the horrible Ills which Intestine Wars do produce are a greater Burthen on any People than those which they may sometimes risque to incurr from their Prince by his holding the Ballance of his Government with some Unevenness and seeming Partiality Besides if every sorry Pretender of Grievances should have License to disobey his Superiors whensoever he had a Mind to be deliver'd of a Complaint which all Rebels suppose themselves privileg'd to do farewel Society for no Form of Rule can subsist on these extravagant Terms since every one hurried by his Passions would never want plausible Reasons whereon to ground his Plea of opposing the most lawful Powers that ever were So that however they who are Cloth'd with Sovereign Authority may misimploy it People have no more to do but to be easie within the Bounds of their Duty and Obedience let 'em from thence acknowledge that God by the Proportion of his Chastisement seems irritated and therefore as he disposeth of the Hearts of Kings must be supplicated to enrich their Princes Minds with such necessary Virtues as may induce 'em to Govern with an equal Mixture of Clemency and Justice In the mean time that Nation we may call Happy where a King caresses his Subjects as his Children and they again as to an indulgent Father pay back the acceptable Homage which they owe. Happy is that Realm where the Prince with indefatigable Application propagates the Wellfare of those under his Care and at the same time those who Bask themselves under that Sun-shine smother the Popular Gusts early before they become Gloomy Clouds big with impending Ruine to darken the Lustre of Royal Grace IX The Duty of Allegiance is the Supreme Law THis Maxim naturally springs from the foregoing for the Laws of all Countries oblige us to obey the King as Streams gratefully to own the Fountain from whence they do derive and forbid us entring into any Engagements that by the widest Construction might seem to clash with that first Devoir Now such as by an implicit Surrender devote themselves entirely to the Disposal of any Person who is elevated either by Birth or Office to a Station superior to 'em are in great danger to strip themselves of their Fidelity to their Liege Lord when their Leader who ought to animate the Allegiance of the Lower Orders of Men becomes himself the first Deserter Therefore wise Men have always disapproved these too strict Confederacies and those private Alliances that should at any time clash with our Natural Obligations 'T is enough if I give a Minister of State the Respect that is due to his lofty Seat without becoming so much his Vassal as to sell him that Liberty of mine of which my Sovereign only is the Master 'T is not I that blame in general a Deference that is paid to great Men if their Authoritative Influence does not Hand over Head betray us to comply with their Criminal Passions for if there be no Repugnancy to our Duty who can condemn it 'T is worth the while therefore to observe whether the Grandees themselves are Loyal and true to the Interest of their Sovereign and whether there is not a Snake under the Grass and that under the Pretence of communicating Favours to us they have not a crafty Design to hook us into an Association that undermines the Throne of our Prince and is a forward step towards his Deposing But if we get any Light that they drive at so black an Attempt 't is then we must with eager Haste retreat from the Perfidious and generously sacrifice to our Duty the Hope of any Glittering Advantage whatsoever besides the Golden Promises which those Grandees who are the Heads of Parties make prove for the most part a Fairy-Land for instead of being able to assist others these empty Politicians are overwhelmed with every revengeful Calamity they precipitate those who adhere to the Wheel of their Fortune and both at last sink under the Punishment which they have taken such pains to deserve Let us then be persuaded that whatsoever Revolutions start up in a Realm 't is always best inviolably to stick to the King for as his Side is the justest so the Advantages of cleaving to it will be the most honorable and satisfactory X. Against those who dare censure the Government 'T IS only the Effect of a giddy Presumption that spirits on tumultuous Subjects to quarrel with the Administration of the State imagining that publick Assairs would roll more smoothly if they were managged by their fanciful Schemes whereas 't is their Duty to submit to the Laws and to banish murmuring and stifle Opposition when a Conformity to their Regulations is required If Abuses do insinuate themselves into any Government and by length of time encroach upon the Constitution no doubt we ought to wish they were Reformed but the Means to do it are so very difficult that to undertake it without a Lawful Commission would tend rather to the shaking of the Monarchy than the amending its Defects 'T is an Insolence in private Men to brand the Government which they live under 'T is the Business of the King and his Ministers to examine if there be any Disorders in the Community uncorrected nevertheless if the particular Assemblies of the Estates which are held in different Places find out any Miscarriages in their respective Provinces they may make use of the Authority which the King allows 'em for their Reformation and tho this Authority should prove insufficient