inseparable from those that have much Wit is but a very ill way of making their Court The greatest Part cannot comply in seeing prefer'd before them Persons not worthy to be compar'd unto them and hide many times part of their Merit to prevent Jealousy in others and by seeing Superiors assume unto themselves the Labour and Desert of those which serve under them To conclude to behold Favour with the same respect which is only due to Merit But if there be any found that have the Command over themselves wholly to Sacrifice their Pride when it doth not accord with their Interest those have most commonly some other Failing no less hurtful and that is to be subject to their Pleasures This Defect answer'd I seems not unto me so dangerous as the other there 's Time for all things and Men would be miserable if there was not a time for Recreations Pleasures reply'd Caesarion are a greater hindrance than you Imagine and a Man that enters into the World with high Designs has but few howers to spare if he intends to setle himself in any Creditable way and to appear Expert betimes Moreover nothing doth so insensibly ingage in troublesome Affairs as Love for the most beautiful Woemen are not always the most reasonable nor the least wicked and when once they take up the trade of Gallanting they expose every thing else These be the Baits which Pride and Pleasures lay before Persons of Merit and wherein most do suffer themselves to be insnar'd it is what makes them go astray or at least stops them in their course whilst others not being detain'd by these things go forwards and fill the Places which Persons of Merit might justly have pretended unto If it be so they do ill said I and I do not pity them in the least nevertheless they are to be pity'd said he and if ever you fall into any inconvenience of this Nature you will find it is harder to resist than you imagine I mean of Persons well descended as for those which endeavour to raise themselves only by the Evil which they doe having no other means to becom Great to satisfy their Revenge or their Malice or any of those Passions wherein their Delight does consist in vexing others and never affording any Rest or Contentment to themselves such Persons never find any thing unworthy which may tend unto their Ends nor nothing pleasing as may any way hinder them from attaining their Desires I understand your Meaning answer'd I at these words but I cannot beleive that the greatest number of Persons of Merit are Guilty of these two Faults you have mentioned on the contrary said he these defects are almost inseparable those which are extreamly vain are not Amorous or are not so very long To Love one must think there is want of something which one has not and not be over-well content with ones self so that Persons that are very Amorous cannot well be very Proud Love is such an overflowing Spring of gross Defects that make but ever so little Reflection in this State one shall scarce keep any good Opinion at all of himself So that it is very seldom that any Man is affected with these two different Extreams at once either of them is sufficient to ruine him that entertains it and it often happens that Men pass from one of them to the other Being recover'd from the Love of Glory Men fall into Voluptuousness as Lucullus did and sometimes also from Pleasures Men entertain thoughts of Glory but that 's but seldome It is pity said I that these two Passions so incident unto Persons of good Extraction should be so hurtful unto their Fortunes for I suppose that when they are settled in us it is very difficult to moderate them a thousand times said he more difficult than you can imagine and it is wherein Caesar shew'd himself the Greatest Man that ever was * Pint. in his Life Suet. c. 74 c. one of his Friends is accus'd of the most Criminal Correspondence in the World with his Wife no less than Adultery and Sacriledg both at once and in so publick a Manner that he is arraign'd for it before the severest Tribunal in Rome it was a Person absolutely necessary for his Designs it was necessary to repair this Injury but it was no less convenient not to differ with him that did it there needed an excellent temper of Mind to find an Expedient to reconcile two such opposite Inclinations and any body besides Caesar would have been swayed by the Consideration of his Honour rather than Interest or rather would have taken care of his Glory which was his Interest to have don He put away his Wife saying it was only because shee was suspected and to shew at the same time shee was Innocent he refus'd to produce any Evidence against him that had Debauch'd her If you inquire into his Pleasures you will therein find the same Precaution his Frolicks at Bithinia were only Youthful Extravagancies which were of no great Consequence and could only serve as matter of sport unto some Soldiers in a day of Triumph Suet. c. 49. His Gallantrys at Rome