Scholars, than their own Authors were on them, or than the first Inventors of things themfelves are upon others. Whatever the Caufe of this be, whether the first Men are made meek and gentle, by their long fearch, and by better understanding all the difficulties of Knowledge; while thofe that learn afterwards, only haftily catching things in finall Sytems, are foon fatisfied, before they have broken their Pride, and fo become more imperious; or whether it arifes from hence, that the fame meannefs of Soul, which made them bound their Thoughts by others Precepts, makes them alfo Infolent to their Inferiours, as we always find Cowards the moft Cruel: Or whatever other Caufe may be alledg'd, the Obfervation is certain, that the Succeffors are ufually more pofitive and tyrannical, than the Beginners. It is Liberty alone which infpires Men with lofty Thoughts, and elevates their Souls to a higher Pitch, than Rules of Art can direct. Books of Rhetorick make Men Copious and Methodical; but they alone can never infufe that true Enthufiaftick Rage which Liberty breaths into their Souls who enjoy it, and which, guided by a fedate Judgment, will carry Men further than the greatest Industry, and the quickest Parts can go without it. All Men who make a Mystery of Matters of Learning, and induftriously oblige their Scholars to conceal their Dietates, give the World great Reafon to fufpect, that their Knowledge is all Juggling and Trick. *No Pretences to greater measures of Knowledge, grounded upon account of long Succeffions of Learned Men in any Country, ought to gain belief, when fet against the Learning of other Nations who inake no fuch Pretences, unless Inventions and Difco veries, anfwerable to thofe Advantages, be produced by their Advocates. The growth of Learning, as well as of Natural Bodies, has fomne fhort Periods beyond which it cannot reach, and after which it must begin to decay. It falls in one Country or one Age, and rifes, again in others, but never beyond a certain Pitch. One Man, or one Country, at a certain time runs a great length in fonte certain kinds of Knowledge, but lofe as much ground in others, that were perhaps as ufeful and valuable. There is a certain degree of Capacity in the greatest Veffel, and when 'tis full,if you pour in ftill, it muft run out fome way or other,and the more it runs out on one fide,the lefs runs out at the other: So the greatest Memory,after a certain degree,as it learns or retains more of fome Things orWords,lofes and forgets as much of others. The largeft and deepest reach of Thought, the more it purfues fome certainSubjects, the more it neglects others. It is natural to all Ranks of Men, to have fome one Darling, upon which their Care is chiefly fixt. If Mechanicks alone were to make a Philosophy, they would bring it all into their Shops; and force it wholly to confift of Springs, and Wheels, and Weights: If Phyficians, they would not depart from their Art; fcarce any thing would be confi der'd befides the Body of Man, the Caufes, Signs and Cures of Difeafes. So much is to be found in Men of all Conditions, of that which is called Pedantry in Scholars, which is nothing elfe but an obftinate Addiction to the forms of fome private Life, and not regarding general things enough. We meet with very few Authors that are plain and naturai; for even the Beft are seldom contented either with their firft Thoughts or with thofe Expreffions, which prefent themfelves withour ftudy. The generality generality of Men mistake the Perfection of the Pro- A Dogmatical Tone, is generally the effect of great Ignorance. He that knows nothing, thinks that he teaches others what he has learnt himself a Moment before: On the contrary, he that knows much, does hardly think, that what he fays can be unknown to other People, and fo he speaks with a kind of Indifference. The Men of Reading do very much busie them felvés about fuch Conceptions, which are no where to be found out of their own Chambers. The Senfe, the Custom, the Practice, the Judgment of the World is quite a different thing from what they imagine it to be in private: And therefore it is no wonder, if when they come abread into Bufinefs, the Sight of Men, the Tumult and Noife of Cities, and the very Brightness of Day it felf affright them. *The ftudious Men, while they continue heaping up in their Memories the Cuftoms of paft Ages, fall infenfibly to imitate them, without any manner of Care hon fuitable they are to Time and Things. Ia the Ancient Authors, which they turn over, they find Defcriptions of Virtues more perfect than indeed they were: The Governments are reprefented better, and the ways of Life pleafanter than they deferv'd. Upon this, thefe Bookah Wife Men trait compare what they read with what they fee, and here beholding nothing fo heroically Tranfcendent, because they are able to mark all the Spot's as well as Beauties of every thing P3 that is fo clofe to their fight, they prefently begin to defpife their own Times, to exalt the paft, to contemn the Virtues, and aggravate the Vices of their Country; not indeavouring to amend them, but by fuch Examples as are now unpracticable, by reafon of the Alteration of Men and Manners. Kings, Princes, Courtiers, Favourites, Government. Nothing Othing is of fo much moment to a Prince as Reputation, and none more than that of being aReligious obferver of his Word and Promife; but especially of his Oaths, without which he could never be trufted by his Subjects or Neighbours. * No Condition of Humane Life is ever perfectly fecure; nor any force of Greatness, or of Prudence, beyond the reach of Envy, and the blows of Fortune. Princes, as well as private Men, are of ten in most danger, at thofe Times, and in thofe Parts, they think themselves fafeft; as ftrong Towers are fometimes taken on thofe fides, that are thought impregnable, and fo left undefended, or little regarded. The infelicities of fome Princes, may be occafion'd only by ill timing their Councils, when to attempt and when to defift, in the jufteft endeavours; and the greatnefs of others, may be preferved by unforeseen Accidents, where the greatest reach of forefight and conduct, might have failed. *The Decrees of Heaven are wrapp'd up in the Clouds, and the Events of future things, hidden in the Dark, from the Eyes of mortal Men. The wifeft Councels may be difcompofed by the fmalleft Accidents; Accidents; and the fecurest Peace of States, and Kingdoms, may be disturb'd by the lightest Paffions as well as the deep designs of those who Govern them. For though the wife Reflections of the best Hiftorians, as well as the common Reasonings of private Men, are apt to afcribe the Actions and Councils of Princes,to Interests or Reasons of State; yet whoever can trace them to their true Spring, will be after forc'd to derive them from the fame Paffions and perfonal Difpofitions, which Govern the Affairs of private Lives. *No injuries are to fenfible toMankind in general, as thofe of Scorn; and no Quarrels purfued between Princes, with fo much fharpnefs and Violence, as those which arife from perfonal Animoffties or private Paffions, to which they are fubject like other Men. * The Secrets of Government, ought not to be touch'd with unwafh'd Hands, and expos'd to the Multitude; for upon granting the People a Priviledge of debating the Prerogatives of Sovereign Power, they will iufer naturally enough a Right and aTitle to the controuling and the over-ruling of it. * An affectation of Popularity has often prov'd a Snare, ftrong enough to Tempt many Men, who have otherwife been of great Temperance and Virtue.Nor indeed,can there be any more dangerous Enemies to a State or Kingdom, than fuch as come afober to endeavour its deftruction. *When a Prince fails in Point of Honour and Common Fuftice, 'tis enough to Stagger his People in their Faith and Allegiance. * It is as impoffible for a Government to be without Fauits, as for a Man to be fo. * Reafon of Seate in the Simplity of the Notion, is only that of Political Wisdom, abftracted fro.n P 4 the |