Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	good_a	great_a	true_a	2,848	5	3.8360	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60010	Cæsarion, or, Historical, political, and moral discourses in four days entertainment between two gentlemen, very pleasant and useful for all orders of men whatsoever / English'd by Jos. Walker.; Cesarion ou Entretiens divers. English	Saint-Réal, M. l'abbé de (César Vichard), 1639-1692.; Walker, Joseph.	1685 (1685)	Wing S351; ESTC R41078	62,745	185

with a man of Atticus his temper How much soever one is perswaded of their perfidiousness they 'l make themselves no strangers and wanting no excuses of one sort or other they employ so many friends to compose matters that at last one is forc't to comply for commonly persons are more inclinable to the Offendor than to the Offended the malignity of nature being delighted at the seeing and suffering of ill never fails in these Occasions to incline to him that gave the offence to the prejudice of him that received it under the specious pretence of making Peace Nevertheless I cannot tell but the open Enmity of Atticus had been less hurtful to Lucceius than their reconciliation for Atticus never acted but through respect of his own private interest and would never have been so desirous of reconciliation had he not believ'd that Lucceius his Enmity would have been to his disadvantage not but that his also might have been hurtful to Lucceius but there was this difference to be made that their accommodation did absolutely remove the disadvantage which Atticus might receive by this Enmity because Lucceius could not be reconcil'd but with a truly good intent whereas there was great cause to think that Atticus would not be any truer to him after reconciliation than he was before their rupture especially being netl'd by the long refusal Lucceius made of being accommodated and by the secret reproaches of his own Conscience wherewith the most vitious persons do they what they can to suppress them are as often tormented as the most ignorant sort of men By what I had ever heard of Atticus formerly the description Caesarion now gave me of him could not choose but surprise me I had always heard him represented as the true model of an honest man having read his Life in Latine French and English I was fully confirm'd in this opinion and I freely confess I fear'd there might be some affectation of singularity in your friends sentiment he judg'd of my thoughts by my countenance and having freely own'd it to him he continu'd his Discourse as follows It is very true said he most intelligent Persons and that are best skill'd in these matters are of a very different judgement from me touching the man we speak of and do not wonder at it He deceiv'd wiser than they and those that had opportunity of knowing him better I speak of the learned age wherein he liv'd wherein I told you already that his Reputation was as great as I believe it was undeserved You must not imagine that he was the only person of this kind I 'le instance in others both Ancient and Modern when you please and 't is very probable his Historian took the voice of the People for it which is not always the voice of God But his error is no authority and the character of his Hero is of that importance to be clear'd up that it deserves to be examin'd a little narrower than he has done it You may guess how easily Fame is acquir'd by having great Riches when one knows ever so little how to use them to judge aright of a man he should be consider'd by the qualities which are least seen and there is no degree of Reputation but may be attain'd without virtue by riches wit and a great deal of vanity there can nothing more necessary be taught Gentlemen of your age than to distinguish counterfeit vertues from real and not to be deceived by common report in the merit of particular persons You cannot imagine the trouble one has all their life for admiring persons in their youth which deserve not to be admired And when I speak of merit pray observe that I thereby mean true integrity and honesty without which I know not any and it is that merit which I deny to Atticus for this excepted it was hard to have more wit and prudence than he had or to understand the Times Men and Business better than he did If what you say be true reply'd I to this Discourse his Historian is the greatest flatterer that ever was Say rather that he was his Panegyrist said Caesarion Nepos is in most things a down right Lyar and appears to be but of a mean capacity as may be judg'd by what we have remaining of his he took for currant all that his Hero said to make himself be cry'd up and relates as undoubted truth all that he had heard spoken in favour of Atticus by Atticus himself One cannot be justly more suspected than Nepos is he boasts to have lived so familiarly with this Gallant that he was privy to his Journal of Expences he interven'd in his actions and at his request registr'd some of them It do's not appear that this Historian made any great Figure in the World as most of his time did so that there 's just cause to suspect that Atticus his friendship being the highest of his preferment his own private interest moved him to advance the glory of Atticus to the highest pitch he could But you shall find afterwards that he was so unfortunate or indiscreet that the most glorious actions related by him are either convinc'd of falshood by other Writers of greater credit than him or related in such a manner by himself that unawares he destroyes all their Merit in discoursing of their true Original You promise me things that are very curious reply'd I to Caesarion I very much question if any besides your self could perform your promise and you will do me a singular pleasure if you discharge it faithfully There 's no need of being a very able man reply'd he to satisfie you therein and I 'le not defer your desire any longer To render the Oeconomy and Liberality of Atticus the more admirable and to shew that he had not increas'd his wealth but by honest ways Nepos boldly affirms Nullius rei neque praes neque manceps Tu aliquid publicanus pendis l. 2. ep 15. that he was never concern'd in business neither directly nor indirectly as other Knights of Rome usually were Nevertheless the quite contrary appears by Cicero's Letters which Nepos himself testifies to have seen in which this Orator calls Atticus Publican in express terms and gives him an account of a Decree of the Senate against the Creditors of the Free People wherein Atticus himself was concern'd because he had advanc'd great Sums of mony for those of Sicionia which were of that quality And it would be very strange to conceive how he should acquire such extraordinary great Riches distributing so Liberally and living so Honourably as he did having never born any Office nor Command if he had not gained Wealth some other way and there 's no doubt but it was the cause that made a learn'd French Critick in some obscure words which he wrote to Cicero discover that he held a Bank at Rome in his own House under the Name of Oppius's which were at his Devotion and made publick profession of it But

