Deportment and their Frowns discover nothing but Pride and Severity as if Authority and Power were their Inheritance Observe by the way that Tacitus when he mentions Flattery frequently associates with it Calumny which is indeed one of the most usual means that Flatterers make use of to the Ruine of others ESSAY XXX LEpidus for the most part deviated for the better from the severe Adulations of others and yet he carry'd himself so exactly poys'd that he flourish'd under Tiberius with an equal share of Authority and his Princes Favour So that I am constrain'd to doubt whither the Inclination of Princes to some and their Aversion to others be not guided as many other things are by fate and the ruling Constellations at our Birth And whither it be in our power to walk in a Path free from Ambition and Dan between untractable Contumacy and deformed Servility Says D'Ablancourt Many times he allay'd the over-rigorous advice of others not failing nevertheless in his Respect to his Prince and by that means preserv'd two things most difficult to be preserv'd the Honour of his Employment and his Majesties Favour Which makes me frequently doubt whither the Favour of Great Men and their Hatred be not rather the effects of Destiny and the Stars that governour Nativities as are all other Accidents that happen in the World then of Human Prudence that so much pretends to have a share therein The Moderation of Lepidus is a remarkable Testimony that rhere may be some great Personages impenetrable to Flattery and Injustice under the Dominion even of the most wicked Princes and that there never was any Age so barren of Vertuous Courage but has offer'd us Examples of such a noble Generosity Prudence understands to choose out such a way that leads neither to the Precipice of Liberty nor the Abyss of Servitude She is neither Libertine nor Slave but observes an equal Temper so as neither to be offensive to Majesty nor Justice Shâ— gives to Caesar that which belongs to Caesar that is to say Obedience and Duty To God that which is Gods or whatever is required by a sincere Conscience If at any time she Flatters for she cannot always avoid it she makes use of such a sort of Flattery that rather informs then misleads the Prince and serves as an Incitement to provoke him to some Generous Act which otherwise perhaps he might not think of For example Lepidus to save the Life of Lutorius Priscus whom Haterius Agrippa had sentenc'd to Death for a certain Elegie made upon Drusus makes it his business to applaud the Moderation of Tiberius telling him That after he had several times heard him complain of those that had prevented his Clemency he could not believe so just a Prince would ever confirm so rigorous a Sentence In short when Tiberius who was then in the Country understood that Drusus was Executed he blam'd the Senate tho' the Reprimand were very gentle and commended the Prudence of Lepidus tho' on the other side he did not rebuke Agrippa for his severity Now it is certain that if Priscus had been repreiv'd Tiberius would never have taken away his Life Lepidus so well understood to make him sensible of Honour In Nero's time the President was quite the contrary For the Pretor Antistius who had made a bloody Lampoon against him was sav'd by Thrasea who after he had spoken of Nero as it is Customary to speak of a good Prince and had bitterly enveigh'd against the Insolence of the Pretor further added that the cruelty of preceding Reigns was out of date that without putting the Criminal to those Torments which he deserv'd he might be Punish'd in such a manner that he should have no reason to object against his Judges and lastly That his Life would be a solemn Testimonial of Public Clemency This Advice was no less prudent nor less respectful then that of Lepidus but it was as ill receiv'd by Nero as the other was well receiv'd by Tiberius Thrasea incurr'd the Hatred of Nero and in a few years after lost his Life for having sav'd Antistius whom the Prince would fain have put to death Tiberius and Nero resembl'd each other in Cruelty Lepidus and Thrasea were Competitors in Vertue Priscus and Antistius equall'd each other in Arrogance and Sawciness for the one had the vanity to repeat his Elegy to a company of Ladies and the other to read his Lampoon at a Public Feast Thrasea pleaded for Antistius as Lepidus had done for Priscus and yet that which made for Lepidus's Honour turn'd to the perdition of Thrasea And thus you see the different effects of that Fatality which Tacitus attributes to that same natural Inclination which Princes have for some and that natural Antipathy which they have for others But if we more narrowly pry into the real Character of Lepidus and Thrasea's Genius we shall easily perceive that tho' they were both highly Prudent and equally averse to Flattery yet there was a Remarkable difference