served only to Amuse him no longer than that they were no hindrance to his other Designs but when his discretion became suspected of Treason and that they would Accuse him of a Crime of State for a Paper he receiv'd in the Senat-House because he went about to conceale it Plut. in Cato of Vtic. having don the part of a Gallant in concealing a Ladies Favours he made no difficulty of sacrificing his Mistresses Letter unto the severe Cato who had defi'd him to do it who no sooner looked on it but he saw it was his Sisters hand Cleopatra her self whatever is said of it stai'd him no longer than was necessary to assure the Conquest of Egypt the great Importance whereof at that time is sufficiently known neither did shee hinder him as shee did his Leivtenant afterwards to prosecute the Course of his Victories yet said I shee must needs be more Beautiful then shee was so said he for shee was but 19 Years Old but she had not so much Experience as afterwards and besides she had a particular Kindness for Antonius she was the Mistress of his Master and what Master What you have said of Caesar answer'd I in that he would not prosecute his Wives Gallant puts me in mind of another Husband that I was tould of a while ago which was not altogether so Scrupulous It was the Beautiful Dutchess D'Estampes Husband Mistress unto Francis the first after the Death of this Prince the good Man would needs begin a Law-sute against his Wife which he durst not do any sooner by reason of the great Kindness the King had for the Lady as long as he liv'd and having occasion to prove this nice Point in open Court These Informations are to be seen in the King 's Library he caus'd Informations to be made wherein
Ignorance was as great as their Vertue but since Learning had passed out of Greece into Italy those kind of Prophesies were not regarded and the three Books sold by the Sybil of Cuma at so great a price unto the first of the Tarquin's having been burnt in the Capitol in the dayes of Sylla it not being permitted to have Copies of them other nice kind of Books that had been gather'd throughout the Empire to supply their place when the Capitol was rebuilt not being of the same Authority little heed was given to them but let us re-assume the Course of our History Ptolomy having observ'd during his stay at Rome that the Correspondence betwixt him and Lentulus tended but little to his advantage because this Proconsul had many Enemyes at his departure from thence he left one Ammonius an Egyptian his Ambassador there in his stead and charged him not to insist upon the order of Senat that had appointed Lentulus to act in his Re-establishment moreover judging it necessary this Commission should be put in the hands of some Person of Authority and extraordinary Interest and Reputation seeing it could not be executed by Force by reason of the Oracles Prohibition he Order'd his Ambassadours to demand it should be committed into the hands of Pompey attended only with two Bayliffs Two Bayliffs said I to reduce a whole Kingdom to Obedience reply'd Caesarion the Majesty and Respect at that time born unto the Roman Name throughout the World may be demonstrated from as improbable things as that did you never hear said he of that great Ambassadour sent by the Senate the Age before that we speak of unto Antiochus the famous King of Syria This Prince having almost subdued the whole Kingdom of Egypt was going to beseige Alexandria in which place the Royal Family had taken Sanctuary being destitute of any other help but the protection of the Romans Cajus Popilius was the Name of this Ambassadour who meeting this proud King being an Ally of Rome four miles from this flourishing City having saluted him presented him his Hand in token of Friendship Popilius made no other answer to his Civility but presenting him the Senates Letters bid him read them Antiochus having read them said he would advise with his Friends in the Case but Popilius drawing a Circle about the King with a Rod he had in his Hand before said he you pass the Limits of this Circle give the Senate your Answer The King being surpris'd with so resolute a demand paused a little and then promis'd to do what the Senate commanded whereupon Popilius stretched out his hand and declared the King a Friend and Ally of Rome and Antiochus quitting all he had conquer'd soon after departed out of Egypt by the time prefixt I confess said I the two Bayliffs are not so strange as this Adventure and it had been necessary in this juncture that this King had resembled one of our Kings that boasted his Horse carry'd all his Council but if you please let us return unto Pompey The Hopes replied Caesarion which Ptolomy had in him was the more just because this Illustrious Roman was at that time in the highest pitch of his Glory by reason of the good success in conquering Mithridates Rex post Alex. Max. Cic. Luc. the greatest King that Asia enjoy'd