Sense This Behloul had probably another Name and this seems but a Nick-name by which however he 's now best known 27. Behloul coming to attend the Calife the Grand Vizier said to him Behloul I have good News for you the Calife makes you Overseer of the Apes and Swine of his Dominions Then prepare your self replied Behloul to obey my Commands for you are one of my Subjects 27. A Learned Man wrote to a Friend whilst a troublesom busy Fellow that stood near look'd over his Shoulder to see what he was writing The Learned Man perceiving it broke off the Matter of his Letter to write the following words If an impertinent busy Fellow that stands near me did not look over what I write I would have written you several other things which must be kept to our selves The Fellow having read it said I swear I neither look'd upon nor read what you wrote The Learned Man answered You Sot why then do you speak as you do 29. A Weaver that had entrusted a School-Master with something came to demand it again whilst the Master was sitting at his Door leaning upon a Cushion and giving their Lesson to his Scholars that sate about him Sir says he to the School-master I want the thing I have entrusted you with I desire you to restore it me The School-master ask'd him to sit down and to wait till the Lesson was finish'd But the Weaver being in haste and the Lesson lasting somewhat long as he perceived the School-master shaking his Head which was customary with him when giving his Scholars their Lesson he fancied that the Lesson consisted in nothing else but shaking his Head and so said Pray Sir rise and go for me I 'll keep your Place and shake my Head for you while you fetch what 's mine because I cannot stay Which made both Master and Scholars fall a laughing Observations It must be understood that this School-master sate cross-leg'd or his Heels inward upon a Carpet or Matt after the Custom of the East 'T is also customary amongst the Mahometans thrô all the East to shake or nod the Head backwards and forwards when they read as we see by this Instance that this School-master and the Children that were under him did though as to the Master perhaps he might have abstained from it but it was his Custom The Jews shake also their Heads in the Synagogues whilst they say their Prayers but side-ways and not backwards and forwards as the former Both pretend that this Nodding or Agitation makes 'em more attentive in their Prayers 30. In a very dark Night a blind Man walk'd through the Streets with a Light in his Hands and a Pitcher of Water upon his Back A Night-walker met him and said you Fool what do you do with that Light Are not Night and Day both alike to you 'T is not for my self answered the blind Man laughing that I carry this Light but for such heedless Fellows as you are lest they should justle against me and break my Pitcher 31. A Learned Man extraordinary ugly talking with a Friend in the Street a pretty Lady going by stop'd and look'd stedfastly upon him for some time after which she went her way The Learned Man sent his Servant after her to know what she would have She answered Tell your Master I had committed a grievous Sin with my Eyes and I look'd about for a Punishment proportionable to my Offence and I thought none was so great as to be staring upon his ugly Face 32. The same Learned Man related the following Story I never received a greater Mortification than this A Lady upon a time took me by the Hand in the Street and brought me to a Founder's Shop to whom she said Just so you understand me After which she left me I was the more surprized at this Accident that I could not understand what she would be at and desired the Founder to explain it to me He told me That Lady came to have me cast the Figure of the Devil and I answered I had no Pattern for it She has met with you and brought you to my Shop that I might take you for my Pattern 33. A Mahometan who had a very long Nose and was 50 Years of age courted a Lady and said he was not fickle and unconstant as young People used to be especially that he was very patient how troublesome soever a Wife might prove The Lady answered It must needs be so for had you not the Patience to bear with a Wife how should you have born with your Nose for 50 Years 34. A Mahometan very neat and fine seeing another that went mean and neglected and did not care to be shaved told him If you don't take off your Beard your Face and Head will be alike Observation Though the Mahometans especially married Men suffer their Beards to grow yet for all that they take a great care to have it shav'd down about their Cheeks and round their Face and cut their Beard with Scissors so that one Hair may not be longer than another which quite alters the Air of the Face 35. One of Ali's Race quarrelling with another Mahometan asked him Why are you my Enemy whilst Religion obliges you to say in your Prayers O God bless Mahomet and his Posterity The other answer'd The Prayer says those of his Posterity that are good and pure but you are not of that Number Observation The Race of Ali is considered in Persia both by reason of Ali and Fatima his Wife Daughter to Mahomet because they are reckon'd as descended from Mahomet by Fatima The Xeriffs are the same amongst the Turks as the Posterity of Ali amongst the Persians But the Turks believe not with the Persians that Ali's Race are the true Successors of Mahomet to the Dignity of Calife and derive not the Nobility of their Xeriffs from thence but from Fatima of whom they are descended 36. An Inhabitant of Arabia Deserta sate at Table with the Calife who spy'd a Hair on the Morsel he was putting to his Mouth Arabian said the Calife hold take off the Hair that is upon your Meat The Arabian answer'd There 's no eating at a Table where the Master looks so narrowly upon his Guests that he perceives even a Hair upon the Morsels they are eating And upon this he rose swearing never to eat more at a Calife's Table 37. A very rich Mahometan dying during a Tyrant's Reign the Tyrant's Vizier cited the Deceased's Son before him and ask'd him an Account of what his Father had left The Son gave it very exactly and added at the End My Father has made you and me Co-heirs and equal Sharers of all his Goods The Vizier laughed in himself at the Wit of the Son and was satisfied with taking one half of the Estate for his Master's Use 38. A Turk being ask'd what he would choose rather either to plunder to Day or to enter into Paradise to Morrow He answer'd I 'll take
Califes have arrogated to themselves as did the Arabian Kings and other Mahometan Princes in Spam according to their Example Osmond second Successor to Mahomet was the first who assum'd it instead of the Title of God's Successor which they gave him at first that being thought too long as Aboulfarage hath observed 143. A Criminal being brought to a Calife he condemned him to the Punishment which he deserved The Criminal says to the Calife O Emperor of the Faithful it is Justice to take Vengeance for a Crime but it is a Vertue not to revenge one's self and if it be so it is not sutable to the Dignity of a Calife to prefer Vengeance to Vertue The Calife being pleas'd with the ingenious Saying pardon'd him 144. A young Man of the Family of Haschem which is a considerable Family amongst the Arabians had offended a Person of Note whereof they complain'd to his Uncle under whose Government he was The Nephew perceiving that his Uncle was about to chastise him says to him Uncle I was not in my right Senses when I did that thing but remember that you do that in your right Senses which you are about to do 145. Hagiage examin'd an Arabian Lady who was taken with the Rebels but she cast her Eyes downward and did not regard him One of those who sat by said Hagiage speaks to you don't you regard him She answered I should think that I offended God if I regarded such a Man whom God does not regard Observation We have already observed that Hagiage was Governour of Arabia and one that committed great Cruelties 146. One ask'd of Alexander the Great By what Methods he arriv'd at such a Degree of Glory and Greatness He answered By the good Treatment which I always gave to my Enemies and by the Care that I took to keep my Friends constant in the Amity which they had for me 147. Alexander the Great being with his Generals one of them said Sir God hath given us a great and potent Empire take many Wives that so having divers Sons your Name may be preserv'd to Posterity Alexander answered It is not the Sons who perpetuate the Memory of their Fathers but their own good Actions and Manners Neither should it become such a great Conqueror as I am to suffer himself to be conquer'd by Women after I my self have conquered the Universe 148. Under the Reign of Sultan Mahmoud Sebecteghin Fakhr-edde-Vlet King of Ispahan of Rei Korn Kaschan and the Province of Catristan in the Khorassan died and left for Successor his Son Meged-edde-Vlet very young During his Minority Seideh his Mother a Princess of extraordinary Wisdom administred the Government with the general Approbation of all the People of the Kingdom When he came of Age to reign himself being found uncapable of such a Charge they left him only the Title of King while Seideh continued the Administration Sultan Mahmoud King of Maveran-nahar Turquestan and the greatest Part of Khorassan and the Indies being puff'd up with the Possession of those powerful Dominions sent an Ambassador to this Queen ordering her to acknowledg him for King to make Prayers be said in his Name in all those Mosques which depended upon her and to coin all her Money with his Stamp but if she refus'd to submit to these Conditions he would come in Person to seize Rei and Ispahan and cut her off The Ambassador presented the Letter which was fill'd with those Menaces and having read it Seideh said to him In answer to Sultan Mahmoud's Letter you may tell him what I am about to say to you So long as the King my Husband lived I was in a continual Fear that your Master would attaque Rei and Ispahan but assoon as he died that Fear vanish'd because Sultan Mahmoud being a very wise Prince I persuaded my self that he would not employ his Arms against a Woman but seeing I am deceived I take God to witness that I will not fly if he come to attack me but that I will wait for him without fear to assert my good Pretensions and Right by Arms If I have the good Fortune to obtain the Victory I will make it known to all the Universe that I have conquered the great Sultan Mahmoud which will be an immortal Glory for me to conquer him who hath conquered a hundred Kings But if I be overcome Sultan Mahmoud will have nothing to boast of but that he hath conquered a Woman