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and juft, and never interfere with the Exercife of other Virtues. He won't allow it to degenerate into a weak Fondness, or undistinguished Piety. He will not fhew Mercy to a capital Offender, without the reasonable Hope of gaining him; or when there is a Profpect of a greater Evil by it: When their Temper leads them to known Enmity, and to abuse his Clemency to greater Mischief: When they a& a mean and treacherous Part, diffemble their Principles, belye their A&ions, and add folemn Hypocrify to their other Villany.

Nor will he fhew Mercy to particular Perfons, how great foever, to the Prejudice of the Publick Safety. No Tenderness of Nature, no Interceffions, no Solicitations, fhall induce to this; which wou'd indeed be Pity to the Criminal, but Cruelty to the Publick, who have receiv'd the Injury, and would be thereby the more indanger'd and expos'd. 'Tis certainly expedient that one Man fhould die for the People, and the whole Nation perish not. Brutus's Severity to his two Sons was no way inconfiftent with Goodnefs: It was a noble Expreffion of Kindness and Love to his Country, when he appointed them both to be fcourged and beheaded in the open Forum, before his Face, for confpiring to bring back the banifhed Tarquin

But who can defcribe the Happiness of a People, whofe Affairs are in the Hands of a Prince, in whom all those desirable Qualities

* Eminente animo patrio inter publicæ pœnæ Minifterium. Liv. L. 2. Cap.

meet?

meet? Whofe Subjects may always learn from Reason, and the Laws of their Country, what they are to expect in every Cafe that comes before him. They are fure of having every Matter wifely confider'd and justly determin'd. The great Ends of Government, Peace, Order, and the Protection of the Community, are what both Scepter and Sword will be devoted to promote. Under fuch an Administration, Men will rife not by low Compliance, and the Friendship of the Great, but by eminent Services and real Worth; Capacity and Virtue will be enough to entitle to the Prince's Favour or any Preferment.

That Power and Authority muft certainly be regarded as the moft valuable Bleffing, which the Subjects have fuch Security and Affurance fhall never be employ'd to oppose or infult any, but only to maintain and inforce the Laws.

And thefe Things which ferve to make a Prince appear thus great and defirable at home, muft likewife give him an Afcendency over other Powers, and a mighty Influence over the Counfels and Actions of other Courts and Kingdoms.

Lefs confiderable Republicks will feek his Protection, put themselves under his Patronage; others will folicit and value themfelves upon his Friendship and Alliance; fome will admire, others will envy; fome may be firred up to Emulation, and grow ambitious of imitating him; And all with one Confent will fear his Difpleasure; won't be very forward to disoblige or injure Him, to whom they can never fhew themselves Enemies, but to their unfpeakable Detriment.

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Thus will he be able to maintain the Ballance of Power among his Neighbours, check the haughty and injurious Attempts of every common Disturber, and fo preferve the Quiet of that Part of the World in which he lives, as well as fome great Advantages to himself and his People.

'Tis not the Art of Civil Polity and Military Power, that will fecure the Welfare and Safety of a State, without thefe Virtues: They undoubtedly have their Ufes and Serviceablenefs, and are very confiftent with one and all of thefe Virtues 'Tis a Pity they ever should be, we rejoice they are not always, feparated. But if they muft, we have the Word of an infpir'd King for it, that Wisdom is better than all this Strength; Wisdom is better than Weapons of War.

Much more wild and prejudicial is their Mistake, who are for fetting up the Craft of Government, in oppofition to Virtue, and the Laws of Reafon'; and are for meafuring Juftice in a Governour by what they call Reafon of State: Who avow his answering every Emergency by any Method of Infincerity and Diffimulation, that feems proper to ferve the prefent Turn; and Machiavel has fuch a Maxim, That Men are naturally fo fimples and so taken with prefent Appearances, that whosoever has a Mind to deceive them, will ever find them prepar'd to be deceiv'd. But few have follow'd this Scheme long, who have not found, that tho they have de ceived others for a Time, they have deceived themselves in the End. This is a fure Way to loofe their Credit, and therewith to weaken if not loose their Power. Nothing usually raises

a

a fharper Refentment, than to fuffer Injuftice, and to be tricked at the fame Time. There has been One at least in our Age, who was used to boast of his great Skill and long Experience in fuch Craft, who liv'd long enough to find it had loft him all Affection at home, and all Credit abroad.

The Prince's true and only Way to Safety and Grandeur is this of Virtue. Good Fortune and Succefs in his Affairs, as they are the natural Effect of fome, fo they are generally the Reward of all those moral Excellencies.

It was upon this that the great and good Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus built his Confidence of Safety and Profperity, notwithstanding all hoftile and rebellious Attempts against him. When he was reproved for his Clemency to the Family of Caffius after his Death, and ask'd thereupon, Quid fi Caffius viciffet? 'Tis a noble generous Confidence in himself, and a becoming Disdain of fuch a Thought together, that he seems to exprefs in his Anfwer, Non fic Deos coluimus, nec fic viximus ut ille nos vinceret : He won't allow it to be a fuppofeable, or fo much as a poffible Cafe. And this he gives us to know he founded on the Obfervation he had made on the Fortunes of his Predeceffors; which had been happy or miserable just as they had been virtuous or vicious. Nero, Caligula and Domitian were the fole Authors of their own Miferies, by their Vices and ill Conduct. Otho and Vitellius had not the Courage to reign. Galba was ruin'd by his Avarice. But much better Fortune did fuch of them as were good meet with Auguftus, Trajan, Adrian and others of this Character always reign'd in the

Hearts

Hearts of their Subjects, and continually triumph'd over their domestick, and foreign, Enemies.

The Author of this Paper fhewing it to. a particular Friend, just as it was going to the Prefs; he was pleafed to add the following Lines of Poetry.

Heav'n,

Eav'n, weary'd with the Deeds of common Kings,

Refolv'd to form a Prince for nobler Things. Bohemia's Piety, and Britain's Blood,

Muft joyn to make him truly Great, and Good. His Afpe&t must be Thoughtful, Firm, yet Kind; Healthful his Body, Virtuous his Mind.

Pru

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