traveller to follow at first sight the great Road and if that is full or crowded to cross the Fields and continue in a bye and a nearer way till by this means he gets again at last into the former Road and finishes his Journey Is so much Sense requisite in an ambitious Man to attain his Ends Is he then a Wonder or only a Coxcomb who by his Riches purchases himself Favour and Advancement There are some stupid and weak Men who place themselves in fine Stations and die rich yet we ought not to suppose they have contributed to it by the least Industry or Labour Some body has directed em to the fountain-head or perhaps chance only led 'em to it They have been then askt Would you have water Draw and they have drawn it * Whâ—n wâ— arâ— young wâ— arâ— often poor we havâ— neither made Acquisitions nor are our Inheritances fallen yet into our hands We become rich and old at the same time thus â—tis rare that Men can unite all their Advantages And if perhaps any Person is so fortunate he deserves not our Envy since he may by Death be so great a Loser rather when we consider his Circumstances and the Shortness of their Continuance we ought to pity him * A Man should be thirty years old before he thinks of his Fortune â—Tis seldom compleated before fifty he goes to Building in his old Age and dies amongst the Painters and Glasiers * What is the fruit of a great Fortune Unless it be to possess the Vanity Industry Labour and Expence of those who went before us and to work our selves in Planting Building and Inlarging for our Posterity * Men open their Shops and set out their Wares every Morning to cheat their Customers and lock 'em up at night after having cheated all day * In all Conditions the poorest Man is the nearest Neighbour to Honesty and the rich as little distant from Knavery Ability and Cunning seldom get a Man excessive Riches A shew of Honesty is in all Trades the surest way to grow rich * The shortest and best way to make your Fortune is to convince People 't is their Interest to serve you * Men tempted by the Cares of Life or a desire to acquire Riches and Glory incourage themselves in their Deceit and cultivate wicked Talents and Knavish Practices forgetting the Danger and Consequence till they Quit 'em afterwards for a discreet Devotion which was never seen in 'em before their Harvests were gathered and they were in Possession of a well-establishâ—d Fortune * There are Miseries which make People Cowards some who want Food dread the Winter and are afraid of living whilst others elsewhere are eating early fruits forcing the Earth and the Seasons to furnish 'em with Delicates I have known meer Citizens have the Impudence to swallow at a Morsel the Nourishment of a hundred Families let who will set themselves against such Extremities Iâ—ll render my self as little obnoxious to the World as possible and if I can will neither be happy or unhappy but hide and secure my self in the Littleness of my Condition * The Poor are troubled that they want all things and no body comforts them The Rich are angry that they can want the least thing or that any one would resist them * He is rich whose Receipt is more than his Expences and he is poor whose Expences are more than his Receipt There is nothing keeps longer than a little Fortune and nothing is sooner done than a great one Great Riches are near Neighbours to Poverty If he is only rich who wants nothing a very wise Man is a very rich Man If he is only poor who desires much and is always in want the Ambitious and the Covetous languish in extream Poverty * The Passions tyrannize over Mankind Ambition reigns over the rest and gives them a little while the Appearance of all the Vertues I once believ'd Tryphon who commits every vice sober chaste liberal humble and even devout and I might have believ'd it still if he had not made his Fortune * There is no end to a Man's desire of growing rich and great when the Cough seizes him when Death approaches his Face shrivel'd and his Legs weak he cries My Fortune my Establishment * There is but two ways of rising in the World by your own Industry and anotherâ—s Weakness * Features discover Complexion and Manners and an Air the Goods of Fortune you may see by a Man's Countenance if he has great or small Revenues * Crysantes a wealthy impertinent Man would not be seen with Eugeneus who is a Man of Wit but poor lest he should dishonour him Eugeneus has the same Dispositions for Crysantes and there 's no great fear they will often run against one another * If good Thoughts good Books and their Authors depended on Riches or such as have acquir'd 'em What a hard Fate would the Learn'd lie under What a Power would then be assum'd over them With what Authority would they treat those poor Wretches whose Merit has not advanc'd or enrich'd them And for this reason they