Observations Seideh was Daughter of one who was Uncle to the Mother of Kikiaous King of Mazanderan as he takes notice himself in relating that Part of the History for his Son's Instruction of which we have spoke already That same Part is also related in the Select History which is also an Abridgment of the Mahometan History in Persian Fakhr-edde-Vlet King of Persia the Seventh of the Race of Boieh who began to reign in the 321 of the Hegyra and of Jesus Christ 933 by Ali Son of Boieh and this Boieh pretended that her Original was from Boheram Gour the Antient King of Persia of the Race of the Sasanians Fakhr-edde-Vlet reigned eleven Years and died in the Year of the Hegyra 387 of Christ 997. Saheb Ismail Son of Ibad who made his Bibliotheque be carried after him to the Campagn by 400 Camels as we mentioned formerly was his Grand Vizier Seideh disarm'd Mahmoud Sebecteghin by her Constancy and this resolute Answer but assoon as she died he dethron'd Meged-edde-Vlet and made him die in Prison 149. One having ask'd an Arabian What he thought of Riches he answered They are Childrens Play give and take 150. Schems-elmaali King of Gergian and Tabaristan or which is the same King of Mazanderan was endowed with excellent Qualities but was extreamly passionate and would kill his Subjects on the Spot for the least Trifle never sending any to Prison or observing the least Form of Justice But his Subjects growing weary at last laid Hands on him and shutting him up in Prison where he died said to him Lo this hath beâ—allen you for depriving so many People of their Lives He replied It is because I cut off too few for I had not been here to Day if I had destroyed every one of you Observation Schems-eâ—maali called himself Schems-elmaali Cabous and was Grandfather to Kikiaous Author of the Instruction that we have already mentioned oftner than once which he intituled Cabousnameh in honour of him He was starv'd to Death by Cold in that Prison in the 403 of the Hegyra because they put him in there without his Clothes as they had surprized him and would not so much as allow him what they gave Horses for their Litter although he begg'd the same as a Favour and that which they litter Horses with in the Levant is dry Horse-dung Schems-elmaali was learned in Astronomy and divers other Sciences and left several Works both in Prose and Verse writ in Persian 151. Nouschirvan King of Persia ask'd at one of the Grecian
are to say nor do any thing without Reason Those who expect to meet advantages in Troubles and Seditions never fail to promote them The best Friends of this Age are those who mind our Faults We shall never have Friends if we expect to have them without faults When a Minister who is Invested with an absolute Power is equally an Arbitrator of secret Affairs and of the general affairs of the State 't is a Miracle if he does not aspire to Sovereign Power and if he does not destroy him who stands in his way The repose of the Soul consists in not hoping for any thing Men need not fear on that side which they are diffident of but on that side on which they think themselves secure A Learned Imprudent Man is a burthen to every body An ill constitution can never be turn'd into perfect Health neither can corrupted Manners be turn'd into such as are laudable and irreproachable Those who are virtuous are esteem'd and respected in all Places the Ignorant are strangers in their own Country Whoever applies himself wholly to learn Sciences puts himself in a way to possess all sorts of Goods Give your Children a good Education 't is the best thing you can do for them He who does not succeed in the Execution of the Orders which have been given him because he was supposed capable to perform them ought to be excus'd for it is very likely that he has omitted no cares in order thereunto Those who regard and respect the Wicked cultivate a Thorn and breed a Serpent in their Bosom Be kind to the Wicked and you will make them grow honest True Wealth consists in Virtue and not in the Possession of a great Estate and Wisdom is found in the Understanding and not in Years A Servant who is inclin'd to Evil never leaves the World without paying his Master with Ingratitude Kings are only Kings because they have Men and Men cannot live happy without a King Why do you who have great Imployments and Dignities rely upon others for what you ought to do your self Why do you lay the blame of the faults you commit upon others Every Action requires a particular Genius Riches increase according as they are distributed to the Poor Too much Reputation is often prejudicial Men are not despicable for being poor A Lyon in Chains is never the less Valiant for it A single Man cannot resist many A Fly overthrows an Elephant notwithstanding his monstrous bulk and all his strength and many Ants together put a Lyon to a strange loss when they assault him Good Actions make Life happy Whoever gives Council does all he has to do let him who receives it take care to put it in execution Riches and Children occasion nothing but Misfortunes A Sovereign must be reduc'd to great streights before he destroys the Work of his own hands in putting a 〈◊〉 out of favour A young 〈◊〉 who has the Wisdom of an old Man is 〈◊〉 upon as an old Man among the Wise A Just Pâ—â—nce is the Image and Shadow of God on Earth The Service of great Men is like the Sea the more Men are engag'd in it the more risque they run Truth is bitter and hard to be understood We can never obtain the Possession of all but by an absolute renunciation of all things Virtue appears no sooner but Vice insults over it with Insolence Man has no greater Enemy than his Belly The Life of this World is Childrens Play We cannot say that we have maturely consider'd what we do when the end does not answer our expectation That Friend we have least reason to value is he we must express most regard for To the end that what you wish for may prove advantageous to you never wish any thing but what is proper for you Raillery is look'd upon as an accomplishment among Debauchees but that Liberty is unseemly among those who profess Wisdom Covetousness is a very dangerous Distemper it attacks the Soul and Heart and it is so pernicious that all Men avoid those who are tainted with it The worst of Men are those who will not forgive Some pretend that it is impossible to avoid our Fate but it is good to do nothing without precaution You make a double Present when you do it with a chearful Countenance Nobility is not perfect unless it be attended with good Actions Detraction and Calumny never quit their hold until they have annihilated the Innocent they have once attack'd Mind those things at the latter end of your Life which you have neglected at the beginning It is safer to rely on the Promises of honest Men than on the Debts of bad Pay-Masters That Minister is guilty of a Crime and of Rebellion who perswades a King to break his Word Justice does more good than great Armies and defends more securely than the best fortify'd Citadels Self-interested Friends are like Curs who are good for nothing but to be about a Table Never frequent those who do not know your Worth Respect is the Tye of Friendship Consider your Condition and leave Playing and Jesting to young People Anger is sooner appeas'd by Mildness than by Roughness Fire is sooner quench'd by Water than by Fire Fire would only serve to increase it These five things are the most useless things in the World A Flambeau at Noon-day a beautiful Face before a blind Man abundance of Rain in a Desart and in a barren Heath a great Feast to Men who have no Stomach and Truth with Science propos'd to an ignorant Person The Wise are only to give their Advice They are not to answer for the execution it is the part of those who consult them if they have good Sense Men become Venerable and challenge Respect in abstaining from Wiles and Tricks Four things rejoyce the Sight particularly A Meadow enamell'd with Flowers a purling Stream pure Wine and the presence of Friends Science and Learning without Practice is like Wax without Honey like Words without Deeds and like a Tree without Branches which is only fit to be thrown into the Fire Do not frequent the Fool who thinks himself Learned Whoever is in Favour with the Prince does all the Mischief he pleases and yet is applauded Speak Truth tho' you know 't is odious The Number of Guests at Table is the Blessing of the House Five things are useless unless they are attended each with another Words without Deeds Wealth without Occonomy Science without good Manners Alms without Intention and out of Season and Life without Health If you would keep your Secret from your Enemy do not reveal it to your Friend Avarice Lust and Self-Love are three things which shorten Life The Noble-Man who lives without Honour must not be deem'd among the Living If you design to live without disquiet in great Places do Actions worthy of your Character When Subjects are abus'd by Inferiour Officers and cannot make Remonstrances to the Prince because the over-great Authority of the Minister
plunder and rob to Day whatever pleases me and am ready to enter to Morrow into Hell to keep company with Pharaoh Observation The Turk mention'd here is not a Turk of Constantinople nor of the Empire of the Grand Signior but one of those of Turkestan in Great Tartary who live upon Plunder and from time to time make Excursions out of their Country into others on this Side the River Oxus or list themselves Souldiers under other Princes Though the Turks of Constantinople draw their Original from one of those Excursions yet they will not own that Name and give it only to the Mahometan Clowns of Natolia and Romelia so that amongst them a Turk is as much as a clownish rustical uncivil and ill-bred Person 39. A poor Man asking an Alms at the Door of a great House the Porter told him Go your ways there 's no body at home The poor Man reply'd I ask for a Bit of Bread and not for the People of the House 40. As the Son of a Mahometan was a dying the Father order'd the Washer to come His Servants told him he is not yet dead you must wait a little The Father answer'd That 's no matter he 'll be dead before they have half wash'd him Observation The Mahometans are very careful in washing the Bodies of the Deceased before they bury them it being an indispensable Ceremony of their Religion 41. A Handicraft Man being ask'd Who was the elder his Brother or he I am the elder answer'd he but when my Brother shall be a Year older he shall be as old as I am 42. A Mahometan being at the point of Death a Bigot that had a stinking Breath breath'd under his Nose his dull Admonitions wishing him to pronounce their Profession of Faith and the