Aristippus, or, Monsr. de Balsac's masterpiece being a discourse concerning the court : with an exact table of the principall matter / Englished by R.W.

AN ADVICE pronounced and since written.

Wherein is the Extract of an enter∣tainment, in which was discoursed of Ministers, and of the Ministery of State. To Monsieur Girard, Official and Archdeacon of Angoulesm.

YOu shall have your desire; for who can refuse a man who demands with so good a grace? Were not even this man my perfect friend, were he not my Reverend Father •• God, were he not the beginning of an ••rchbishop, and more then one half of a ••onsignor? Should not this man (patience little, for I am not yet at the end of this ••eriod) should not this man I say, so consi∣••erable in respect of his Character and De∣••rts have the power over me and my wri∣••ings, which a perfect friendship and fidelity of forty years require.

I therefore now send you Sir, my Advice of the other day Augustus his Favorite, of the last Edition reviewed, and the Letter to the Qu. of Sweden; you will please to commu∣nicate them to Monsieur the Governor since he seeks divertisement, and believes he may finde it in my writings. But I shall entreat you to advertise him, that in the Advice no∣thing was added to what was spoken; should I reduce it into order, I should fals••••e the thing which was not treated with me∣thod, nor by the Rules of Art. Here it is as it past in the liberty of conversation which followed the reading of the first and fifth Discourse of Aristippus.

THe Prince ought not to follow his own inclinations when he is to chuse his Mi∣nisters; herein he must away with capricio••s and fantasies: Let him in other things sport and divert himself as he pleaseth; in a choice of so high a concern he must use the severi∣ty of his Judgment, and with the first bring with him the indifferency of his will; it ought to be a pure operation of Reason, free and dispoiled of love or hate.

After an exact search, and serious delibe∣ration, after having been plena••ily satis••••ed on all those difficulties which he made 〈◊〉〈◊〉 himself, and which were made by others. He may conclude, That this particular per∣sons leisure wa•• the Republicks loss, and that that lost as much time as he spent in his repose.

But in pursuit, having tried the person he chose, and having received those services he hoped for, if he will do what's just, he will make his Minister his Favorite, and will not suffer him to desire any thing beyond the ac∣knowledgement of an obliged Prince; it's just he should not impart common honors to an extraordinary vertue, that he should not avaritiously dispense his favours on a place whereon Heaven hath poured forth all hers.

But do you remember Sir, that I spoke of Agrippa and of Moecenas who are long since dead, and have left behind them none of their race, although the earth be large, and the number of the people which inhabit it not small. Augustus could never have found through all its extent, two better or more efficacious instruments for those glorious En∣terprises he designed: He had need of those two men to establish that eternal Peace he in∣tended the Universe; these men were neces∣sary for him to perswade obedience to people that were free, to make his arms revered by the vanquished, to render that Power which was terrible to all the world, grate∣ful to every particular person.

Besides which, they were friends worthy of Augustus, enlightned with the clearest lights of wisdom, when they were to deli∣berate; they burnt with zeal and affection, when they were to execute things delibera∣ted. Sometimes they followed the intenti∣ons

of Augustus, otherwhiles they preven∣ted them. They did not onely obey his words and his commands, but even the signs he made and his desires. None but they could have born the splendor of so lively and active a vertue as his, far enough from being able to have upheld it, to fortifie it as they did, and to cooperate with it.

Is it not true, that a Prince who hath such Ministers may take some hours of rest with∣out prejudice to the Publick repose, may take up the debates in his mind without disturbance to his affairs? I am confident you are of my mind, but you must also con∣fess, that such Props as these are not in Sholes under one Raign or in one Kingdom, not even in History, which embraceth seve∣ral Raigns and Realms. Such helps as these are rare presents from heaven. A man had need know how to chuse; these kind of elections are not every day to be made; all Ages are not so happy as that of Au∣gustus; And that man whom the world may sometimes stand in need of, perhaps may not be then born.