between 'em for assur'dly Lepidus was the more prudent of the two Lepidus was Feasible and Complaisant yet without any thing of low-spirited Meanness or abject Condescention Thrasea prided himself altogether in his Stedfastness and Constancy Lepidus shap'd himself according to the Times he was born in and the Humour of the Reigning Prince as it is the duty of every good Subject so to do Thrasea was a little too obstinate and hardy in what he thought Just and Reasonable which occasion'd that saying of Nero That he wish'd Thrasea lov'd but him as well as he did Justice The latter was the better Man the other the better Subject By which Parallel it is apparent that Prudence has a great share in the Conduct of Human Affairs and that the Favour and Aversion of Princes are not always the Effects of their Fancies ESSAY XXXI SOme things he had added more Contumaciously then safe to be gather'd in by haughty Ears and prone to be Captious Says D'Ablancourt Serenus had reproach'd his Ingratitude in terms more Insolent then the nice and tender Ears of a Prince could endure The Ears of Princes are not accustom'd to the rude touches of Insolence and Expostulation When we speak to Princes said one of the Ancients we must make choice of words either all Silken or all Honey that is to say our Language must be temper'd with Modesty Prudence and Submission The Contumacy of Inferiours causes the Superiours to lay aside his Clemency Let a Subject have never so just reason to complain he is not however allow'd to do it Arrogantly for Submission and Respect are claims and rights never to be alienated from Majesty There remains to the Subject nothing but the honour of Obedience He that upbraids him with his Services destroys the Fortune and Grandeur of a Prince and generally such Reproaches are the fore-runners of Rebellion And therefore upon this Foundation it was that the Accusation was grounded design'd against Serenus by his Son that he had
Flatterys that render Princes Odious Tiberius who was hated enough already had been much more Contemn'd had he accepted of a Title which Augustus whose Example had always with him the force of a Law had refus'd by a Decree And for that reason it was that he thunder'd out his Indignation against Those who call'd him LORD He was a Lord in Reality but he would not that People should call him so as being desirous they should believe he did not look upon himself so to be Politic Princes are contented with the Substance of their Power and willingly part with all the rest as meerly Superfluous For Subjects are almost all of the humour of that same Parthian King who was nothing troubl'd that his Brother bore the Yoke of Roman Servitude so long as he did not wear the Scars and Marks of it The greater Progress Tiberius made in taming the Senate with the vain shew of Liberty the more he enlarg'd and establish'd his Power The more Popular his Words and Actions were the more plyable he found the Great Men and the more easily led to Servitude He was offended with those who call'd his Occupations Divine for because he knew himself not undeservedly to be tax'd with the Common Stain of his Family which was Haughtiness he was desirous that the People should believe he went hand in hand with the Senate in the Government I know said he that I am but a Mortal Man and subject to all the Frailties of Humanity and therefore 't is enough for me to be Honour'd with the first Seat in the Senate and more then enough if I supply it well Princes are Mortal but the Common-wealth is Eternal By this acknowledgment he was no more then a Member and he permitted those Honours that were pay'd him no otherwise then as they were ascrib'd to the rest of the Senators Who though they gave little Credit to what he said yet were they pleas'd to hear him deliver himself with so much Modesty so much the rather because it was not always his luck to be Popular for all that Observe moreover that by the Difference which he made between Princes as Mortals and Commonwealths as being Eternal he seem'd to intimate that he was so far from being LORD of the Empire that he had little Concern in the Government of it only his Eternity resided in the Body of the Senate which was Immortal and was able alone to shake the Affairs of the Universe ESSAY XII WHO fear'd Liberty yet hated Adulation Says D'Ablancourt Vnder a Prince who hated Flattery yet was no friend to Liberty To hate Flattery is to love Liberty to hate Liberty is to love Flattery Nevertheless Tiberius hated both the one and the other A strange thing says Tacitus that a Prince who left remaining not the least Footstep of Liberty should be tir'd and discontented to behold in the Senate such an Effeminate and Servile Complacency Certainly 't is a very difficult thing to find the way how to please the Palate of a Politic Prince If you Flatter him