The Inconve- I. niencies of Great Place. port. ESSAY IV. Of GREAT PLACE. EN in great Place are thrice Servants; Servants of the Sovereign; Servants of Fame; and Servants of Business so that they enjoy no Liberty, either in their Perfons, Actions, or Time. 'Tis a ftrange Paffion to covet Power, and lofe Liberty; or to affect Power over others, and lofe it over ones felf. The rifing in Office is laborious; and one painful Step leads to another more painful: fometimes alfo it is ignoble; and Dignity acquired with Difgrace. The Standing is flippery, and the Return either a Fall, or at leaft an Eclipfe; which itself is a melancholy thing. Nay, Men cannot retire when they would; nor will they when they fhould: but grow impatient of Privacy, even under Age and Sickness, which require the Shade: thus acting like old Townfmen, who will be ftill fitting at their Street-door, tho they thereby expose themfelves to Scorn. Men in high 2. Men in great Place had need borrow other Mens Opinions to think Pofts only themfelves happy; for if they judge by their own feeling, they cannot happy by re-find it but if they revolve with themselves, what other Men think of them; and how willingly others would change Conditions with them; it is then they are happy, as it were by Report: when perhaps they find the contrary within. For they are the firft that find their own Misfortunes; but the last that find their own Faults. Men in high Station are certainly Strangers to themselves; and in their Hurry of Business, want time to attend their own Health, both of Body and Mind'. The Advan Place. 3. Great Place affords great Opportunities both of doing Good and tages of Great Evil: the latter whereof is to be accounted a Curfe; for in Evil the best Condition is not to will; the fecond, not to be able. But to acquire the Power of doing Good, is doubtlefs the true and lawful End of Afpiring. For good Thoughts, tho God accept them, are with regard to Man, little better than good Dreams; unless reduced to Action and that cannot be done without fome publick Poft, and Power; in the way of the commanding Ground. Merit and good Works are the true Ends of Man's Labour; and Consciousness of the fame, is the Perfection of his Reft. And the Lord looked, and beheld the works of his hands, and faw that all was extremely good: And then followed the Sabbath. Thus if a Man can be a Partaker of God's Work, he fhall likewife be Partaker of his Reft. Precepts for 4. In the Discharge of thy Office, fet before thee the best Examples; and Men in Office. after fome time, thy own Example; examining thyfelf ftrictly, whether thou didst not begin better, than thou holdeft on. Nor neglect the Examples of fuch as have behaved ill in the fame Poft; tho this not to fet off 9 Cum non fis qui fueris, non effe cur velis vivere? Qui notus nimis omnibus, Ignotus moritur fibi. thyfelf thyfelf by taxing their Memory; but to learn what to avoid. Reform, therefore, without Oftentation, or Scandal to former Times and Perfons; yet ever obferve to fet good Prefidents, as well as to follow them. Reduce things to their first Institution; and examine wherein, and by what means they have degenerated: yet confult with both Times; with the ancient to learn what is beft; and with the later to know what is fitteft. Endeavour to confine all Acts of Power to Rule; that Men may know before-hand what to expect: yet be not too pofitive and peremptory; and carefully to explain the Reason, when thou digreffeft from thy Rule. Preserve the Right of thy Place; but without moving Questions of Jurifdiction: and rather affume and exercise thy Right with Silence and in Fact, than claim and challenge it with Vociferation. Preferve likewise the Rights of inferior and fubordinate Places; and think it more Honour to direct in chief, than to be bufy in all. Embrace and procure Affiftance and Information, as to the Execution of thy Office: and drive not away, as Medlers, thofe that offer their Service therein; but rather invite and receive them with Favour. 5. The Vices apt to attend the Exercise of Authority, are chiefly four; The Vices atviz. Delays, Corruption, Roughness, and Facility. With regard to Delays; tending the Exercife of give eafy Accefs; keep appointed Times; go thro with what is in hand; Power; viz. and admit no new Business but of Neceffity. Delays, 6. For Corruption; not only bind thy own Hands, and the Hands of Bribery, thy Servants, from taking; but the Hands alfo of Suitors from offering Bribes. The firft End is fecured by the Ufe of Integrity; and the fecond, by Integrity profefs'd, with a manifeft Deteftation of Bribery: and avoid not only the Crime, but the Sufpicion. Whoever is found variable, and changes manifeftly without manifeft Caufe, gives Sufpicion of Corruption. Therefore, whenever a Man in Office changes the Opinion he had once declared, or the Course once entered upon; let him always profefs it ingenuously; and at the fame time fully explain and inculcate the Reasons that moved him thereto; without hoping to efcape unobferved. A favourite Servant that has Interest with his Mafter, without any manifest Cause of Efteem, is commonly thought no other than an oblique Way to Corruption. 