thou art a man; Remember thou art GoD's vicegerent; the one bridleth their power, the other their will. Liberality in a prince is no virtue, when maintained at the subject's unwilling coft. It is less reproach, by frugality, to deserve the popular love, than by liberality, to deserve private thanks. A king that lets interceffion too often prevail, will not be long worshipped. A prince should be asked, why he will do a thing, but not why he hath done it. Reverfionary grants of employments will quickly make a king a subject to his fubjects, and his fucceffor a king of straws. A prince enquiring of a philofopher, by what means he might enjoy a long reign, replied: "By doing good to all, and trufting few." The king who is only gracious at the approach of a danger, will be in danger when he expects deliver ance. Let therefore that prince that would be potent, be pious; and that he may punish offences the better, let him be religious. The joy of Jerufalem depends upon the peace of Sion. KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING. KNO NOWLEDGE is the treasure of the mind, and discretion is the key to it; it illuftrates all other learning, as the lapidary doth unpolish'd diamonds. Of Of all others, a ftudious life is least tiresome: it makes us easy to ourselves, and to others; and gains us both friends and reputation. He has learned but little, who values himself upon what he knows, or defpifes another for what he knows not. The Spanish proverb says, that knowledge will become folly, if good fenfe does not take care of it. He that has lefs learning than his capacity is able to manage, shall have more use of it, than he that has more than he can master; for no man can have an active and ready command of that which is too heavy for him. The end of all knowledge is to understand what is fit to be done; for to know what has been, what is, and what may be, does but tend to that. A great deal of learning, is like a great house, very chargeable to be kept in repair. Much studying that defigns no other advantage but private fatisfaction, is but a fort of ingenious idleness. Affect not to be wife and knowing out of time. Learning tasteth not kindly to every palate. He who sometimes diffembles his knowledge of what he is esteemed to know, will be thought at other times to know what he knows not. Ignorance is the greatest of all infirmities, and when juftified, the first of all follies. Learning and a good life are both defirable; but if both cannot be obtained, a good life is far preferable. Happiness Happiness is the lot of knowledge; mifery the inheritance of ignorance. It is no fhame to learn, fo long as we are ignorant; that is to fay, fo long as we live. Learning is like mercury, one of the most powerful and excellent things in the world in skilful hands; but in unskilful, the most mischievous. He that has learning, and not difcretion to use it, has only the advantage of having more ways to expose himself. An uncultivated mind, like unmanured ground, will foon be over-run with weeds. There are no fuch true friends as wife books: art polishes and improves nature. Knowledge begins the gentleman, and the commerce of the world compleats him. If you defire knowledge only to know, it is curiofity; if to be known, it is vanity; but, if to edify, it is charity; or that thou mayeft be edified, it is wisdom. Much reading, but more thinking, little fpeaking, and much learning, is the best way to improve in knowledge. Wife men are instructed by reason; men of less understanding, by experience; the most ignorant, by neceffity; and beasts by nature. As among wife men, he is the wifeft that thinks he knows leaft; fo, among fools, he is the greateft, that thinks he knows moft. Of all poverty, that of the mind is moft deplo rable; and of all prodigality, that of time is the worst. Reading Reading is to the mind, what exercife is to the body as by the one, health is preserved, ftrengthened and invigorated; fo by the other, virtue, which is the health of the mind, is kept alive, cherished, and confirmed. Ignorance creates weaknefs and fear, but learning makes men bold and affured. An induftrious and virtuous education of children, is a better inheritance for them, than a great eftate. Science when well digefted, is nothing but good fense and reason. Men who labour hard for learning and knowledge, and communicate it, like lighted tapers, waste themselves for the benefit of others. A mind too active confumes the body, as the richest jewels are fooneft found to wear their fettings. Wear your learning like your watch in a private pocket, and do not pull it out merely to shew that you have one. Knowledge is like power in this respect, that they who have the most are most defirous of having more. Languages are not to be defpifed, but things are ftill to be preferred. Reading serves for delight, for ornament, and for ability; it perfects nature, and is perfected by experience. Vaft is the field of fcience, the more a man knows, the more he will find he has to know. The world is one great university. Language Language is but a vehicle to science, it is not fcience itself. A mere scholar at court, is an afs among apes. Knowledge directeth practice; but yet practice increaseth knowledge. Knowledge is a treasure, but practice is the key to it. Knowledge without practice, makes but half an artist. Learning makes a good man better, and an ill man worse. Reading of books may make men learned, but it is converfe and business that make men wife. He that doth not know that he is weak, is but weak in knowledge. History is philofophy teaching by examples. The greater our knowledge is, the more duties we have to discharge. Knowledge is the ornament of the rich, and the riches of the poor. . Fame nourishes arts, and we are animated to ftudy by honour. Better not to know what we should practife, than not to practise what we know; and lefs danger dwells in unaffected ignorance, than unactive knowledge. The pains we take in books or arts, which are remote from the ufe of life, is but a bufy idlenefs. He who acquires his learning at the expence of his morals, is the worfe for his education. VOL. II. L. The 1 2 |