In flow'ry vales, where nymphs and shepherds meet, How fweet the morn, how gentle is the night, How calm the evening, and the noon how bright! From hence, as from a hill, Iview, below, The crowded world that like fome wood does fhow. Where feveral wandrers travel day and night, Through feveral paths, and none are in the right. 1293. We envy the great for those very things, which are the greatest plagues to them; I mean their great retinue. 1294. The duties are at prefent fo high upon preferment, that men of honour do not care for trading. 1295. A king of England fhould caufe his coronation oath to be written in golden capitals in his closet, as the ten commandments are in his chapel; the observation of the first being as neceffary for his happiness in this world, as the keeping of the other for his felicity hereafter. 1296. A wife prince had much better make a favourite of his minifter, than a minister of his favourite. But beafts of pleasure, are feldom beafts of burthen. 1297. Innovations are generally pernicious in government, as well as in religion; and, therefore, it is much better to bear with fmall grievances, than unravel the prefent conftitution. 1298. The difeafe of a kingdom firft breaks out in the miniftry, which, if not removed, will infallibly corrupt and destroy the whole body politick. 1299. It is very dangerous to try experiments in a state, unless in cafes of extreme neceffity; and it is better to connive for a while at any inconveniences, than fuddenly to run upon a reformation. 1300. Seneca fays, if a man, truly great, falls, honour attends him in his lowest condition; the fame veneration is paid to him as to a temple that lies in ruins, for which the devout and confiderate entertain the fame religious refpect, as if it were in the best repair, and fhone with the greatest fplendor and glory. 1301. Nothing can be feen finer than the image of the reign of Auguftus, after the death of Cæfar. Plain dealing is recalled to the bar; difcord is banished the fenate; equity and justice return to the city, attended with ability and induftry; the magiftrates have refumed their authority; the fenators their ancient majefty; decrees and judgments their wonted force: We see the citizens reinspired with a generous emulation of doing good actions; or forced upon fuch by a happy neceffity: Virtue is honoured, vice punished; the inferior rank have a veneration for the fuperior, without any mixture of awe or averfion; and the latter confider the former without any fentiments of contempt. 1302. Monfieur Balzac writing to a friend from his folitude, expreffeth himself with a good deal of humour. "I do not care, fays he, to return to a country, where men become hunch-backed by fcraping, and cringing. I am so happily fituated, that all the princes of the world act act comedies for my diverfion: I poffefs all the abundance of the universe, from the heights of heaven, down to the brooks and fprings; and, with the greatest ease, obtain, from the moderation of my defires, what I never hoped from the liberality of fortune. This being the true state of my cafe, would you advise me to leave these poffeffions, which no body envies, and to neglect that precious liberty, for which the Hollanders have facrificed fo much blood, and contended with the Spaniards these fifty years ?" 1303. Let a prince that would beware of plots, be rather jealous of fuch whom his favours have advanced, than of those whom his displeasure has difcontented: these want the means, the others have, to execute their defire; and ambition to rule, is more vehement than malice to revenge. 1304. Perfeverance is either meritorious, or otherwise, according as the purpose of it is good or bad, and the conduct discreet or defperate. In a righteous cause, and under the direction of reason, it affumes the name of conftancy, and is numbered among the virtues: but when preffed into the service of iniquity, and goaded on by rashness and folly, it is called obftinacy, and can lead to nothing but ruin. 1305. Whilst courtiers fpeak for one another, all of them obtain what none of them deserve. 1306. The publick is but one body, and the prince the head of it; fo that what member foever withdraws his service from the head, is no better than a negative traitor to his country and himself. 1307. It 1307. It is with glory, as with beauty; for as a fingle fine lineament cannot make a handfome face, neither can a fingle good quality render a man accomplished; but a concurrence of many fine features and good qualities makes true beauty, and true honour. 1308. Every man fets up a court of honour within himfelf, pronounces every thing honourable that ferves his purpofe, and laughs at them that think otherwise. 1309. He cannot be without a great deal of compaffion, that is always fenfible of another's misery. 1310. It is not fo very difficult for men to know themfelves, if they did but take the pains to enquire into themfelves; but they are more folicitous to be thought what they should be, than really careful to be what they fhould be. 1311. This maxim, Let a thing be never fo fecret, yet it will be difcovered at one time or other, is very uncertain, if not false; for it has no other ground, than those things that have been found out; and, for ought we know, there may be as many that never did, or fhall come to our knowledge. 1312. An affectation of popularity has often proved a fnare, ftrong enough to tempt many men, who have otherwise been of great temperance and virtue: nor, indeed, can there be any more dangerous enemies to a state or a kingdom, than fuch as come fober to endeavour its deftruction. 1313. Laws, with penalties, are made for the government of the fimple and weak, like cobwebs, to catch flies; flies; but power is the law of laws, and there is no difputing with it, but upon the fword's point. 1315. Nothing can make a King of England abfolute, but his goodness, and strict regard to the laws. 1316. A prince that governs by parties, is like a philosopher that grows wife by starts, and broken fancies. 1317. When a prince has overcome the rebels, he should deliver the forfeited eftates into the hands of his people, who have beforehand paid the purchase, by enabling him to triumph over his enemies. 1318. A prince who has the love and veneration of his people, may eafily fatisfy all parties; whereas, courting them is endless. 1319. The times paft read ufeful lectures to the time prefent; he that would fee what shall be, let him confider what has been. 1320. It is as impoffible for a government to be without faults, as for a man to be fo. 1321. Favourites are justly the envy of the people; they get every thing, and generally merit nothing. 1322. Governing by parties may keep a prince above water for a while, but will fink him at last. 1323. A fteady conduct is the great art of governing a fickle people; whereas, chopping and changing of meafures keeps them always in a ferment, and ready to rebel. 1324. It is a hard matter to determine whether those who preached paffive obedience did King James more harm, than those who spake against his prerogative? We may rail against the King of France as much as we please, but to |