might give liberty to virtues inferior to his to appear there so true it is that at all times nothing has been more dangerous amongst men than too shining a merit If this remarkable truth has appear'd in the most virtuous and best govern'd Common-wealths do you think it will not appear in Courts where many times there is neither order nor virtue There 's nothing harder than for such a man as you mean there to find favour or protection because those which have the chief power are not always of such merit as not to fear such as are endow'd with higher merit than themselves One had need have a great stock of virtue to love it in another as much as it deserves this is the most assured sign of true merit and one may without vanity be fully assur'd of his own when one does right to that of other mens that one takes pleasure in making it known and that one honours the party indifferently in all places and at all times And such a one was Scipio that I before mention'd to you and I cannot better represent him to you by this great Idea than in the very words of his incomparable Historian After the unfortunate death of his Father and Unkle in Spain one of their Lieutenants called Martius maintain'd the glory of Rome which had been shrewdly shaken by such two terrible blows that scarce any that succeeded those two great men could not well have supply'd their place better than him So that of those that were in Rome capable of such imployments there was none that durst aspire to that in Spain but the Heir of the Illustrious deceas'd he was aged about 24 years How do you think he carry'd himself towards this brave Lieutenant who would have darkn'd the glory of any other Captain but this when he ariv'd in his Province He did not set about changing the Orders Martius had given he did not narrowly search into the faults that might be committed before his coming amongst so many great transactions and of what might have been done better than was done He kept not strictly his distance and port as was due to him as General and affected not the respect due to it Martium secum tanto cum honore habeb at ut facile appareret eum nihil minus vereri quam ne quis obstaret gloriae suae l. 26. Aelian Hist divers l. 12. c. 16. Quint. Curt. l. 8 with this great Person more than he did with others his inferiors neither did he use indirect ways as most Commanders do to disparage the conduct of their Predecessors He had Martius always near him saith Tit. Livius and he did him so great honour that 't was plainly seen he feared not that any body could hinder the progress of his glory Alexander surnam'd the Great attain'd not such a pitch of virtue he was not so ingenious saith the most impartial of his Historians in valuing the virtue and courage of his own Countrymen as much as he did that of strangers Another Author makes a long narrative of the good qualities peculiar unto each of his Captains for which he hated them without any other cause and therefore Parmenion him that of all others knew him best said for an only lesson to Philotas My Son be little in thine own esteem If a person of so eminent degree as this Conqueror was not free from jealousie how can it be expected that the most part of the great Men we speak of can be exempt from it And what assistance can a man of true virtue and merit hope from such in prefering him at Court Yet what possibility is there of being consider'd without the favourable recommendation of some or other The Princes favour and good-will is already ingag'd how virtuous and valiant soever a person is he must not think to be regarded for that reason alone unless he is ingag'd to do it by some other way and means It 's possible he may do you right should he reward your merits but how unlikely is it that he will trouble himself to inquire into your deserts Something else is requisite for the attaining your ends A Prince that has already chose and setled his affection upon his Ministers and Favourites before ever you were thought of thinks that he has no further need of any body else he sees by their Eyes hears by their Ears and for the most part Judges by their judgement So that any body that offer their service otherwise than by their means is not regarded by him he must move out of his Sphere to do otherwise being only familiarly acquainted with them he knows not if there be any others that excel them and herein he resembles that Woman amongst the Ancients that suppos'd all men had stinking breath because she never kiss'd any but her own Husband Moreover Favourites and great Ministers looking upon the Princes favour to be uncertain and a thing that may be lost they dread nothing more than a man that is endow'd with the many good qualities you speak of they knowing him a long time do judge better than new Comers the effects it may produce in the mind of their Master they know how to represent such of these qualities as may not be pleasing and use all means to hinder those from being known which would please too much And do not imagine that 't is interest alone that makes them act in this manner in dissipating the cloud that threatens them it is the general practice of Courtiers to preceed this way although they drive at several ends and the most opposite agree in this to discourage porsons of extraordinary merit from having any shear in the Prince his favour although they cannot but have a great esteem for such themselves It is a compact which they be naturally inclin'd to and they never fail to agree in the executing of it they have no need of consulting nor of being advis'd to joyn together in these occasions envy and vanity wherewith they are equally possess'd directs them to the same end more than all the consultatious in the World can do Let but one of them begin to tell a ridiculous story of such a Person as this either false or so grosly counterfeit that it can scarse be discerned by those which know the contrary he is surpris'd that another who it may be know's not so much as he do's should presently give such credit to what he heard that the other might be ready to guess at what he so cunningly invented Two or three such ill Offices as this were sufficient to ruin any Man were he never so well esteem'd by his Prince who if not very wise never inquires into the Cause of things or if he doth is not for the most part more favourable to Persons of extraordinary Merit than his Courtiers are Therefore it is that he scarce ever regards such Persons as these be for Men are startl'd at the least inclination he has for them and then they