more the dying Man turn'd his Head aside the more the other was offensive At last the dying Man not knowing how to free himself told him Pray give me leave to die purely and no longer infect me with your poisonous Breath more intolerable to me than Death it self Observation Every one knows that this Confession of Faith consists in these words La ilah illa-llah Mehemmed resoul-ullah There is no other God but God Mahomeâ— is his Messenger The Mahometans endeavour as much as possible to have them pronounced by the dying Persons as believing those Words necessary to enter into their Paradise 43. A hunch-back'd Fellow being ask'd What he would choose rather either that God should make him as streight as other Men or all other Men as crooked as himself He answer'd I would rather have them hunch-back'd that I might have the Pleasure to look upon them with as much Contempt as they have done upon me 44. Some Friends went to walk into the Country with very good Provisions and rested to eat them under a Shade in a very pleasant Place A Dog coming near them one of the Company threw him a Stone as if it had been a Piece of Meat the Dog smelt to it and went his way and though afterwards they call'd never so often yet he would not come Whereupon one of the Company said Do you know what the Dog fancies with himself these are covetous miserable Wretches thinks he hang them they eat nothing but Stone a Dog would not live with ' em 45. A Son was ask'd Whether he wished the Death of his Father that he might have his Estate he answer'd No but I could wish some-body would kill the old Chuff that with the Inheritance I might also get the Price of his Blood Observation Amongst the Mahometans the Blood of one that has been kill'd is always paid for either at the Cost of the Murderer or of the Neighbours of the Place where the Murder has been committed or in some other manner 46. A Persian Poet read very indifferent Verses of his own to a Man of Sense telling him he had made them in the Necessary House I don't question that answer'd the Gentleman for they smell on 't 47. A Poet came to a Physician and told him he had something at his Heart which from time to time caused Faintings and Tremblings and all the Hair of his Body to stand an end The Physician being of a pleasant Humour and knowing his Man ask'd him Whether he had not wrote Verses which he had not yet rehearsed The Poet own'd it Out with them then said the Physician so the Poet recited and then the Doctor said Now go home those Verses lay at your Heart but at last the Obstruction is remov'd 48. A Preacher that made very scurvy Verses affected to quote them in his Sermons and sometimes said I have made these at Prayers At last one of his Hearers offended at his Pride and Vanity interrupted him and said Verses made at Prayers are as inconsiderable as the Prayers during which they were made 49. A Persian Scribler read to the famous Poet Giami a wretched Gazel of his composure and made him observe how artfully he had avoided the Letter Elif through the whole Poem You would still do better reply'd Giami should you take out of it all the Letters of the Alphabet Observations A Gazel is a Piece of Poetry much in fashion amongst the Persians and Turks The two first Verses rhime together and the first Verse of the following Distichs terminate on the Rhime of the first Distich but the second Verse does not rhime at all This Piece consists at least of 5 Distichs and I have seen some of 11 12 and 13. Commonly the Poet inserts his Name in the last Distich or the last but one when the Gazel is somewhat long All the Poets of any note amongst them make a Series of Gazels rhimed by Alphabetical Order which when brought to a Body is call'd Divan The very same word signifies likewise a Body of People that make up a Council and withal the Place where they assemble Thus at the Port they say the Grand Vizier presides at the Divan the Grand Vizier the other Viziers the two Cadileskers the Reis Kitteb and the Nischanga meet thrice a Week in the Divan where they have each his Place Love is the ordinary Subject of Gazels However Hasis Giami and other Persian Poets treat of the most sublime Matters of mystical Divinity in their Gazels under the Allegorical Terms of Love and Voluptuousness Giami is one of the greatest Persian Poets It appears by his Baharistan that he was most famous in the Reign of Mirza Sultan Hussein the last of Tamerlan's Race who possess'd the Kingdoms of Khorassan and Persia He died in the Year 898 of the Hegyra of our Lord 1483. being 81 Years of Age according to the History of the Persian Poets written by Sami a Prince of the Family of the present Sophies of Persia He has composed a great Number of Works in Verse and Prose and there are amongst his Pieces of Poetry five Divans that is five perfect Collections of Gazels by Alphabetical Order He is commonly call'd Mevlana
Physician to the Court of Haroun Erreschid near whom he got in great Credit on occasion of a Lady of his Palace This â—ady stretching her self her arm remained stiff so that she could not use it All the Unctions and Fomentations the Physicians could think of were applied in vain At last Gabriel was call'd and being told after what Manner the Rigidity had seiz'd her assur'd the Calife he knew an infallible Means to cure her only he desired he would not take amiss what he was to do before him and the whole Company when the Lady should come She came by the Calife's Order and assoon as she appear'd Gabriel ran to her and stooping took hold of the lower end of her Coat as though he would have taken it up The Lady surpriz'd at it her Colour chang'd and she stretch'd down that Arm which was stiff before to the very bottom of her Coat lest the Physician should take it up Presently he cried out to the Calife that she was cur'd And indeed from that Moment the Lady mov'd her Arm as freely as if it had never been hurt The Calife was so pleased with it that he order'd 500000 Drachms to the Physician Those Drachms were a Silver Coin of the Value of about a Shilling so that the whole Sum amounted to 350000 Livers that is 26923 Pounds one Shilling and six Pence 62. The Calife Vathek Billa angled upon the River Tygris and Mesue his Physician was near him The Calife sorry he could catch nothing said to Mesue Thou unlucky Wretch be gone thou marrest my good Fortune Mesue incensed at this hard Usage said to the Calife Emperor of the Faithful accuse me not unjustly I own my Father was no more than a common Citizen of Khouz and my Mother Recala had been a Slave yet I have attain'd to the Happiness of being the Favourite of many Califes of Eating and Drinking with them and being a Sharer in their Pleasures and by their Kindness I am grown rich even beyond my Expectation Now such a Man cannot be call'd unlucky But if you 'll be pleased to give me leave I will tell you who may truly be call'd unhappy The Calife declaring he might explain himself he added 'T is a Lord descended from four Califes whom God has made Calife too but who regardless of his Dignity Grandeur and Palace sits in a poor Cottage of 20 Cubits compass exposed to a Blast of Wind that may drown him and does the Work of the poorest and vilest sort of Men. Observatiâ—ns Abul-pharage observes that the Calife was highly incensed at the Boldness of Mesue but that the Presence of Mutevekkel ala-llah his Brother and Successor hindred him from showing his Resentment The Calife Vathek Billah died in the Year of the Hegyra 232 of our Lord 846. 63. The Physician Bachtjeschoua went to attend the Calife Mutevekkel ala-llah and found him alone He sate down by him as he us'd to do and his Gown being somewhat unstitched at the lower end the Calife discoursing with him insensibly rip'd it up to the Girdle Now the Matter of which they discours'd caused the Calife to put this Question to the Doctor By what Token they knew it to be high time to bind a Mad-man Bachtjeschoua answer'd We bind him when he 's so mad as to rip up his Physician 's Gown to the very Girdle Observations Abul-pharage relates that the Calife laugh'd so heartily at the Physician 's Answer that he fell back on the Carpet on which he sate and at the same time order'd him a very rich Gown and a considerable Sum of Money This Bachtjeschoua was Son to that Gabriel whom we have lately mention'd but notwithstanding this great Familiarity with the Calife a Treat which he presum'd to give that Prince was fatal to the Giver for the Calife was so highly offended at his Sumptousness and Wealth that sometime after he banish'd him from Court and extorted great Sums of Money from him 'T is observ'd that the Sale only of the Wood Wine Coals and other Provisions of his House amounted to very near 3000 Pounds Sterling 64. Mehemmed Son of Zekeria or rather Razis of whom we have already spoke being grown blind in his old Age a Quack profâ—er'd to couch him and so restore him his Sight Razis ask'd him how many Tunicles the Eye was made of The Empirick answer'd he knew not however he was sure he could cure him Razis replied He that knows not how many Tunicles the Eye is composed of shall never touch my Eyes His Friends and Relations urg'd him to it alledging that he ventur'd nothing though the Operation should not succeed and that he might recover his Sight if it were successful But he still excus'd it saying I have seen the World so long that I desire not to see it any more 65. The Calife Caher Billah having entrusted Sinan the Son of his Physician Thabet with the Examination of those that would profess Physick a comely grave old Man happen'd to come to him and was received with all the Honour due to his Age and Appearance He had no sooner desired him to â—it down but he declared he would listen with pleasure to the good things he expected from him and ask'd him of whom he had learned Physick Upon that Question the old Man pull'd out of his Sleeve a Paper full of Pieces of Gold which he put on the Carpet before Sinan desiring him to accept of them Then he added I must freely own I can neither read nor write but I have a Family and I must maintain them which obliges me to entreat you not to hinder me from that Way of living I have hitherto followed Sinan smiled and said You shall provided you visit no Patients whose Disease is unknown to you and prescribe neither Bleeding nor Purging but in those Diseases which you are very well acquainted with The old Man answer'd It was his Method and that he never order'd any thing besides Oxymel and Juleps The next Day a brisk and handsom young Man well accoutred came to him upon the same account Sinan ask'd him of whom he had learned Physick He answer'd of his Father who was the old Man to whom he had given Power the Day before to practise Physick Sinan reply'd He 's a brave Man do you use his Method The young Man answer'd Yes so Sinan having charg'd him to observe it well sent him back with Power to practise Physick as he had done his Father Observations The Calife Caher Billah was call'd Abou Mansour before his coming to the Throne and succeeded Muctseder Billa in the Year of the Hegyra 320 of our Lord 932. He reigned a Year and seven Months The first Physician of the Grand Signior has as well as this Physician of the Calife the Power of examining those who take upon them to profess Physick at Constantinople 66. A Greek Quack of Antiochia had agreed for a Sum of Money to cure a Man of a Tertian Ague but instead of