THere are some Souls capable of Fear, which was the second point of our con∣versation, which otherwise are fair souls▪ and want not light; But they are without fire, or so ill kindled, so weak, and so languish∣ing, that they appear to be without action; these Souls are only fit to exercise easie ver∣tues,

they know not how to act, but when they move without resistance; such Mini∣sters to be sure will never trust to Chance; they would have a God for their security, and more then an Oracle for their assurance in the least of their undertakings; their Master may have courage, but the timerousness of their Councels blunts the edge of his cou∣rage, they always restrain, and never spur him forwards.

Take heed, I beseech, you of those able Cowards Aristippus entertain'd us withal; observe how a new experiment puts their wisdom in disorder, how a simple report without an Author or foundation, casts them out of their ordinary situation; how grave and dissembling soever they are at the first allarm, their Mask falls, all their business is to be read in their faces, in the afternoon you may know the Dispatches they received in the morning (so that good wise Gentleman Mr. Conrart once told us) although they en∣deavor to palliate themselves with a con∣strained silence, the esmotion of their mind still appears in their troubled looks.

When our Philip de Comines learnt from the mouth of the Duke of Venice, the League which was concluded against King Charls his Master betwixt that Seignory, the Pope, the King of the Romans, &c. this news which he nothing suspected, and during the time of his Embassie did so surprize him, that if you will beleeve Cardinal Bembo, it

almost made him quite lose his wits. And when he went out of the Senate with a Secretary of the Seignory, who had order to accompany him, My friend, said he, pray repeat what the Prince told me, for I have quite forgotten it; I no longer know what is become of my Memory, or of my Reason.

This example is singular, whether it were by reason that such a secret was kept amongst so many Senators, and so many Ambassadors, who treated about this League or by reason of our Ambassadors surprise, who seeing them every day never was sen∣sible of any thing which concerned their Treaty, yet ought he not for this lose the good reputation which he had otherwise so well deserved. A thunder-clap in a serene Skie, may well astonish a man who thinks not on a tempest. But there are men, and I know some, to whom every noise is a thun∣der-bolt, and who are astonished at every thing. There are some men whom Confi∣dence and Despair alternatively sometimes take and leave again in one day. So ha••e an agitation, and so mis-becoming the dignity of a wise man (I speak of the wise of this world, not of the Stoically wise) is far e∣strang'd from that equality of mind, which ought to appear in all the several changes of Humane things; in the ebbings and flow∣ings of Court. It is not Constancy which we are to witness amongst the extravagan∣cies and sickleness of fortune? shall a Pil••••

tremble and grow pale at sight of the first rising billow, shall he let the Rudder fall from his hands? shall he quit his place? shall he abandon the ship in a tempest if it cease not as soon as it pleaseth him?

A funeral news may happen which may cause a universal astonishment, men may eve∣ry where cry out, that all is lost; They may bring news that Hannibal is at the City gates, that a Province is revolted, that ano∣ther is shaken. In this publick consternati∣on shall the Minister hide himself in the re∣cesses of the Palace, to weep for the miseries of the State, to make vows amongst the wo∣men? On the contrary, were I to be credi∣ted, he ought to appear in publick Piazzo's and in all other frequented places; he ought to be at every turn of ill fortune, and be∣cause he ought not to fear he deserves to be respected. A Poet hath gone before me, MERƲITQƲE TIMERI NON METƲ∣ENS.

Neither the audacity of evil Subjects, nor the debility of honest men, nor the mur∣murs of ignorant people, nor the discourses which he shall hear in his chamber of those who will wager his ruine in the Court be∣low, will be able to disturb the serenity of his looks, which manifests a peace without and tranquility within.

By his good mine he will reassure afright∣ed hearts, he will keep himself erect over those ruines which may fall under him, je

will never despair of the Republick, but considering THAT MEN ARE AS OF∣TEN DECEIVED IN DESPAIR AS IN HOPE, AND THAT THE SICKNESSES WHICH SOME DIE OF, AND WHERE∣OF OTHERS ARE CURED, HAVE THE SAME BEGINNINGS; after having herein imployed all possible remedies, and forgotten none of the secrets of Art, he will cast him∣self into the arms of Providence, and re∣commend his Affairs to God, this also I ac∣knowledge from that good and wise Gentle∣man Mr. Conrart.

