alter'd his Mind, and protefted, it should never be faid, that he had given fuch a prodigious Sum of Money for a Diamond no bigger than a small Nut. King James of England bought it afterwards, and gave Sixty Thoufand Crowns for it.

It will not be amifs to conclude this Chapter with an Account of a conftant Cuftom of Robert Duke of Normandy, who, by his frequent Liberalities, acquired the Title of Magnificent. He ufed to give to the Perfon, who made him the first Prefent in a Morning, whatsoever Prefents he receiv'd during the whole Day afterwards, and by that Means it happen'd, that he enrich'd a Tradef man, who, at his Levee, prefented him with two Knives well wrought, and receiv'd toward the Evening in return from the Duke, a Set of fine Horfes, a large Quantity of Silver Plate, and Tapeftries of a confiderable Value.

CHAP.

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CHAPTER X.

That it is highly requifite, to the right Educating of a young Prince, that the utmost Care fhould be taken that all Perfons and Things, from which he might poffibly receive any ill Impreffions, Should be remov'd far from him.

A

abroad and Peacock, who was refolv'd to go fee the World, wanted nothing but a merry Companion to render his Journey agreeable and pleasant; howfoever he fet out, trufting to the good Fortune of picking up fome fuch Companion in his Travels. The good Opinion, he entertain'd of himself, almok perfwaded him, that the Eagle would be glad of his Company; but upon Second Thoughts he remember'd, that Friendship with a Superior, had often prov'd Dangerous; neither was it fafe to make One's Mafter, One's Companion. He was mightily delighted with the fweet Note of the Nightingale, and the gilded Plumes of the Gold-finch, but when he confider'd their Size, he was afham'd to be feen in their Company. The Parrot was too Talkative he thought, and the Oftridge would make but a troublefom Traveller, by reafon of her Heaviness: The Hawk was in his Opinion fomewhat too Illnatured, and he had but an indifferent Opinion of the Vulture. He was got as far as Egypt before he could pitch upon a Companion: By which time being tired of this folitary Travelling, he refolv'd to make the best of his Way homewards, when perchance he efpied, upon the Brink of a River, a Bird of an extraordinary Size and Beauty, which

proved to be an Ibis, that has all the Beauty of a Stork, but nothing of his Deformity; for his Feathers are of a perfect Black, and is particularly remarkable for his good Shape. Our gaudy Traveller admiring his Majeftick Gate, and the Gracefulness of his Perfon, advances toward him, and makes him a kind offer of his Services. The Ibis, on the other Hand, contemplating his noble Train, and taking him to be the most glorious Creature, under the Canopy of Heaven, receiv'd him with as much, or if poffible a greater Respect, than he would have done the Eagle, They spent fome Time, with a great Deal of Satisfaction, in Congratulating one another upon their happy Meeting, and their Friendship feem'd almoft indiffoluble, when the This, plunging his long Beak in the River Nilus, and bringing it up full of Water, put it into his Backfide. This Action turn'd the poor Peacock's Stomach, and being highly offended, he cry'd out, Fy upon the filthy Animal! And in that Inftant he flew away to the next Town, often repeating the fame Words, and how unaccountable it was, that fuch a foul Behaviour fhould lie hid under fuch a fair Out-fide,

The M O RA L.

1

The Caution of the Peacock, in the Election of his Companion and Friend, may ferve for an Emblem of human Prudence to Mankind, and admonish them how careful they ought to be, in making a right Judgment of the Perfons they defign to admit into their Society; but in a more particu lar Manner, not to fuffer themselves to be deceived, by the near Refemblance there is between Good and Evil, a Misfortune which humane Frailty 13 very liable to.

The

The Peacock is deceiv'd, tho' after a long De liberation, for want of Distinguishing; but how many Times is an abfolute Deformity impos'd upon us, gilded over with an apparent Beauty, for want of a narrower Search, or a prudent ReHection. The Approbation of the Will, in the Choice of our Friends, is not fufficient without that of the Understanding; for it is a thing which requires no fmall Caution and Deliberation, and fhould not be refolv'd upon over-haftily. The moft fuitable Society is doubtless most likely to continue, and confequently moft defirable, for if on the one Hand, you affociate your felf with a Man too much above you, you must add to the frequent Misfortunes, that have often proceeded from thence, the Danger of lofing him foon, Honores enim mutant Mores. Befides the greater his Perfections are, the greater Repute will he be in; fo that his Glory will foon eclipfe Yours. The Moon fhines bright when he has none to vie with but the Stars, but immediately disappears, or at leaft Shines no longer, at the Approach of the leaft Beam of the Sun: And if on the other Hand, the Perfon, whom you chofe to be your Friend, be much your Inferior, you may well be reckon'd a Man of a mean Spirit, for being fo over Goodnatured, as to encrease the Honour and Reputation of others at the Expence of your Own. It follows of Neceffity, that a Parity is safest and most eligible in Friendship: But above all, the Company, and especially the Friendship, of Perfons addicted to Vice; nay, even of those who are fo reputed, ought to be avoided, fince we judge of a Man by his Friends: And it would be more advantageous to be without any fuch, because as an honeft and prudent Friend mitigates all Wants Pains, and anxious Cares, fo doth a vicious, and

imprudent

imprudent One, as certainly multiply and increase

them.

From the Deliberation and Caution, which difcreet Men make use of, in the Election of their Friends, we may eafily deduce the Neceffity, provident Parents lie under, of affifting their Children in the Choice of their Company. Their Mind has often been compared to a white Sheet of Paper, capable of receiving indifferently any kind of Im. preffion, and fo that without a ftrict Hand over us, during our youthful days, we are in danger of being loft for ever; for we generally carry to our Graves thofe good or bad Principles which we imbibe at thofe our early Years: and fuch as we Sow, fuch we must expect to Reap. The Reafon of this is not but that there are Children of fo good a Genius, and who as it were bring into the World fuch a happy Difpofition of Mind, as to be in a great Measure guarded against the Allurements of Vice, but the Number of fuch is too fmall to be rely'd on. Let a Town be ever fo Strong, and well For. tify'd, yet it must Surrender at laft, when it is vigorously Attack'd, and when at the fame Time there is but a poor Prospect of any foreign Affistance: Pleasure is a strong Temptation to Youth, and commonly meets with a very weak Oppofition; we are liable to the fame Affections and Paffions, and our Nature is fo corrupted, that it at first allures our Senfes by fome Thing Pleasant,and from thence leads us into the high Road of Licentioufnefs. Pleasure is the Idol that moft Men adore, if you except from the general Rule those who, by the Affiftance of divine Grace, and inward Integrity, foresee the Misfortunes it neceffarily involves its Worshipers in. We are induced to give Way to Pride, Voluptuoufnefs, Avarice and Ambition, under the feducing Pretences of Efteem, Pleafure, Riches,