Son of Bakht Jeschoua mentioned before He was very young when he cur'd Haroun Erreschid of that Apoplexy which was the first thing that rais'd his Fortune at the Court of the Caliphs 163. The Caliph Mamoun Son of Haroun Erreschid took great Delight in giving Pardons and said If it were known what Pleasure I have in pardoning all Criminals would make Application to me to feel the Effects of my Clemency Observation Mamoun was not only a sweet-natur'd mild and merciful Prince as appears by this Piece of his History but also very liberal and skilful in the Art of Governing and was moreover the most learned of all the Caliphs and being an Admirer of Philosophy and the Mathematicks caus'd several Books of those Sciences to be translated from the Greek and Syriack into Arabick He was also well versed in Astronomy and ordered several Astronomical Tables to be composed which were called Mamoun's Tables 164. The Caliph Vathik Billah being at the Point of Death said All Men are alike and become equal at the Hour of Death from which Kings Subjects nor no Man is exempted and then addressing himself to God said Thou whose Kingdom doth never perish have Mercy upon him whose Kingdom is perishing Observation The Caliph Vathik Billah was Grandson to Caliph Haroun Erreschid and Nephew to Mamoun His Father to whom he succeeded was called Mutassem Billah He was valiant and bountiful and being a Lover of Poesie he always made Poets welcome to his Court and was their Benefactor He reigned only five Years and some Months and died in the Year of the Hegira 231. and of Jesus Christ 845. 165. The Caliph Muterid Billah stood in need of Money to prepare for a Campagne and was informed that one of the Magi who dwelt at Bagdat had great Sums in ready Cash and having called for him demanded a Loan of the same to which the Wise Man answered that it was at his Service Upon this Frankness the Caliph ask'd him if he had an entire Confidence in him and if he was not afraid that he would never restore him his Money He answered God hath entrusted you with the Government of his Servants who acknowledg your Power and the Publick believe that they may trust your Word and that you govern with Justice and after all this can I be afraid to trust you with my Estate Observation This Caliph died at Bagdat in the 289th Year of the Hegira and the 901st of Christ 166. Gelal-Eddevlett Melec Schach one of the first Sultans of the Family of the Selgiucides who reign'd in Persia did one Day say his Prayers to Mesched in the Khorassan at the Tomb of Ali Riza when one of his Brothers rebelled against him as he came from Prayers he ask'd of his Grand Vizier if he could guess what he had prayed to God for The Grand Vizier answered You have prayed that he would grant you the Victory against your Brother The Sultan replied I did not pray so but thus Lord if my Brother be more sit to govern the Mussulmans than I give him the Victory against me but if I be more proper than he grant me the Victory against him Observation Those Sultans or Kings called Selgiucides take their Denomination from Selgiuc the General of a mighty Inundation of Turks who passed the Oxus into the Khorassan in the Reign of Mahmoud Sebecteghin who is mentioned before Dogrulbeg Grandson to Selgiouc began their Empire which was divided into divers Branches in the 429th of the Hegira and 1037th of Jesus Christ Some Authors have very corruptly called him Tangrolipix and Monsieur Bespier in his Notes upon Ricaut's State of the Ottoman Empire hath taken a great deal of Pains to find out the Correction of it that of Togrulberg is the best and he might have also found out Dogrulbeg if he had known that the Turks pronounce the Arabick Ti as D but this he could not know for the little Turkish Language which he understood he learn'd in Normandy Nor does that Word come from Tangri which signifies God in Turkish as he pretends but from Drogu which signifies Right and Dogrulbeg signifies the right Lord. Gelal-Eddevlett Melek-Schach which another Author calls Gelal-Eddin was the third Sultan after Dogrulbeg and died in the Year of the Hegira 485. and of Jesus Christ 1092. 167. The Caliph Soliman who was of comely Personage look'd upon himself in a Glass in Presence of one of his Ladies and said I am the King of the Youth The Lady replied You would be the finest Merchandize in the World and the most sought after if you were to live always but Man is not eternal and I know no other fault in you but that you are mortal Observation The Caliph Soliman was the 7th of the Race of the Ommiades who did reign before the Abassides He died in the 99th Year of the Hegira Anno Christi 717. 168. At his Return from the unsuccessful Siege of Moussol Salahh-din King of Egypt and Syria fell into a very dangerous Distemper which had well nigh cost him his Life Nassir Eddin Mehemmed his Cousin hearing the News of it wrote forthwith to Damascus from Hims where he himself was to sollicite those whom he thought his Friends to order it so that he might be declared Sultan in case Salahhdin should die But Salahhdin recovering a little time after Nassir Eddin Mehemmed fell sick and died himself Salahhdin who had been informed of his Procedure seiz'd all his Estate and Riches and some time after had a Desire to see his Son whom he had left behind him of about ten Years of Age who being brought before him the Sultan knowing that there was Care taken of his Education ask'd of him what part of the Alcoran he was reading To the Surprize of all that were about him he answered wittily and boldly that he was at that Verse which says that those who devour the Estates of Orphans are Tyrants Observations Salahhdin is that Saladin who is so famous in our Histories of the Croisades and retook Jerusalem in the 585th of the Hegirah and of Christ 1189 four Years after the Siege of Moussoul here spoken of which was the first Enterprize that ever miscarried with him When he came before the Place Sultan Atahek Azzeddin Masond demanded Peace and offered to quit him all Syria but Salahhdin being over-ruled by his Council continued the Siege which Azzeddin sustained with so much Vigour that he was constrained to raise it with Shame and retire after having made a Peace far less advantageous than that which he had rejected Hims is the Name which the Arabians give to the City of Emessa in Syria 169. In a Battel which Ginghizkhan won the Officers of the contrary Army did Wonders which retarded his Victory for some time Ginghizkhan seeing them said with Admiration that a Monarch who hath such brave Fellows in his Service may live very securely Observations There are none almost but those few who understand the Oriental Books
be set thereunto and being for the most part built of Wood it was burnt down in one Day all but the Great Mosque and some Houses built with Brick Ogtaikhan Son and Successor to Gingâ—iâ—kan caus'd it to be rebuilt It continued famous in the Reign of Tamerlan and his Successors and subsists still under the Reign of the Vzbecs 174. After the Destruction of the City of Bokhara by Ginghizkan the People of Khorassan demanded of one of the Inhabitants who had sled thither if the Desolation made there by the Moguls was so great as reported he answered in Persian which was his Language in these few Words They came they destroy'd they burnt they kill'd and carried away Observation Having spoken of the burning of Bokhara in the foregoing Observation I shall speak one Word of the Blood shed there by the Army of Ginghizkan That same Day on which they came before it 20000 Men sallied in the Evening to surprize them but the Moguls perceiving it made so great a Slaughter amongst them that there were but a very few who return'd into the City and next Morning at Sun-rising the Inhabitants having observ'd from the Ramparts that the Fields look'd like a great Lake of Blood as Mirkhond expresses it they capitulated and opened their Gates 175. A Scheich of great Reputation and Learning dwelling in the City of Kharezem the Capital of the Kingdom of that same Name when Ginghizkan came out of Great Tartary to extend his Conquests towards the West The Mahometans about him understanding that he design'd to lay Siege to that Town by the three Princes his Sons pray'd him to be so kind as to give the Scheich notice to retire elsewhere Ginghizkan granted them that Favour and notice was given to the Scheich from him that he would do wisely to go out of the Town to prevent his being Partaker of the Misfortunes of his Fellow-Citizens if the Town should happen to be taken by Storm as it was for in that Case the Inhabitants would all be destroyed The Scheich refused to go out of the Town answering that he had Kinsfolks Allies Friends and Disciples in the Town so that he should be criminal not only before God but also before Men if he did abandon them Observations This Scheich whose Name was Negem-eddin Kebri was kill'd in the sacking of Kharezem but though he was of a great Age he kill'd divers of the Moguls who forced his House before he fell himself Without speaking of the Kharezemians who were killed in the last Assault by which they were forced after having held out six Months Siege Mirkhond reports that the Moguls when they became Masters of the Town made all the Inhabitants go out according to their Custom when they took a Place and made them Slaves viz. the Merchants and Tradesmen with the Women and Children that were above 14 Years of Age and distributed the rest amongst the Souldiers to be killed He adds That the Souldiers were above 100000 and that Historians affirm that each Souldier had 24 to kill for his Share which if true there were above two Millions and 400000 Souls cut off in that Slaughter alone It may well be doubted whether one Town could contain so many People but we must consider that the City was very large as being a Capital and that the Inhabitants of the Neighbouring City and the adjacent Country fled thither before the Siege 176. Ginghizkan being at