gure, than in repeating fuch Pleasures and Pains to the rest of the World; but I fpeak of them only, as they fit upon those who are involved in them. As I vifit all Sorts of People, I cannot indeed but fmile, when the good Lady tells her Husband what extraordinary things the Child (poke fince he went out. No longer than yesterday I was prevail'd with to go home with a fond Husband, and his Wife told him, that his Son, of his own Head, when the Clock in the Parlour ftruck two, faid, Pappa would come home to dinner presently. While the Father has him in a rapture in his Arms, and is drowning him with Kiffes, the Wife tells me he is but juft four Years old. Then they both fruggle for him, and bring him up to me, and repeat his Obfervation of two a-clock. I was called upon, by Looks upon the Child, and then at me, to fay fomething; and I told the Father, that this Remark of the Infant of his coming home, and joyning the Time with it, was a certain Indication that he would be a great Hiftorian and Chronologer. They are neither of them Fools, yet received my Compliment with great Acknowledgment of my Prefcience. I fared very well at Dinner, and heard many other notable Sayings of their Heir, which would have given very little Entertainment to one lefs turned to ReЯection than I was; but it was a pleafing Speculation to remark on the Happiness of a Life, in which things of no Moment give Occafion of Hope, Self-Satisfaction, and Triumph. On the other Hand, I have known an ill-natur'd Coxcomb, who has hardly improved in any thing but Bulk, for want of this Difpofition, filence the whole Family, as a Set of filly Women and Children, for recounting things which were really above his own Capacity. WHEN I fay all this, I cannot deny but there are perverfe Jades that fall to Mens Lots, with whom it requires more than common Proficiency in Philofophy to be able to live. When these are joined to Men of warm Spirits, without Temper or Learning, they are frequently corrected with Stripes; but one of our famous Lawyers is of Opinion, that this ought to be used fparingly; as I remember, those are his very Words; but as it is proper to draw some spiritual Ufe out of all Afflictions, I fhould rather recommend to thofe who are vifited with Women of Spirit, to form themselves for the World by Patience at No. 479. at home. Socrates who is by all Accounts the undoubted Head of the Sect of the Hen-peck'd, own'd, and acknowledged that he ow'd great part of his Virtue to the Exercife which his ufeful Wife conftantly gave it. There are feveral good Inftructions may be drawn from his wife Anfwers to People of lefs Fortitude than himself on her Subject. A Friend, with Indignation, asked how fo good a Man could live with fo violent a Creature? He obferv'd to him, That they who learn to keep a good Seat on horfeback, mount the least manageable they can get, and when they have mafter'd them, they are fure never to be difcompos'd on the Backs of Steeds lefs refiive. At feveral times, to different Perfons, on the fame Subject, he has faid, My dear Friend, you are beholden to Xantippe, that I bear fo well your flying out in a Difpute. To another, My Hen clacks very much, but she brings me Chickens. They that live in a trading Street, are not disturbed at the Paffage of Carts. I would have, if poffible, a wife Man be contented with his Lot, even with a Shrew; for tho' he cannot make her better, he may, you fee, make himself better by her Means. BUT instead of purfuing my Defign of difplaying Conjugal Love in its natural Beauties and Attractions, I am got into Tales to the Difadvantage of that State of Life. I must fay, therefore, that I am verily perfuaded that whatever is delightful in human Life, is to be enjoy'd in greater Perfection in the marry'd, than in the fingle Condition. He that has this Paffion in Perfection, in Occafions of Joy can fay to himself, befides his own Satisfaction, Hous happy will this make my Wife and Children? Upon Occurrences of Diftrefs or Danger can comfort himself, But, all this while my Wife and Children are fafe. There is fomething in it that doubles Satisfactions, becaufe others participate them; and difpels Afflictions, because others are exempt from them. All who are marry'd without this Relifh of their Circumftance, are in either a tasteless Indolence and Negligence, which is hardly to be attain'd, or elfe live in the hourly Repetition of fharp Anfwers, eagerUpbraidings, and diftracting Reproaches, in a Word, the married State, with and without the Affection fuitable to it, is the compleateft Image of Heaven and Hell, we are capable of receiving in this Life. T Wednesday, No. 480. Wednesday, September 10. Refponfare cupidinibus, contemnere honores, TH Hor. HE other Day looking over thofe old Manufcripts, of which I have formerly given fome Account, and which relate to the Character of the mighty Pharamond of France, and the close Friendship between him and his Friend Eucrate; I found, among the Letters which had been in the Cuftody of the latter, an Epiftle from a Country Gentleman to Pharamond, wherein he excufes himself from coming to Court. The Gentleman, it feems, was contented with his Condition, had formerly been in the King's Service, but at the writing the following Letter, had, from Leifure and Reflection, quite