deur, that they might be admitted to bear a Part in the fecret Councils of terreftrial Deities, have fuffered a precipitated Repulfe on no other Account than the meer Sufpicion, that a too refined Subtilty of Wit, or cunningly disguised Diffimulation might upon their Advancement, give fome unexpected Turn to Affairs. When a Man has once the Misfortune to be thus fufpected and confequently condemned in the Mind of a Prince or his Favourites, how foever unblemished his Innocence may be, or whatfoever Methods he makes ufe of to clear himfelf, he will certainly find it a more effectual Rub in his Way to Preferment,than if he had been blacken'd with numerous Enormities. After fuch an unfortunate Lapfe in the Caufey to Greatnefs, twould be to little purpose to bemoan the Lofs of past Services, to complain of the Injustice of the Court, or to difplay a melan choly Scene of the neceffitous Condition in which one fhould be obliged to pass the Remainder of ones Days.

Such Complaints as these are very frequent at the Viciffitudes of crowned Heads and Revolutions of Governments. Those who before fat at the Helm, have, in a new Reign, their Brightness eclipfed by the glaring Luftre of new-rifed Favourites: So that their Relations and Friends, who reposed an entire Confidence in their Favour, now find themselves difcomfited and without any further Refort: Inftead of which the Dependants of a new Minister are immediately advanced to the Height of Promotion, and in their Turn raifed to the Top of the Wheel, whilft the former lie grovelling under their Preffure.

We ought not at all to be furprised, if on one fide we fee all the Objects that prefent themselves, distinguish'd by Marks of Gaiety and Chearfulness,

and

and on the other obferve nothing but Signs of Penfiveness and Chagrin. 'Tis on fuch Occafions that we have Reason to blame our Stars; when a Perfon has been justly engaged in an honourable Service, had his Mind fortify'd with well-grounded Expectations, and chear'd with Wishes, that always accompany reasonable Hopes.

A new Favourite fhould always take a particular Care, not to fhew any difrefpe&ful Treatment to degraded Ministers; it being highly probable, that in a fucceeding Reign, or under a new fet of Ministers, Affairs may alfo undergo new Turns and Revolutions; and then they, who have infolently treated others, have a great Deal of Reason to expect the like Ufage.

It may be, perhaps, very congruous to our prefent Purpose, to finish this Difcourfe with two Examples, the one pointing out the good, the other the ill Fortune that attends the Life of Man : The first is taken from an Accident that happen'd fome Years ago in France, the other we meet with in the Hiftory of Germany. Lewis the Eleventh as he was making his Progrefs through France, paffed by a Church where the great Bell rang, and feeing one of the poor Clergy repofed upon the Steps before the Church-door, demanded of him the Name of the Deceased; the Priest anfwer'd him, 'Tis a Canon, whofe Canon-fhip is in Your Majefty's Nomination: fince 'tis fo, reply'd the King, I give it you, and immediately order'd him to be Inftall'd in it: The King conferr'd this unexpected Bounty on him for no other Reason than to make good this old Proverb, That Fortune favours her Sons Sleeping and Waking. 'Tis fomething agreeably odd to reflect, that feveral of those, who had captivated themselves to the Attendance of the Court for many Years, would have esteem'd this fmall

Prefer.

Preferment an abundant Recompence for their long Affiduity, and that it should thus unfought fall, as it were, into the Mouth of a poor undefigning Priest.

The following Inftance, I think, equally merits our Notice: The Emperor Sigifmund Fording a River, his Horfe began to ftale in the Water: which Motion an old Courtier, that was in the Emperor's Attendance, obferving, This Humour of our Mafter's Horfe, faid he to another that was next to him, bears a near Resemblance to his own Proceedings, who never is Munificent to any but thofe who have leaft Need of it. The Emperor, over-hearing this, reply'd, Your Obfervation is very Just, not but what I take a great Satisfaction in obliging those who are engaged in my Service: but, as far as I can fee, Destiny Jeems to bear a Part in dealing out the Favours of Princes.

A few Days after the Courtier had made this Complaint, when he might be fupposed to think the Emperor had forgot it, Sigifmund order'd him to be fent for, and gave him the Choice of two Coffers, the one full of Gold, the other of Lead. Now, fays he, if you chufe the right you are fuffi ciently rewarded for all paft Services, and may live in a happy Condition all the remaining Part of your Days; but if, on the contrary, your Election falls upon that which is confiderable on no other Account but its Gravity, you are to attribute your Ill fuccefs to nothing else but to the bad Fate that attends you.

The Gentleman, under violent Emotions of Spirit, between the Paffions, of Hope and Fear, made choice of that Coffer which was only balafted with Lead. Hoe, very well! fays the Emperor, I hope for the future you will be better inftructed than to complain of my Management. The other with an aftonih'd Look, and a pathetical Shrug

of

of his Shoulders, anfwer'd, That he was now fenfible the Heavens had fent him into the World to be a Slave, and that he was destined to be wretched.

Then the Emperor willing to chaftife his Courtier's Fate, which had hitherto obftructed his Rifing to any confiderable Figure at Court, prefented him with the Gold that fill'd the other Coffer.

CHAPTER XVII.

That good Mafters ought to acknowledge the good Offices of their old Servants.

A

N old Spanish Jennet accidentally lighting upon one of his old Acquaintance, and taking Notice of his dejected Countenance, which argued a Mind full of Anguifh and Despair, was very defirous to know the Caufe of fo ftrange an Alteration. You are very fenfible (reply'd the other) when we were in the Army together, how much my Mafter was obliged to me for the great and important Services I did him, how that he fcarce ever engaged in Tournaments, Hunting, nay Battle it felf, but I carried him off Victorious. But now being quite worn out with Age, which, with continual Labour, hath to wasted my Strength, that at the running down of a Stag t'other Day, it entirely failed Me: Tet I did not dare to declare as much to my Mafter, who being of a hafty paffionate Spirit, most unmercifully Whipp'd and Spurr'd, 'till being quite Spent I fell, and in the Fall had the Mifchance to break my Leg. Now this unnatural and ungrateful Mafter, without any Regard to the Zeal, Loyalty, and Affection with which, when able, I have always Served him, at the Inftigation of this Rascal of a Groom, who confults only the Advantage he can make of my Skin, bath order'd that I fhould be knock'd on the Head, and given to the Dogs. This tragical Relation almoft diffolv'd his Sympathizing Friend into Tears, who from hence took Occafion to testify his own Gratitude, and to do Juftice to his Mafter; who, he faid, was fo Generous and Mer