for that End and that the Blots we would clear still remain we ought to acquaint his Majesty with the Issue of our Endeavours that he may give consent for the Prescription of new Remedies most for the Ease and Advantage of his People but after all that State-menders can alledge the King is to remain the Judge of any Alteration and tho he should not agree to such Demands as carry a fair Plausibility of Right for their being granted still we ought to acquiesce with this Confidence that his Non-concurrence Is for die real Good of his Subjects tho the Reasons are behind the Curtain to us they are evident and demonstrative to himself and his Counsel XI Against the Fomenters of Plots and Disturbances 'T IS easie to make a Judgment from the foregoing Principles what a great Deal they have to answer for who by that State-craft of pressing for Redress of Grievances raise State Hurricanes and by an unjustisiable Revolt stir up such Commotions as sometimes shatter the Constitution and as our own Memories 100 sadly can inform us often entirely deface and overturn it When these dangerous Incendiaries first set out the greatest Sticklers for Reformation amongst 'em to awe the Government take great pains to shew themselves disaffected hoping that they shall be taken off by Court-Favours and gratified by profitable Employments only for being tolerably honest 'T is a false Step in the Politicks and an unwarrantable Reach of Subtilty which puts Men on such sharking Methods to
as blindly to tread the Path of Life and resolve to do nothing for God the publick or themselves Let us not be imprudent to this heighth to commit a Fault of this Magnitude as to be irreparable and which will entail on us an eternal Repentance XXI To Speak Little and Hear Others SOme Men have a mighty Fancy to be admir'd in Company they love to unload all their Store at once and to lay their Understandings naked on the Stage and but to hear 'em is to tickle their Vanity so that if you be silent and seem to devour what they say you will infallibly strike 'em in the Right Vein for he that engrosseth Discourse looks on those he speaks to as Pupils that fit for Instruction These Talkative Animals are to be shunn'd and left in those Clouds to which they raise themselves because you will be worn out with their long Twittle Twattle with their nauseous Tautologies and the lamentable Trash they are drawn to at last to keep on vexing A Man of Wit and who knows Men and who submits to the Pennance to hear what they say speaks seldom but always to the purpose and especially is very reserv'd in his Determination on nice Subjects So that concealing his own Sentiment if Prudence will not permit him to declare it and Decency doth not oblige him to 't he learns the Reach of others he can make a Judgment of the Depth of their Understanding and thereby gets clear of those Shelves which boisterous and over-hasty Talkers run themselves upon XXII Of Duels 'T IS strange that the horrid Custom of fighting Duels has continued so long in France What a Madness is it to cut one another's Throats for some private Quarrel and most commonly for the veriest Trifles One cannot without Astonishment observe the Issue of these inhuman Practices he that rages to this heighth loses all his Estate is forced to quit his Native Country to be banish'd for ever from his dearest Enjoyments he hazards his Life in the Scuffle if he overcomes for what his Adversary leaves the Scaffold takes and to make him completely miserable if he falls in the Rencounter his Soul is sacrifie'd to his Passion but some will say 't is to preserve his Honor that he endangers his Person at this Rate A Pretence as wicked as 't is false How dare Men then where Christianity is Professed set this Plea on Foot that they are repairing Honor at the same Minute when they violate the most eminent and most indispensable of all other Duties which is to obey God if a Man be persuaded that 't is glorious to execute the Orders of his Prince can he believe if he be not out of his Wits that it is a Wound to his Reputation to fullfil the Law of the King of Kings and for his sake to stifle Resentments that are often so unjust and taken up intemperately on petty Scores But setting aside the Divine Law the Monarch or more properly the Hero which reigns in France very well understands in what true Bravery consists yet he reckons 'em both Generous and Brave who in Compliance with his Edicts can be as impenetrable as a Rock where others drew immediately for satisfaction and he either himself determines the Compensation for the Injury or transmits 'em to such Judges as so tenderly guard Honor that the Affront is sure to be repaid with an adequate Punishment so that those who do not take their own Revenge are secure from Insults since their Prince is Guaranty to chastize the Attempters besides all wise Men will allow their Conduct the best who can smother their Sense of Wrongs when God and their King command them to repel the Passion For they know that he who delivers himself over to his Choler and is sunk into the Extravagance of Revenge does a thing that tastes too much of the Brute but he who keeps the Reins strict over his headstrong Passions shews that he is of the truest Mettle and gives the most convincing Proofs of a great Soul Is there any farther need to urge more Reasons to let you into the