ministers and of their fovereigns. This project, which had perhaps only a temporary view, had lafting confequences. The national character was fo far changed by its fuccefs, that the country feems to have been brought to the unanimous conclusion, that it was pleasanter to amufe, than to defend themfelves.

It is also worth remarking, that even where the groffeft licentiousness may not be pursued, an unbounded paffion for exquisite refinement in pleasure, and for the luxu rious gratification of taste, is attended with more deep and ferious mifchiefs than are perhaps intended. It stagnates higher energies; it becomes itself the paramount principle, and gradually, by debafing the heart, both difinclines and disqualifies it for nobler pursuits. The court of Louis XIV. exhibited a striking proof of this degrading perfection. The princes of the blood were fo enchanted with its fafcinating splendours, that they ignominioufly fubmitted to the lofs of all power, importance, and influence

in the state, because, with a view to estrange them from fituations of real usefulness and dignity, they were graciously permitted to prefide in matters of taste and fashion, and to become the fupreme arbiters in dress, Spectacles, and decoration *.

* It is humiliating to the dignity of a Prince, when his fubjects believe that they can recommend themfelves to his favour, by fuch low qualifications as a nice attention to personal appearance, and modish attire. Of this we shall produce an instance from another pasfage of Lord Thomas Howard's Letters to Sir John Harrington." The king," fays he, " doth admire "good fashion in cloaths. I pray you give good heed "hereunto. I would with you to be well trimmed ; "get a good jerkin well bordered, and not too fhort: "the king faith, he liketh a flowing garment. Be fure it be not all of one fort, but diversely coloured; "the collar falling fomewhat down, and your ruff well "ftiffened, and bufhy. We have lately had many

gallants who have failed in their fuit for want of due obfervance in thefe matters. The king is nicely heed"ful of such points, and dwelleth on good looks and handfome accoutrements."

Nuga Antiquæ.

CHAP. XXIV.

On the Art of moral Calculation, and making a true Estimate of Things and Perfons.

A ROYAL perfon fhould early be taught

to act on that maxim of one of the ancients, that the chief misfortunes of men arife from their never having learned the true art of calculation. This moral art fhould be employed to teach him, how to weigh the comparative value of things;' and to adjust their respective claims; affigning to each that due proportion of time and thought to which each will, on a fair valuation, be found to be entitled. It will alfo teach, the habit of fetting the concerns of time, in contraft with those of eternity. This laft is not one of those speculative points, on which perfons may differ without danger, but one, in which an

erroneous

erroneous calculation involves inextricable misfortune.

It is prudent to have a continual reference not only to the value of the object, but also to the probability there is of attaining it; not only to fee that it is of fufficient importance to juftify our folicitude; but alfo to take care, that defigns of remote issue, and projects of distant execution, do not fuperfede present and actual duties. Providence, by fetting so narrow limits to life itself, in which these objects áre to be pursued, has clearly fuggested to us, the impropriety of forming schemes, fo difproportionate in their dimenfions, to our contracted sphere of action. Nothing but this doctrine of moral calculation, will keep up in the mind a constant sense of that future reckoning, which, even to a private individual, is of unspeakable moment: but, which, to a Prince, whose responsibility is fo infinitely greater, increases to a magnitude, the full fum of which, the human mind would in vain attempt to estimate.

This

This principle will afford the most falutary check to thofe projects of remote vain-glory, and pofthumous ambition, of which, in almost every instance, it is difficult to pronounce, whether they have been more idle, or more calamitous.

Hiftory, fertile as it is in fimilar leffons, does not furnish a more ftriking inftance of the mifchiefs of erroneous calculation, than in the character of Alexander. How falfely did he estimate the poffible exertions of one man, and the extent of human life, when, in the courfe of his reign, which eventually proved a fhort one, he refolved to change the face of the world; to con quer its kingdoms, to enlighten its igno`rance, and to redrefs its wrongs! a chimera, indeed, but a glorious chimera, had he not, at the fame time, and to the laft hour of his life, indulged paffions inconfiftent with his own refolutions, and fubverfive of his own schemes. His thirty-third year pút a period to projects, for which many ages would have been infufficient! and the va