performance before he has begun the Sermon time they sleep and only wake to applaud him There are none who so warmly engage in behalf of an Author His works are Read â—ither in the leisure of a retirement or in the silence of a Closet There are not publick meetings to cry him up no party zealous to prefer him to all his Rivals and to advance him to the Prelacy His Book how excellent soever it may be is read but with an intention to find it indifferent Every leaf is folded down and convast 'T is not like sounds lost in the Air and forgotten what is printed remains so Sometimes 't is expected a month or two before it comes out with an impatience to damn it The greatest pleasure that some find in it is to Criticize on it 'T is a Vexation to 'em to meet with passages in every Page which ought to please nay often they are afraid of being diverted and quit a Book only because 't is good Every body do's not pretend to be a Preacher The Phrases Figures Memory and Gown of a Divine are things all people are not fond of appropriating to themselves whereas every one imagines that he thinks well and that he can express himself still better than he thinks which makes him less favourable to one that thinks and writes as well as himself In a word the Parson is advanc'd to a Bishoprick sooner than the most judicious Writer is to a small Priory New Favours still are heap'd on him while the more deserving Author is content to take up with his refuse * If it happens that the wicked hate and persecute you good men advise you to humble your self before God and to watch against the Vanity which may arise in you from having displeas'd people of that Character so when some certain men subject to exclaim against all things as indifferent disapprove your works or your discourse whether spoken at the Bar or in the Pulpit humble your self for you can't be expos'd to a greater temptation to pride * A Preacher methinks ought in every one of his Sermons to make choice of one principal truth whether it be to move terror or to yield instruction and to handle that alone largely and fully omitting all those foreign divisions and subdivisions which are so intricate and perplext I wou'd not have him presuppose a thing that 's really falâ—e which is that great Men understand the Religion they profess and so be afraid to instruct persons of their Wit and Breeding in their Catechism let him employ the long time he 's a composing a set formal discourse in making himself master of his subject that so the turn and expression may of course flow easily from him Let him after some necessary preparation yield himself up to his own Genius and to the emotions with which a great subject will inspire him Let him spare that prodigious expence of memory which looks more like reciting for a Wager that any thing else and which destroys all graceful action Let him on the contrary by a noble Enthusiasm dart conviction into their Souls and alarm their Consciences Let him in fine touch the Hearts of his hearers with another fear than that of seeing him make some blunder or mistake in his Sermon * Let not him who is not yet arriv'd to that perfection as to forget himself in the dispensation of the holy word Let him not I say be discourag'd by the austere rules that are prescrib'd him as if they robb'd him of the means of shewing his Wit and of attaining to the Honours to which he aspires What greater or more noble Talent can there be than to preach like an Apostle or which deserves a Bishoprick better Was Feneton unworthy of that Dignity or was it possible he shou'd have avoided his Princes choice if it had not been for another choice of his own OF The Wits of the Age. HAve they who value themselves so much upon the title of Wits have they I say wit enough to perceive that they are only call'd so by Irony What greater want of wisdom can there be than to be doubtful of the principle of ones own being life sence knowledge and of what will be the end of them What can more lessen any man than his questioning whither his Soul is not material like a Stone or a Worm or subject to corruption like the vilest Creatures And is it not a much more real and a nobler sort of wit that raises our minds to the Idea of a being superiour to all others by whom and for whom all things were made who is perfect and pure who never had a beginning nor will never have an end of whom our Soul is the image nay of whom if I may so speak it makes a part being Spiritual and Immortal * A tractable and a foolish Mind are both susceptible of impressions but good impressions are the lot of the one and ill ones of the other That is the first suffers himself to be persuaded and then sticks to his persuasion the other is conceited and corrupted So that the tractable mind admits of true Religion the foolish of a false one or of none at all Now the modish Wit either has no Religion at all or has one of his own invention Therefore a Wit and a Fool are muâ—h the same thâ—ng * By a worldly earthly or brutish man I mean one whose heart and mind is wholly fix'd on this small part of the Universe he is plac'd in the Earth