continually you incur his Contempt if you deal too frankly and freely with him you meet his Indignation How Vertuous soever he be too much Liberty offends him because it appears not so respectful as Flattery And if they are wickedly enclin'd Flattery then becomes suspected because her Eucomiums are oftentimes the Reproaches of Vices which are opposite to Vertue Therefore had Tacitus reason to say that a Man has enough to do who has to deal with a Prince that understands what Flattery is For which reason it was an Ingenious and Witty saying of the Countess D'Aranda that there was no Register in the Heart of a King and by consequence it was not to be read Moreover Princes find greater Benefit by Liberty then Flattery as being deluded by one but instructed by the other But Courtiers take the surer Course to attain their ends by Flattery then by Liberty of Speech while the one is grateful the other odious to the Generality of Great Personages ESSAY XIII THE same undestinguish'd Lamentations among all an intermix'd and confus'd Throng of Mourners and every one Weeping at their own rate There could be no Adulation there while all Men knew that the Death of Germanicus was welcom to Tiberius D'Ablancourt says That it was no formal Funeral Pomp or study'd Mourning to gratifie Tiberius who they knew was well pleas'd with the Death of Germanicus The Common People are not capable of Dissimulation nor by consequence of Flattery For when Tiberius outwardly bewail'd the Death of Germanicus they were so far with Complying with his inward Joy that they sought to spite him by all the Demonstrations of a Public and Real Lamentation imaginable and celebrating the praise of the Deceas'd And indeed there has been in all Times a certain kind of Antipathy between the Prince and the People They who are hated by the Prince are generally belov'd by the Multitude On the other side they who are the Darlings of the People are never favour'd by the Prince Germanicus was mortally hated by Tiberius because he was the Peoples Favourite and the People had an Antipathy against Drusus because Tiberius had a greater kindness for him then for his Brother The People ador'd Agrippina Tiberius persecuted her to Death When the Wife of Drusus lay Inn of two Male Infants Tiberius could not contain his Joy nor the People their sorrow Because the Reinforcement of Drusus's Family weaken'd and depress'd the Family of Germanicus But when Drusus dy'd the People were overjoy'd to hear the Emperours Lamentations in hopes the Family of Germanicus against whom his Father had all along display'd his Enmity would now revive and flourish in its former Glory ESSAY XIV HE nam'd Manias Lepiodus and Junius Blesus to choose which of the two they pleas'd to be sent Proconsul into Africa Lepidus excus'd himself by reason of the Crazie Constitution of his Body and for that he had a Daughter ready to be Marry'd But there was another Reason which was Conjectur'd at by all tho' by him not so much as mention'd which was that Blesus was Uncle to Sejanus and therefore assur'd of the Preferment Blesus also refus'd the Proffer but not with that Fervency and Sincerity as the other did nor was he so much Applauded by his Flatterers who were also the same that flatter'd Sejanus D'Ablancourt says That Lepidus grounded his refusal upon his Indisposition of Body alledging besides that he had a Daughter to Marry but that there was another Reason which he durst not discover because his Rival was Vncle to Sejanus and therefore would be sure to be preferr'd before him Blesus also made a refusal but not with half that Earnestness nor so loudly Applauded by those that flatter'd him When Tiberius propos'd Lepidus and Blesus to the Senate he propounded a Choice between Merit and Favour Lepidus was a Person of Merit as being a Person whom Augustus had adjudg'd worthy and fit to Govern
the Empire But Blesus was the Favourite as being Uncle to Sejanus Tiberius nam'd Lepidus in the first place seemingly designing to give the Precedency to Merit but he knew well that Flattery would bequeath it to Favour The excuses which Lepidus alledg'd were receiv'd with Applause and Acclamation as being no less grateful to Tiberius then to Sejanus and Blesus But the excuses which Blesus produc'd could not be heard while every one knew there was a willing force design'd to engage him to acceptance For Favour and Flattery go hand in hand together they never part Company attended by Injustice that follows close at their Heels ESSAY XV. CEstius the Senator discours'd That Princes indeed were like the Gods but that neither Gods bow'd down their Ears to the unjust Supplications of their Adorers Says D'Ablancourt Cestius declar'd That Princes were like the Gods but that the Gods never listen'd to Prayers that were unjust Princes are oftentimes compar'd to God and indeed they may be said