Bokhara after his great Conquests on this Side the Oxus and about to return into his own Country the Great Tartary where he died sometime after his Arrival had a Conference with two Mahometan Doctors concerning their Religion which he was very desirous to understand and having said divers remarkable and sensible things on this Occasion they deserve to have a Place here The Mahometan Doctor who took the Speech upon him says to him The Mussulmans acknowledg one only God the Creator of all things who hath none like him To this Ginghizkan replied That he had no Reluctancy to believe the same thing The Doctor added The Almighty and most Holy God hath sent an Ambassador to his Servants by whose Means he teaches them what they are to do so as they may do Good and avoid Evil Which was no way dis-relishing to Ginghizkan no more than the other so that he answered in these Terms I who am the Servant of God dispatch Messengers every Day to acquaint my Subjects with what I would have them to do or not to do and I make Ordinances for the Discipline of my Armies The Doctor went on and said This Ambassador hath fix'd certain Times for Prayer during which he hath commanded us to give over all Labour and Occupation to worship God Perceiving that Ginghizkan agreed also to this he added That he hath also commanded us to fast one entire Month in the Year Ginghizkan replied It is but just to eat according to Rule one Month to acknowledg the Favours of the Lord after having spent eleven in eating without Rule or Management The Mahometan went on and said The Ambassador hath also commanded the Rich to give half of what Money they have each Year to the Poor Ginghizkan commended that Statute exceedingly and said The Eternal God hath created all things indifferently for all Men and therefore it 's reasonable that those who have an advantagious Share should impart to those who have not The Doctor added That the Mahometans have further an express Commandment to go in Pilgrimage to the Temple of God at Mecca there to adore him To which Ginghizkan answered All the World is God's House we may meet with him from all Parts of the World God can hear from the Place where I am now as well as from the Temple which you speak of Observations The Doctor who maintain'd this Discourse concluded from Ginghizkan's Answers that he was a Mahometan but his Colleague maintain'd the contrary because Ginghizkan did not acknowledg the Necessity of a Pilgrimage to Mecca which was very remarkable for as Mirkhond hath observed it is certain that Ginghizkan was not addicted to any particular Religion of the People that he had subdued but left every one to the Liberty of professing what they would and constrained no Body to embrace that which he professed himself On the contrary he had an Esteem for all Persons of Learning and Merit without any regard to their Religion as appears by his History and as Mirkhond observes it was one of the great Qualities that recommended him And if we consider his Religion by the particular Entertainment with these Doctors the Circumstances of his own History and that of his Predecessors it would seem that we may affirm that their Religion had not degenerated very much from that which Japhet or his Posterity brought into Tartary Whether that Opinion was imbib'd by the Arabians in the Time of Mahomet that Abraham and Ishmael built a Temple to God at Mecca or that Mahomet invented it himself it is that
according to the World has no Wealth Behave your self bravely in Fight and be not disheartned lest you also dishearten your Soldiers The true use of Wealth is to dispose generously of it The World and Paradise may be compar'd to two Women who have but one Husband who loves the one more than the other The Friendship that is contracted with a Mad Man involves Men into speedy Misfortunes It is better to be alone than in the Company of the Wicked Answer the Friendship of your Friends and have the same regard for them they have for you A Miser who hoards his Money is like a Man who has Bread before him and yet Starves Make use of your Wealth to gain the good Will of all Men. We are daily respected and honoured while Death is closer to us than the Seam of our Shoes We die in the mid'st of Pleasures and Debauches without knowing that we die People never abandon their Monarch nor withdraw from their Allegiance without effusion of Blood The Wise can never be Poor Falshood is always attended with Dishonour A Lye which tends towards Peace is to be preferr'd to a Truth which occasions Sedition Whoever is absolutely wean'd from the World is free from all Vexation No Man discovers his want of sence more than he who begins to speak before he who speaks has done speaking There is no true Wealth without Virtue Whoever intrusts an affair of Consequence to one who is not capable to discharge that Trust soon repents it and shows the shallowness of his understanding to Men of good sence An Enemy may become a Friend by Gratifications but the more we indulge our Passions the more they rebel We acquire the good Will of our Neighbour by being kind to him Wise Men never give hopes to take them away again Those who are of a generous Nature seldom have any thing to give and those who are Rich are seldom Liberal He who would be thought Learned passes for an ignorant Person before God and before Men. He who designs to attain any perfection in Learning must never suffer himself to be govern'd or rul'd by Women Wealth is design'd to live more at ease but we do not live to heap up Wealth We afflict the Poor in pardoning those who oppress them by Extortions Take heed of those you do not know Those who suffer themselves to be guided by their desires are commonly Poor The best way to succeed in our Projects is to conceal our Secrets Two sorts of Men labour in vain he who gets and does not enjoy what he gets and he who learns of a Master whose Actions are not answerable to what he knows nor yet to what he Teaches The Learned Man whose Manners are Vitiated resembles the Blind who holds a Flambeau in his hand to light others whilst he does not see himself The Trees we Plant yield us Fruit but Men destroy those who have settled them in the World It is better to keep our Secrets to our selves than to confide them to others He who rails at other Mens Behaviours before you uses you in the same manner before others The Learned know those who are Ignorant because they have been Ignorant themselves but an Ignorant Man can pass no Judgment on the Learned because he has never been Learned He who flatters you hates you in his Soul Kings stand more in need of the Counsel of the Wise than the Wise stand in need of the Favour of Kings How should one rely on the Friendship of an ignorant Man since he is an Enemy to himself Three things are not lasting in Nature Riches without Trade Science without Dispute and a Kingdom without Severity Ill grounded Hopes are never lost till death We wrong the Good in pardoning the Wicked The more Experience we have the Wiser we are The World would perish were all Men Learned Laziness and over-sleeping do not only divert us from the Service of God but they also introduce Poverty Excess and Vanity ruine the best Estates We must do Good if we expect to receive any 'T is necessary to seek out a good Neighbour before we take a House and a good Companion before we undertake a Journey Do not discover all your Secrets to your Friend because he may become your Enemy Neither do your Enemy all the harm you can because he may become your Friend We must take as much care to blame our selves as to blame others Anger begins with Folly and ends with Repentance He must needs be unhappy who suffers his Reason to be sway'd by his Passions A wise Enemy is more estimable than a foolish Friend There is no Vertue like Prudence no Mortification equal to the Consequences of Vice no Goodness like the Goodness of Manners and no Riches equal to the Pleasure of being contented with what we have Whoever contracts a Friendship with his Friends Enemies seeks an occasion to offend his Friends It is not necessary to venture our â—ife in Affairs which may be accommodated by Money It is better to be Poor than to get an Estate by indirect means It is not safe to follow the Counsel of an Enemy Nevertheless it is proper to hear it in order to do the contrary of what he says and good Sense requires it Nothing is worse than a learned Man whose Science is useless Excessive Passion makes all Men fly you and ill-tim'd Carresses make them disrespect you Therefore you must not be too severe lest they despise you nor too kind lest they insult over you Two sorts of Men are never satisfi'd those who seek after Science and those who hoard Money Strike the Serpent's Head with your Enemy's Hand you can never fail of success one way or other If your Enemy overcomes the Serpent will be kill'd and if the Serpent get the advantage your Enemy will no longer be in the World Never be the Harbinger of ill News to one who may be troubled thereat leave that Task to another He who has no Education is like a Body without a Soul Never accuse any one of Rebellion to the Prince unless you are sure the Prince will credit you otherwise you will ruine your self The Wise tho' depriv'd of all Necessaries are to be prefer'd to the Ignorant who abound in all things The stupid or ignorant are full of themselves Whoever speaks too much is apt to Lye or to say useless things Too much Precipitation is attended with Repentance and Patience with good Success Those are Rich who are satisfi'd with little Hearken to learn and keep Silence for thy own preservation Men are divided into two Classis The one find what they seek for and yet are not contented the others seek and do not find Whoever advises a conceited Man wants Counsel himself Every Man thinks he has more Wit than his Neighbour and every Father fansies his Son surpasses all others in Comeliness Well govern'd Subjects are better than great Armies He declares himself guilty who justifies himself before he