One who sets a value upon nothing nor loves any thing beyond it Whose narrow soul is as much confin'd as that spot of ground he calls his Estate The extent of which is easily measur'd the acres are all number'd and the utmost bounds are limited 'T is no wonder that such one who leans as it were on an Atome should stumble at the first step in his search after Truth That with so short a sight he should not reach beyond the Heavens and the Stars to behold God himself That not being able to perceive the excellence of what is Spiritual or the dignity of the Soul he should feel as little how difficult it is to satisfie its appetites How much the whole world is insufficient for it How indispencably this makes it want an all perfect being which is God And how absolutely it needs a Religion to find out that God and to be assur'd of his reality And any one on the contrary may soon be perswaded that incredulity and indifferency is but natural to such a man That he will make use of God and Religion as a piece of Policy only that is as far as it may give a fair outside or keep in some order the things relating to his worldly concerns which alone in his opinion deserve to have any thoughts bestow'd on them * Some men by travelling give the last stroke to the corrupting of their Judgment and their Manners and extinguish wholly that spark of Religion they had
with so on the contrary the Court is represented as it always is full of intreagues and designs the City does not draw enough from this description to satisfie its curiosity and to form a just Idea of a Place which can no otherwise be known but by living there on the other side it is not very natural for men to agree about the Beauty or Delicacy of a Moral Treatise which designs and paints themselves and where they cannot avoid seeing their own faces they fly into passion in condemning it such no longer approve the Satyre than whilst it bites severely keeps at a distance from them and fixes its Teeth on some body else What probability is there to please all the so different tastes of Men by one single tract of Morality Some search for Definitioâ—s Divisions Tables and Method these are desirous to have explain'd to 'em what Vertue is in general and then every Vertue in particular what difference there is between Valour Fortitude and Magnanimity the extream Vices either in defect or excess between whom each vertue is placed and of which of these two extreams it most participates other sort of Doctrine does not at all please them Others are â—atisfied to have manners reduced to the Passions and that these be explain'd by the motion of the Blood by the Fibres and Arteries they 'll excuse an Author all the rest Theâ—e â—re a third Class who are of opinio◠〈◊〉 â—he whole Doctrine of manners ought â—o tend to their Reformation to distinguish the good from the bad and to discover amongst men what is vain weak and ridiculous from what they have that is good solid and commendable They infinitely solace themselves in the reading of Books which supposing the principles of Natural and Moral Philosophy left in a controversial suspence by the Antients and Moderns immediately apply themselves to the Manners of the times and correct men by one another by the Images of things that are Familiar to them and from whence nevertheless they do not deduce instructive inferences Such is the Treatise of the Characters of Manners which Theophrastus has left us he collected them from the Ethicks and great Morals of Aristotle whose Scholar he was the excellent definitions that are at the beginning of each Chapter are established on the Ideas and Principles of this great Philosopher and the â—oundation of the Characters which are there described is taken from the sâ—me original it is true he makes them moâ—e particular by the scope he gives them and by his ingenious Satyrizing the Greeks but especially the Athenians â— This Book cannot be thought other than the beginning of a much longer work which Theophrastus had undertaken The design of this Philosopher as you may observe in his Preface was to treat of all Virtues and Vices and as he himself assures you hâ— undertook this great work at Ninety Nine Years of Age it is probable that the shortness of his remaining Life hindred him from perfecting it I own that the common opinion is that he lived above an hundred years and St Ierome in one of his Letters which he wrote to Nepotianus asserts that he died full an hundred and seven years old so that I doubt not in the least that it was an Antient error either of the Greâ—k Numerical Letters which guided Diogenes Laertius who reckoned him to have lived but Ninety five years or in the first Manuscripts of this Historian if that be true in othersâ— that the Ninety Nine years which the Author ascribes to himself in the Preface are exactly the same in four Manuscripts in the Palatine Library where are also the five last Chapters of the Characters of Theophrastus which are wanting