than to be Supported by what can never fail him, and to believe that whatever happens to him was the best thing that could poffibly befal him, or else he on whom it depends would not have permitted it to have befallen him at all?

R

N$ 76.

Monday, May 28.

Ut tu Fortunam, fic nos te, Celfe feremus. Hor.

HERE is nothing fo com

T

mon, as to find a Man whom in the general Observation of his Carriage you take to be of an uniform Temper, fubject to fuch unaccountable Starts of Humour and Paffion, that he is as much unlike himself, and differs as much from the Man you at first thought him, as any two distinct Perfons can differ from each other. This proceeds from the Want of forming fome Law of Life to our felves, or fixing fome Notion of things in general, which may affect us in fuch Manner as to create

proper

proper Habits both in our Minds, and Bodies. The Negligence of this, leaves us expofed not only to an unbecoming Levity in our ufual Converfation, but alfo to the fame Inftability in our Friendfhips, Interefts, and Alliances. A Man who is but a mere Spectator of what paffes around him, and not engaged in Commerces of any Confideration, is but an ill Judge of the fecret Motions of the Heart of Man, and by what Degrees it is actuated to make fuch vifible Alterations in the fame Perfon: But at the fame time, when a Man is no way concerned in the Effect of fuch Inconfiftencies in the Behaviour of Men of the World, the Speculation must be in the utmoft Degree both diverting and inftructive; yet to enjoy fuch Observations in the higheft Relifh, he ought to be placed in a Poft of Direction, and have the dealing of their Fortunes to them. I have therefore been wonderfully diverted with fome Pieces of secret Hiftory, which an Antiquary, my very good Friend, lent me as a Curiofity. They are Memoirs of the private Life of Pharamond of France. Pharamond, fays my Author, was a Prince of infi'nite Humanity and Generofity, and

at the fame time the most pleasant and facetious Companion of his Time. He had a peculiar Tafte in him (which 'would have been unlucky in any Prince but himself,) he thought there could be no exquifite Pleafure in Converfation but among Equals; and would pleafantly bewail himself that he always lived in a Crowd, but was the only Man in France that could never get into Company. This Turn of Mind made him delight in Midnight Rambles, attended only with one Perfon of his Bed-chamber: He would in these Excurfions get acquainted with Men (whofe Temper he had a Mind to try) and recommend them privately to the particular Obfervation of his 'firft Minifter. He generally found ' himself neglected by his new Acquaintance as foon as they had Hopes of 'growing great; and ufed on fuch Occafions to remark, That it was a great "Injuftice to tax Princes of forgetting 'themselves in their high Fortunes, when 'there were fo few that could with 'Conftancy bear the Favour of their

very Creatures.' My Author in these loofe Hints has one Paffage that gives us a very lively Idea of the uncommon

Genius of Pharamond. He met with one Man whom he had put to all the ufual Proofs, he had made of thofe he had a Mind to know throughly, and found him for his Purpose: In Difcourfe with him one Day, he gave him Opportunity of faying how much would fatiffie all his Wifhes. The Prince immediately revealed himself, doubled the Sum, and fpoke to him in this Manner. "Sir, "You have twice what you defired, by the "Favour of Pharamond; but look to it "that you are fatisfied with it, for 'tis the "laft you shall ever receive. I from this "Moment confider you as mine; and to "make you truly fo, I give you my Royal "Word you shall never be greater or less "than you are at prefent. Answer me "not, (concluded the Prince fmiling) "but enjoy the Fortune I have put you in, "which is above my own Condition; for 66 you have bereafter nothing to hope or to "fear.

HIS Majefty having thus well chofen and bought a Friend and Companion, he enjoyed alternately all the Pleasures of an agreeable private Man and a great and powerful Monarch: He gave himfelf, with his Companion, the Name of the merry Tyrant; for he punished his Courtiers

Courtiers for their Infolence and Folly, not by any act of publick Disfavour, but by humorously practifing upon their Imaginations. If he obferved a Man untractable to his Inferiors, he would find an Opportuuity to take fome favourable Notice of him, and render him infupportable. He knew all his own Looks, Words and Actions had their Interpretations; and his Friend Monfieur Eucrate (for fo he was called) having a great Soul without Ambition,h e could communicate all his Thoughts to him, and fear no artful Ufe would be made of that Freedom. It was no fmall Delight when they were in private, to reflect upon all which had paffed in publick.

PHARAMOND would often, to fatisfie a vain Fool of Power in his Country, talk to him in a full Court, and with one Whisper make him despise all his old Friends and Acquaintance. He was come to that Knowledge of Men by long Obfervation, that he would profefs altering the whole Mafs of Blood in fome Tempers, by thrice speaking to them. As Fortune was in his Power, he gave himself conftant Entertainment in managing the mere Followers of it with

the

4