Sense of the Crime and Stupidity of those Sparks who dare yet revive Duels that are very near already hiss'd of the Stage Let no Man then imitate these rash Fops but let the sad Reflection that so many Gallant Men have died with counterfeit Honor in these prohibited Quarrels and the looking back to the danger to which they thereby expose themselves stop the mad Carier of such as are impetuously hurried by Boiling Choler or Red-Hot Revenge and prevent their being precipitated into those numberless Misfortunes which naturally attend these unjustifiable Actions XXIII To give Ministers of State the Honors which are due to ' em TO Crouch meanly before Court-Favourites and to idolize those who are the Darlings of the People is too servile an Office for Mankind to despise them is a peice of Stateliness not to be justified to upbraid them with Mismanagement is a dangerous Fool-hardiness since thereby a Man may provoke their Resentment and expose himself to all the dire Effects of it which we have the more Reason to fear because it is in their reach so easily to crush their Adversaries Betwixt these vicious Extremes there is a middle way to steer which is to pay all the Deference and Respect which Persons of Quality can reasonably expect to those who are the Dispensers of a Prince's Favours who divide his Cares and sweeten the Toils which attend a Crown 'T is no lessening to a Man of Birth to endeavour to gain their good Will and not to slight the Advantages which he may reap from their Protection provided that it be not purchased by an unmanning of himself But if a Man has receiv'd any Instance of their Benefaction the Laws of Honor oblige him to shew all the opportune Acknowledgments where they do not interfere with his first Engagements and do not run counter to an inviolable Allegiance XXIV Of the Love of Pleasures THere are People in the World who so eagerly abandon themselves to their own sensual Satisfactions that the Consideration of their Health is no restraint to 'em for whether it be at the Expence of Impairing or Ruining of it they will pursue their Debauch What Title have such to Christianity who to gratifie disorderly Passions will violate all the Sanctions of their Religion What Pretence have they to Rationality that rather than be abridg'd of a Pleasure will have it at the cost of over-leaping all the Boundaries which Reason has prescrib'd Is it not a Nick-name to call 'em Men when by their culpable Extravagance they depreciate themselves and sink into the Form of Brutes and by having less Command of themselves than other Animals they are in some sort inferior to the vilest Beasts whom Nature hath instructed to grasp no more than is necessary to their Preservation That we may not fall into such Disorders let us use discreetly and without vehemence such
Vehemence of his Carier The Fiftieth recommends Regular Conduct of Life and shews where 't is inoffensive it should be All of a piece The Fifty first plainly makes it appear that the quickest Understanding cannot pronounce judiciously of a Man unless they have seen him under the Gawdy Temptations of a Full Fortune or the pressing Necessities of a Scanty The Fifty second prefers that Man of Quality as deserving the most ample Commendations who can steer evenly betwixt both with an easie Indifference The Fifty third sets down the Inconvenience there is in reaching forth Credential Letters to every one who has the Confidence to request 'em and if that renders Men of Honor liable to be put upon signing 'em with Blanks carries 'em into double Danger The Fifty fourth stints Curiosity and discovers where its true Use is to be fix'd The Fifty fifth puts an Incapacity upon two Sorts of People for Companions which are Deboshees and Cowards In the Fifty sixth all Tricking is arraign'd besides what is necessary to countermine the Trickers In the Fifty seventh you are told what a fatal Stroke the Death of a Friend is and which is the best way to heal the Wound it makes The Fifty eighth bids a Man of Quality seriously consider what ticklish Ground he stands on at Court and how many are at work to trip up his Heels The Fifty ninth gives us to understand what a Provocative to Laughter the Motly Figure of a Grey-headed Gallant is The Sixtieth specifies what Counsels a Man of Quality is not only to excuse but to encourage and what he is oblig'd in Honor to reject and to punish the Broacher The Author in the Sixty first seems to be sensible what a number of untraceable Spirits a Man advanc'd to a high Statior has to conjure down and therefore he proportions suitable Qualifications either to carry on the Attack agaisnt 'em or at least resolutely to stand upon the Defensive Because Froth is always ways uppermost the Sixty second Section adviseth never to answer when you are in a Ferment for when the Matter is of Moment 't is good to stay for a becalm'd Temper The Sixty third clears that Truth that he who has already a profligate Bias ought to have no Patron by the Authority of his Reputation to countenance him farther to out-run his Duty The Sixty fourth teaches a Man of Quality thus to deal with the Ungrateful not to be suddenly vindictive but by the wonted Tenour of soft Treatment to shame 'em into a Sense of their own Omission In the Sixty fifth you are given to understand that because there are no petty Consequences which attend Great