only defcend below their Mafters dignity but their own difcretion; betraying for want of words of gravity, the intrinfick part of their Employment and going beyond their Commiffion, oftner by concellion, than confining themselves within it,or to it; the true Rule for a Minister of State, not hard to be gained by a refolute conteft: which if made by an Interpreter, he like a medium, may intercept the thame of any impertinent fpeech, which eagernefs or indifcretion may let ilip: Neither is it a fmall advantage to gain fo much time for deliberation, what is fit farther to urge: It being: befides,too much an honouring of their Tongue and undervaluing your own,to profefs your felf a Master therein, efpecially fince they scorn to learn yours. And to thew this is not grounded on my fingle Judgement, I have often been informed, that the firft and wifeft Earl of Penbroke,did return an Answer to the Spanish Embaffador, in Welch for which I have heard him highly commended.

12. It is an Aphorifm in Phyfick, Thatáwhole fome Airs, because perpetually fuck'd into the lungs, do distemper health more than courfer Diet, used but at fet times: The like may be faid of Company, which if good, is a better Refiner of the Spirits, than ordinary Books.

13. Propose not them for patterns, who make all places rattle, where they come, with Latine and Greek; For the more you seem to have borrowed from books, the poorer you proclaim your natural Parts, which only can properly be called yours. 14. Follow

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14. Follow not the tedious practice of fuch as feek Wisdom only in Learning: not attainable but by Experience and natural Parts. Much Reading, like a too great repletion, ftopping up, through a concourse of diverse, fometimes contrary, Opinions, the Access of a nearer, newer and quicker Invention of your own. And for Quotations, they refemble Sugar in wine, marring the natural taft of the liquor, if it be good; if bad, that of it felf: fuch patches rather making the rent feem greater, by an interruption of the ftile, than lefs, if not fo neatly applyed as to fall-in without drawing: Nor is any Thief in this kind fufferable, who comes not off like a Lacedemonian,without difcovery.

15. Spend no time in reading, much lefs writing Strong-lines which like tough meat, ask more pains and time in chewing, than can be recompenfed by all the nourishment they bring.

16. Books Stately writ debate your ftile; the like may be truly objected to weak Preachers, ami ignorant Company. Pens Improving, like childrens leggs, proportionally to their Exercife (fo as I have feen fome ftand amazed at the Length of their own reach, when they came to be extended by Employment;) This appeared in the late King Charles, who, after his more imperious deftiny, had placed him under the Tutorage of an unavoidable neceflity, attained a Pen more Majeftical, than the Crown he loft.And,though King James had fuch an over eftcem of his own Learning, that he Imagined all who deserved in that kind,robed

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the Monument he fought to build to his Fame: the Foundation of which he fondly conceited. to have laid in the Opinion of the World by his Printed Booky believing they would be valued by impartial: Pofterity, at the fame rate his Flatterers fet them up to im his life times Yet in this he was fo far exceeded by his Son, that all that come after may learn, Experience is a better Tutor than Buchanan.

17. The way to Elegancy of file, is to em ploy your Pen upon every Errand, and the more trivial and dry it is, the more Brains must be allowed for Sauce: Thus by checking all ordinary Invention, your Reafon will attain to fuch an habit, as not to dare to prefent you but with what is excellent: and if void of Af fectation,it matters not how mean the subject is: There being the fame Exactness obferved, by good Architects, in the ftructure of the Kitchin, as the Parlour.

18. When bufinefs or Complement calls you to write Letters, Confider what is fit to be faid, were the Party present, and fet down That. ›

19. Avoid Words or Phrafes likely to be learned in bafe company: left you fall into the Error, the late Archbishop Land did: who though no ill fpeaker, yet blunted his repute by faying in the Star-chamber, Men entred the Church as a tinker and his Bitch as an Alehouse. But this may eafily be declined by those who read for their imitation the incomparable lines of the late King, written in a file as free from affectation as levity.

20. The mall reckoning I have feen made (especially

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(efpecially in their life time) of excellent Wits, bids me advise you,that if you find any delight in writing to go on: But, in hope to please or fatisfie others, I would not black the end of a quill For long experience hath taught me, That Builders always and Writers for the most part fpend their money and time in the purchase of Reproof and Cenfure from envious Contemporaries, or felf conceited Pofterity. He that gets the good word of his Reader, hath nothing else to look for, nor ask: Therefore if you would happily attain your end, Imitate an active Gentleman, I knew, who paffing by fuch as threw the Bar, would take it up and pitch it as far as he was able, the first time,and fo leave them: Now few could out-throw him; and fuch as did, came fhort in credit: Because it was the general Opinion, that he who without untraffing,or making fuch a preparation as the Clowns use to do, could at the first go fo far, muft needs with an other affay or two, have out gone them all; though in truth he could not. Thus had he not only his own Strength, but the Peoples, which lies in Opinion, to advance him.

21. Be not frequent in Poetry, how excellent foever your vein is, but make it rather your Recréation,than Bufinefs: Becaufe,though it fwels you in your own opinion,it may render you lefs in that of wifer men, who are not ignorant, how great a mass of Vanity, for the most part coucheth under this Quality, Proclaiming their Heads, like ships of use only for pleasure, and foricher in Trimming, than Lading.

It is incident to many, but as it were natural with Poets, to think others take the like pleafure in bearing, as they do in reading their own inventions. Not confidering, that the generality of ears are commonly ftopped with prejudice or Ignorance: Neither can the Understandings of men,any more than their Tafts, be wooed to find a like favour in all things; one approving what others condemn, upon no weightier an account,than the single score of their own Opinions. Yet fome, like infirm people, make it the chief part of their entertainment, to fhew Strangers their gouty Lines in which they do not seldom become more unhappy, than those really diseased, who by fuch boldnefs do fometimes hear of a Remedy, whereas the others render themselves incurable: For though neat Wits, like fair Ladies, may take a Pleasure in making communicable the Beauty of their Parts: yet they both appear moft grateful, when they are obtained with ftrugling and blufhing.

22. The art of Mufick is fo unable to refund for the Time and Coft required to be perfect therein, as I cannot think it worth any serious endeavour: The owner of that Quality being still obliged to the trouble of calculating the difference between the morofe humour of a rigid Refufer, and the cheap and proftituted levity and forwardness of a mercenary Fidler. Deniall being as often taken for Pride, as a too ready complyance falls under the notion of Oftentation: Thofe fo qualified feldom knowing when it is time to begin, or give over: efpeci

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