tune: how much is to be deferr'd to each of thefe, is a matter not eafie to be decided : against neceffity we cannot difpute; against the invitations of providence we ought not, if we have but good proofs of the one or the other. But 'tis too, too often, that weakness of judgment or courage makes us call that neceffity which is not; and the flattery of our hopes makes us interpret our dreams or fancies divine auguries or prefages. As to friends and intereft, I confefs, with the ingenious Sir Henry Wotton, that an expert man does more eafily get up into the faddle by the help of a Stirrup, than a much stronger by mere Force: Yet it ought to be confider'd, that a man who is unequal to the defigns of his friends, renders their patronage very difficult, but his own life more. As to the bent or inclination of nature, fo mutable are the tempers, or at leaft, the fancies of mankind, that this is a discovery not foon to be prefum'd upon; or elfe I fhould as foon advife to give up one's felf to this, as to any other Guide. The truth is, the truest measures in this enquiry, are to be taken from a thorough knowledge of our felves, and of the different courses of life about which we deliberate. - But alas! they are but few, whom a propitious providence has left at liberty to enter into this deliberation, and fewer that are capable of forming a true refolution upon it. I am fure, there is no enquiry of human life, wherein there is more need of an infallible guide; and therefore I would counfel the young to confult God in the first place, and next, the moft fage and experi

enced

enced they can find out for they stand in a place where many ways meet; and if they take the wrong, they will certainly wander far, and, it may be, never recover the right. And as to others, who have ftruggled long against wind and tide, who have floated long upon the billows of vulgar errors of their own private lufts and fancies, they will be happy, I think, if, after long experience of their folly, they make with all speed for land, and take the firft harbour where they can ride in safety..

CHA P. II.

Of the civil life, or the active life of a gentleman.

Sect. 1. The gentleman's obligations to an active life, from the confideration of what he owes to God, to his country, to himself. The active life not injurious to the gentleman's pre-eminence, liberty, pleasure. Sect. 2. The regulation of the civil life, i. e. The knowledge and virtues necessary to this fort of life. The conftancy required throughout the whole courfe of the gentleman's life. Some vacations from business neceffary, and to what ends.

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Efore I about to fet down thofe rules which may render men of rank and fortune belov'd, eminent, and happy in their ftation, I think it neceffary to convince fuch of the neceffary 23

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obligations they lie under to be fome way or other useful and ferviceable to the world; for 'tis in vain to talk of the knowledge and virtue neceffary to fupport and adorn a civil life, to fuch as perfuade themselves that they are born only to follow their own humour and fancy; and that it is the prerogative of their birth and fortune, to be idle, ignorant and loofe.

Sect. 1. This then is the first thing I would fain make gentlemen fenfible of, that they cannot, without unpardonable guilt and reproach, waste and fool away their life and fortune; and I think, this would not be very hard to effect, if they would please to make but a very flight reflection upon the arguments I here addrefs ta them. You owe more to God and to your country, not to add to your felves, tho' that be true too in a proper fenfe, than any others do. To God to his providence you owe it, that you were born to thofe fortunes which others toil for; that you are the mafters of that time, which others are forc'd to devote to their wants and neceffities; and that you are placed at first in thofe advantageous heights, which others climb to by flow and tedious fteps: your guilt therefore is greater than the mean man is capable of, while you invade the honour of that God, from whom alone you derive yours; while you dethrone Him who has rais'd you, and employ all your power and treasure against that Being from whom you received them; no ingratitude, no treachery or bafenefs like that of a favourite and confident. And as you owe to God, fo do you to your country, more than other men;

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you are they who fhould be the support and ornament of it; you are placed in higher orbs, not that,like meteors, your ominous blaze should be the gaze and terror of the multitude; but that, like stars, you might lighten and beautifie, animate and impregnate the inferior world: for you, like them, fhould have an enlarged profpect, a fwift and conftant motion, a bountiful and benign influence. If your virtues do not more diftinguish you from the crowd than your fortunes, you are expofed, not honoured, by the eminence of your station; and you debauch and betray your poor country by your fin and folly, which your example, your wifdom, your courage, and your bounty, with all thofe other great virtues which perfons of your rank should fhine with, fhould protect and enrich, and raise to the highest reputation of virtue and power. Miferable muft that kingdom be, whofe rich and great ones are as much more impudently wicked, as they are more fortunate than other men; when they, whofe example fhould awe the vicious, contribute not a little to corrupt the virtuous part of it, and to debauch the very genius and spirit of the nation: when they, who fhould be the patriots of their country, instead of being men of travel and reading, of abilities and experience, of honour and activity, are verfed only in effences and perukes, game-houses and stews; and have fo far loft the qualities of a gentleman, that they are meaner, falfer, and cowardlier than the loweft of the people: thofe muft indeed be trange courts, councils, parliaments, armies, which

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which are filled and influenced by fuch as thefe; that must be a wretched ftate, where men make their court by debauchery, and know no other politicks, than what an inveterate averfion to the national government and conftitution, or a more inveterate one to religion and virtue, fuggeft.

But if your country move you not, confider yet what you owe your felves: Idlenefs is both a reproach and burden; for what can be more dishonourable, than to be good for nothing; or irksome to an active nature, fuch as man's is, than to have nothing to employ it? what can be more fhameful, than for a wealthy, or well born man, to be the pity or fport of his country, or the inward fcorn even of his domefticks and neighbours? and what can be a greater plague, than for one, who is master of his whole time and of an ample fortune, not to know how to employ the one or the other, but in fuch courses as tend to the disgrace of his family, the ruin of his country, and the damnation of his foul? Tou ought to remember, that great fortunes do generally mark men out for great troubles as well as great enjoyments! and were there no other motive to a vigorous and active life, but this one, that it did fortifie the courage, and harden the temper, this should be fufficient to any man, who will but confider to how many changes and revolutions, how many difafters and mifchiefs a great fortune renders men obnoxious: fo that when men had not yet entertained the opinion of the unlawfulness of felf-murther (poison, as appears from Livy's reflection on Mafaniffa's prefent to