to be Corporeal Gods according to that of Vegetius There is a faithful Devotion to be paid to the Emperour as to our present and Terrestrial God God himself also gives them the same Title I have said ye are Gods But the Illustrious and Caelestial Title should put 'em in remembrance of their Principal and God-like Office which is to distribute Justice to their Subjects and prevent the Oppression of the Poor 'T is a usual thing for them that Kneel at their Feet for Favours and Preferments to tell 'em they are absolute in Power and that they are the Images of the Almighty But for the same reason they are oblig'd to take care that all their Grants be just for fear of defacing that same glorious Similitude 'T is a great Weakness in a Prince to be so timorous as not to dare justly to deny what others dare demand without regard to Justice Certainly that King spoke like a Vertuous Prince who being press'd to keep an Illegal Promise reply'd That 't was impossible he should ever have made an Unjust Promise Thus Charles the V. being inform'd that he had sign'd a Grant that was contrary to Equity sent for it again and after he had tore it I love my Soul said he much better then my Writing ESSAY XVI DOlabella Cornelius while he strove to outvie the rest stumbled into a most absur'd piece of Flattery and Decreed that he should make an Ovant entry into the City returning from Campania Says D'Ablancourt Dolabella desirous to surpass all others fell into a Ridiculous piece of Flattery proposing to decree Tiberius the Honour of a Petty Triumph Could there be a more Impertinent piece of Flattery then this to decree a Triumphant Entrie to a Prince meerly upon his Return from a bare Progress But Tiberius had too much Wit to be in the humour to accept of such an Honour which had render'd him more ridiculous then the Curry-Favour that decreed it him I am not so indigent of Honour said he to the Senate after having Tam'd so many Warlike Nations and receiv'd and refus'd so many Honours in my Youth as in my Declining Age to beg a Counterfeit Triumph for a Journey of Pleasure almost within view of Rome it self Princes that have acquir'd a substantial Reputation as Tiberius had done in the East in Germany and Pannonia or Hungary scorn all false Honours And to flatter 'em is to incur their Displeasure because their Renown has no need of borrow'd Augmentation When their Praises flow from the Lips of Flatterers they become suspected for it is with Flatterers as with Lyars whom no body believes even when they speak Truth So that Princes have the greatest reason to abhor their vain Idolizers who rob their Vertue of more true Glory then the Sophisticate Honour comes to so sedulously prepar'd for a false and unseasonable Glitter ESSAY XVII ONly Rubellius Blandus held with Lepidus the rest all sided with Agrippa Says D'Ablancourt Of all the Consular Senators only Rubellius Blandus was of Lepidus's Opinion the rest condemned Priscus to Death Agrippa had adjudg'd to Death a certain Roman Knight accus'd to have cheated Tiberius in presenting him an Elegie upon the Death of Germanicus which he had made for Drusus who was recovered from a Disease of which 't was thought he would have dy'd Lepidus according to his Custom which was to moderate the rigour of severe Sentences insisted that the mild Temper of the Prince and the Example of their Ancestors would not admit that they should run to that Heighth as not to make a distinction between Words and Actions and that Ostentation was not to be punish'd as a Criminal Offence That they might find out such a Medium so that the Offender might be punish'd and yet they have no occasion ever to repent of too much Clemency or too unwary Severity That a Man who made it his study to write Verses and read 'em to Women to acquire the reputation of being a Poet was neither in a Capacity to do the Public any harm if they suffer'd him to live nor considerable enough to be made an example of Terrour if they put him to Death and therefore that it was sufficient to Banish him and Confiscate his Estate But this Prudent and Grave Advice had but one only Person to applaud it while Agrippa tho' his Opinion and Intentions were unjust had all the rest of the Voices of his side because he flatter'd the Inclinations of the Prince who was both cruel and greedy of Revenge One Flatterer makes many while they are afraid to be less forward then He to support the Prince's Interests if they do not side with that Opinion which flatters most ESSAY XVIII HE spoke Modest Things concerning the Manners of the Young Man nor did he add any thing of untruth to set a higher value upon his Parts Says D'Ablancourt He added something as to Drusus but without Flattery When Tiberius mention'd Germanicus to whom he bare a particular Spleen and Envy he spar'd for no Words nor no Applauses because he Flatter'd him