A Character of King Charles the Second Part 13

When a Man is very kind or very angry, there is no sure Guard but Silence upon that Subject.

A Man's Understanding is easily shoved out of its Place by warm Thoughts of any kind.

We are not so much Masters of our Heat as to have enough to warm our Thoughts, and not so much as to set them on fire.

A great Enemy is a great Object that inviteth Precaution, which maketh him less dangerous than a mean one.

An old Man concludeth from his knowing Mankind, that they know him too, and that maketh him very wary.

On the other hand, it must be allowed, that a Man's being deceived by Knaves hath often this ill Effect, that it maketh him too jealous of honest Men.

The Mind, like the Body, is subject to be hurt by every thing it taketh for a Remedy.

There are some such very great Foreseers, that they grow into the Vanity of pretending to see where nothing is to be seen.

He that will see at too great a distance, will sometimes mistake a Bush for a Horse: The Prospect of a wise Man will be bounded.

A Man may so overdo it in looking too far before him, that he may stumble the more for it.

And, to conclude, He that leaveth nothing to Chance will do few things ill, but he will do very few things.

Suspicion is rather a Virtue than a Fault, as long as it doth like a Dog that _watcheth_, and doth _not bite_.

A wise Man, in trusting another, must not rely upon his _Promise_ against his _Nature_.

Early Suspicion is often an Injury, and late Suspicion is always a Folly.

A wise Man will keep his Suspicions muzzled, but he will keep them awake.

There can no Rules be given to Suspicion, no more than to Love.

Suspicion taketh Root, and beareth Fruit, from the moment it is planted.

Suspicion seldom wanteth Food to keep it up in Health and Vigour. It feedeth upon every thing it seeth, and is not curious in its Diet.

Suspicion doth not grow up to an Injury till it breaketh out.

When our Suspicion of another Man is once discovered by him, there ought to be an end of all further Commerce.

He that is never suspected, is either very much esteemed, or very much despised.

A Man's _Interest_ is not a sufficient Ground to suspect him, if his _Nature_ doth not concur in it.

A weak Man hath less Suspicion than a wise one, but when he hath it, he is less easily cured.

The Remedies as often increase the Disease, as they do allay it; and a Fool valueth himself upon suspecting at a venture.

[Sidenote: _Cheats._]

Many Men _swallow_ the being cheated, but no Man could ever endure to _chew_ it.

Few Men would be deceived, if their Conceit of themselves did not help the Skill of those that go about it.

[Sidenote: _Complaint._]

Complaining is a Contempt upon ones self:

It is an ill Sign both of a Man's Head and of his Heart.

A Man throweth himself down whilst he complaineth; and when a Man throweth himself down, no body careth to take him up again.

[Sidenote: _Content._]

Content layeth Pleasure, nay Virtue, in a Slumber, with few and faint Intermissions.

It is to the Mind, like Moss to a Tree, it bindeth it up so as to stop its Growth.

[Sidenote: _Converts._]

The Impudence of a Bawd is Modestly, compared with that of a Convert.

A Convert hath so much to do to gain Credit, that a Man is to think well before he changeth.

[Sidenote: _Desires._]

Men generally state their Wants by their Fancy, and not by their Reason.

The poor young Children are whipt and beaten by the old ones, who are much more inexcusably impertinent.

Not having things, is a more proper Expression for a Man of Sense than his wanting them.

Where Sense is wanting, every thing is wanting.

A Man of Sense can hardly want, but for his Friends and Children that have none.

Most Men let their Wishes run away with them.

They have no mind to stop them in their Career, the Motion is so pleasing.

To desire what belongeth to another Man is Misprision of Robbery.

Men are commanded not to covet, because when they do they are very apt to take.

[Sidenote: _Difficulty._]

A Difficulty raiseth the Spirits of a great Man, he hath a mind to wrestle with it, and give it a Fall.

A Man's Mind must be very low, if the Difficulty doth not make a part of his Pleasure.