Undertakings 't is stark Nonsence to bring an ordinary Application to ' em The Sixty sixth leads a Person of Quality into a Belief how necessary Secresie is to him that it is a mighty false step to proclaim his Steerage to the World and so arm his Adversary to undo him and that nothing can dispense with his divulging of a Secret but where the concealing of it would affront his God betray his King and naturally tend to the Ruine of his Country In the Sixty seventh the Author makes it a proof of a Mishapen Mind that it must either be flush'd with extravagant Hopes of Things that are out of its reach to determine upon or else with as irregular a Motion to be immediately toss'd into the Depths of scandalous Despair The 68th Section endeavours to convince a Great Man that it is his Duty to deter Vice and to take Virtues Part let the Attempt cost what it will The 69th makes it appear how wretchedly Trivial that Humour is to be continually hovering about Business and entering upon none spinning out Time so long till the Lucky Minute for executing a Design is slip'd by and can by no Art be brib'd to return The 70th give secure Directions to moderate that over-boiling Heat by which Men are precipitated to pass fatal Sentences on themselves by making a wrong Judgment both on Persons and Things The 71st Head decyphers both how unmanly and impolitick that Conduct is where two have been Partners in an Undertaking that has succeeded for one to usurp all the Praise and to rob the other of his Share The 72d marks out the Road a Man of Quality must pursue when he is urpriz'd by a sudden Accident which is just upon the Verge of breaking all his Measures The 73d Section is a little Medley of Moral Lessons about Good Turns Rewards and the wise Disposal of Employments The 74th derives down to us the Knowledge of what a Power there is in some Mens Method of obliging their Kindness flows so easily that it insinuates it self with Variety of Charms into the Soul of the oblig'd 't is here you learn the Knack how some Men of Quality can lend away Petitioners satisfi'd at the same time they are refus'd The 75th points out to you both the Advantages that a Man in Solitude has to discover Truth and the Comforts which finish the Repose of his Mind in that Thinking State but yet discovers that all are not to be of this Bookish Flegmatick Form this Machine of the World can never be turn'd but by Wheels that move with mone Vigour and therefore as the Shoulders of Men of Quality are loaded with the Weight of publick Affairs they deserve at least Commendation to help 'em to support it The 76th unveils to us what noble Thoughts may be extracted from a quick Inspection into the Creatures we daily converse with The 77th draws Banishment in such fair Colours that a State-Officer disgracd may fetch Armour eno ' from this little Magazine to defend him from any harsh Resentment of such a Change The 78th sets forth this Consolation that if a Man of Quality keeps up but those three Springs of Innocence Patience and Resolution in his Frame he can never have one uneven Motion in a Prison In the 79th the Author bids you step off the Stage of a tumultuous World and to make a Christian-like Preparation for the Climes of Bliss puts you upon this single Duty to give Wings to your Devotion and to be inflam'd wâ—th such a resin'd Love of your dearest Saviour Jesus Christ as may exert it self in a suitable Imitation of his bright Example And now to wind up all this kind Hand that has led you rhro ' all the Mazes of a tedious Life would not forbear accompanying you to the last Apartment the Chambers of what has been call'd the King of Terrours and Grisly Death But with the truest Stamp of Friendship tells you you may make it as desirable as you please and tho there may be a little Violence at the first separation of two so nearly ally'd as the Soul and the Body yet upon an antecedent pious Provision the Reunion of those dear Companions will be attended with such Extasies of Joy that no Man living need stand shivering on the Brink of Eternity at the Minute
happens that an Accident which we were not aware of breaks the Neck of the strictest Measures we can take rand throws an Obstacle almost insuperable to baffle the Execution of Designs laid with the best Skill 't is not possible to prescribe the precise Rules of what is to be done on these Occasions this depends on the Posture Mens Minds and the Things to be adjusted are in at that Time I shall only say that as long time of Deliberation is to be taken as the Affairs themselves can afford and after that we must boldly go on with what carries the fairest Marks of Advantage and execute it with as much Assurance as if every point had been under scrutiny more maturely 'T is in such difficult Junctures that an exemplary Courage is in season 't is then that we may make a clear judgment what sort of Genius he has who steers the Undertaking Happy is that Man that has so much Ability to pitch upon good Expedients and if preserving a stanch temper in the midst of Danger and the Turmoil of Affairs he distributes every where his Orders with that admirable Presence of Mind which haâ—â— been 〈◊〉 up so much in the blazoning of Great Men. LXXIII Of Favours of Recompences and of the Disposal of Offices WHen those who preside turn the Stream of their Kindness and canton their Employments