and was willing the Senate should believe he said more then he meant But when he spoke of Drusus who was his own Son he was always thrifty of his Expressions as being desirous they should believe all that he said as indeed he never did speak any thing of him but what every one knew to be Truth Behold here the difference between Praising and Flattering To Praise is truly to declare the real Worth and Merits of any Person and no more Whereas he who Flatters either Aggravates or Lyes He that Aggravates attributes more to the Person then he deserves And he may be said to Lye who gives to Vices the appellation of Vertues that are their Opposites as it is the custom of all that Flatter ESSAY XIX THE Fathers had study'd his Oration before hand so that the Flattery was the more finely Spun. Says D'Ablancourt The Senators waited for this Request which render'd the Flattery more
Knights he chid him severely Such was the Reward that Gallio had for his premeditated piece of Adulation to be Expell'd the Senate Junius Gallio says D'Ablancourt was severely handl'd for having propos'd that the Soldiers of the Guard might sit upon the Fourteen first Rows of Benches in the Theatre after they had serv'd their time in the Wars And Gallio for the Reward of his premeditated Flattery was Ejected out of the Senate He that Flatters ought to understand the nice Temper of the Person to whom he makes his Addresses for otherwise he loses his Aim while contrary to his Expectation his Flattery becomes offensive Gallio thought he had highly oblig'd Tiberius in decreeing a new Honour to the Soldiers of the Pretorian Guards But Tiberius was offended that he should take upon him to meddle with rewarding the Soldiers What has Gallio to do said he in his Answer to the Senate with the Priviledges of the Pretorian Soldiers who being under the Command of none but only the Emperour ought not to have their dependance but upon him alone Does he believe he has found out an Expedient which Augustus never dream't of Rather may it not be thought that this same Creature of Sejanus sought to bring an Innovation into Military Discipline on purpose to prepare the Soldiers for Rebellion These Expressions of Tiberius demonstrate that he had reason to be offended with a Proposal which perhaps a Prince less Politic then he would have taken for an Honour For had the Soldiers of the Guards obtain'd this Priviledge to sit equal with the Roman Knights they had been beholding for their Honour only to the Senate To which we may add that such an Honour would have rather serv'd to swell their Pride then encrease their Affections to their Prince ESSAY XL. LVcius Piso chief Pontiff di'd in his Bed about this time which was rare for a Man so eminent in Dignity a Person who willingly never utter'd an expression that savour'd of Servility or if necessity constrain'd him temper'd his words with Prudence and Sobriety Says D'Ablancourt The Pontiff Lucius Piso di'd a Natural Death which was a rare thing at that time considering his high Reputation A Person that never propounded any Advice that misbecame the Dignity of his Employment and when he was constrain'd to approve the Flatteries of others would be always sure to moderate their high flown Excesses A Man may both preserve his Life and his Dignity yet neither be a Slave nor a Flatterer as is apparent from the Example of Piso who liv'd Fourscore Years and yet neither lost his Employment nor suffer'd in his Reputation either under Augustus or Tiberius by whom he was always highly esteem'd But who expects the same good Fortune must take the same Course Tacitus says that he never miscarry'd in any servile piece of Flattery But he adds that sometimes he surrendr'd to the Flatteries of others upon some occasions To teach Great Men to comply with the Experiencies of Seasons and Business Generosity is a Vertue that becomes 'em however they must be careful least it degenerate into Obstinacy and Rashness For as Pliny says Necessity is a part of Reason Had Piso always oppos'd his Collegues he had never been in a condition by the preservation of his Authority to have allay'd their Heats because they would have concerted together to thwart his Counsels Whereas they many times gave way to him as he sometimes submitted to them ESSAY XLI FRom whence Vitellius returning to Rome partly for fear of Caius Cesar and partly through his intimate Familiarity with Claudius he abandon'd himself to such a degree of Abject Slavery that he became an Exemplar to Posterity of Obsequious Infamy Says D'Ablancourt At his Return debauch'd by his dread of Caius and the Favours of Claudius he only serv'd to Posterity an example of Ignominious Servitude Fear and Favour are commonly the Original Sources of Flattery He that stands in fear of his Life Flatters to preserve it and he that is warm in the Favour of his Prince