7. As for Roughness; it occafions Envy and Ill-will, without receiving any Roughness, Advantage; for Severity occafions Fear; but Roughness, Hate whereas even Reproofs from Authority fhould be grave, and not reproachful. 8. Facility is worse than Bribery: for Bribes are feldom offer'd; but if Facility. a Man be fway'd by Importunity, or idle Refpects, these are always at hand. Thus Solomon fays; to refpect perfons is not good: for fuch a man will tranfgrefs for a piece of bread. 9. 'Tis a true faying, Place fhews the Man; and it fhews fome to Advantage, Place Shews others not. Tacitus fays, that Galba was univerfally allowed fit to govern, till Men. he became Emperor: And that Vefpafian alone, of all the Emperors, was alter'd for the better. It is an evident Sign of a generous Difpofition, when Honour improves the Man; for Honour is, or should be, the Place of Virtue: and V L. II. U as The Way of rifing. Rules for Be- as in Nature, Things move violently to their Place, and calmly when they are in it fo Virtue is violent in Ambition; but in Honour more calm. 10. There is no rifing to great Place, but by winding Stairs; and if Faction reigns, it is beft for a Man to take his Side in rifing; and to balance himself when raised. 11. Hurt not the Memory of thy Predeceffor; otherwife it is a Debt will be repaid thee by thy Succeffor. If thou haft Colleagues in Office, treat them as Friends; and rather call them when they do not expect it, than exclude them when it is proper they fhould be called. Mention not thy Office too much in Converfation; but let it be rather faid, when he fits in his Place, he is another Man. Followers of 1. what fort to be chofe, and titled. ESSAY V. Of FOLLOWERS and FRIENDS. Expenfive Followers are not to be admitted; left whilft a Man makes his Train longer, his Wings grow fhorter. Under expensive to what en Followers, I reckon not only thofe who charge the Purfe; but fuch alfo as are importunate and troublesome in their Petitions. Ordinary Followers ought to expect no higher Conditions than Countenance, occafional Recommendation, and Protection from Injuries. Factious Followers. Boafting Fol lowers. Spying Followers. Followers of 2. Factious Followers are still more to be avoided, who apply not out of Affection to their Patron; but Hatred to another Perfon: whence often proceeds that Mifunderstanding we fee between Men of Power. 3. Again, thofe boafting Followers are pernicious, who like Trumpets refound the Praise of their Patrons for fuch Followers taint Business by divulging it; and, if well confidered, export the Honour of their Patron, and bring him Envy in return. 4. There is another kind of Followers who are extremely dangerous; being indeed no other than Spies, that fearch out the Secrets of the Family, and whisper them to others. Yet fuch Followers often stand high in the Favour of their Patrons; because they are officious, and generally exchange Whispers. 5. The Patronage of certain Orders of Men, of the fame Profeffion with the the fame Or Patron; as for a General to patronize Soldiers, &c. has been always esteem'd a graceful Thing, and well received even in Monarchies; provided it be done without much Pomp or Popularity. der with the Patron. The most honourable and ufeful Foilowers. Followers, how to be used. 6. But the most honourable kind of Patronage, is for a Perfon to profess himself the Patron of those who are eminent in Virtue and Merit; of whatever Order or Condition they are. But where there is no remarkable Difference in Merit, 'tis better to patronize the fomewhat lefs, than the more virtuous. For, to fpeak the naked Truth, active and industrious Men are more serviceable in corrupt Times, than the truly virtuous. 7. In Government indeed 'tis beft to treat Subjects of the fame Rank equally for highly to countenance a few, is to make them infolent; and the rest difcontented: fince Parity of Rank requires Parity of Favour, as its Due. On the the other hand, in matters of mere Favour, it is proper to ufe Men with Diftinction and Choice; for this will make the Perfons preferred more thankful, and the reft more officious: nor can any one here juftly complain, because the whole is matter of Favour, not of Duty. 8. 'Tis a Point of Difcretion, not to favour any Man too highly at the Cautions refirft; because fucceeding Favours can fcarce hold in the fame Proportion. quired with To be moulded and governed by any one Friend, is not fafe; because it lowers and fhews Softness, and gives occafion to Scandal and Difrepute: for many that Friends. would not immediately cenfure ourselves, will take greater Liberties with our Intimates, and thus wound our Honour. Yet to be subject to the Power of many, and differently diftracted thereby, is ftill worfe; for this makes a Man to be of the last Impreffion, and full of Inconftancy. 9. To confult with fome few Friends is honourable and useful for By- To take Adstanders often see more than the Players; and the Vale beft difcovers the vice of a few. Hill. World. 