only where Favour â—â—ays 'em 't is a growing Mischief â—o that Realm where they have the Administration This disheartens Gentlemen of Merit who see plainly that what is thus scatter'd amongst others is in some sort ravish'd from 'em and as the principal Employments are exrcis'd by those who have no reasonable Title to ' em particular Men suffer by the Bargain and the main Body of the Kingdom receives a very notable Blow by it But when by the Methods of true Policy Rewards are only granted to 'em who claim 'em by their unwearied Services and that you cannot point at an Employment dispos'd of or a Post fill'd up but at the same time you must tacitly own the Justice of the Election to 〈◊〉 every one is stimulated to mend his Worth being perâ—â—aded that his Fortune wiâ—â— mâ—â—e 〈◊〉 as his Virtue is triumphant Besides it makes the publick Wheels turn more glibly Peace and Joy reign throughout and Order is maintained in all things because those with whom the Prâ—â—ce has lodg'd his Authority being honest Men acquit themselves of their Duty with Exactness and apply themselves wholly to make the People happy We see now in France the Effect of this discreet Policy the King gives every thing where Merit calls for 't but nothing on the score of mâ—re Favour And this is the way that makes him so well serv'd to the Envy of the World and one may say that the extraordinary Care which he has always took to make a wise Choice of his Ministers of the Generals of his Army and his other Officers has not a little contributed to the Happiness of his Subjects and to advance himself to that high Pâ—â—ch of Glory and Power where we now with Astonishment see him elevated LXXIV Of the Way to Grant or Refuse Kindnesses THere are some who bestow what is requir'd of 'em but 't is always either too late or upon certain Conditions or with so ill a Grace that the Receivers con 'em but very little Thanks for the Gift if you have a Design to be a Benefactor and that you would at the same time chain the Affection of the oblig'd to you possess him with a Belief that ' t is in good earnest you design to be his Friend the discompos'd Air and the Contraint with which some Gentlemen communicate their Favours lessens more than half the Price of the Benefit received whereas he who has the Art of gaining Votaries the very manner of making it is more agreeable than the Present it self and is more deeply impressive on a Mind that is sensible of any either thing besides Interest 'T is of no less Advantage to know decently how to refuse a Petiâ—â—â—ner that is to say to swâ—â—â—â—â— by the Softness of Expression and by civil and obliging Methods whatsoever is disgustful and grating in a Refusal a civil Gentleman is so griev'd that he can't content every Supplicant he deals so well with persons that make application to him that he plants a Veneration of himself even in those whom he sends away not gratified in their Demands and they go off persuaded that 't is none of his Fault that they have not an entire satisfaction in what they came for so that they shew themselves not less oblig'd for being deny'd with Regret than for being treated with Satisfaction LXXV Of a Retir'd and a Court-Life HOW sweet is the Life of a Recluse how calm and inviting is it a Man who lives in Retirement estrang'd from Objects which might kindle his Passions enjoys a profound Tranquillity which both gives him an opportunity to pursue Truth and at the same time an easie Conquest of it 't is in Solitude that a Man is us'd to make a sound Judgment of every thing that passes under the File his Mind there takes a freer Range and his Understanding is at full stretch he takes in a thousand Things by Reading and Meditation and is never weary with contemplating the Divine Perfections which shine so wonderfully both in the Order of Nature and in the superinduc'd Bounty of his Grace On the contrary it seems â—hat he who possesses a considerable Charge has Reason to lament How many Cares say they how many Fatigues what Agitations of Mind haunt the Men in great Offices I grant it yet I believe that the greatest Favourite of Fortune who has the necessary Qualifications worthily to discharge the Duties of his Employment tastes even in that Condition Pleasures which much ballance the Degree of his Sufferings For if he executes faithfully that Power he is invested with as I suppose him to do what Pleasure does not he reap by serving his King and Countrey to good purposes by defending the weak by taking the Innocent under his Protection by assisting the Poor by advancing Gentlemen of Merit In a word by employing his Wealth and Credit to do good to an infinite number of distressed Gentlemen who want the comfortable Influences of ' em They who have Souls noble and generous eno ' to make so good an Use of the Advantages of a full Fortune and who besides this have a vast Reach and a long Head wherewith to penetrate into Intrigues are without doubt call'd to the Management of great Undertakings and they ought to improve the rare Endowments indulgent Heaven has giv'n 'em for their Country's Good Inferiour Employments and a private Life are no ways suited to these Great Men that can presently discuss a great Mass of Business and therefore seem to be created on purpose to Govern others but for those who have only a common sort of Virtue and an Understanding of a mean