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II. A Peace that puts People out of Condition of Defence, in cafe of a War, muft expect a War; and fuch a State as leaves them at the Mercy of an Enemy, is worse than War it felf. There is no trufting to the Articles and Formalities of an outfide Peace, upon the pretended Reconciliation of an implacable Enemy. Chriftian Religion bids us forgive, but Chriftian Prudence bids us have a care too whom we truft. Truces and Cessations are both made and broken, for present Convenience; and where the Allies find they may be the better for it, we may lay down this for an undoubted Truth, That there can never want a Colour for a Rupture, where there's a Good-will for't.

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Weakness.

Eakness is more opposite to Vertue, than Vice it felf.

II. How can we expect another should keep our Secrets, when we had the Weakness to truft him with them?

III. Treachery is oftner the effect of Weakness, than fet purpose and defign.

IV. Weakness is the only Failing of the Mind that cannot be mended.

V. Nothing is more fcarce than true Goodness, and Humanity; and those that value themselves upon their Good-nature, are generally no better than either Weak or Complaifant.

VI. We are often Comforted for thofe Misfortunes by Weakness, which Reafon could not comSort us under.

VII. To

VII. To be over-much pleas'd with one's felf, is Foppery, not to be pleas'd at all is Weakness.

Wifdom, Skill, Folly.

T is as hard to be Wife in a Man's own Concern as it is cafie to be fo in another's.

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II. Moft Men are Wife in the Acceffaries, and Fools in the Main.

III. The niceft Folly proceeds from the niceft Wisdom.

IV. Folly keeps us company through all the course of our Lives; and if any Man feem to be wife, it is only because his Folly is fuited to his Age and

Fortune.

V. 'Tis a kind of Folly to be wife by one's felf. VI. Some Follies are as catching as any Infectious Difeafe.

VII. Some Remedies may be found to cure a Man of his Folly; but a perverfe irrational Spirit, can never be reform'd.

VIII. Briskness that encreases with Age, is but one degree remov'd from Folly.

IX. There is no Miscarriage fo unluckly, but what may be beneficial, one way or other, to a wife Man; nor any Accident fo fortunate, but what a Fool may turn to his own Prejudice.

X. There are Men cut out for Fools, that do not only make their Follies their Choice, but are forc'd into them by Fortune, whether they will or no.

XI. There are Mifchances from which Fools do best come off clear.

XII. If

XII. If the Folly of fome People did never appear 'tis because it was never nicely look'd into.

XIII. Old Fools are always more Ridiculous than young ones.

XIV. We should make the Follies of others, rather a Warning and Inftruction, than a Subject of Mirth and Mockery.

XV. There is a grave compofed fort of Folly, highly satisfied with it felf, and carries an Air of Wildom a thoufand times more troublesome and impertinent, than that humourfome and diverting Folly which never thinks at all.

XVI. A Man's greatest Wisdom is to be acquainted with his own Follies.

XVII. There is no fuch thing as true Wisdom in this World, except that which inftructs us in Chriftian Morality; for this, if we abstract from all the Supports of Faith, and Advantages of Religion, is of it felf the moft pure and perfect Rule of Life.

XVIII. The defire of being thought a wife Man, oftentimes hinders a Man to become really fuch.

XIX. There are a fort of filly Coxcombs, who knowing themselves to be fuch, improve to their own Advantage their Simplicity and Foppery.

XX. The height of Skill and Wisdom, is to know the true Worth of every thing.

XXI. 'Tis a great Wisdom to be able to conceal, upon occafion, one's being wife.

XXII. 'Tis a degree of Wisdom in a mean Wir, to follow the Judgment and Conduct of others.

XXIII. Wisdom has its excefs as well as other things, and for the most part a Man makes ill use of his Reafon with those who have none.

XXIV. The state of Vertue is not a ftate of Indolence; we fuffer in it a perpetual Conflict, betwixt Duty

Duty and Inclination: But that of Wisdom is swee and calm; it reigns peaceably over our Movements being only to govern well as Subjects, what Virtue

combats as Enemies:

XXIV. There is in Humane Nature more of the Fool than of the wife Man; and therefore those Faculties by which the foolifh part of Men's Minds is taken, are more potent.

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thing.

Wonders.

Here is nothing deferves fo much to be wondred at, as our frequent wondring at no

II. There is nothing that the Mind of Man receives with so much fatisfaction, as the Opinion of miraculous things, nor leaves with more difficulty or Concern.

MISCELLANEOUS THOUGHTS and MAXIM S.

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Eople are fooner reclaim'd by the fide-wind of a Suprize, than by downright Admonition and Council; for they'l lend an Ear to a Parable, a Fancy, or a loose Conceit, when nothing elfe will down with them.

II. Pleasures, unless they be innocent ones, are never of fo long continuance, as the fting which they leave behind them.

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• Perfons and Humours may be jumbled and difguis'd, but Nature is like Quick Silver, that will never be Kill'd.

• Boldness is blind, and never fees Dangers and inconveniencies; therefore it is ill in Councel, good in Execution, and the right ufe of bold Perfons, is, that they never Command in Chief, but be feconds, and under the Directions of others. For in Counsel it is good to fee Dangers, in Execution not to fee them, except they be very great.

* He that will over-look the true Reafon of a thing which is ufually but one, may easily find out many falfe ones, Errors being infinite.

'Tis highly neceffary to a Man to know his own Strength; that knowledge ferves to Cultivate the Excellent, and improve common Endowments. Many would have become great Men, had they been acquainted with their true Talent.

• According to the ufual Circle of Human Affairs, War ends in Peace, Peace in Plenty and Luxury, thefe in Pride, and Pride in Contention, till the Circle ends in new Wars.

* Wit is generally defin'd a Propriety of Thought and Words. Propriety of Thought is that Fancy which arifes naturally from that Subject, or which a Man adapts to it; Propriety of Words, is the cloathing of thofe Thoughts with fuch Expreffions, as are naturally proper to them.

* All Paffions in general are Dangerous to a Pali tician; but Love is Mortal.

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Converfation is of a very great Weight, and the shortest way to become a great Man, isto be ab'e to chufe ones Company, for Manners, Humours, Opinions, nay, and We are infenfibly Communicated. So a hafty Man fhould frequent the Company of one that is Patient, and every one his contrary. By

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