A Character of King Charles the Second Part 15

[Sidenote: _Flattery._]

Folly begets Want, and Want Flattery; so that Flattery, with all its Wit, is the Grandchild of Folly.

Were it not for Bunglers in the manner of doing it, hardly any Man would ever find out he was laughed at.

And yet, generally speaking, a Trowel is a more effectual Instrument than a Pencil for Flattery.

Men generally do so love the Taste of Flattery, their Stomach can never be overcharged with it.

There is a Right Reverend Flattery that hath the Precedence of all other Kinds of it.

This Mitred Flattery is of all others the most exalted. It ever groweth in proportion, and keepeth pace with Power. There is a n.o.ble Stroke of it in the Articles sent to Princess _Mary_ from _Henry_ VIII. "Such is his Majesty's _Gracious and Divine Nature_--shewing _Mercy_ to such as _repentantly cry and call_ for the same."

[Sidenote: _Forgetfulness._]

Forgetting is oftner an Aggravation than an Excuse.

The Memory will seldom be unmannerly but where it is unkind.

[Sidenote: _Good-manners._]

There needeth little Care to _polish_ the Understanding; if true Means were used to _strengthen_ it, it will polish itself.

Good-manners is such a Part of Good-sense, that they cannot be divided; but that which a Fool calleth Good-breeding is the most unmannerly thing in the World.

Right Good-manners require so much Sense, that there is hardly any such thing in the World.

[Sidenote: _Good-nature._]

Good-nature is rather acted than practised in the World.

Good-nature to others is an inseparable Part of Justice.

[Sidenote: _Good-will._]

Good-will, like Grace, floweth where it listeth.

Men mean so very well to themselves, that they forget to mean well to any body else.

[Sidenote: _Heat._]

Good-sense will allow of some intermitting Fevers, but then the Fit must be short.

[Sidenote: _Honesty._]

He that can be quite indifferent when he seeth another Man injured, hath a lukewarm Honesty that a wise Man will not depend upon.

He that is not concerned when he seeth an ill thing done to another, will not be very eager to do a good one himself.

[Sidenote: _Hypocrisy._]

There is so much Wit necessary to make a skilful Hypocrite, that the Faculty is fallen amongst Bunglers, who make it ridiculous.

[Sidenote: _Injury._]

An Injury may more properly be said to be postponed, than to be forgiven.

The Memory of it is never so subdued, but that it hath always Life in it.

The Memory of an Enemy admitteth no decay but Age.

Could we know what Men are most apt to remember, we might know what they are most apt to do.

It is a general Fault that we dislike Men only for the Injuries they do to us, and not for those they do to Mankind. Yet it will be hard to give a good Reason why a Man who hath done a deliberate Injury to one, will not do it to another.

The Memory and the Conscience never did, nor never will agree about forgiving Injuries.

Nature is Second to the Memory, and Religion to the Conscience.

When the Seconds fight, the latter is generally disarmed.

[Sidenote: _Integrity._]

A Man in a corrupted Age must make a Secret of his Integrity, or else he will be looked upon as a common Enemy.

He must engage his Friends not to speak of it; for he setteth himself for a Mark to be ill used.

[Sidenote: _Justice._]

As far as keeping distance is a sign of Respect, Mankind hath a great deal for Justice.

They make up in Ceremony what they want in Good-will to it.

Where the Generality are Offenders, Justice cometh to be Cruelty.

[Sidenote: _To Love, and be in Love different._]

To Love, and to be in Love with any thing, are Things as differing, as good Sense and Impertinence.

When we once go beyond bare liking, we are in danger of parting with Good-Sense; and it is not easy for Good-Sense to get so far as liking.

[Sidenote: _Lucre._]

When by habit a Man cometh to have a bargaining Soul, its Wings are cut, so that it can never soar.

It bindeth Reason an Apprentice to Gain, and instead of a Director, maketh it a Drudge.

[Sidenote: _Lying._]