another Sense of Things than that which he had in the more active. Part of his Life. Monfieur Chezluy to Pharamond." Dread Sir, I HAVE from your own Hand (enclosed under the Cover of Mr. Eucrate of your Majefty's Bed-Chamber) a Letter which invites me to Court. I understand this great Honour to be done me out of Refpect and Inclination to me, rather than Regard to your own Ser'vice : For which Reason I beg to leave before your Majefty my Reasons for declining to depart from Home; and will not doubt but, as your Motive in defiring my • Attendance was to make me a happier Man, when you • think that will not be effected by my Remove, you will 6 permit me to stay where I am. Those who have an Ambition to appear inCourts, have ever an Opinion that their Perfons or their Talents are particularly formed for the Service or Ornament of that Place; or else are hur⚫ried by downright Defire of Gain, or what they call Ho. nour, or take upon themfelves whatever the Generofity ⚫ of their Mafter can give them Opportunities to grafp at. B. 5 But 6 . but your Goodness shall not be thus impofed upon by me: I will therefore confefs to you, that frequent Solitude, and long Converfation with fuch who know no Arts which polifh Life, have made me the plaineft Creature in your Dominions. Thofe lefs Capacities of moving ⚫ with a good Grace, bearing a ready Affability to all around me, and acting with eafe before many, have quite left me. I am come to that, with Regard to my Perfon, that I can confider it only as a Machine I am obliged to take Care of, in order to enjoy my Soul in its Faculties with Alacrity; well remembring, that this Habitation of Clay will in a few Years be a meaner Piece of Earth than any Utenfil about my House. When this is, as it really is, the most frequent Reflection I have, you will eafily imagine how well I fhould become a Drawing-Room: Add to this, What fhall a Man without Defires do about the generous "Pharamond? Monfieur Eucrate has hinted to me, that you have Thoughts of diftinguishing me with Titles. As for myself, in the Temper of my prefent Mind, Appellations of Honour would but embarafs Difcourse, and new Behaviour towards me perplex me in every Habitude of Life. I am alfo to acknowledge to you, that my Children, of whom your Majefty condefcended to enquire, are all of them mean, both in their Perfons and Genius. The Eftate my eldest Son is Heir to, is more than he can enjoy with a good Grace. My Selflove will not carry me fo far, as to impofe upon Man* kind the Advancement of Perfons (merely for their be. ing related to me) into high Diftinctions, who ought ⚫ for their own Sakes, as well as that of the Publick, to affect Obfcurity. I wish, my generous Prince, as it is in your Power to give Honours and Offices, it were alfo to give Talents fuitable to them: Were it fo, the • noble Pharamond would reward the Zeal of my Youth with Abilities to do him service in my Age. THOSE who accept of Favour without Merit, fupport themselves in it at the Expence of your Majefty. Give me leave to tell you, Sir, this is the Reafon that we in the Country hear fo often repeated the Word Prerogative. That Part of your Law which is reserved in your elf for the readier Service and Good of the Publick, flight 6 flight Men are eternally buzzing in our Ears to cover their own Follies and Mifcarriages. It would be an • Addition to the high Favour you have done me, if you would let Eucrate fend me Word how often, and in what Cafes you allow a Conftable to infift upon the Prerogative. From the highest to the lowest Officer in your Dominions, fomething of their own Carriage they would exempt from Examination under the Shelter of the Word Prerogative. I would fain, most no'ble Pharamond, fee one of your Officers affert your Prerogative by good and gracious Actions. When is it • used to help the Afflicted, to rescue the Innocent, to comfort the Stranger? Uncommon Methods, apparently undertaken to attain worthy Ends, would never make Power invidious. You fee, Sir, I talk to you ⚫ with the Freedom your noble Nature approves, in all 'whom you admit to your Converfation. BUT, to return to your Majefty's Letter, I humbly ⚫ conceive that all Diftinctions are ufeful to Men, only as they are to act in Publick; and it would be a romantick Madness, for a Man to be a Lord in his Clofet. Nothing can be honourable to a Man apart from theWorld, 'but the Reflection upon worthy Actions; and he that places Honour in a Confcioufnefs of Well-doing, will have but little Relish for any outward Homage that ' is paid him, fince what gives him Diftinction to himself, cannot come within the Obfervation of his Beholders. • Thus all the Words of Lordship, Honour, and Grace, are only Repetitions to a Man that the King has order'd him to be called fo; but no Evidences that there is any thing in himself that would give the Man who applies to him thofe Ideas, without the Creation of his Mafter. • I have, most noble Pharamond, all Honours and all Titles in your own Approbation; I triumph in them as they are your Gift, I refuse them as they are to give me the Obfervation of others. Indulge me my noble Mafter, in this Chastity of Renown; let me know my felf in the Favour of Pharamond; and look down upon the Applaufe of the People. I am, 6 In all Duty and Loyalty, Jean Chezluy. |