ftill thou must make a Diftinction between those Free-Souldiers and Mercenaries: Somewhat thou muft allow to their Valour, to their Nation, Coun try, and Birth; but yet do not bate any Part of that Authority which belongs to a General, nor fuffer that good Opinion which they have of themfelves to do any Hurt in the Army. Sometimes Chaftife, Pardon often, Pardon a little and often Chaftife; without giving too much to Anger, or inclining too much to Mercy. The Time, Place, and Occurrences will be a fufficient Direction to thee.

As we find that one Stroke of the Chifel too much upon the Statue is fufficient to render it Deform'd, and that to leave but the smallest Particle of Matter, where it ought to be cut off, will render it Difagreeable: So to refuse a People that Liberty which ought to be granted, or eafily to grant them what with Threats fhould be denied them, is the ready way to disturb the Republick.

We fhould use the fame Discipline in an Army, that we do in the Education of a Prince; of both which the Humour and Inclination are to be confulted: And fince there are Armies fo well Difciplin'd, and which have fuch an implicite Faith on their General, that in a manner they want no other Conduct but their own; fuch was that of Iphicrates, of which the youngest Souldiers, before the Battle and in the Rout, could array themfelves as well as if they had been led by the Hand of their Officer: And that there are alfo Princes fo well Born, that their own Behaviour doth preferve them from Vice, Flatterers and Backbiters daring not come near them; those who have the Charge of them have nothing to do, but to fhew them the Methods they are to use, and they will pursue them with Chearfulness.

But if the Temper of the Youth be fuch, as we mult work upon't as on Marble, the Matter in itfelf is precious: And if we can find a good Hand, that can artfully ufe his Chifel, and pare-off the Superfluities of the Marble, under which the Form is conceal'd,no Doubt but the Artificer will make an excellent Piece of it: If on the other Hand, the Statuary has neither Art, nor Experience, that precious Matter entrusted to him will be ruin'd by his own Hand, and the whole Work deform'd and ridiculous.

CHAP.

CHAPTER XXVII.

That we should not make Use of Fabions that are Troublefome.

A Young Gentleman, juft alighted from a fine prancing Steed, neglected to take-off his

blue Velvet brocaded Saddle, which the Horfe obferving, elate with Pride, would often tofs back his Head, to view his rich Furniture, whose fplendid Appearance was very prevalent in attracting his wondering Sight. But as he rambled about, from one Place to another, exulting in the Liberty which was allow'd him, by chance he met two Affes and a Horse returning from Market, and cover'd with old Sacks, which fupply'd 'em in the Room of Saddles. No fooner had he beheld them, thus meanly Equipp'd, but he presently began to deride and banter them; not that he level'd his Drollery at their Sacks, but principally at their long untrimm'd Tails, which feemingly were quite ftiffen'd with Dirt, and all manner of Naftiness. Tell me, I pray you, fays he, what are your Thoughts, and what is your Defign: Do you wear thofe Tails to cleanfe and fweep-off the Filth of the Earth? We acquiefce, nay even blefs ourselves in our Condition, reply'd one of the Affes, in that we are not charg'd with any other Burden all the reft of the Day. For my part, faid the Other, I think my felf abundantly Happy, in that we shall shortly expatiate in a Field, where is a plentiful Crop of Thiftles, fo that we shall find a glorious Repaft. Poor Brutes reply'd the Horfe, with a haughty Air, how fordid and grovelling are Dd 2

your

your Thoughts, and how contemptible do you appear, even in the Height of your Ambition; and having for fome time thus diverted himself at their Expence, he begun to display some of his frolick fome Motions. In the mean time his violent Exercise, and the fultry Heat of the Sun beginning to warm him more than ordinary, he was obliged to endeavour to shake-off his Saddle, whofe Weight now incommoded him; but what ftill aggravated his Misfortunes was, that the Flies aflaulting him, the Shortness of his Tail, render'd him almost incapable of driving-off the Enemy. The Affes, who were Eye-witneffes to all this his Disorder, could not chufe but be fenfible of fome inward Satisfaction, and thus faid to one another: If Nature bas caft us in a courfer Mould, yet still are we exempted from thofe Inconveniences which arife from Gran. deur and Finery, and make the best Advantage of thofe Gifts, which she has been kindly pleas'd to affign us.

The MORAL.

We might gather from hence, that Vanity has in it this peculiar Quality, that it always loves to be its own Admirer. That it is not without fome Regret, that we wear any thing contrary to the Fashion, how conducive foever it may be to our private Intereft to oppofe it. That a Perfon in an humble Sphere cannot frame to himself any true fublime İdea's. And that in fine, to appear A-la-Mode often renders us obnoxious to infup. portable Difafters.

'Tis impoffible to curtail any, even the leaft Part of thofe Things, which the dadal Hand of Nature has given us, without incurring fome Dif advantage by the Lofs. And tho' in the Impofi

tion of any rich and valuable Load, a Perfon might explore his utmost Abilities before he makes an open Declaration, that his Spirits fink and languifh; yet unwillingly muft he, in the End, fubmit to the Sensation of Pain, and cry out by Compulfion, that the Weight is intolerable.

'Tis to be confefs'd, that Nature, in compleating our Form, has made ufe of different Pieces, the Alteration of which is lodg'd in the Breaft of Man; whofe Dexterity might fo adapt and difpofe of them, as that they may feemingly be more Comely, or lefs Inconvenient. However, he ought to prescribe to himself fuch Bounds, as that whilft he ftudies to render himself more confiderable to others, he might at the fame time be guarded from any fubfequent Pain, or Danger.

I would very willingly allow, that on Days fet a-part for any folemn Ceremony, Perfons fhould make a very handfom Appearance, to make the Celebration the more confpicuous: But however, was this Splendor ftill to be continu'd, it would not only be Disagreeable, but even Impertinent.

Who can forbear Criticizing on the Ladies of the Court, who before they prefent themselves at a Ball, fo nicely adjust every Part, and put themfelves into fo exact a Frame, as that to maintain the regular Uniformity of their Pofture, their Neck or Head must not be allow'd their requifite Motions? But ftill this Remark will appear light and trivial, if we confider their ftreight High-heel Shoes, whofe pinching Sides they bear contentedly, and for Fear of dif-figuring any handfom Quarter, will even contract their Feet; fo that to favour the Beauty of these their fenfeless Tormentors, they themselves, Stoicks like, will become Infenfible.