betakes himself to Adulation that he may not lose it And thus were it not for Self-interest there would be no Flattery ESSAY XLII THey that dwelt by the River brought news that Euphrates in a season free from Rain or any immoderate Showres was swell'd to an unusual and prodigious height and carry'd a Foam that curl'd upon the Water in white Circles like so many Diadems from whence they gather'd a prosperous Omen to encourage his crossing the Stream with his Army They brought News says D'Ablancourt that the River Euphrates was swell'd and yet no Showres had fallen and seem'd to curle its Waters in the shape of a Diadem Some took this for a happy Omen c. Flattery interprets all things to the Advantage of Princes and particularly at the beginning of their Reigns For then it is that she feeds their Humours with vain hopes and that all People who make their approaches to the New Sovereign are equally contending to excel each other in quaintness of Addresses Nor is it enough for Princes to be deluded by their Flatterers Astrologie the ancient Companion of Falshood intrudes for a share and then chiefly succeeds in her Designs when she meets with an easiness in the Prince to believe the greatest Uucertainties in the World There is not any Prince to whom at his first coming to the Crown she does not pretend but that he shall be more happy then Augustus and that he shall Live till he is grown weary of his Grandeur But the most numerous part of Princes are deceiv'd by these vain Calculations and reap no other Fruit of their Credulity then the Misfortunes of their unwary Confidence ESSAY XLIII AND labours by Obloquie to be inform'd of the Truth to which Adulation is an Enemy D'Ablancourt has omitted this Expression This is a Maxim of which if Princes and great Men were fully convinc'd they would never be so ready to hearken to their Flatterers or at least to credit their Flatteries who make it their only business to disguise and conceal from their Knowledge the real certainty of Things that most concern ' em ESSAY XLIV BUT the Seleusences were they who out did the rest in Flattery They loaded Tiridates not only with the Honours of their Ancient Kings but with all the profuse and quaint Additions of later Ages Says D'Ablancourt Seleucia surpass'd all the other Cities in Magnificence Tiridates was receiv'd with Honours of all sorts He leaves out That Seleucia added modern Adulation to their Ancient Honours wherein consists the stress of the Sentence The latest Flattery is always the most Ingenious And this same charming Novelty it is by which she gains and encroaches upon the Favour and Affection of Princes that nauseate vulgar Honours worn threadbare by Custome Seleucia tho' she were then a free Republic would needs be so Obsequious as to surpass in Servitude all the other Cities through which Tiridates had March'd Such is the eager desire
found Matter for the most Noble Panegyric in the World without robbing God of that which incommunicably belongs to Him to give it to Caesar ESSAY LXXII HEnce the Orators took occasion to spend all their Studies upon Panegyrics and Encomiums in honour of the Prince The Earth cry'd they produces not only her usual Fruits and Gold confus'd with other Metals but as if infertiliz'd by Thy Rays with a new access of Plenty teems with unaccustom'd Productions while the Gods throw down their obvious Riches to encrease her Store With several other servile Raptures compos'd with no less Eloquence then Adulation as being secure of the Credulity of their Hearers Says D'Ablancourt The Orators made choice of no other Themes for their Panegyrics crying out that the Earth produc'd not only Fruits and Flowers or Metals within its bowels but from her bosome discover'd new Treasures to augment the felicity of so flourishing a Reign With many other things of the same nature which their own servile Inclinations and the Prince's Credulity produc'd with as much Eloquence as Flattery Princes are the more easily induc'd to flatter themselves with the enjoyment of those successes with which Adulation sooths their Fancies as being made believe that all things must be obedient to their Fortune and that there is no contending with their Fate Nero therefore who naturally coveted things the most incredible with ease gave credit to his own Wishes and his Courtiers were no less careful how they undeceiv'd him seeing how lavish and profuse he was in his Expences in hopes of Dido's pretended Treasures Thus it is that unwary Princes are frequently abus'd and gull'd by their Flatterers impoverishing their Treasures by immense Profusions while they feed 'em with vain Expectations For his expectancy of promis'd Wealth was one of the causes of publick Poverty 'T is the course of Flatterers still to be buzzing in the Sovereign's Ears that Princes should never mind good Husbandry whereas they