*

been so forward to hazard his life, yet where with my honor I cou'd forgive, I never used revenge, as leaving it always to God, who, the less I punish mine enemies, will inflict much the more punishment on them; and to this forgiveness of others three considerations have especially invited me.

SO

1. That he that cannot forgive others, breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself, for every man had need to be forgiven.

2. That when a man wants or comes short of an intire and accomplish'd vertue, our defects may be supplied this way, since the forgiving of evil deeds in others amounteth to no less than vertue in us that therefore it may be not unaptly called paying our debts with another man's money.

3. That it is the most necessary and proper work of every man, for though when I do not a just thing, or a charitable, or a wise, another man may do it for me, yet no. man can forgive my enemy but myself, and these have been the chief motives for which I have been ever inclined to forgiveness; whereof though I have rarely found other effect than that my servants, tenants, and neighbours have thereupon more frequently offended me, yet at least I have had within me an inward peace and comfort thereby, since I can truly say, nothing ever gave my mind more ease than when I had forgiven my enemies, which freed me from many cares and perturbations, which otherwise would have molested me.

And this likewise brings in another rule concerning the use of vertues, which is, that you are not to use justice where mercy is most proper, as on the other side a foolish pity is not to be preferr'd before that which is just and necessary for good example. So likewise liberality is not to be used

* This is a very unchristian reason for pardoning our enemies, and can by no means be properly called forgiveness. Is it forgiveness to remit a punishment, on the hope of its being doubled? One of the most exceptionable passages in Shakspeare is the horrid reflection of Hamlet, that he will not kill the King at his prayers, lest he send him to heaven.and so am I revenged? Such sentiments should always be marked and condemned, especially in authors, who certainly do not mean to preach up malice and revenge. His Lordship's other reasons are better founded, though still selfish. He does not appear a humane philosopher, till he owns that he continued to forgive, though he found that it encouraged new injuries. The beauty of virtue consists in doing right though to one's own prejudice.

where parcimony or frugality is more requisite; as on the other side it will be but a sordid thing in a gentleman to spare where expending of money wou'd acquire unto him advantage, credit, or honor; and this rule in general ought to be practiced, that the vertue requisite to the occasion is ever to be produced, as the most opportune and necessary. That therefore wisdom is the soul of all vertues, giving them as unto her members life and motion, and so necessary in every action, that whosoever by the benefit of true wisdom makes use of the right vertue, on all emergent occasions, I dare say would never be constrain❜d to have recourse to vice, whereby it appears that every vertue is not to be imployed indifferently, but that only which is proper for the business in question; among which, yet temperance seems so universally requisite, that some part of it at least will be a necessary ingredient in all human actions, since there may be an excess even in religious worship, at those times when other duties are required at our hands. After all, moral vertues are learned and directed to the service and glory of God, as the principal end and use of them.

It wou'd be fit that some time be spent in learning rhetorick or oratory, to the intent that upon all occasions you may express yourself with eloquence and grace; for as it is not enough for a man to have a diamond unless it is polished and cut out into its due angles, and a foyle be set underneath, whereby it may the better transmit and vibrate its native lustre and rays; so it will not be sufficient for a man to have a great understanding in all matters, unless the said understanding be not only polished and clear, but underset and holpen a little with those figures, tropes, and colours, which rhetorick affords, where there is use of perswasion. I can by no means yet commend an affected eloquence, there being nothing so pedantical, or indeed that wou'd give more suspicion that the truth is not intended, than to use over-much the common forms prescribed in schools. It is well said by them, that there are two parts of eloquence necessary and recommendable; one is, to speak hard things plainly, so that when a knotty or intricate business having no method or coherence in its parts shall be presented, it will be a singular part of oratory to take those parts asunder, set them together aptly, and so exhibite them to the understanding. And this part of rhetorick I

much commend to every body, there being no true use of speech but to make things clear, perspicuous and manifest, which otherwise wou'd be perplexed, doubtfull and obscure.

The other part of Oratory is to speak common things ingeniously or wittily, there being no little vigor and force added to words, when they are delivered in a neat and fine way, and somewhat out of the ordinary road, common and dull language relishing more of the clown than the gentleman. But herein also affectation must be avoided, it being better for a man by a native and clear eloquence to express himself, than by those words which may smell either of the lamp or ink-horn; so that in general, one may observe, that men who fortify and uphold their speeches with strong and evident reasons, have ever operated more on the minds of the auditors, than those who have made rhetorical exertions.

It will be better for a man who is doubtful of his pay to take an ordinary silver piece with its due stamp upon it, than an extraordinary guilded piece which may perchance contain a baser metal under it: and prefer a well favoured wholesome woman, though with a tawny complexion, before a besmeared and painted face.