ever since the days of Alexander Two Tribunes of the People one called Lupus the other Caninius being both devoted unto Pompey having in publick read Letters from Ptolomy whereby this Prince desired of the Senate Plut. in Pompe that Pompey might be entrusted with the power of restoring him to his Kingdom thereupon grew up amongst the Senators sundry different Opinions Publius Servilius Isauricus was of opinion not to give him any Assistance at all and it had been so carried by Plurality of Voices had not Caninius opposed himself thereto as his Office of Tribune qualified him Hortensius Marcus Lucullus and Cicero maintain'd that the former Decree of the Senate ought to be observ'd in behalf of Lentulus and that seeing the Oracle permitted him not to re-establish the King by force of Arms it behoved him to find out some other convenient way of restoring him Crassus was of opinion that Commission should be given to three Ambassadors which should be indifferently chose out of the Senate Bibulus a declar'd Enemy of Caesar and by consequence of Pompey his Son in Law concurr'd also in the same Opinion of sending three Ambassadors with Crassus but excepting all such of the Senate which bore any other Office as Pompey and Lentulus did This Opinion was liked by the new Consuls Marcellus and Philip and generally by all those that had been Consuls except Volcatius an intimate friend of Pompey's and Afranius who had been his Lieutenant against Sertorius and against Mithridates About this time his Geatness became suspected unto most of the Senat especially by reason of his Alliance and Intimacy with Caesar It was observ'd a good while that he always ambition'd the greatest Commands and that as soon as ever one Office was expir'd he presently grasped after some other at any rate so that having put an end to the Civil Wars in Italy which took beginning presently after the death of Sylla he procured to be sent into Spain against Sertorius then soon after against the Pirates afterwards by his Factions he caused Lucius Lucullus to be recall'd in the midst of his successes against Mithridates and to be sent himself in his stead to command the Legions in the East To conclude after the Death of this Prince there being no considerable Wars stirring he obtein'd a new Commission to provide Corn for the speedy releif of the necessities that Italy was then reduc'd unto The Romans thought it no less glorious to supply the wants of their Country than it was to expel their Enemies wherefore this latter Commission stirr'd up all the Envy imaginable against him even those that seem'd to be his Friends before upon this occasion refused to favour his Designe in re-establishing the King of Egypt Plut. in Pom. because he had the Commission of providing Corn for five Years whereas it was against the Laws that any should Execute two Offices at once Notwithstanding all these oppositions Ad Fam. l. 1. Ep. 1. Lucius Libo whose Daughter afterwards Marryed Pompey's youngest Son a Tribune named Plautius Hipsaeus who had been his Quaestor against Mithridates and generally all his Friends so highly declared for him in this Matter that no body made any doubt but that he earnestly desired this Imployment although he declared it not openly himself He had receiv'd too many and publick favours from Lentulus to have dar'd to oppose him openly It was Lentulus that procur'd for him the Power of the Corn business but this important Service which had incurr'd to this Pro-consul the hatred of all those which pretended to this Office did never a whit the more assure him of the Friendship of Pompey for no
of Justice First against the State for restoring the King of Egypt As in Pison ad Q. F. l. 3. Ep. 1.2 3. Next of Interest for the great Oppressions committed by him in Syria And Lastly For buying of voices when he was made Consul 5 Yeares before These Accusations having soon made him relinquish the pretension of a Triumph he came to Rome to defend himself the 27 of September privatly in the night time and in the poorest Equipage that ever Proconsul did Next day he appear'd as he was assign'd before the Praetor who was to be the Cheif Judg as to the Crime of State he was a Person of known Worth and Integrity Ten days after he appear'd before the Senat to give an account of his Government but intending to go out after he had done it in a slight manner he was stayed by the Consuls and at the same time the Publicans of Syria were call'd into the Senat that he might answer their Complaints Cicero speaking in their behalf Gabinius defended himself by calling him Exile with a low voice But the whole Senat at this word rising up as 't were with one accord imposed silence on him the Publicans testified no less displeasure and the Consul Appius having also declar'd himself an Accuser named the Witnesses and Accessorys of Gabinius's Crimes so that he could not answer a word Fower dayes after he