Or, where is the philofopher, who would not moft willingly deceive the world to increase his own reputation, or to be diftinguifhed from it?

The love of truth is the best philofophy; and the moft eligible mode of philofophifing is, the plain and obvious rule of common fenfe.

PHYSICIAN AND PHYSICK, ::

I

T is with Juftice as with fick men: in time past, when we had few doctors, as well of law, as of phyfick, we had more RIGHT, and more HEALTH, But now we are deftroyed by multitudes, and confultations, which ferve to no other end, than to enflame both the DISTEMPER, and the RECK

ONING.

It is a maxim, that law and phyfick fhould only be made ufe of for neceffity.

APOLLO was held the god of phyfick, and fender of diseases; both were originally the fame trade, and ftill continue fo

P L

A CE S.

See PENSIONS.

PLEASURE.

PLEASURE.

E cannot rightly judge of pleasure, who never tafted pain.

Pleasures preceded by the greatest difficulties are the most fenfible.

He that is violent in the purfuit of pleasures, will not be very squeamish in the purchase.

All earthly delights are sweeter in the expectation, than in the enjoyment; all fpiritual pleafures greater in fruition, than expectation.

All fits of pleasure are balanced by an equal degree of pain or languor; it is like spending this year a part of the next year's revenue.

The more rarely the objects of pleasure occur, the more delightful they are.

When moderation is exceeded, the most delightful things may become the most disgusting.

It is the character of a wife man, to refift pleasure, and of a fool, to be enslaved by it.

Our pleasures would be infipid, if some disappointment did not heighten their relish.

When the idea of any pleasure strikes your imagination, make a just computation between the duration of the pleasure, and that of the repentance likely to follow it.

Indulging the pleasures of the body, fooner or later becomes the torment of the foul.

Few of our pleasures are worth recalling; fome we are ashamed of

The man of pleasure judges of things, not according to reafon, but according to fenfe.

Pain is the offspring of pleasure.

The intellectuals of a man of pleasure generally grow unferviceable by too little use, and his fenfes decayed by too much.

The nature and value of pleasures are better difcovered by reflection when paft, than by their impreffions when felt.-.

The lofs of falfe joys recommends to us more folid ones.

Pleasures bring effeminacy, and effeminacy ruin.

A true philofopher abftains from voluptuous plea fures, not out of temperance, but merely for pleafure's fake; meaning as the evils which thofe draw after them, are greater than the pleasures by which they are accompanied.

Fly pleasure, and it will follow you.

If virtue accompany our pleasures, we fhall relith them well, and need not fear their confequences. The garden of pleasure is beautiful, but bears aconite intermixed with rofes.

It is the character of a wife man to leave pleasures before they leave him.

Innocent pleasures are doubly enjoyed: They delight when present, and when paft: They refemble the fupper that ATTICUS gave to CICERO,

PLEASING ON RECOLLECTION.

See PASSIONS,

PLOTS.

IN

N all public tranfactions, especially political, the judgments of men are paffed as their different paffions or interefts infpire them.

A politician, like SAMPSON, muft carry his ftrength in his head, not in his arms.

Confidence, ambition and covetousness, are the climax by which he afcends to grandeur.

In all marts of business he hath his factors, though they do not feem openly to trade.

In all affairs he makes himself necessary and useful

He is very free in conferring small favours and courtefies, to beget confidence, that he may deceive in greater matters.

He makes ufe of others as the ape did of the cat's foot, to pull the chefnut out of the fire for his own eating.

Conscience is the rudder by which he seems to fteer his actions, but he turns it, as the wind blows, for his best advantage.

He

He imitates the hawk which flies high, yet will defcend to catch his prey.

He hath BRIAREUS's hands to oppofe defigns, as well as ARGUS's eyes to penetrate counfels.

If at any time he disburses money for any perfon, he uses it as anglers do their fish, to bait their hooks and catch more.

When he hath gotten any perfon into his net, he doth not inftantly draw it; but when they are got into the tunnel, they are then at his

mercy.

As for juft and unjuft, he looks upon them to be the needle-work of idle brains.

Interest is the flar by which he fteers, and himself the harbour of all his defigns.

He uses virtue but to ferve his turn, and covets an opinion of honesty only to get faith, the better to bring about his designs and deceive.

He makes ufe of Religion as a stirrup to get into the faddle, and fo upon the back of ho

nour.

So that hypocrify is the ground and basis of his business, and to find out occafions, is, he thinks, the knack of men of wit.

He is very dextrous at giving out news, and hath a mint always about him, to coin fuch as may be current and seasonable to his ends.

Politicks, as commonly understood, are nothing but corruptions; and confequently of no ufe to a good king, or a good ministry: for which reafon, courts are over-run with them.

Political

N