Page images
PDF
EPUB

ither

C

Courage is not always innate; and Men may arn to be Brave, as well as to Exercife a Ba llion.

'Tis great Wisdom in a Prince, to understand e Critical Seafons and Circumftances for Riour or Remifnefs; when 'tis proper to take up, id when to flacken the Reigns of Government.

Tis the highest Pitch of Greatness in a Prince, to know how to fupport his Authority, with out the Ceremony of Guards; to fhrink himself almost into the Figure of a private Gentleman, and yet act nevertheless, with all the Force and Majefty of his Character, when the Government requires it. How creditable is it to the Sex, we account the weaker, that this was never done in England, but by Queen Elizabeth?

08 Falfhood and Legerdemain, fink the Character of a Prince, and make him look like a Royal fuggler; Publick Character and Common Good, s they call it, are no defence in fuch cafes. Sixtus VI. who was a great Man, us'd to fay, That 'twas fhort thinking, which made Confcience impracticable, and Politicks fall foul upon Morals; That if Statefmen were well qualified, and work'd their Heads, there would be no occafino for Latitude and inficerity. Reason, without doubt, well manag'd, would fence against inconvenience much better than Craft: In earnest, 'twould be a very hard Cafe, and a great Reflection upon Prudence, if Men could not be happy, without breaking their Faith, and ble mihing their Honour. However, to fay nothing more, fome People are too Lazy to be Honefl but this ill Cuffom apart, there's no neceflity to make Reafon of State incompatible with the Laws of Justice. * Court

O make

eir Fr

[ocr errors]

* Court Civilities, are either meer empty Gr maces, or Study'd defign. In 1598. when Quee Elizabeth went from Temple-bar along Flect-street the Lawyers were rank'd on one fide, and the Companies of the Cities on the other: Said Mafter Bacon, (fince Lord Chancellor) to a Law yer that stood next him; Do but obferve th Courtiers: if they bow first to the Citizens, they ar in Debt, if first to us, they are in Law.

"No Men more dangerous in a free State, than "those who have nothing to lofe; for unde "the Plaufible Pretence of Liberty and Publick-good ແ they raise Clamours, against the prefent Mini fters, that fo either themselves, or those who "fupport 'em, may get imployment: Corbulo would "never have been at the Pains of writing fo વ many Volumes against the Court, had he ei "ther preferv'd his Place, or better managed his

"State.

"We envy the Great for thofe very Things,which "are the greatest Plagues to them; I mean their great Retinue.

"Nothing can make a King of England abfo"lute but his Goodness, and ftrict Regard to the

« Laws.

[ocr errors]

A Prince, who has the Hearts of his Sub"jects, has no occafion either for a Standing Army, "or a Brib'd Senate; for whoever Commands the Affection, Commands the Purfe.

The Duties are at prefent fo high upon Preferment, that Men of Honour don't care for Trading.

[ocr errors]

*Favourites are juftly the Envy of the People: They get every Thing, and generally merit nothing.

À good

"A good Architect takes care to make thofe "Figures, which he places, on the Top of Buil"dings, bigger than the Life; that fo they may lofe nothing of the juft Size they reprefent," "notwithstanding their Elevation; But Fortune, or rather, Princes, who generally Act by Ca price, and without Rule, place oftentimes in "the highest Posts, Perfons of fo inconfiderable merit, that they appear no more than Shrimps, "to the gazing Spectator.

"He that first invented the Names of Whigg "and Tory, has done the Nation as much Harm, "as the Gun-Powder Treafon would have done it, "if it had taken effect.

"The Words of Whigg and Tory, have un"dergone almoft as many Revolutions in their Signification, as the Parties to which they have been given: Now a Days a great Whigg "or a great Tory, fignifies little elfe, than a "Man who ftirs to be in a great Employment.

"We have lately had the Hiftory of Unfortu"nate Favourites: 'Tis pity the Author has not "given us at the fame time the Hiftory of Prin

ces, that have been undone by them. I'm fure "this Secoad Part would have heen as feasonable" "and useful as the firft.

*A Private Man is judg'd of by his Companions, a Prince by his Minifters.

* Good and bad Times, are only modest Terms for Goodor bad Men in employments.

"Truth is only agreeable to the Virtuous: And ttis no finall Reflection on Princes and Great * Men that few of 'em can bear to hear it.

"An English King will never be able to hold Ballance of Europe, if he knows not how to "hold the Ballance of England: For his Reputa

tion

[ocr errors]

tion abroad will raife or fink, as his Affairs go

or ill at Home.

well

"A King of England, fhould cause his Coro"nation Oath to be written in Golden Capi"tals in his Clofet, as the Ten Commandments "are in his Chappel; the obfervation of the first being as neceffary for his Happiness in this World, as the keeping of the other for his Feli"city hereafter.

cr

"A Prince that Governs by Parties, is like a "Philofopher that grows wife by Starts and bro"ken Fancies.

[ocr errors]

"Governing by Parties may keep a Prince above Water for a while, but will fink him at "laft.

A wife Prince had much better make a Fa"vourite of his Minifter, than a Minifter of his "Favourite. But Beafts of Pleafure, are feldom "Beasts of Burthen!

'

"As King James II. was undone by Trufting too many; fo other Princes may be ruin'd by ū trufting no body.

"A King who never gave his Subjects a caufe "of Diffatisfaction can never truft 'em too far; "whereas a Prince who has once rendred himfelf "fufpected, will do well not to truft 'em at all; Queen Elizabeth justifies the First, and King Charles I. and James II. the latter.

σε

"Innovations are generally pernicous in Govern"ment as well as in Religion; and therefore "'tis much better to bear with finall Grievances than unravel the prefent Conftituti

on.

"Changing the Miniftry, is fometimes as fatal ast changing the whole Conftitution.

When

"When a Prince has over-come the Rebels, he "should deliver the forfeited Estates into the "Hands of his People, who have before hand paid "the Purchafe by enabling him to Triumph o'er "his Enemies.

"The Difeafe of a Kingdom first breaks out in "the Ministry, which if not remov'd, 'twill in"fallibly Corrupt and Destroy the whole Body "Politick.

* What makes My Lord L― prefer the Company of his Valet de Chambre or Groom, to that of his Secretary or Chaplain? Why, because Great Men care not to Converse with any but fuch as are inferiour to 'em in Parts.

We are often mistaken for Men of Pleafine, be cause we are not Men of Business; and for Men of Business, because we are not Men of Pleafure. A Man of Great Parts finds leifure for both; an inferior Genius for neither.

* Whilst Courtiers fpeak for one another, all of them obtain what none of them deferve.

"A Steddy Conduct is the great Art of Governing a Fickle People: Whereas chopping and changing of Measures keeps 'em always in a Feret ment, and ready to Rebel.

A Prince, who has the Love and Veneration of his People, may eafily fatisfy all parties; whereas Courting them is endless.

"It is with a Court, as with a great many other Things, a neceffary Évil.

"Tis more difficult to find an Floneft Man, than an Able one; Business, which improves the one, Corrupts the other.

Opportunity corrupts Men, as well as Women.

Among the Ancient Greeks and Romans, the Phi1ofophers and Orators were Brave, and the Brave Q

Men

« PreviousContinue »