It is a general note, that a man's wit is best shewed in his answer, and his valour in his defence, that therefore as men learn in fencing how to ward all blows and thrusts, which are or can be made against him, so it will be fitting to debate and resolve before hand what you are to say or do upon any affront given you, least otherwise you should be surprised. Aristotle hath written a book of Rhetorick, a work in my opinion not inferior to his best pieces, whom therefore with Cicero de oratore, as also Quintilian you may read for your instruction how to speak, neither of which two yet I can think so exact in their Orations but that a middle stile will be of more efficacy, Cicero in my opinion being too long and tedious, and Quintilian too short and conscise.

Having thus by moral philosophy enabled yourself to all that wisdom and goodness which is requisite to direct you in all your particular actions, it will be fit now to think how you are to behave yourself as a publick person, or member of the common wealth and kingdom wherein you live; as also to look into those principles and grounds upon which government is framed, it being manifest in nature that the wise doth easily govern the foolish, and the strong master the weak; so that

he that cou'd attain most wisdom and power, wou'd quickly rule his fellows; for proof whereof, one may observe that a king is sick during that time the physitians govern him, and in day of battle an expert general appoints the king a place in which he shall stand, which was anciently the office of the Constables de France. In law also, the judge is in a sort superior to his king as long as he judgeth betwixt him and his people. In divinity also, he, to whom the king commits the charge of his conscience, is his superior in that particular. All which instances may sufficiently prove, that in many cases the wiser governs or commands one less wise than himself, unless a wilful obstinacy be interposed; in which case recourse must be had to strength where obedience is necessary.

The exercises I chiefly used, and most recommend to my posterity, were riding the great horse, and fencing, in which arts I had excellent masters, English, French, and Italian; as for dancing I could never find leisure enough to learn it, as imploying my mind always in acquiring of some art or science more useful; howbeit I shall wish these three exercises learned in this order.

That dancing may be learned first, as that which doth fashion the body, gives one a good presence in and address to all companies, since it disposeth the limbs to a kind of souplesse (as the Frenchmen call it) and agility, in so much as they seem to have the use of their legs, arms, and bodies, more than any others, who, standing stiff and stark in their postures, seem as if they were taken in their joynts, or had not the perfect use of their members. I speak not this yet as if I would have a youth never stand still in company, but only, that when he hath occasion to stir, his motions may be comely and gracefull, that he may learn to know how to come in and go out of a room where company is, how to make courtesies handsomely, according to the several degrees of persons he shall encounter, how to put off and hold his hat, all which and many other things which become men are taught by the more accurate dancing-masters in France.

The next exercise a young man shou'd learn (but not before he is eleven or twelve years of age) is fencing for the attainment of which the Frenchman's rule is excellent, bon pied bon œil, by which to teach men how far they may stretch out their feet when they would make a thrust against their enemy, least either shou'd overstride themselves, or not

striding far enough fail to bring the point of their weapon home: the second part of his direction adviseth the scholar to keep a fixt eye upon the point of his enemie's sword, to the intent he may both put by or ward the blows and thrusts made against him, and together direct the point of his sword upon some part of his enemy, that lieth naked and open to him.

The good fencing-masters, in France especially, when they present a Foyle or Fleuret to their Scholars, tell him it hath two Parts, one of which he calleth the fort or strong, and the other the foyble or weak; with the fort or strong, which extends from the part of the hilt next the sword about a third part of the whole length, thereof he teacheth his scholars to defend themselves, and put by and ward the thrusts and blows of his enemy, and with the other two third parts to strike or thrust as he shall see occasion; which rule also teacheth how to strike or thrust high or low as his enemy doth, and briefly to take his measure and time upon his adversarie's motions, whereby he may both defend himself or offend his adversary, of which I have had much experiment and use both in the fleuret, or foyle, as also when I fought in good earnest with many persons at one and the same time, as will appear in the sequell of my life. And indeed I think I shall not speak vain gloriously of myself, if I say that no man understood the use of his weapon better than I did, or hath more dexterously prevailed himself thereof on all occasions; since I found no man could be hurt but through some error in fencing.

I spent much time also in learning to ride the great horse, that creature being made above all others for the service of man, as giving his rider all the advantages of which he is capable, while sometimes he gives him strength, sometimes agility or motion for the overcoming of his enemy, in so much that a good rider on a good horse, is as much above himself and others, as this world can make him; the rule for graceful riding is, that a man hold his eyes always betwixt the two ears, and his rod over the left ear of his horse, which he is to use for turning him every way, helping him with his left foot, and rod upon the left part of his neck, to make his horse turn on the right hand, and with the right foot and help of his rod also (if needs be) to turn him on the left hand, but this is to be used rather when one would make a VOL. II.] [No. VII.

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