like Wiggs and Commodes: Sena and Rubarb have a long time been in Vogue: Nothing is now cur'd without Jefuits Powder, Opium and Steel.

Though a good Reafon may be given why we have fo many Hypocrites in Religion, when they make their Fortunes by it; yet I could never comprehend the Mystery, that not a few Perfons should be fuch Affes to value themselves for things that are apparently falfe. Lucius is the Grand-fon of a Chimney-Sweeper, all the World knows it, and yet the Sot values himself in all Companies, upon his noble Extraction, and everlaftingly talks of the Services which his Ancestors have done the Publick. Yes, fays one Gentleman to him one day, finding him upon this ftrain, the Publick is oblig'd to your Ancestors, if it had not been for them London had been in danger of burning more than once.

'Tis a wife Saying of Plutarch, That it is otherwife in a Common-Wealth of Men, than of Bees. The Hive of a City or Kingdom is in best Condition when there is leaft of Noife or Buzz in it.

Fortune is the Pedestal of Merit, and few Men "are taken notice of unless they ftand on that Advantage.

• "The Merit and Parts of fome few Men are "fo much above the common fize, that they need "no Advancement to over-top the reft of Man"kind. A Chancellour's or Treasurer's Place might enlarge Lock's and Newton's Fortunes, but fcarce their Reputation,

* « Some

↑ "Some People's Merit is fo very great, that "they are above the reach of Envy it self.

*""Tis only the Infolence of Coxcombs in "Office, that makes the want of Employments "intolerable to a Man of Merit.

* A Prince may be familiar with his Subjects, without derogating from his Majefty; but not fu percilious without danger.

'Tis an unhappy thing for Princes to be fome times neceffitated to promife, when they know it would not be Prudence to perform.

*

Bribery has brought Things to that miferable pafs, that a Man of known Capacity and Integrity cannot be in a Condition to ferve his Country in Parliament, without cringing to every Scoundrel of a Corporation.

* Many were thought Men of great Abilities till they came to be employ'd.

"Why fhould we wonder to fee fcoundrel "Plotters turn Evidence againft their Fellow Afla"fins to fave their own Lives, when we fee Men in great Employment turn Informers to flip their "Necks out of the Collar ?

"

* The Answer of Apollonius to Vefpatian is full of excellent Inftruction: Vefpatian ask'd him, What was Nero's overthrow? Apollonius anfwer'd, He could touch and tune the Harp well; but in Government fometimes heus'd to wind the Pins too high, fometimes A a 2

to

to let them down too low. And certainly nothing deftroys Authority fo much as the unequal and untimely interchange of Power ftrain'd too far, and relaxed too much.

• Much bending breaks the Bow; much unbending the Mind.

* If Vices were upon the whole matter profitable, the Virtuous Man would be the Sinnet.

* The Flood of Grief decreases, when it can fwell no higher.

* Fortune makes him a Fool, whom she makes her Darling.

* That fick Man does ill for himself, who makes his Physician his Heir.

* Children encrease the Cares of Life; but they mitigate the Remembrance of Death.

* Men ought to find the difference between Saltnefs and Bitterness; for certainly he that has a Satyrical Vein, as he makes others afraid of his Wit, so he had need to be afraid of others Memory.

* Men feem neither well to understand their Riches, nor their Strength: Of the former they believe greater things than they should, and of the latter much less. And from hence certain fatal Pillars have bounded the Progrefs of Learning.

A Fop is a Fool of Fortunes making, and that is ten times more intolerable than one of Natures.

* Honesty

Honefty and Plain dealing is the Honour of Man's Nature; and a Mixture of falfhood is like allay in Gold and Silver, which may make the Metal work the better, but it embafes it.

* Death opens the Gate to good: Fame, and extinguishes Envy.

He that ftudies Revenge, keeps his own Wounds green.

* As in Nature things move more violently to their Place, and Calmly in their Place; fo Vertue in AmEbition is violent; in Authority fettled aud Calm.

*Boldness in civil business, is like Pronuntiation in the Orator Demofthenes; the First, Second and Third thing.

*Without good Nature Men is but a better kind of Vermin.

God never wrought Miracles to convince 5 Atheism, becaufe his ordinary Works convince it.

The Mafter of Superftition is the People, and in all Superftition, Wife Men follow Fools.

* In removing Superftitions care fhould be had, that (as it fares in ill Purgings) the good be not taken away with the bad, which commonly it does, when the People is the Phyfician.

* He that goes into a Country before he has fome entrance into the Language, goes to School, and not to Travel.

* Depreffion of the Nobility may make a King more abfolute, but less safe.

* The true Compofition of a Counsellor, is rather to be skill'd in his Mafters Bufinefs than his Nature; for then he is like to advise him, and not to feed his Humour.

* New things, like Strangers, are more admir'd, and lefs favour'd.

It were good that Men in their Innovations fhould follow the Example of Time it felt, which indeed innovates greatly, but quietly, and by degrees fcarce to be perceiv'd.

They that Reverence too much old Time, are but a scorn to the new.

A Civil War is like the heat of a Feaver; but a Foreign War is like the beat of Exercife, and ferves to keep the Body in Health.

• Let States that aim at Greatness take heed how their Nobility and Gentry multiply too faft. In Coppice-Woods, if you leave your Staddles too thick, you shall never have clean Under-wood, but Shrubs and Brushes.

Base Natures if they find themselves once sufpeeted will never be true!

Cowe