Houfe of Nevers, remarkable for his Charity, was fo importun'd by his Steward to new-model his Family,and retrench the Number of his Domesticks, that for Peace and Quiet, at length, he complied, permitting him to enter upon what he had with fo much Ardency defired; withal ordering him to take two Sheets of Paper, and in the one to form a Lift of the Names of thofe that he thought pro. per to retain as Neceffary, and in the other to write the Names of thofe that he condemn'd to be turned-off as Ufelefs. Which being done, he brought them to his Highnefs, waiting his Pleafure to put his Defign in Execution. But when he had perufed both Catalogues, Thofe, faid he, I will keep, because I can't live without them; and the other too, I am refolved, because they can't live without me.

Alexander the Great had fo great a Sense of Gratitude,as not to fuffer theServices of his very Horfe to pass unrewarded, making fuch Allowances for his Old age, as to walk on Foot himfelf to the Place of Battle, rather than mount him till the On-fet was made. Nay, fo tenderly did he love him, as to order a City to be built, and to derive its Name from Bucephalus, being Willing that fome Monument of his Gratitude might be tranfmitted to Pofterity.

This Story puts me in Mind of Two more, that are of a quite contrary Nature, and which are equally dangerous, the one exceeding the Duty I have been hitherto enforcing, as much as the other is deficient of it. When the rigid and auftere Cato had fucked out all the Blood and Virtue of his poor Slaves by continual Drudgery, he'd expose them to Sale, were a Cannibal the Chapman 'was all one. And if he had an Horfe, that had grown old in his Service, and was no longer able

to

to perform his Duty, he'd put him to Harrow. Caligula, on the contrary, was as profufe inhis Acknowledgement to his Steed, as he could poffibly have been to a rational Creature: For, like a Brute, he forced the Senate to nominate him Conful for the next Year, and would as certainly have had the Fafces born before him, had not Death prevented his Defign.

Let us pafs from one Extreme to the other, and confider thofe Mafters, whofe Barbarity towards their Servants is left naked, and without fo much as a Veil to cover it: I mean thofe whofe royal Dignity capacitates them to make ample Satisfaction to their Servants, and from whom, if remifs in this Particular, no Excufe can be admitted. Such a one was Francis the First, whofe Ingrati tude to the Brave Marefbal de Trivulje will be infamous thro' the whole World. This great Man had ferv'd Two of his Predeceffors, Charles the Eighth, and Lewis the Twelfth, had maintain'd Milan against the Attempts of all its Enemies; had made himfelf Mafter of feveral Provinces, and Chaced the Spaniard almoft out of his Territories. But whether or no Fortune was fo propitious to Him at the decline of his Years, I can't refolve: But into Difgrace he fell, was totally diffegarded by his Prince, and charged with Debts that he had contracted for the Subfiftance of his Army in Italy. Seeing himself reduced to thofe Extremities, he defired to be placed in a Chair upon the High-way where the King was to pafs, to fee whether fo lamentable an Object would extort Compaffion from him. But his Majefty paffed by, as if he did not fee, or hear him. Tho' he call'd after him, My Prince, my Mafter, &c. yet he would not caft one pitying Look behind. This Behavi our ftruck fuch a Damp to his Soul, that he ficken'd immediately upon it. The

T

The King hearing of it, and withal that himfelf was the Caufe, it pricked him to the Confcience, difpatched a Courtier to him, defiring him not to macerate or afflict himfelf, but to banish every thought that molefted or difcompofed his Mind; that he had a paffionate Defire to have him recover, and given Orders to have all his Grievances redreffed. When Trivule heard this Meffage he was prick'd to the Soul, and fetching a deep Sigh, Sir, faid he, in a languishing Tone, be pleafed to tell bis Majesty, that I thank him, but 'tis too late now; fo turning his Head upon his Pillow be expired.

I would have concluded here, had not the deplorable Cataftrophe of Anaxagoras come to my Mind: This Philofopher being Pericles's Tutor, and as it were the Oracle that he confulted upon all Occafions, in his publick as well as private Capacity, perceived himself infenfibly to be leffend in his Efteem; little or no Notice at laft being taken of him, Anaxagoras fo highly refented this Neglect, as to refolve to Famifh rather than torture himself by reflecting upon the Ingratitude of his Pupil. He had fafted Three Days, when Pericles inform'd thereof, burft into his Chamber ready to die with Anguifh and Grief for his Bafenefs, and Embracing him, conjured him to rife and eat, folemnly protefting to make amends for his paft Negligence. Anaxagoras, fixing his Eyes upon him, replied with a dying Tone, My Time's expired, if you wanted a Light you ought to have put Oil into the Lamp before the Snuff was extinguif'd,

CHAP,

CHAPTER XVIII.

That we cannot, without Bafeness, forfake a Friend in his Adverfity.

TH

Here was a Fig-Tree that stood upon a rising Ground, with a pretty Rivulet running at the Foot of it. The Situation was fo pleasant, the Fruit fo delicious and inviting, the Boughs and Leaves fo large, thick and interwoven, for the Advantage of a refreshing Shade, that it became a common Receptacle, and Rendezvous for all Sorts of Birds. There fell one Day,after a violent Heat, fo dreadful a Tempest of Thunder and Lightning, that the Birds were forc'd to look out for a fanctuary elfewhere. They had no fooner quitted the Tree, but it took Fire, and the Fruit and Leaves were all confum'd in a Moment: But, in the Space of Half an Hour, the Storm blew over, and feveral of the Birds return'd to their former Station, though fo ftrangely alter'd, that they fcarce knew it again, when they faw it. In the Conclufion, the Turtles, and fome other generous fpirited Birds, came and perch'd there once more, without taking any Difguft at the fulphureous Vapour, that the Thunder had left behind it. The Vultures, Kites, and other Birds of Prey, flood in Admiration at their Courage, and wou'd fain have drawn them off to a Green Oak at hand there, where they might be fa fe an eafy: But for ftaying there any longer, in Defiance of fuch a Judgment, they did not fee any Colour of Duty, they laid, Honour, Satisfaction, or Security in the Adventure; but the Turtles, and their Companions,

were of another Opinion however, and fo fenfible of the Obligations they were under to that Fig Tree, that Living or Dying, Happy or Miserable, they were refolv'd to Stand or Fall together.

4

The MORA LAY M

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Many useful Obfervations may be drawn from this Fable; namely, that Men are always for re forting to thofe Places, where they may enjoy moft Conveniences: That when we are favour'd with the molt fmiling Afpect of Fortune, we have the greatest Reafon to fear her Frowns: That every one, in a publick Calamity, is for taking Care of himself; and, that as Men, whofe Friendship is grounded upon Falfhood and Bafenefs, immediately abandon a diftreffed Friend; fo they who are acted by Principles of Honour and Sincerity, will then be moft forward in difcovering their Love and Affection, when the afflicted Circumftances of their Friend calls for their Affiftance.

No Force indeed is able to diffolve the Bonds of that Friendship, which is founded upon Virtue, and confirm'd by a long Habit. The Lofs of Riches and Honours, Afflictions and Misfortunes, tie the Chains more firmly together. Friendship, like pure Gold, is to be proved by Fire; or, as a Diamond, beft fhews its intrinfick Nature, and true Value, when placed between the Hammer and the Anvil. Livy, in his Fifth Book, gives us a remarkable Inftance of the Truth, which the above-mentioned Fable teaches us: We find therein, that the greater Part of the Romans were for leaving the Seat of their Ancestors, then laid in waste, and a dreadful Scene of Mifery: But Camillus, a Man endued with a Heart truly Roman

tells