TO HER GRACE, THE DUCHESS OF MONMOUTH. MADAM, TH HERE were anciently so many noble women, as well as men, who even then made the study of the scripture their delight, when Christian piety began to decay, that a great part of St Hierom's pains was bestowed in opening the meaning of them to Blesilla, Marcella, Melania, Paula, and her daughter Eustochium, with several other eminent Roman ladies; whose songs (as he writes to Asella) were nothing but psalms, whose discourse was the gospel, whose pleasure was continence, and whose life was fasting and abstinence. More particularly he addressed his services of this kind to the last of those ladies, Eustochium, to whom he gives an epithet, importing her prodigious industry, with the most fervent desire in the study of heavenly knowledge; and therefore inscribed to her the most elaborate of all his commentaries upon the prophet Isaiah, (as he did afterward those upon Ezekiel), which were sent her by parts in eighteen books, before every one of which there is a solemn preface to her. By whose example, and to heighten that esteem and love of divine wisdom, wherewith, in an age of folly and vanity, God hath already inspired your excellent mind, I have presumed to dedicate to your Grace this small work of mine, wherein, with no small labour, I have expounded the most useful book of the Proverbs. Which commends itself to your Grace's acceptance, both by the excellence of the matter, containing (as the words are, viii. 6. xxii. 20.) most noble and princely things, choice maxims, built upon the oldest observations, and that will stand firm, and be found true, as long as the world endures; and from the dignity and splendour of the author, whose illustrious name and pedigree is set down on purpose, (as St Basil thinks), in the entrance of the book, to give the greater authority to his words. It is Solomon, to whom the Lord himself said, 1 Kings, iii. 12. Behold, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart, so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee:" And again it is recorded of him there, iv. 29. that God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore. For as the sand of the sea encompasses all the coasts of this world where we inhabit, so did his mind comprehend all things, as well human as divine. This is that admirable person, to the study of whose rare wisdom I invite your Grace; which that it may be had in greater veneration, the name also of his mighty ancestor, saith the same St Basil, is added in the title unto his own, to put us in mind, that he was the wise son of a wise father and prophet, who from his infancy VOL. III. Nn had instructed him in the holy writings, and made him fit to succeed him in his throne. That likewise contributes not a little to the weight of these instructions, that the author of them was a king, and a king in the holy city of God, whose authority he had; which being a name of regular and legal power, (as the same Father still observes), it is manifest that the precepts delivered by such a person, and one who was truly worthy of that high title of a king, are of the greatest worth and moment; because they have respect to nothing but merely the common benefit and public good, and cannot be suspected to have been framed and composed with any aim at private interest. For that is the difference, saith he, between a tyrant and a king; that the former hath regard only to himself in all that he doth and designs, but the other consults the profit and welfare of those whom he governs. So that, in short, this is the work of him that was truly invested with that threefold glory which the ancients ascribe to Trismegistus, "The power of a king, the illumination of a priest, and the learning of a philosopher." 66 But the excellence of this book will be best understood by the serious perusal of it, which will discover it to be a Magazine of all sorts of wisdom; so full of golden sentences," (as king James gives its character in his instructions to his son)," and moral precepts, in all things that concern our conversation in this world, as among all the profane philosophers and poets, there is not to be found so rich a store-house of natural wisdom, agreeing with the will and divine wisdom of God." And therefore it is most worthy the constant study of all persons who would accomplish themselves with the most useful knowledge; but of none more than of those that are great, whom Solomon instructs how to be greater, and to make their greatness also lasting and durable; and especially of such whose understandings are great and capacious, able to penetrate into the depths even of the civil precepts and advertisements contained in this book, "springing" (as our great advancer of learning speaks) out of the most profound secrets of wisdom, and flow ing over into a large field of variety." 66 In which I am confident your Grace will delight to walk, whose exquisite judgement cannot but find the highest entertainment in weighing the wisdom, as well as the truth and usefulness of these parables; and whose virtue and prudence disposes the hours of your life with such order, as not to let you want time, both to ponder them yourself, and to instil them also into the minds of your children. Whose future happiness depends upon their being early seasoned with such principles as these; which will be the most effectual preservatives against the infectious air wherein we breathe, and a treasure of such inestimable price, as will keep their minds from being corrupted by all the briberies of fortune, (as we call it), or from being dejected at any cross turn of it, which, in this world, must be sometimes expected. For such is the inconstancy of all human things, such is the frailty even of our own bodies, as your Grace hath been lately taught by a tedious sickness, (from which I most heartily congratulate your Grace's happy recovery), that we love not ourselves, if we seek not after a better good, which is firm and permanent; |