THis a••••urance in astonished persons, and this calm in a tempest, must needs pro∣ceed from that strong constitution of mind which is nothing subject to those disorders which the Passions raise, and which are no∣thing shaken with what impetu••sities soever fortune clasheth with them. But whatsoever the Barbarians of the Court say, or if you had rather call them the enemies of learn∣ing, the study of Wisdom is no unprofitable help to Magnanimity and Judgment.

True and good Philosphy, for there is one which is false and evil, renders death fami∣liar unto us by a frequent meditation; it bereaves us of fear, and diminisheth ill; it teacheth us that the onely faults which we commit, are the onely mishaps which befall us; and the consolation which a man receives who is at no loss by his imprudence, but by

the infidelity of others is to be preferred to the good successes of him who gains by his crimes and not by his vertues.

That Minister of whom you fancy I have made this Picture, but which I reserve in my secret Repository, being called to the Government in such troublesome times, ought to uphold himself on these principles; he ought to pass from the Philosophy of words to that of actions; an unforeseen ac∣cident will never overthrow his Rules nor his Maxims, because there can be no acci∣dent which he foresees not, and smels not a far off. He will neither apprehend the dan∣ger of his person, nor the ruine of his for∣tune; he will apprehend nothing but blame and an ill reputation; And although Pru∣dence be a Vertue principally employed for the preservation of him who possesseth it; yet neither will Prudence hinder him from prizing several other goods more then his own life.

But when things grow better, and times become less evil, he for that will not sleep out a calm, nor unbend himself from his former vigor. Our wiseman will go before all disorders, not onely with quick and pe∣netrating eyes, but also with a firm and an undaunted heart. If he sees some signe of change appear, and the least presage of a ci∣vil War, he will endeavor to stiffle the Mon∣ster before its birth. It would be vain to re∣present unto him those inconveniencies

which threaten him in particular, if he will oppose himself to a springing faction, he will pass by all those considerations which stop the greatest part of our other wisemen, and he will onely mind the performance of his duty, without caring for the greatness of the danger he is engaged in.

Were there a Son, or the Brother of a King, who were perswaded to embr••il them∣selves, he would never sharpen that Son or that Brother, far less would he flatter them: He will give counsel to the Father and the elder Brother which should neither be time∣rous nor cruel. And if any man seek to e∣strange from him the affection of these young Princes, he will rather serve them without their good will, then please them by dis∣serving them: He will not so much respect what they would then seem to will, as what hereafter they would indeed; nor so much the interest of others, wherein others engage them, as he will their true and natural inte∣rests, which can never be separate from those of the King and Crown.

After this manner he will undertake the publick Cause with a couragious Pro••i••y▪ and will not make the least appearance 〈…〉〈…〉 indiscreet zeal appear; his force will be with∣out rudeness or sharpness; his fidelity to his Master without hatred; to his Masters Brother or Son he will manifest a respectful bol••∣ness, and full of modesty in those occasion▪ wherein others would ruine all by violence

or negligence Howsoever as it was said at first, he must be resolved come what will to the worst can happen; to save the State he must be prodigal of himself, he is the Kings own man. He must not onely engage himself in a dangerous action, the event whereof is doubtful, but devote himself to an assured death, if his Masters service exact it from him.

It's this quality which is so necessary for a Minister To love the Princes person as much as the State; the one and the other passion ought equally to possess his Soul, one with∣out the other being deficient: we went yet further, and after having answered what was alledged in de Aubignys History con∣cerning the Dukes of Joyeuse and Espernon. I thus return to our subject.

IT hath been formerly spoken of two Ma∣cedonians, That the one loved Alexander, and that the other loved the King; it's not well done to part what ought to remain entire; why should we separate the King from Alex∣ander, and divide that poor Prince in pieces? it were a violent division, and a violence even to Nature; it's to cut one body into two; the Kings interests are inseparably united with those of the State, and I must confess that I cannot approve the meaness of Cardinal Birage, who usually said, I am not Chancelor of France, I am the Kings Chan∣celor, he might as well ••ave added, And the

Queen his Mother, whose Creature he was; not to take things at worse, methinks he is not to be commended for so ill an expression.

