commend in us nothing but what really deferves to be commended.

*There's hardly any Man living, that may not be wrought upon more or lefs, by Fattery: For we do all of us naturally over-wean in our own Favour; but when it comes to be apply'd once to a vainFool, it makes him forty times an Arranter Sot, than he was before.

* Flattery will never be out of Credit, fo long as there are Knaves to give it, and Fools to take it.

Flattery is never more Pernicious, than in the Courts of Princes, because a good deal of it looks like Duty; as in private Cafes it carries a face of Friendship. The way to rife, is to please; and whatsoever is gotten by it, comes by Treachery.

The only benefit or good of Flattery is this; that by hearing what we are not, we may be inftructed what we ought to be.

*The Power of Flattery, where it is once entertain'd, is well nigh irrefiftible, for it carries the Countenace of Friendship and Refpect; and foolish Natures are easily wrought upon, and perverted under that Semblance. When Pride, Vanity, and Weakness of Judgment meet in the fame Perfon, there's no refifting the Temptations of a fair Tongue, and confequently, no a voiding the Secret and malicious defigus of a falfe Heart. Nothing fo ridiculous, nothing fo impoffible, but it goes down whole with him for Truth and Earneft: Nay, and the Folly is fo unaccountable, and the Madness fo Notorious,that in this Humour, the most spiteful Enemies we have in the World, pafs upon us for Friends.

Satyr

*Satyr and Invectives are the eafieft kind of Wit; almost any degree of it, will ferve to abuse and find fault: For Wit is a keer Inftrument, and every one can Cut and Gafh with it, but to Carve a beautiful Image,and toPolifh it,requires great Art and Dexterity; a little.Wit, and a great deal of Ill-Nature, will furnish a Man for Satyr; but the greatest inftance of Wit is to Commend Well.

* The best things are the hardest to be duly commended For tho' there be a great deal of Matter to work upon, yet there is a great Judgment required to make choice; and where the Subject is great and excellent, it is hard, not to fink below the Dignity of it.

If finart Sayings, Biting Sentences, and poinant Words, could have good any effect upon bad People, it would be neceffary for every City to have a School to learn 'em in.

Fortune, Chance.

Ow different foever Man's Fortunes feem to be, there is ftill in all a Mixture of Ill and Good, that renders them much alike.

All the Advantages and Endowments of Nature, cannot make a Hero without the help of Fortune. Though Men are apt to Flatter and value themfelves upon their great Actions and Archievements; yet thefe are feldom the Effects of Defign and Industry, but generally of a lucky Chance.

Fortune turns and converts every thing to the advantage of her Darlings.

Our Happiness and Mifery depends as much our own Humour, as upon Fortune.

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upon

Our

Our Actions feem to be influenc'd by lucky and unlucky Stars, to which they owe the greatest part of the Praife or Blame, which is given to the Actions themselves.

No Man can tell what he will do, except he can answer what Fortune he shall have.

Fortune mends many Faults in us, which could not have been mended by Reafon and Judgment.

In the midst of all the various and uncertain Accidents in the World; there is still to be observ'd a fecret Order and Concatenation of Things, directed and over-ruled by Providence; which makes every one move in its Rank, and follow the Courfe of its Appointment.

The making of a Great Man, depends upon the improving all Accidents to fome Advantage.

Opportunities make us known to others, but much more to our felves.

Men appear Vicious or Honeft, more or lefs, according to the Station they are in; fo that Fortune is to Virtues and Vices, what Light is to the Objects of the Sight.

No body thinks Fortune so blind, as those she has been crofs to.

We should manage our felves with our Fortune, as we do with our Health; enjoy it, when Goed; bear it patiently, when Ill; and never ufe defperate Remedies, but upon defperate Occafions.

Fortune, oftentimes makes a Man's Failings the means of his Rife; and there are fome troublesom impertinent Coxcombs,who deferve to be rewarded fo far, as to have their Abfence purchased by Preferment at a Distance.

The Grants of Fortune, are always made with Power of Revocation; and a Man that holds of her, is a meer Tenant at Will, and may

a

be

be turn'd out the next Day, for ought he knows to the contrary. Refumptions are as ordinary with this Lady, as with a Houfe of Commons ; and there's no depending upon her Favour. Therefore we ought to be loose and Indifferent with her; and neither be Transported when fhe gives, nor Dejected when he takes away; for fhe never acts upon Reafon, but throws out every thing at Peradventure. The Rule is, never to be Surpriz'd at any of her Proceedings; nor behave our felves like fome unreasonable Bankers, who when there's Money lodg'd in their Hands, are pleas'd with receiving it, and look upon it as their own; but when it is drawn out again, they are as much out of Humour, as if they had fome real Injury done 'em: Never remembring they are but Cafheers, and that they were trufted with the Sum, upon Condition of repaying it upon Demand.

Mens Merit is generally judg'd of by the Vogue of the Fortune they are in.

There is an Excefs both in good and ill Fortune, which is beyond our Sensibility.

Greater Virtues are required to bear a good, than

ill Fortune.

Fortune has as great an Influence upon our Wifdom, as upon our Poffeffions.

The generality of Men are like Plants, whofe Virtues and unheeded Properties are found out by Chance.

Fortune gives out the Parts Men are to play upon the Stage of the World blindly, and just according Pto her unaccountable Humour, this is the reafon why there is fo much ill Acting; becaufe Men very feldom hit upon thofe Characters that are fit for them. Or to speak in a more Chriftian Style, what we call Fortune, is no other than N 2

the

the Providence of God, which permits these disor ders, for Reasons which we are not able to dive into.

Great Politicians, manage and command Fortune as great Captains do their Soldiers.

As much as Men rail at Fortune upon the Account of her Blindness and Whimsies, yet it must be confeft, that there is no Prudence like hers. Her defigns are fo well Contriv'd, and carried on with fuch a Dexterity, that it is paft our forefight to prevent them; and in spite of our own Conduct, he never fails to bring about her Undertakings.

Fortune makes Crimes pafs for Frolicks in her Favourites; and Frolicks for Crimes in those she's averse to.

The Caprices of Fortune are obfervable in Mens Opinions, as well as in their Poffeffions. Some Years ago the Pope was Infallible at Paris no lefs than at Rome: But now he is accounted liable to Errors in France, while he remains ftill Infallible in Italy.

* When things go ill, each Coxcomb fets up for a States-man, and thinks himself the wifeft, if he chances to be more happy than his Neigh

bours.

There are certain Moments of our Lives, wherein Fate delights to mock our Wit and Prudence, to baffle our ftri&t Caution, and ridicule all our Conduct, that we may learn the Leffon of Refignation, and not truft too much to our felves.

* Fortune is like the Market, where many times, if you can stay a little, the Price will fall. again, it is fometimes like Sybilla's offer, which at firft offers the Commodity at full,

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then