should have told 'em they could not be well too thrifty considering there is no end of their Expences The Favourites of Hen. 3. says Mezeray in his Life had instill'd into his mind that all the Estates of his Subjects were absolutely at his disposal and that France was such an inexhaustible Fountain of Wealth that no Prodigality whatever could draw it dry But this ill Advice and worse bad Husbandry says he caus'd such scarcity of Money that many times there was not sufficient to defray the Expences of the King's Kitchin ESSAY LXXIII SOme there were who admonish'd him to make Caesar his Heir of the greatest part of his Estate which would be the way to preserve the rest for his Grand-children Which he refus'd to do that he might not tarnish with servile condiscension a Life that he had lead the nearest that might be to Liberty And speaking of Petronius neither would he Flatter in his Will either Caesar or Tigellinus or any of the Great Men then in Favour Says D'Ablancorut Some advis'd him to leave the best part of his Estate to the Emperor and to save the rest but he reply'd That after he had liv'd so long in Honour he would not fully the end of his Life with a servile Act Nor would Petronius Flatter in his Will either Nero or Tigellinus or any other of the Favourites as most of those there that suffer'd had done They who never committed any degenerate Act in their life-time are careful to preserve their Reputation to the last gasp Nor can there be a smarter incentive to die like a Man of Honour then to have always been so Therefore Cocceius Nerva the best Friend Tiberius had seeing that the Emperor grew more vicious every day then other while his Health Estate were yet in a good condition and his Reputation unblemish'd chose to die And Thrasea whom Tacitus calls the Patern of true Honour made answer to those who advis'd him to delay his Death That he had nothing more to do but to die as he had liv'd that is to say untainted unpolluted and imitating the glorious Exit of those whom he had emulated in his life-life-time For it is not enough for Great Personages to be distinguish'd from Others by the Magnificence of their Funerals unless at their Deaths they likewise leave a distinct remembrance to Posterity ESSAY LXXIV TRuth was several ways ecclips'd and interrupted first through ignorance of Public Affairs now mannag'd by a few then by the contagious lust of Adulation or else by the general hatred of those that were in Power So that what between those that were Disgusted and those that were Obnoxious there was no care taken of Posterity But 't is easie for thee to discry and ward off the Flatteries of a Historian tho' Detraction and Envy are heard with willing Ears For there is a kind of resemblance between the foul Crime of Servility and Adulation but in Malignity there seems to be some similitude of Liberty We cannot deny our Preferment begun by Vespasian augmented by Tiberius and farther advanc'd by Domitian but they that pretend to an inviolate Fidelity must never be sway'd by the Affections either of Love or Hatred Truth Says D'Ablancourt was clouded and obscur'd through ignorance of Public Affairs wherein few were concern'd and sophisticated either by Flattery or Hatred The Historians took no care of Posterity minding only their Revenge or their Preferment But tho' Flattery and Obloquie both equally disguise the Truth it is more easie for a Man to secure himself from the one which is odious to all the World then from the other which deceives us under the false shew of Liberty 'T is true I owe the first rise of my Fortune to Vespasian and the progress of my Advancement to his Children But when a Man once goes about to write a History he must forget Favours as well as Injuries Wherein D'Ablancourt mistakes the words of Tacitus who says no such thing but only that no Historian should suffer himself to be byass'd either by his Love or by his Hatred Were it absolutely necessary for a Historian to understand not only the Events of things but also the Reason and Causes which produc'd those Events it would be impossible for any Man to be a good Historian that never had any share in the mannagement of Public Affairs For the Success and Events of things are known to all the World but the Motives the Interests the Accidents the Springs that enliven'd mov'd and maâ—nag'd those Affairs and were the Causes of their prosperous accomplishments or miscarriage are only known to the Contrivers and Artificers themselves And for that Reason it is that Historians of Republics have more advantage to write the Truth of things then the Subjects of Soveraign Monarchs Where the Secret lies lockt up in the Breast or Cabinet of the Prince so that they may be well call'd strangers to the Government The second thing which disguises and disfigures History is Flattery which in Republics is but little