Good Princes themselves protest, They be∣long to others, and owe themselves and all to the Commonwealth▪ Magistrates and other Officers with far more reason ow themselves unto it. They will never therefore at the same time give and take away the same thing; their souls are too noble to be capable of so base an avarice; will they repent themselves of their liberality? will they secretly take back a pre∣sent which they solemnly made before all the world? for so I call the administration of Ju∣stice, of good Judges, and of good Laws.

Unless than Melanois reckoned France as nothing, he could no way better then there∣by have made it appear, that he was a stran∣ger to it, and that to him it was altogether indifferent But let it not be displeasing to the Cardinal of Birague; the Minister ought to love the King and State both at once toge∣ther. And if besides that, he love some o∣ther thing, his second affections must always ranck themselves under the subjection and orders of the first.

If he marry, he ought not to contract him∣self with any who is suspected by the State, or gives any cause of jealousie to his Prince▪ but for this its too too much, he ought to re∣nounce his own Country, he ought to break all the bonds of Nature, he ought to sacrifice all for the good of the State, if the good of the

State require it. He ought to make it appear, that in a Monarchy there may be a young Brutus, who prefers his duty before his Chil∣dren, and can even lose them when its necessa∣ry ••or the Kings service. He shall witness him∣self another Marquis of Pisani, who one day said of his only Daugher, of she who since, and to this day is the wonder of her Age, If I knew that after my death she should be the wife of a man who were not the Kings Servant, I would strangle her now persently with mine own hands.

But if the Minister be unmarried, and if he keeps himself chaste, it will be so much the greater advantage to his Masters affairs, and they will be less subject to inconveniencies; it wil be no smal matter That to him who ought perpetually to labor either with courage or with his mind, defended pleasures are un∣known, which have turned so many wise men into beasts, and led so many Victors in tri∣umph; but the ground of it indeed were, that even he would be without legitimate passions which at least amuse and divert, if they do not debauch and corrupt. Domestick cares which usurp so much time from business will not rob an hour from such a Minister; he will never think of the establishment of his Fami∣ly, he will not have one thought but for the Eternity of the State; his affection which would have been divided betwixt his Wise, his Sons and Sons in Law, which would have run into other successions, and other de∣pendancies

of Mariage, so that the least part of it would but have come to his Masters share, w••ll then be united and gathered toge∣ther in one only object; his soul being void of little cares will be altogether fill'd with those of the publick, &c.

ANd then neither will he be troubled to seek for venale tongues or mercenary pens. He will be far better praised by the publick voyce, then by those of particular persons. These will neither be starved, and beggarly Orators, nor di••••y and ragged Po∣ets to speak well of him; but whole Provin∣ces which have been eased of their burthens and taxes, great and goodly Cities whose an∣cient priviledges have been preserved, Bles∣sings and Applause will follow him every where; at the same time he will be called the Port of the Afflicted, and a ruining Shelf to those who are Violent; the Peoples com∣fort, and the terror of Forainers, by reason that he by his prudence will reduce them ••o reason, nor by his vanity will be offensive to them.

Thus the Enemies of the State will admire the vertue of which they have cause to com∣plain; And what would they not then give for a man who had given them so much trou∣ble? with how many millions would they purchase one Minister? what promises what artifice would they not employ if they possibly could? I do not say altogether to de∣bauch

him, but even to sweeten him, were it never so little; there is nothing but they would do to soften the firmness of his heart, and to hinder his mouth from speaking the truth; but he who believes he possesseth the Spring of Pearls and the Root of Gold; that King who boasts to have the price of all things in his coffers, is not rich enough so much as to pay for the very silence of such a Minister as I fancy.

Our Conference ended with a digression which was nothing displeasing to the compa∣ny, and by two examples which are the one far enough from the other, but which both equally pleased you. Neither must I forget the last point of the other days Advice.

