firm'd this, when making an Oration before the Emperor Theodofius, he ingenuously confefs'd, that Beggars themselves, in an humble Cottage, not puffed up with any afpiring Thoughts of Greatnefs, nor dejected with any mean Opinion of their Low Eftate, enjoy'd Themfelves more Happily than he Himself.

That we ought to keep our Word, even to an Enemy.

T happen'd once, that a Stag had the Diversion of feeing an extraordinary good Course, be tween a Brace of Grey-Hounds and a Hare, as he ftood under a Covert upon the Declivity of a little Hill, that had the Command of a very agreeable Profpect over the neighbouring Plain. Many and many Turns had poor Pufs, and fhe gave the GreyHounds as many Baulks and Doublings: But being almost spent, the fleeteft and boldeft of the Dogs threw himself at her, with too much Precipitation, and by Accident broke one of his Legs. The Stag being of a generous and compaffionate Mind, and perceiving that the Hare had made her Escape; and that by this Means the poor mournful GreyHound was left deftitute, without his Companion's Affistance, came to him and very courteously offer'd his Service, to carry him upon his Back to the next Town. The Grey. Hound, who at first fear'd left he should have fome Defign upon him, though in great Diftrefs, feem'd very unwilling to affent to it; till at last, perfwaded by the Stag's prevailing Arguments, who gave him his Word he fhould come to no Harm, he got upon the Back of the stooping Stag, and away they trudge along towards the next Village. They had fome Talk together upon the Road; and the Stag was got upon this Topick; viz. How happy he, and his whole Fraternity fhould live, were it not for the Currs, who without any Provocation were

con

continually molefting them. A For overhearing their Difcourfe, began to fneer the Stag, for carrying his Enemy upon his Back. I have no Enemies, faid the Stag, befides the Dogs, and this is a GreyHound: All Grey-Hounds are Dogs, reply'd the Fox and know,that if thou wert in his Difpofal, as be is in thine, thou wouldst lament thy felf on the Brink of Ruin. This mov'd the Stag a little, and he was about to give the Grey Hound a Tofs, but remembring the Promife which he had made him; No matter, fays he, if his confederate Acquaintance are Jo ungrateful, as to confpire against me, after fo good a Turn, I'll act the defenfive Part, but this fball receive no Harm, fince I have given him my Word upon't.

The MORA L.

of words The true Sence of this Fable is, Firft, That rafh and inconfiderate Defigns generally prove Unfortunate, and by putting our Judgment in a Hurry and Confufion, turn our Undertakings, into Difappointments and Mifcarriages. Secondly, That a Man of a generous Spirit takes delight in affifting even his inveterate Enemy in Adverfity. Thirdly, That in Matter of Friendship, or Truft, we can never be too tender. And finally, that our Behaviour towards our Enemies Friends, or Relations, ought to be manag'd without Breach of Faith, and with a due Regard to the Laws of Honour, Honesty, and good Manners.

To keep one's Word to a conquer'd Enemy, to fhew him Mercy, nay to take him into our Protection, is the Excellency of a great Mind, a noble Inftance of Generofity, and a certain Indication of the great Progrefs we have made towards the overcoming of our Paffions. There are fome particular

ticular Nations, that are more fcrupulous in these Points than others; and wherein are many gallant and heroick Spirits, who think that their Names would ever be blacken'd with Infamy and Dif grace, fhould they break their Words to their Enemy. Daily Experience furnishes us but with too many Inftances of this Kind, in those unhappy Duels, if I may fo fay, in which it has often been obferv'd, that a Gentleman, offended either in his Perfon, or ftruck at in his Honour, after having demanded Satisfaction by the Point of his Sword, and difarm'd his Adverfary, yet has been fo much averfe to the Thoughts of Revenge, that upon his Antagonist's begging for his Life, he has not only readily granted it, but help'd him up, ftop'd and bound up his Wounds, fhelter'd him in his own Houfe, and render'd him all the Service imaginable.

But as I have hitherto endeavour'd to produce fhocking Inftances, in order to discountenance Vice, or exemplary Ones, to fupport the Interest of Virtue, fo I'll purfue my firft Defign.

"

The unhappy Inftance of Sigifmund, King of Hungaria, will be fufficient to demonftrate to us how dangerous, not to say base and unjust a Thing it is, for those who, according as Time ferves, keep or recede from their Promises. This Prince, it feems, at the Inftigation of Julian the Pope's Legate, broke the Treaty that had been folemnly concluded between Bajazet and him, at a Time he thought he had an Advantage over his Enemy; and, induced by this Perfwafion, he again takes up Arms to be Reveng'd, he said, of the common Foe of the Chriflians, and that contrary to the Opinion and private Sentiments of Huniades, Governor of Hungaria. But what was the Event of it? He loft the Battle, his Army was entirely Routed,

Routed, and the Difpofal of his Kingdom lodg'd in the Hands of those Barbarians. As to Cardinal Julian, who was the Promoter of the Treachery, he was Affaffinated, God having permitted he fhould fuffer for his perfidious Advice.

If ever a Prince had a feeming Reason to violate his Word or Promise, prompted by the Hope of being a great Gainer by it, it was Sextus Pompeius, His Father had been defeated by Julius Cafar, Auguftus's Uncle, at the Battle of Pharfalia; and of all thofe large Dominions, which Auguftus and Marcus Antonius had poffefs'd themfelves of, he had none left him but Sicily. When they were all pretty well reconcil'd, he receiv'd into his Ship, thofe Two great Commanders, or rather Masters of the World: during the Entertainment he made them, fome of his Houfhold-Officers, jealous of his Grandeur, whisper'd him, that, in getting rid of Two Heads, he might recover the Empire, which had been Ufurp'd from his Father, whofe Death he would Revenge at the fame Time.. His Freed Man, Menodorus, who continually exhorted him to turn his Thoughts upon nothing,but makeing fresh Additions to his Glory, cafting his Eyes upon him in that Inftant, extorted this fhort Anfwer from him out of his Fidelity, That Auguftus, and M. Antonius, were come upon his Word of Honour, which was dearer to him, and more precious than the Roman Empire.

I'll fay nothing of thofe remarkable Instances left to us by thofe Renown'd Grecians and Romans, fo famous for their Faithfulness, in keeping their Words to their Enemies, that when they had been taken Prisoners, and fet at Liberty, like one Re gulus, upon their Word, rather chofe to deliver themselves up again into the Hands of their Ene mies, and fuffer the most cruel Punishments, than

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