Men who are easie of Access derive a double advantage by it the one in that it sets off their Nobility and the other in that they are the more respected for it He who obeys his Passions is capable of nothing and for that reason he is not fit to Command Perfection consists in three things In being observant in the Religion we profess in being patient under Afflictions and in behaving our selves Prudently Since the World is but a Passage it behoves us at least to endeavour to leave a good Reputation behind us A Camel is so gentle that a Child may lead him an hundred Miles by a Halter Nevertheless if the Child leads him through a dangerous way he resists and obeys no longer This shows that we must reject Mildness when Severity is necessary A Prince without Justice is like a River without Water As Meat is useless to a sick Man so all Advertisements all Counsels and Preachings are vain to him who is blinded with worldly Love Three sorts of Persons discover in three different occasions what they are and what they are capable of Men of Courage in Combats honest Men in returning what has been confided into â—heir Hands and Friends in times of Adverâ—â—â—y and ill Fortune Falshood is like a Wound which leaves a Scar. Aâ—â—â—yar is not credited even when he speaks Truth as it happen'd to Joseph's Brothers A learned Man who do's not practise what he knows is like a Cloud which yields no Rain Tho' we have a thousand Friends we still lack more but one Enemy is too much Science removes Ignorance but it does not correct ill Nature The more an Enemy appears submissive flattering and complaisant the more a good Politician ought to mistrust him 'T is dangerous to speak when we should hold our Tongues and to be silent when we ought to speak A Man may chance to kill a hundred other Men with his Sword but by his Prudence he may destroy a whole Army A rich Man without Liberality is like a Tree without Fruit. Provided you are not tired with seeking you will find what you seek at last If you cannot keep your own Secret what reason have you to complain that he to whom you have reveal'd it does publish it The Poor Man who has no Patience is like a Lamp without Oil. Tho' Patience is bitter the Fruit of it is sweet He who to show his Eloquence and Wit chances to say more than he is capable to do soon repents his Imprudence The Administration of the Affairs of Kings may be compar'd to Sea Voyages in which some get some lose some heap up Treasures and some lose their Lives A Woman without Vertue is like unseason'd Meat He that is voluntarily Poor possesses nothing and nothing possesses him A Brother who promotes his own Interest to the prejudice of his Brother is neither a Brother nor a Relation One Day of a learned Man is more precious than the whole Life of an ignorant Person 'T is less grievous to die in Want than to declare ones Poverty 'T is better to die honourably than to live miserably The Wicked ought to be reputed as dead even while they are living but the just Man lives even among the dead A cruel King must not expect to Reign long a proud Man to be prais'd an ill Maâ— to have many Friends a covetous Man to be thought honest and good natur'd and a self-interested Man to be reputed just and equitable You must never discover your Aversion to those who envy you nor to your Enemies The Friendship of great Men hot Weather in Winter the fair Words of Ladies and the joy of Enemies are four things we must never trust to We must never undertake any thing without having first examin'd it The Heart of a Person who has no dependence ought to be the Grave of the Secret he is intrusted with You ought never to converse nor keep company with Fools because they are asham'd of nothing Whoever possesses an Art may call himself a great Man Envy is as inseparable from Envy as Fire and Smoak are inseparable from one another If a good Counsel does not succeed at one time it will succeed at another The Country in which a Man has no Friends is an ill Country Envy is a Fire which kindâ—es in an instant and which equally burns both green and dry It is a Torrent which sweeps away Cottages and Palaces Great and small are often banish'd from Home for one Fault committed by one only Man in a whole Nation Honours Employments and Dignities do not reward us for the Trouble we are at to obtain them A Slave often deserves more esteem than a Gentleman At certain times a Book stands in stead of good Company A solitary life often proves the life of Mâ—â— who neither can or will do any thing The Day we pass without doing some good Action must not be numbred among the Days of our Life no more than the Day in which we learn nothing Mediocrity is the Rule of all Affairs and of all Enterprises Without Complaisance it is impossible to avoid Trouble even among Friends and Relations A great Monarch's chief Object ought to be good Reputation seeing that of all the Grandeurs and Hurry of the World 't is the only thing which remains after him Never put off what you are to do to Day till to Morrow The Mark of a great Soul is to pity an Enemy in distress Liberality is so agreeable to God that it disarms his Wrath and induces him to shew Mercy A small Estate well manag'd lasts long and great Treasures are soon wasted when in lavish Hands Never leave an old Friend for a new Acquaintance or you will repent it Whoever does Good never loses his Reward A good Action is never lost either before God or Man Those who are in Health have Bread and a dwelling Place ought never to put themselves to Service nor to Travel When you respect brave and valiant Men they are wholly yours But when you have the same regard for Cowards they hate you and become the more insolent Grediness leads to Infinity the safest way is to fix our selves Those who do not fix themselves are never rich A little Friendship well plac'd is better than a great Friendship contracted without Consideration There are but two ways to get out of great Troubles constant Steadiness or Flight A Monarch who abandons himself wholly to Divertisements makes his Life the first Life in the World in relation to Pleasures but in order to perform his Duty he must be in his Kingdom like the Rose in the middle of a Garden where it lies on Thorns You must not despise Men because they are creeping and ill-habited The Bee is a disagreeable Insect to the â—ight nevertheless its Hive produces abundance of Honey Great Honours exalt a Man who is well born but they lower an ignorant Man Subjects injoy Peace and Tranquility when they are govern'd by Princes who do
not lay their Heads on the Pillow to take rest The Monarch who allows himself none procureth it to others It is necessary to compare our Sentiments with the Sentiments of a Second because two Heads are better than one We should not rejoyce at the Death of an Enemy Our Life will not last Eternally We must act in order to avoid Laziness we must also attribute to God whatever we acquire by Labour otherwise we live in a continual and condemnable Idleness The Trips of the Tongue do more harm than a false Step. The Head pays the forfeit of the Tongue but we are not so apt to stumble in walking warily The best of Men is he who does good to Men. 'T is very difficult to make him Learned who knows nothing because his Ignorance perswades him that he is wiser than he who pretends to Teach him The major part of your Friends court you to share your Fortune but as soon as your Estate diminishes they forsake you One Suit of Cloaths one House and Provision for one day is sufficient If we die at Noon one half of the last is superfluous The Miser is an object of Malediction as well in relation to the World as in respect to Religion and an Enemy to all the Poor You had better do Good and be railed at than to be Wicked and be well spoken of Bear the attempts of those who envy you with Patience your moderation will drive them to despair and you will see them all perish in time Self-interested Friends are like the Dogs in publick Places who love the Bones better than those from whom they receive them When you are in Prosperity take care to maintain your self therein for you may chance to deprive your self of it by your own Folly Neither Birth nor Valour are required to obtain great Places but Vivacity and force of Wit Men of sence may aspire to any thing The advantage an honest Gentleman ought to aspire to at Court is if possible to obtain a higher Dignity than that he is already possess'd of to be able to serve his Friends and to hinder his Enemies by his Authority from being able to hurt him In order to live well we must die to the Affections of the Senses and of all things that have a dependance on them A Thousand Years of delight do not deserve the venturing of one moment of our Life to enjoy them The violent desire of living plentifully and without venturing any thing is the forerunner of a despicable and ignominious Life We propose to behave our selves well when we are Ill and we are no sooner in Health again but we relapse into new Debauches We place our hopes in God in our fears and we offend him as soon as we are well again That shews that there are no pure and sincere Actions In all Enterprises we must consider the end as well as the beginning You only receive proportionably as you give He who would advance himself at Court must observe five things The first is to correct the tendency he may have to Passion by mildness and complaisance The second not to suffer himself to be seduced by the Devil of Pride The third to avoid being Vanquish'd by Interest The fourth to be sincere and upright in the Administration of the Affairs that are committed to his Care And the fifth not to be shaken by any Casualties whatever The Service of Kings is a vast Sea in which Merchants Sail some are ruin'd by it and others get great Estates Avoid him who does not know what he is capable of who is obstinate in Enterprises that are above his reach and who suffers himself to be guided by his Passions He will have one days Satisfaction and many years Repentance Affairs are govern'd by the Wise while they go well but the Wicked take the management of them as soon as they abandon them Fear him who fears you You must do nothing without design Prudence is one half of our Life Men must be submissive in asking in order to be rais'd in obtaining their desire The Familiarity of great Men is dangerous 't is a Fire which often scorches Avoid the Familiarity of Kings with as much care as you would keep dry Wood from Fire A wicked Woman in an honest Man's House is a Hell for him in this World The beginning of Joy is the immediate consequence of Patience Those who do not combat fear danger and never reach Glory We acquire Riches with Patience and we are secur'd from dangers by silence It is the interest of Kings to court and to favour Men of Merit because they receive Services from them proportionable to the favours they bestow upon them to that end We cannot say that the Miser possesses his Wealth tho' he places his felicity in it The thoughts of Evil proceed from Idleness Value your self upon your Vertue and not upon the Antiquity of your Family Do not produce a living Creature by a dead one and do not give a dead Creature for a living one Never speak ill of the Dead to the end that the good you do may live in the memory of good Men. To imploy your Wealth well is better than to encrease it Kings and Subjects are equally