in the old Editions and where are also two Titles the one The opinion the World has of the Vicious the other Of Sordid gain which are found alone without any Chapters belonging to them This work is nothing but a fragment yet notwithstanding a precious remain of Antiquity and a Monument of the vivacity of the mind and of the firm and solid Judgment of this Philosopher at so great an Age it will always be a Master piece in its kind there is nothing extant wherein the Attick taste is more remarkable or the Grecian Eloquence more conspicuous so that it may deserve the name of a Golden Book the Learned are intent on the Diversity of manners there treated of and the natural way of expressing the Characters and compare them besides with that of the Poet Menander a Scholar of Theophrastus who served afterwards for a Model for Terence who in our days being so happily imitated I cannot forbear to hint in this little work the original of all Comedy I mean that void of Quibbles Obscenities and Puns which is taken from nature and diverts both the wise and vertuous But to enhance the value of these Characters and inspire the Reader perhaps it may not be improper to say something of their Author He was of Eresus a City of Lesbos a Fullers Son his first Master in his own Country was Leucippus of the same C with himself from thence he went to Plato's School afterwards settled at Aristotle â—s where he distinguisht himself from all the rest of his Scholars This new Maâ—ster charm'd with the readiness of his Wit and Sweetness of his elocution chang'd his name which was Tyrtamus to that of â—uphrastus which signifies one that talks well but this name not answering the great estimation he had for the beauty of his genius and expressions called him Theophrastus that is to sayâ— a Man whose Language is Divine Which is like what Cicâ—ro says amongst his sentiments of this Philosopher in his Book intituled Brutus or De Claris Oratoribus who is more fertile and copious than Plato more solid and firm than Aristotle more agreeable and smooth than Theoprastus he calls him his friend and says that his works were familiar to him and the reading of them had afforded him abundance of pleasure Aristotle says of him and Calisthenes another of his Scholars what Plato before had said of Aristotle himself and Xenocrates that Calisthenes was dull of invention and had a sluggish Fancy and that Theophrastus on the contrary was so vivacious piercing and penetrating that he would comprehend all that was to be known of a thing that the one wanted Spurs to prick him forward the other Reins to hold him in He had an especial esteem for a Character of sweetness which equally reigned in his Style and Manners It is said that Aristotle's Scholars seeing their Master growing in years and of a weak constitution begged of him to name his Successor and as he had only two persons in his School on whom the choice could fall Menedemus the Rhodian and Theophrastus the Eresian by a dexterous management towards him that he designed to exclude he declares himself after this manner He pretending a little time after his Disciples had made this request to him and in
the Ancients would afford them We who are now Modern shall be Ancient in a few days then the History of our times will make Posterity relish the selling of places of Honour or Trust that is to say that no man can have the power to protect Innocence to punish Guilt and of doing Justice to all the world except he buys it with ready Money just as he does his Farm It will also reconcile them to the gawdy splendour of the heads of factious parties a sort of men treated with the last contempt amongst the Hebrews and Greeks They 'll hear of the Capital City of a Great Kingdom which hath neither Publick places Baths Fountains Amphitheatres Galleries Porticues nor Publick Walks which was notwithstanding a prodigious City of some persons whose life is spent in going from one House to another Ladies who keep neither Shops nor Inns yet have their Houses open for those that will pay for their admission there you may have Cards and Dice or play at what sort of Game you please you may eat in these Houses and they are fit for all sort of Commerce They 'll be inform'd that some pass up and down the Street only to seem to be in haste there is no familiarity or conversation there but all is confused and as it were an alarm of the noise of Coachesâ— which to avoid one must run into the middle of the Street as fast as if he wâ—re running a Race They 'll believe without wonder that the Inhabitants go to Church visit the Ladies and Friends with offensive arms and that there is no person but carries at his side wherewith at one push to murder another Now if our posterity astonisht at Customs so strange and different from theirs should therefore dislike our Memoirs our Poetry our Comedy and Satyrs might not we complain that by this false delicacy they deprive themselves of the reading such excellent Works