presented himself before the People the concourse was so great and the first resentment of his horrible Crimes so odious that he had like to be stifled or torn to peices Especially a Tribune of the People Cajus Memmius accus'd him with so much vehemency and to so general a liking that he could not avoid being condemn'd to Death or atl east to perpetual Imprisonment but that his Son whom I mentioned to you before being there present supplicated Memmius to have compassion of him But this Tribune transported with Pride at the good success of his enterprise let the unfortunate Son lye at his feet Valer. Max. l. 8. c. 1. without taking the least notice of him The People being moved with some tenderness at such a dutiful Object the favourableness of the conjuncture gave courage to another Tribune which he dared not do before also being gain'd by Gabinius to spake in his behalf and made the Officer free him that had already seized on his Body The People not desiring to prevent the ordinary Judges in this Cause as they were wont somtimes to doe it was somtime after debated before them and the Assembly was no less before the Praetors Tribunal than it had been in the publick place They were to the number of Seventy chosen partly out of the Senat partly out of the order of Knights and of the Tribunes of the Treasury There were several accusers but he that spake in the behalf of the rest perform'd it so coldly that every body suspected he was corrupted by Gabinius as also the Judges that favour'd him Pompey neglected no opportunity of serving him he us'd all his endeavours to reconcile him to Cicero and even to oblidge this Orator to plead his cause but to no purpose and Cicero could not dispense himself from Witnessing against him It was urged in his behalf that it was the interest of the Common-wealth to expel Archelaus out of Egypt whose Fleet hinder'd the Navigation and Commerce of Rome and the adjacent Seas and gave all sorts of assistance to Pyrats who exercised all manner of Cruelties upon the Subjects of the Republick It was also alleadged this expedition was permitted unto Gabinius by a Law whereof we have no Record that at the worst the Oracle did not relate the present business and that the matter hapned long before in the Person of a former King of Egypt whereof I made mention who had also been expell'd out of his Kingdom and pray'd assistance of the Senat. But if the Oracle meant his Successour Dion l. 39. Ad Att. l. 4. Ep. 16. l. 3. Ep. 4. the Sybil not having express'd what Punishment they deserv'd that should restore this Prince by force of Arms against its Prohibition no body hath right to determin it But with all these Evasions Gabinius durst not have contested were it not for a rumor spread abroad that Pompey was to be made Dictator This Report was not without some collour The Election of Consuls being usual about the beginning of August was deferr'd until towards the end of October by several slights and interests that nothing regarded the affaires of Gabinius and these hindrances not being likely to remove of themselves it was beleiv'd recourse must be had to the means us'd at all times formerly in the like occasions which was to create a Dictator whose unlimited power was only able to reduce all persons to their Duty You may easily beleive on this occasion no body could more justly pretend to it than Pompey although it 's true the Tribunes did not propose it in due form but several Months after Dion l. 40. The Rumor that was spread abroad of it before hand serv'd to intimidate the Judges the greater part whereof were Persons much inferiour to him and it was somthing strange that there were found in this Conjuncture thirty-two that had the honesty and courage to condemn Gabinius against Thirty-eight that declar'd him Innocent Ad Att. l. 4. Ep. 16. l. 8. Ep. 14. Domitius Calvinius amongst others through a partial Ostentation the like whereof was never seen acquitted the Criminal by open voice whereas he should have given his Judgment by Scrutiny as others did Another rose off the Bench in sight of all the People before the Session was ended as soon as ever the Voices were taken to be the first carrier of the News to Pompey See here said I at these words a happy Villian Don't make too much hast said Caesarion and stay till the end seeing you desire to know all It wanted not much but that the People had tore all the Judges to peices at the first motion of their Rage One of Gabinius's freemen that bore some command under him in Syria being accus'd as one of his Accessaries bore also the Punishment This Wretches business was heard an hower after before other Judges he was condemn'd with the greater severity for Rage that his Master had been accquitted and discharg'd Dureing these Transactions the River Tyber overflow'd its banks on a suddain with so great violence Dion l. 39. that it overthrew many Houses and swept away many Persons as well at Rome as in the adjacent parts The People suppos'd there was somthing extraordinary in this Accident and lookt upon it as a Judgment from Heaven upon them for Gabinius and his Judges having slighted the Orracle of the Sibyls I told you he stood accus'd for three several Crimes Being therefore accquitted for that against the State he was prosecuted for his Extortions by the same Tribune Memmius which had so sharply prosecuted him before the People