10. There is little true Friendship in the World, and the leaft of all be- Little Friendtween Equals; which is the kind fo much magnified by the Ancients. All ip in the there is lies betwixt Superior and Inferior; whofe Fortunes may each comprehend the other. 1. ESSAY VI. Of NOBILITY. narchies, not Monarchy without Nobles, is an abfolute Tyranny; as in the Turk- Nobility ne if Empire: for Nobility tempers Sovereignty; and fomewhat cellary in Modraws the Eyes of the People from the regal Line. But Nobles are not re- in Republicks. quired in Democracies; which commonly prove lefs fubject to Faction and Disturbance, where there are no Stirps of them: for then Mens Eyes are fixed upon Business, not upon Perfons: or if upon Perfons, 'tis for the fake of the Bufinefs; as fuch Perfons are fitteft to manage; and not for their Arms and Enfigns. licks. 2. The Republick of Switzerland, we fee, continues to flourish; notwith- The Advanstanding their Diversity of Religion, and of Cantons: for not Dignity, but tage of RepubUtility is their Bond. The Form of Government in the United Provinces of Holland is excellent: for where an Equality reigns, the Debates are more impartial; and the Taxes more chearfully paid. conveniencies 3. For the Nobles to have great Authority in a Monarchy, adds Majefty The Advan to the Monarch; but diminishes his Power: it alfo puts Life and Spirit ages and into the People, tho it depreffes their Fortunes. 'Tis well when the Nobles of Nobility to are not greater than Sovereignty and Juftice require; yet fupported with fuch a Kingdom. a Dignity, as may break the Infolence of the People, before it pours too fast upon the Majefty of Kings. On the other hand, a numerous Nobility, which is generally lefs powerful, caufes Poverty in a State; as occafioning a Profufion of Expence and as many of the Nobles must in time neceffarily See the Effay on Friendship, Sect. I. Effay 5. be become indigent; this makes a kind of Divorce or Inequality between Riches and Honour. The Advan- 4. As for Nobility in particular Perfons; it is a venerable thing to fee an tage of Nobi- ancient Castle, or Seat undecay'd; or an old Timber-tree found and perfect : lity in parti- but much more venerable to behold an ancient noble Family unhurt by cular Perfons. the Waves and Storms of Time. For new Nobility is the Act of regal milies often Power; but ancient Nobility the Work of Time. The Founders 5. The first raifed to Nobility, commonly excel their Defcendants in of noble Fa- Brightnefs of Virtue, but not in Innocence: for Men feldom rife to Homore virtuous nours without a Mixture of good and evil Acts. But it is juft that the Methan their mory of their Virtues fhould continue down to Pofterity; and their Vices Defcendants. die with themfelves. Nobility 6. Nobility of Birth ufually flackens Induftry; and he who is not infackens Indu-duftrious, envies another's Diligence. Befides, Nobles cannot rife much stry, and ex- higher; and he that ftands at a Stay whilft others advance, will hardly avoid being envious. On the other hand, Nobility prevents the Envy of others; because Nobles feem born in the Poffeffion of Honours. tinguishes Envy. The Advan 7. Certainly fuch a King as has prudent and able Nobles about him, tage of using will find his Bufinefs go fmoother by ufing them chiefly for the People naturally bend to them, as born, in fome fort, to command. Nobles to a King. The Mufick I. The Scenes. The Dresses. ESSAY VII. Of MASQUES and Publick Entertainments. HESE things are but Toys; yet fince Princes will have them, 'tis better they should be graced with Elegance, than fullied with Coft. Dancing to Song is a thing of great State and Pleasure, if the Song be in Choir, aloft, accompanied with broken Mufick; and the Tune be fitted to the Defign. Acting in Song, especially in Dialogue, has an extreme good Grace. I fpeak this of Acting, not Dancing, (which is a mean and vulgar thing) the Voices of the Dialogue being strong and manly (a Bafe and a Tenor, without the Treble) and the Air high and tragical'. Several Choirs placed one against another, and taking the Voice by Catches, Anthem-wife, give great Pleafure. Let Songs be loud and chearful; not chirping or puling. Let the Mufick likewise be sharp, well placed, recreative, and mixed with fome ftrange Changes. 2. The turning of Dances into Figure, is a childish Curiofity. Change of Scenes without Noife, is a thing of great Beauty and Pleafure; for this feeds and relieves the Eye before it is cloy'd with the fame Object. Let the Scenes abound with Light, efpecially coloured and varied: and let the Parts that are to come down from the Scenes have fome Motions upon the Scene itfelf, before they defcend. For this attracts the Eye ftrangely, and makes it, with great Pleasure, defire to fee what it cannot perfectly difcern. 3. The Colours that fhew beft by Candle-light, are white, carnation, and a kind of Sea-green. Spangles alfo, tho not coftly, are of great Lu The Author feems to mean what we find in fome of our beft Italian Opera's. ftre : |