are envi'd by all the World and this general design of ruining them which is a necessary Consequence of the goodness of his choise discourages the Prince and naturally inclines him to be suspitious It may plainly be perceiv'd that the general aversion he find's in Mens minds for the good choice he should make do's at length reduce him to the necessity of making a bad one and then he finds no longer any opposition for it is only Virtue and Merit which are suspected a Man is seldom hated for being Vitious the first favours bestow'd on him are not suspected they are attributed to some other Cause and 't is not believed they can hold long yet such a person easily and without opposition by his corruptness Establishes himself in the Princes favour to the Admiration of all the World It is not believ'd till 't is too late and the wisdom of the Prince being ingag'd he is bound in honour to vindicate it and will not be perswaded to the contrary of what he has done Caesarion having deliver'd this Discourse with some concerndness stoping at these words I could not but testify to him my Astonishment at what he said for although the consequence seem'd very natural in hearing him yet I did not well perceive to what it tended If it be so said I nothing is more difficult than for a Prince to make a wise choice there 's no question of it said he for he never understands the persons that he chooses and all that are about him agree to cousen him and the life of those especially that are neerest him is nothing else but a continual Fars wherein all things are represented to him in Masquerade However methinks said I when it falls out that he makes any extraordinary ill choise it being the intrest of a great many to inform him of it it cannot choose but in time he must be somwhat sensible of it and so by consequence reform his errour Then you think it a small matter reply'd Caesarion to confess that one is mistaaken this aversion being natural to all Men is more particularly rooted in the spirits of Princes Vain glory is so inherent to them that 't were almost unjust to censure them for it Pray tell me which is the best course they can take in the condition you place them either to publish to the World the ill choise they have made by correcting it or by continuing to persist in the same Now by this demand I understand your meaning I find that what you say of Favorites is true and that a Prince is much in the right not to change them how bad soever they be But methinks it should not be so of his Ministers no certainly reply'd Caesarion Favorites are not directly concern'd with publick affairs all their actions do only regard the person and particular actions of the Prince so that the little Merit they have is scarce known to any but to those which be as near the Prince as themselves and such are sufficiently concern'd not to disclose it to the rest of the World On the contrary the Function of Ministers of State being publick a Prince that has made an ill choise of them cannot hide the Errour he has committed in persevering in it and rather than convince the World of their incapacity one of these two things is believ'd either that he understands it not and that ignorant as they be he thinks them very able because they are wiser than him or that if he wants not judgment and is destitute of humanity and true glory seeing he cares not that all the World should suffer through his Fault and is less sensible of his Peoples just grievance than at the shame of owning his own Errour And is it not just reply'd I at these words to judge after this sort One cannot judge otherwise answer'd Caesarion but Princes do not think so And what can they think when they prefer persons to the greatest Imployments that are not capable of discharging the least They think said he and they are not altogeather deceiv'd that most Men do not judge of things themselves and much less of those things that are above their Capacity that 't is easie to deceive the sight when one appears but seldom and at a distance to hide ones Ignorance when one speaks but seldom or when one lists and when one is not bound to be accountable for on 's Actions To give an outward attention and seemingly listen to Discourse and yet though they did so seriously do not at all comprehend what they hear To conclude they believe that the number of those that have judgment sufficient to distinguish truth through the mist of errour and have courage to defend it being but very few in comparison of the contrary party their wisdom and freedom makes them only be scoffed at and they be suppress'd by the great numbers of those who are not so juditious or if they be dare not declare what they think But grant that all this were true said I again were it not better and more glorious for a Prince to choose Ministers that stood not in need of these poor shifts to conceal their little Merit from the sight of the World There 's no doubt of it reply'd Caesarion but you don't consider that most great Men desire not to be often seen nor narrowly discern'd by Men of great Virtue and Merit Persons do not make choise of extraordinary Men any farther than they resemble them It is only a wise Prince that will make choise of a wise Minister and that will praise him and declare to the World the benefit he receives thereby Let us drink said Philip of Macedon making a Debauch amongst his Friends in the midst of his greatest affairs Let us Drink Athen. l. 10. it is sufficient that Antipater is sober This in my opinion is the highest commendation that ever was given by a Sovereign to a subject To speak after this manner Philip must needs look upon the great Merit of Antipater as making up a part of his own A Prince that gave so high an Encomium to his Minister had no cause to be jealous of him he must be as excellent a Prince as his Minister was an excellent Minister And had I no other proof than this Discourse I should be no less assur'd of it than by the great things which daily experience shews us It 's true reply'd I that of all the passages of Antiquity that I have heard of none touch'd me sosensibly as this did Do not you find therein as well as I said Caesarion somthing that appears not only natural and familiar but also noble and great In the liberty of Wine and feasting of those Times which was not so regular as in our Daies to have the presence of Mind excusing his excess even when it might have been connived at to those that might have blam'd it and of giving a sober account of it although the time and place might have