A Wife and Children are powerful hin∣derances to stop a man in his course to glory; whosoever hath them hath given ho∣stages to Fortune, and undertakes nothing but with co••••traint, for fear of losing what he hath given; The sad representation of a Widows mourning, and his Children being under age, continually presents it self before his eyes, it enters into all its deliberations. And when his Mind makes its escapes by a generous motion, this second thought pre∣sently succeeds, which reduceth him into the road again of vulgar spirits. He marcheth into the Field onely when the signal is given him from Court; he raiseth the siege before a place when it can hold out no longer in

obedience to the secret orders he receives from his Wife. In the most honorable occa∣sions he regrets the smoke of Ithaca, he sighs for the absence of Penelope; He pre∣fers the wrinckles of an old woman, who expects him at home, before that immorta∣lity which is promised him if he will but re∣main with the Army.

This same man being married, is grown a∣nother in Wedlock; formerly he believed it was piety to hazard himself for his Coun∣try, and now he believes it's cruelty not to preserve himself for his Family. He no longer thinks on vertue, forasmuch as he cannot leave it in his Testament; he cares for no∣thing but Wealth, and Offices which may succeed from him to his; for which he hath such irregular desires, and such a blind am∣bition, that he no longer knows God nor the King, and sticks neither at Altars nor Thrones when his interest is concerned.

Had not Stili••on been married his end had been more happy, then the first part of his life was sparkling The Emperor Yheodosius, to whom he had rendred very profitable and most signal services, judged him worthy of his Alliance, and gave him to Wife his Ncece Serena, who by adoption was his Daughter, he afterwards received a second mark of greatness, and had the honor to be Father in Law to the Emperor Theodosius; but he thought it a smal matter that his Sister should be Emperatrice, & that his Son should still be

his sisters Subject and remain but a private Person: The mischief was, he had this Son, and that he loved this Son more then his duty. Eucherius was the cause why Stelicon died guilty of high Treason, and an Enemy to the State; although he had formerly been the Princes Tutor, and the States Protector, although he had defended both the one and the other against the Treasons of Ruffinus, and the Enterprises of the Barbarians.

PRrince Maurice of Orange was no ordina∣ry man, and his actions deserve respect; he is particularly to be considered (these are the reflections of an Italian A cademick) although he professed himself of a Sect which not only permits Marriage, but ordains and com∣mands it, yet would never marry; whether he believed he should never get Children which resembled him, or that he apprehend∣ed that if he had any, the consideration of his fortune 〈◊〉〈◊〉 make him undertake some∣thing to the prejudice of the publick liberty, or whether he would not divide that affecti∣on which he thought he was obliged to pre∣serve entire for his Country.

THis was near upon my advice the other day; and since you thought it not fit to be lost in the air with the rattle of words, and that Monsieur our Governor will not be angry to see it in paper, you will oblige me to carry it to him, and to make him this small present from me; Were I

in a condition to go abroad, I would ease you of the trouble, and spare your O••ation, but I know that the pains which you take for me are pleasant unto you, and that speeches cost you nothing.

It's not the first time, my dear Sir, that I have better exprest my self by your mouth▪ then by mine own. You have oftner then once been my Ambassador (I use your own terms) as well towards Monsieur the Mar∣shal d' Effiat, as to Monsieur the Count d' Auaux; you have made your self heard by those good Lords, and have after a strange manner made me been valued. Let's go yet further on in the History; in confidence of me you have gone to Monsienr the Arch-Bishop of Thoulouse, and Monsieur the Bishop of Lisieux. You promised them my Letters to oblige me to write unto them, and they came to you to meet them, when they knew you had any for them Before Jansenius or the Jansenists were spoken of, ••onsieur the Abbot of St. Cyran called you My A••ro••a; he received you with open arms, and you have been always well entertained by the il∣lustrious persons of our age; he therefore in my opinion will not treat you less favorably then those; it's necessary for him to dive••t himself, and for that purpose you will come most opportunely after so many troublesom businesses and so many sad objects where∣with our Province hath been of late filled; ••he may untire his mind, and rejoyce his sight

with these our lines which you shall give him.

For the Picture it self which you promised him, its another story. It's not at all in my Cabinet as you fancy, it's still in the Painters Idea, and consequently it will be difficult for you to make good your promise. Such Pieces require leisure and meditation. An old Artist as I am, having some honor to lose, and being obliged to have a care to preserve the good opinion which men have of him, he ought to respect the judgment of the pub∣lick, and not to abuse those favors which he hath received. Althongh I will paint no more, I have far less mind to daub.

FINIS.