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
if private persons Non vides ipsum illum Aristotelis discipulum tanto ingenio tanta modestia postquam Rex appellatus sit crudelem superbum immoderatum fuisse Cic. ad Att. l. 13. ep 2.8 whose whole life is nothing but a continual passage from one subjection to another or that at least spend the greatest part of it with persons that have no need to flatter us find it so difficult to rule our passions and self-love how should a great Prince whose state is a kind of continual intoxication become reasonable without it be by a special grace of God or by an extraordinary gift of wisdom Do you not see cry'd the greatest Wit in Rome speaking familiarly to his best friend of what might be expected of Caesar who then appear'd very moderate if once he became peaceable and absolute Master of the Commonwealth Do you not see saith he unto him how the Disciple of Aristotle so wise so modest became passionate cruel and proud as soon as he was mounted the Throne As able as he thought himself this great Judge was however deceiv'd in his opinion the Roman he prophesi'd so ill of made as great a progress in virtue even to his death as the Greek to whom he resembles him had done in vice But Caesar had been 50 years a private person and besides we do not every day find a Caesar Not that I will say but that our age has produc'd great Spirits that do move in high Spheres Nature is as liberal and vigorous as heretofore not to instance in those whose reputation equals their merit such as the invincible Monarch of France envy'd by the whole World I was told some years past of a great Prince who at 13 years of age being prais'd by his Courtiers for some Action that he was not over well satisfi'd withal himself he answer'd in reproving them of their flattery I Prencipi fanno sempre tutto bene But once again such Answers are not heard every day and for my part very far from wondring or thinking strange that persons of this degree should not have the Merit which is duo unto them I rather think it strange that they do not reason as Caligula did and that our blind submission to their unreasonable desires should raise their Presumption unto the highest extravagance Seeing those that conduct droves of Cattle said the fool are not beasts like themselves Philo. in his Ambass but are of a more excellent nature is it not just that those which command so absolutely over men and whom all others obey should be more than men like those over whom they command This is the effect our flattery do's naturally produce in the Spirit of Princes and it is what frequently hapn'd for the most part in the times of Papanism But if our holy Religion do's not allow of these Apotheoses yet it do's so well establish the absolute Authority of Princes that it is much easier for them to offend in this regard than it was heretofore to those deifi'd Kings and Emperors Although Caesarion had done speaking I was so concern'd at what he said that I fancy'd I still heard him his discourse seem'd so strange to me and withal so apparent that I knew not what judgement to make of it On one hand I had much difficulty to disuse my self from admiring the condition of Princes whom I always heard call'd Gods upon earth on the other hand I could not deny the weakness's which he demonstrated they were inclin'd to But at length truth carrying a kind of Majesty with it which no prejudice is able to resist I could not avoid being of his judgement and in this manner with as great pleasure as good fortune I divested my self of the strong opinion I suck'd in in my youth At this rate reply'd I at length having paus'd a while the condition of Kings is a deplorable state to judge rightly of it there 's no state more miserable said Caesarion and which deserves more pity and it is whereof we ought to be well perswaded when we go to Court On the contrary answer'd I methinks this perswasion seems to discourage us from ingaging at all at Court you are much mistaken said he A Courtier that looks upon greatness with such an eye not as a sovereign Good but as a Good whose consequences are commonly attended with error and ignorance will not be so easily agitated with those disorderly and furious desires of attaining them which trouble the mind in the same degree as it excites it which makes a man take ill measures and inspires him with rashness and folly Ambition thrusts him forwards barefac'd it do's not transport him