so elaborate and so regular and of the knowledge of the most glorious Nation that ever yet adorn'd History Having then the same tender regard for the Books of the Ancients which we our selves hope for from posterity being perswaded no Uses or Customs continue in all ages but vary with the times and that we are too remote from those that are past and too near those now in vogue to be at that due distance that is requisite to make a just observation of either Nor will that which we call the politeness of our Manners nor the Decorum of our Customs â—or our State and Magnificence afford us morâ— advantage over the Athâ—nians plain way of living than against that of the first Men great by themselves and independant on a thousand exteriour things which afterwards weâ—e invented perhaps to supply that true Grandeur which is now no more Nature shews itself in them in all its purity and dignity and was not yet in the least suâ—lâ—ed by Vanity Luxury and foolish Ambition No man was honoured but on account of his Strength or Virtue none were enriched by Places or Pensions but by their Land and Flocks their Children and Servants their food was wholesome and natural the Fruits of the Earth and the Milk of their Beasts their Raiment plain and uniform made of their Wool and Fleeces their pleasures innocent a great Crop the marriage of their Children a good understanding with their Neighbours peace in their Family Nothing can be more opposite to our Manners than all these things but the distance of time makes us relish them as the distance of place occasions us to receive all that the different relations or Books of Travels inform us of remote places and strange Countrys They tell us of one Religion one Policy one way of feeding habiting building and making War there was no part of manners that they were ignorant of those that approach nearest ours affect us those that are more distant fill us with admiration but all amuse us less surprized at the barbarity of Manners and Customes of People so remote which instruct and at the same time please us by their Novelty it suffices us that those concerning whom we have the account are Siamites Chinese Negroes or Abyssines Now those whose Manners Theophrastus paints were Athenians and we are French and if we add to the diversity of Place and Climate the long interval of time and considering that this Book was wrote the last year of the CXV Olympiad three hundred and fourteen years before the Christian Era and also that it is above two thousand years since the People of Athens lived of whom he draws the Picture we may admire to know our selves there our friends our enemies those whom we live with and that being di-distant from each other so many ages the resemblance should be so great In short Mens Souls and Passions change not they are yet the same still as they were and as they are described by Theophrastus Vain Dissemblers Flatterers Selfish Impudent Importunate Distrustful Backbiters Quarrelsome and Superstitioâ—s It s true Athens was a free City it was the center of the Republick its Citizens were â—qual one with another they walked by themselves and on foot in a neat peaceable and spacious City going into the Shops and Markets to buy what necessaries they wanted themselves Court emulation did not in the least incline them to leave this common way of Life they kept their Slaves for the Baths for their Repasts for their Domestick service and for travelling they spent one part of their time in the publick places the Temples the Amphitheatres on the Bridge or under the Portico's and in the middle of a City of which they were equally Masters There the people met together to deliberate of the publick affairs there they treated with Strangers In other places the Philosophers sometimes delivered their Doctrine sometimes conversed with their Scâ—olaâ—s These places were at the same time the Scene of pleasure and business there was some thing in their manners which was plain and popular which I acknowledge little resembles ours yet notwithstanding what such men as the Athenians in general and what City like Athens what Laws what Policy what Valour what Discipline what perfection in all Arts and Sciences nay what Politeness in their common Conversation and Language Theophrastus the same Theophrastus of whom so great things have been said this agreeable Talker this man that expresses himself Divinely was known to be a Foreigner and called so by an ignorant Woman of whom he bought Herbs in the Market who knew by a sort of Atticks nicety which he wanted which the Romans afterwards called Urbanity that he was no Atheniaâ— and Cicero relates that this great man was amazed that having lived to old Age in Athens and being so perfect a Master of the Attick Language and having habituated himself to the accent so many years that yet he could not do that which the common people naturally and without any difficulty do But if we read in this Treatise the Characters of