unhappy where Men of Merit are despis'd and where ignorant Persons enjoy the best Places The best way not to be abus'd by the Wicked is to be complaisant towards them That Wealth which is not imploy'd towards the sustenance of Life is useless 'T is worse to return Evil for Evil than to be the Aggressor Men do not obtain whatever they desire Answer those who question you in such a manner that they may have no reason to take Offence The only way to punish the Envious is to load them with Favours Those who assist you in necessity are your Brothers and your Friends Prudence suffers between Impossibility and Irresolution We best express our gratitude towards God for the Wealth he bestows on us in disposing of it generously Contract no Friendship with any unless they are free from Passion When you speak express your self so that your words may not want an Explanation The most precious Acquisition is that of a faithful Friend Never trust appearances whatever noise a Drum makes 't is only fill'd with Air. Have a good Conscience but be diffident lest you be surpris'd or deceiv'd Whether you do Good or Evil nothing remains unpunish'd or unrewarded Good success in Affairs even in the most dangerous occasions depends neither on Force nor on the assistance we receive from abroad but on Prudence and good Conduct Wisdom is preferrable to Force because it executes things which Force cannot perform A Wise Man by his words does things which an hundred Armies joyn'd together could never execute Happy is he who corrects his faults by the faults of others Favours are not a sufficient reward for the low things a Man must do to obtain them Men should never speak before they have considered what they
awes them their Fate is like that of a Man who being press'd by drought goes down to the Nile to drink and there perceives a Crocodile the sight of which will not permit him to take Water The Grave alone can extinguish Lust It is better to starve than to wrong the Poor Meat is the Nutriment of the Body but Conversation is the Food of the Soul Those who are guilty of the most enormous Crimes are in some measure more tolerable than a proud Beggar Lyes last but a moment but Truth will endure for ever Princes are like Beauties the more Lovers a beautiful Lady has the greater is her Glory So the more numerous a Prince's Court is the more the Prince is esteem'd and respected Nothing can reflect more on any Man than to affirm a thing which is publickly known to be false The basest thing in Nature is to have the Power to do good and not to do it Good Manners ought to be the Ornament of Men and Gold the Ornament of Women If any Man reprehends you for your Faults be not angry at him but act the things he tells you Science is prejudicial to him who possesses it when it is not accompany'd with Wisdom and good Conduct Poison'd Victuals are preferrable to dangerous Discourses If you design not to be an ill Friend be not of a revengeful Temper There are six things on which we ought never to ground our Hopes The Shadow of a bare Cloud because it only passes The Friendship of disaffected Persons because it passes like Lightning The Love of Women because the least trifle extinguishes it Beauty because it tarnishes at last tho' never so accomplish'd False Praises because they signifie nothing And finally the Riches and Goods of this World because they waste and consume If you are desirous to live without Crosses do not fix your Affections on the World In order not to receive an Affront do not remove that which you have not plac'd A wicked Man who is happy is unworthy of his happiness If you would not have Men to discover your Faults never discover the Faults of others Combat against your self you will acquire the Tranquility of the Soul Do nothing out of Passion you will free your self from a long Repentance If you would be esteem'd by others esteem them In order to please every Body suit your Discourse according to every ones Inclination Never laugh without Cause for so to do is a double Folly Fine Raillery gives a relish to Conversation as Salt does to Meat Jest with your Equals lest you grow angry when they return you Jest for Jest Men take after those they frequent Never quarrel with any one Quarrels are below a Man of Honour None but Women and Children are allow'd to quarrel The Mâ—ney which is best employ'd is that which is 〈◊〉 out for God's sake The Remedy of an afflicted Heart is to submit to the Will of God If occasion obliges you to quarrel do not say all the Evil you know of him you are sallen out with do it in such a manner as to leave room sor an Accommodation Lust is the distemper of the Soul Words show the Wit of Man and his Actions show the bottom of his Heart It is harder to manage a good Estate well than to acquire it The presence of Friends causes a real and a lasting Joy A small Estate manag'd with Prudence is better than great Treasures ill employ'd The Elevation of Men without Merit is a vexation to honest Men. Great Expences bring in Poverty The greatness of Kings appears in the Administration of Justice Tranquility and Health are acquir'd by Labour Lend your Friend Money as seldom as you can to avoid the Vexation of asking for it again When you are oblig'd to lend him any suppose you give it him and never ask for it again but tarry till he gives it you Be moderate towards him who does you harm you will confound him The Consolation of those that are in Affliction is to see their Friends A Friend easily becomes an Enemy and when once he is an Enemy he can hardly become a Friend again We commonly prejudice Enterprises by applying our selves too earnestly and too eagerly to them The Pleasures we enjoy near Princes commonly scorch our Lips Eloquence is the source of Riches Impart what you have to those who deserve it but never covet what others injoy if you would be thought a very honest Man If you desire your Wife should be honest do not take her above your Condition A Father must be grave and serious with his Children that they may always fear him and never despise him Honour your Father your Son will honour you Beware of a Friend who loves your Enemy The Degree of Science is the highest of all the Degrees of Elevation You must break absolutely with Friends who break with you No Man is without Faults but yet endeavour to have none We must keep a fair Correspondence with the Wicked as well as with the Good because we sometimes stand in need of the assistance of the first as well as of the last The Joy of Life proceeds from a pure and clear Conscience A Drachma of Gold given to a poor Relation is more than a hundred Drachma's given to another who is not related to thee Measure every one according to his Measure You must be faithful and sincere in Friendship and live with your Friends as if you were to fall out with them at some time or other For ought you know they may turn Enemies at last 'T is easier for Science or Learning to perish than 't is easie for learn'd Men to die Frequent the World every one in proportion to his Merit The Peoples Devotion is Superstition The Poor ought never to contract a Friendship with those that are more powerful than themselves because those that are above us never love us Cordially Considering the Off-spring of Man 't is strange he should magnifie himself Every Man is sensible of the Good or Ill he does Never contract a Friendship with Self-interested Friends because they only aim at their own Interest and have no real Kindness Be ever diffident of two sorts of Men of a Potent Enemy and of a Dissembling Friend Whatever part of the World we are in we must always suffer Avoid making an Enemy who is greater than your self Never Railly those who are of an uneven Temper or giddy headed 'T is better to adorn the inside than the outside Whoever has no Friend is a stranger where-ever he goes Diffidence is a sign of Wisdom and of Prudence The Pleasures of this World are nothing but deceit If any ill Action be imputed to you take great care to clear your self of 〈◊〉 If you have any ordeâ— to execute do it alone and without a Companion to the end you may not fail in the execution and that you may have the approbation of him who has employ'd you If any one begs your Pardon for any
Injury he has done you grant it streight and perswade your self that he has only offended you to make tryal of your Clemency The Learned are the true Nobles and the true Lords in every Nation Never offend any one to avoid being oblig'd to beg pardon Irregular Manners are the Drunkenness of Mortals If you should have the misfortune to be oblig'd to beg Pardon do it quickly to avoid the blame of Obstinacy The elevation of Man consists in Humility Court no Dignities unless you deserve them The greatest Offence may be Pardon'd The Ignominy of Learning is to have a very small stock of it Covetousness is the Punishment of the Rich. A little discernment in our Actions is better than a multitude of Actions done without choice or consideration Gray Hairs are the Harbingers of Death One of the Laws of Friendship is never to be Importunate Whoever is in the Service of Princes and of great ones must observe five things to avoid giving his Enemies any advantages over him He must never be surpriz'd in a Lie by his Master he must never speak ill of any body before him he must never dispute any thing with him he must never do any thing contrary to his Orders and finally he must never reveal the Secret he has consided to him We lose the Credit Wealth gives us proportionably as it wastes Honesty consists chiefly in three things to perform what we are oblig'd to do never to do any thing against Truth and to moderate our selves in our Actions Patience overcomes all things He is more than a Tyrant over himself who humbles himself before those who do not matter it and follows those from whom he can expect nothing Those who are Envious have no longer any regard to Religion nor to the Lâ—â—â—…s of Equity and Justice Travel forms the Mind and moreover we thereby learn Virtue 't is also the way to acquire Wealth We have an Inclination to become Enemies when we refuse to hearken to the Council of a Friend Men betray Folly on five different occasions when they build their happiness upon the Misfortunes of others when they attempt to gain the love of Ladies by rigour and by giving them rather marks of Hatred than of Love when they design to become Learned amid'st Repose and Pleasures when they seek Friends without making Advances and when being Friends they refuse to do any thing to assist their Friends in time of need Men maintain themselves and get out of Troubles by Sincerity Silence is a Veil under which Ignorance conceals it self The most sensible Injuries are those we