beyond himself with joy nor grief at the appearance of frowns or smiles it do's not make him through greediness or impatience guilty of any false step which may without necessity oblige him to discover his designs and which may render him ridiculous if he should not succeed in them There appears nothing but what is decent equal and moderate in all his dealings If he do's not arrive at some great fortune by these meanes yet at least he exposes not himself much and 't is no disgrace not to obtain what he do's not very eagerly pursue Indeed a man of this temper may be a Courtier all days of his life he considers it as a School where he must go to receive his Masters directions and not as an employment If he seeks his Princes favour it is that he might be serviceable to him either to make Religion flourish amongst his Subjects or to defend them from their Enemies or to see that they have Justice done them But not to do any thing all his life but gaze at a man and to seek all occasions to shew himself he would not think all the Riches and Honour in the World worth he getting by such an idle dissembling sort of life Not but that he likes Riches and approves of Honour and Glory and will spare no just means to attain them it is because he thinks not that true Glory which is attain'd by these ways It may be offer'd to him at a rate that he thinks unreasonable he knows what to lay out before he cheapens it he will give for it no more than 't is worth and if it be ovevalu'd he will not disparage it but thinks he should be counted a fool to buy it at too dear a rate And do not think that 't is out of any disrespect or aversion for Princes that he is of this opinion or because he thinks them to be unfortunate and corrupt The faults which would deserve his hatred in private persons only excite his pity towards Princes and as it is the most active of all the Passions in a generous soul it inclines him naturally to assist them and not to shun and abandon them to the mercy of Cheats and Flatterers he satisfies himself in using all honest ways and means to procure their favour and good liking that they may see the need of having such as him near them If they were duely inform'd they would spare no cost of employing such in their service for he excuseth in them a thousand things which those that envy them do condemn He saith that it would not be only unjust but also inhumane to reproach them with defects which are almost inseparable from their quality very far from that dark black and malitious spight mix'd with indignation and envy where with most of them that approach their persons be infected he bears to them the pity and tenderness that a Father doth to his Child before it attains the age of discretion And the care of a tender Physitian to his sick Patient whose soul sympathises with the sickness of his Patients body He has always this great truth in his mind that he should perhaps be more frail than they were he rais'd to the same Eminency By this noble consideration he bears from them what he would not from any else he persists in serving them when all others forsake them he prays for them when all the World doth curse them and without trouble renders them the Religious respect which all Laws give unto them he bears always in mind the the saying of the antient Poet Senec. Epig. 41. de Exilio suo Res est Sacra Miser It was Sun set when Caesarion had ended this Discourse I cannot describe the impressions it made on my mind and I did not perfectly understand it but by the use I since made of it I only remember that going afterwards to walk in a Garden that fronted his House to take the fresh air I was so concern'd that I could not speak a word all that Evening nor do any thing but look at him as if I had never seen him before Any body besides him would have perceiv'd it with pleasure and would have let me gone on in my folly but he laugh'd at me as soon as ever he perceiv'd it Whether it was by nature or by much study he was wholly insensible of the pleasure that self-love usually affords He confess'd to me afterwards in our familiar meetings and discourses that this indifferency proceeded from the continual experience he had of his own defects and the impossibility he found to prevent them that they were odious to him and no less present in his thoughts than his good Qualities although perhaps less discern'd by the World that it may be every man might say so much of himself would they make a diligent scrutiny but most did not trouble themselves in examining their thoughts as strictly as he did wherein he knew not if he deserv'd be envy'd or to be pity'd If it were not to be happy to be in this temper of mind it was at least to be prudent and discreet and you have as great cause to lament surviving so rare a friend as I have of retaining in my mind a tender and religious Remembrance of his admirable great Learning and Wisdom The End of the Fourth Day