is not their History that I am now defigning, I will only tell you that of the Count. The Dutchefs gave Six thoufand Crowns for a Place in the Prince's Bed-chamber for him; and, by her Favour with the King, procur'd him a Rife in the Army: She cal led about her own Perfon, his fair and fortunate Sifter. But his Ambition would not reft there; he never left interceeding with the Dutchefs, nor the Dutchefs with Sigifmund, 'till fhe was received into the Number of the Maids that attended the Princefs of Tameran; when, by an overplus of Fortune, the Prince caft his Eyes upon her, fo much to her Advantage, that fhe became his Miftrefs confefs'd, and had feveral Children by him. So great an Indulgence for the Brother, accompanied his Paflion for the Sifter, that he either found or fancied Merit in him, fuperior to all the Court; gave him a confiderable Command in the Army, and call'd him into the Nobility. Returning from an Expedition he had made by Sea, the Ship wherein the Prince was, ftruck upon a dangerous Sand: It was inevitable Death to all but those who could fave themselves in the Long-Boat. The Awe of Royalty is fuch, even in the Breasts of the Vulgar, that the ignoble Crew willingly devoted themfelves to the Sea-green Deity, to fecure the Life of their Mafter. Not one of them prefs'd forward to fecure themselves, by entring the Boat; but One and All calling upon the Royal Brother, B.5

put him to defcend, with the Good Wishes and Dying Prayers of the remaining Wretches, who, with repeated Huzza's, accompanied his Boat whilst it was yet in Sight, and themfelves were Sinking. Such a Spirit of Loyalty, and Senfe of Obedience to the fupream Power, was then in the Hearts of the People, 'till New Opinions obtain'd, New Notions of Liberty, and a new Eftimation of the Soveraign's Duty, and the Rights of the Subject; introduced by a Faction, whom nothing lefs could fatisfy, than an entire Subverfion of the ancient Conftitution.

No fooner was the Prince feated, but he tenderly called for his dear Comt, and commanded that not one, upon Pain of immediate Death from his own Hand, fhould dare to come down 'till he was placed by him. How tenderly he embrac'd him! I knew not, my faithful Friend, faid the Prince, how dear you were to me, 'till this ugly Profpect of lofing you! How many have I difobliged by the open Preference my Heart forced me to, for your Advantage? Could Life have been valuable to me, when you were out of it! I never loved any fo tenderly as you, nor you fo much as now! What can a Creature (owing all to his great Mafter) return for fuch an ineftimable Diftinction! anfwered the Count, happily bleft in your exalted Favour! Unhappy in defpairing ever to have an Opportunity of fhewing the leaft Grain of my

abun

abundant Gratitude! Since when I have returned you all, even to my Life, it is but what was your Highness's before. The best Gift of Nature I have this Moment received from your Royal Favour; there will be no Happiness for me, nor an Equality in my Destiny, unless fome Means be found to lose in your Service that Breath you have beftowed upon me; but I, more faithful than fortunate, can only with, not expect a Deftiny fo Glorious.

Aftrea.] Methinks I fhudder with the dread and apprehenfion of the Count's Ingratitude! How do I foresee that he deferved not that Diftinction? Put me out of Pain; has he not been ungrateful to the Royal Bounty?

Intell.] More than all Mankind, because he was more beloved and trufted; but he has rofe by it, and will in a moment (fo favourable are the Difpofition of his Stars). touch the tallest Dignities of the Empire.

Aftrea.] Can Great Jupiter permit it? Methoughts long fince (when in Egypt) I was pleafed with that Shew of Juftice among the Egyptians, their Contempt of Ingratitude, in which they held all Wickednefs was contain'd. 'Tis counted meritorious to forgive Injuries, but the most gentle Nature is permitted (with Applaufe) to retain the Memory of an ungrateful Act. It ought hardly ever to be forgotten; and 'tis as certain, that we fhall find no Goodness in him that is Ungateful, as we are fure to

find but little Evil in the Grateful. Mankind would in part avoid that fhameful Vice, if they did but esteem the Benefits that they receive greater than they are, and thofe which they confer, lefs than in reality they be. But in Moralizing I interrupt your Story; let me mark Fortunatus down the foremoft in my Pocket-Book. I will claim an efpecial Audience of Jupiter, in relation to the particular good Fortune of the Favourite-Count, and refolve to lead my Prince wide of the Road he has travelled in.

Intell] 'Tis time we fhould now return to fhew how he loft the Favour of the Dutchefs, the firft Step upon which he mounted from Obfcurity. Fortune, when fhe intends to go through with a Heroe, what-ever would in any other be a false Step, is but in him, an Advance, conducing to her End. He fell paffionately in Love with young Jeanatin, a Companion of his Sifter's, and in the fame Service about the Princefs. Here all his Precaution forfook him, that Coolness of Temper, that Allay of Fire, that paffrue Moderation, ever uppermoft, and to which he has owed his greateft Succefs; by this he has acquired thofe Appearances of Vertue, that are found in him. Tis his eafy Phlegm, that has suffer'd him, when at Council, either of War or State, to permit, with the leaft Show of Uneafinefs, even the loweft and worst-favour'd Perfon, to deliver his Opinion at length, though never fo oppofite to his own. He

weighs them all with Deliberation, and yet remains fix'd to his form'd Defigns. Hence it is, that even in the Heat of Fight he is not tranfported beyond his ufual Moderation; neither his Griefs upon a Difappointment are exceffive, nor the Exultings of his Joy upon a Victory. He neither cruelly punishes, nor generously forgives; 'tis all a Medium, and confidering the Extent of his Power, he has both done the leaft Mifchief and the smallest Good, of any that ever poffefs'd it. His Flatterers cry up his Courage, but it seems to me not to be fo much inborn to him, as acquir'd; for certainly we may as well learn to be Valiant, as Judici

ous.

A Proof of what I advance, may be taken from always ducking his Head at the Noife of a Bullet; the firft Apprehenfion is in his Nature, and only to be controul'd, not prevented, by Reafon, which immediately comes in for a Second, and carries him fafely through to Glory, which all Heroe's fhould chiefly aim at. In fhort, he is Exceffive in nothing, but his love of Riches; whether Ambition lies fmother'd beneath, and that he has fome diftant View, a Depth of Design, which none has yet had Line enough to fathom. Money is the only means to carry on fuccefsfully the greatest Enterprize. Perhaps he may one Day find a Royal Ball the Sport of Fortune, a Kingdom at her difpofal, and to be obtain'd by the higheft Bidder. Suppofe him Candidate for the Crown of Poland, if among the many Pre

tenders