receive from a Friend Whoever spends beyond his Revenue falls into Poverty at last Order and equality are laudable in all things but particularly in Domestick Affairs The hands of the Poor are always empty and therefore they never obtain what they desire Whoever has a narrow Soul is worse than he who is close sisted We ever succeed better in that which belongs to our Profession than in any other thing The clearest Waters can never wash a Black-a-Moor white neither is it possible to alter the Nature of the Wicked Whenever you are admitted to a Great Man let your Compliment be short speak little and retire soon The World is too narrow for two Fools who quarrel together We may deceive the Creature but we can never deceive the Creator Three sorts of Persons incline to Rebellion The Subject who does not pay the Prince what he owes him The Patient who conceals his Distemper from his Physician and he who does not discover his Poverty to his Friends Fathers your Children and your Wealth occasion your ruine Whoever is not open-handed is always close-hearted He who has no Friends should retire in a Desart rather than live among Men. All those who seem to be Friends are not really so and we are often deceived when we think we have met with a true one He who will not allow himself some Patience in the acquisition of Sciences is like to sigh long under the Clouds of Ignorance Do not frequent the Wicked because you will be esteem'd Criminal in frequenting them tho' you are Innocent Borrow nothing of your Friend if you desire to preserve his Friendship Happy is he who enjoys his Health Wisdom is a Folly among Fools as Folly is Folly among the Wise The less we suffer the longer we live Frequent the World solitude is a kind of Madness The more we are fill'd with hopes the more we suffer Men may be considered as divided into four Classis The first want all things in this World and have all things in abundance in the next The second have whatever this World affords and have nothing in the next The third want for nothing and are happy in this World and in the next And the fourth have nothing in this World nor in the next Avoid Law-Suits They are like a Fire which Men have much ado to extinguish when once it is kindled Tyranny overthrows the Tyrant in a short time The Tyrannical Government of Kings is more tolerable than Popular Government The Grandees court those who are greater than themselves Good Reputation is the most desirable thing in the World If you do good you will receive good for good if you do evil you will receive a greater evil The Passion of Riches is yet more violent than drought We are Slaves to Presents when we receive them The more pains we take in an Enterprise the sooner we succeed in it Great Souls perform their Promises and excuse those who do not perform theirs Every Man does his own business best A Man of Letters values one Line of the Compositions of a Learned Man more than a Treasure Silence is Wisdom it self but few keep it Live contented you will live like a King Whoever is free and will live free and contented must observe two things the one not to Marry tho' the Emperor of Greece should offer him his Daughter and the other not to contract Debts tho' Men should give him Credit to the day of Judgment Never respect a Man without Vertue tho' he were the greatest and most powerful Man on Earth Nothing vexes more than to have been kind to an ungrateful Person All things are difficult before they are easie Never trouble your self about the Goods of this World when to morrow comes it will bring its Provision along with it A sudden Death is the Punishment of a Tyrant He who designs to deceive others is commonly deceiv'd himself The more a Man is advanc'd in the Service and Favour of Princes the greater the danger is to which he is expos'd Our Love to the World is the origin of all Vice The Company of those we have an aversion for is worse than Death Truth is so essential to Man that it is far better for him not to speak than to say any thing contrary to it 'T is a sign of an ill Cause when we rail at our Adversary The Tongue of the Wise Man
lengthen out the day which is so short by Wickedness We see those of most excellent Qualifications oftentimes in a starving Condition and the most unworthy wallowing in Riches and the greatest Wits without knowing any reason do rank themselves in the number of the latter How do all things turn topsie turvy by time Manners are corrupted Inconstancy reigns over all things 'T is just like our Shadows in the Water where our Heads which is the noblest part hangs downward and our Feet tho' the vilest is uppermost The World is Mad and favours those that are most like it Wo then to 'em if eveâ— the World should come to its Wits again If Knowledge without Religion were highly valuable nothing would be more so than the Devil Keep your distance from Kings and their Wrath and make no Court to those whose words are no sooner pronounced than executed To attain to the heighth of Wisdom we must neither Eat nor Sleep nor Speak too much Nothing does better set forth a great Talker then a tedious and cold Winter's Night All manner of Wickednss derives its Original from sight as a great Fire is kindled by a small Spark A good Book is the best of Friends You can entertain your self pleasantly with that when you have not a Friend on whom you may safely relie It is no Blab to reveal your Secrets and it will teach you Wisdom The Body grows fat by much Sleeping but the Mind improves by much waking He that spends his time about things of little use loses that which might be of great Service to him The more Wit any Man has the less he speaks wherefore it is as certain that He who talks much has little Wit Few of those who ask advice find themselves dâ—ceived and their business never succeeds the worse for it By patience we come to the end of all things but that is such a Vertue as few Persons practise and that too very rarely Great Fortitude of Mind appears in an hour of Patience There is none so Learned but some body may be more Learned than he Meditate much and you will understand the better Words are like Arrows shot at a Butt before they are let go you endeavour to make them hit the Mark. Knowledge is an Inheritance belonging to Man It ought to be taken where e'er it is to be found and we are to leave every thing else as having no right to it The love of Riches is a sore Disease it is putting a Man into an Agony to make him crave an Alms and it is Death to him to be denied We seek after Wealth and oft-times do not find it and yet a most strange thing we never regard the end of our days but yet we find that It would not be so troublesome to a Learned Man to employ his Nails in polishing Marble to bite an Anvil with his Teeth to be continually roving up and down on the Sea to undertake a Voyage to Meccha and not have wherewithal to Eat by the way to go to Mount Caucasus and bring from thence a Stone of an hundred pound weight as only to see and that at a distance too the countenance of an Ignorant Coxcomb He that is not contented with what he has if it be a sufficient competency to live upon neither knows God nor Honours him Wisdom and Courage signifie nothing when Fortune leaves us Fortune comes to us with leaden Feet but flies from us with Swallows Wings When a King spends his whole time in Sports and Pleasures you may justly say his Kingdom will be made up of Calamities and Wars Nothing is so bitâ—er and melancholly to Mankind as the loss of Friends Where are Kings Where are other Men they have trod in the same Paths as thou dost now You who have preferred this perishable World to all other things and who have accounted those happy who have made the same choice as you have done take of this World what necessity requires you should take of it viz. That Death is the last moment thereof Speak nothing that is indecorous or unseemly if you hear any such thing said by others think on somewhat else and make as if you did not hear it The World is like an Inn which receives Travellers He that neglects making Provision for Necessaries to go further is a Madman Don't be seduced by a Multitude because you will stand alone by your self when you die and shall be called to give your Account Think seriously from whence you came and whether you are to go and where you are to be to all Eternity Riches consist in what is sufficient and not in superfluity Just as Fire is kindled by Wood so is War by Words The Fault that Detraction cannot be excused of is fullying of Truth Don't wonder that you see Vertuous Persons in Disgrace and Contempt or high Places filled with those that do not deserve them Open your Eyes and consider that the Stars which are innumerable lose nothing of their Light and that the Heaven turns only to make us see sometimes an Eclipse of the Moon sometimes an Eclipse of the Sun FINIS A New and easy Method to understand the Roman History With an exact Chronology of the Reign of the Emperors An Account of the most Eminent Authors when they flourish'd and an Abridgment of the Roman Antiquities and Customs By way of Dialogue for the Use of the Duke of Burgundy Done out French with very large Additions and Amendments by Mr. Tho. Brown Miscellaneous Letters giving an Account of the Works of the Learned both at Home and Abroad To be published Monthly Both printed for Richard Baldwin near the Oxford-Arms in Warwick-Lane and William Lindsey at the Angel in Chancery-Lane Books sold by Richard Baldwin THE Works of F. Râ—belais M. D. in five Books or the Lives Heroick Deeds and Sayings of the good Gargantua and Pantagruel and his Voyage to the Oracle of the Bottle As also his Historical Letters To which is added the Author's Life and Explanatory Remarks By Mr. Motteux Never before printed in English Bibliotheca Politica Or an Enquiry into the Antient Constitution of the English Government with respect both to the just Extent of Regal Power and to the Rights and Liberties of the Subject Wherein all the chief Arguments as well against as for the late Revolution are impartially represented and considered In XIII Dialogues Collected out of the best Authors both Antient and Modern To which is added an Alphabetical Index to the whole Work The World bâ—witâ—h'd is now publish'd containing an Examination of the common Opinions concerning Spirits their Nature Power Administration and Operations as also the Effects Men are able to produce by their Communication Divided into four Parts By Belthazer Bekker D. D. and Pastor at Amsterdam Vol. I. translated from a French Copy approv'd of and subscribed by the Author 's own Hand A Collection of Speeches of the Right Honourable Henry late Earl of Warrington viz. I. His Speech