CCXI sociable letters written by the thrice noble, illustrious, and excellent princess, the Lady Marchioness of Newcastle.

CLXXXIV.

MADAM,

YOu Express'd in your last Letter, that Sir W. N. was to Visit you, and that you fell into a Discourse of the Humours, and Natures of Mankind; the truth is, the Nature of Man∣kind is like an Endless Labyrinth, past finding out; also you Express'd you fell into a Discourse of Governments, and I can tell you what I have heard of my Husband, viz. that the greatest part of the VVorld of Mankind is Govern'd by Lies and Fables, which is, that all the VVorld is Govern'd by Religion, and there is no Truth certainly but in Christian Religion, why then, all the Heathen, Jews, and Turks, are Govern'd by Lies and Fables, and those are much more than three Parts of the VVorld, which shews that most of Mankind are Fools, and yet all Men think themselves VVise, for al∣though all Mankind are so Ambitious and Co∣vetous, as not to be Satisfied, yet all men are Satisfied with their VVisdom and VVit, think∣ing they have enough, for every man thinks he hath more VVit, and is VViser than his Neigh∣bour, and is Conceited with himself for it, and yet every man sees his Neighbours Follies; (for Follies are easie to be Seen, but Wit and Wisdom lies Obscure) whereas if every man

had Wit, and were Wise, there would be no Fools; but Mankind is not only Foolish, but False, I mean most Men, in truth there is no Trust in them, concerning which I have heard my Husband say, that the Wisest thing for this VVorld is, to Believe as Little as a man can, and for the next VVorld, to Believe as Much as a Man can; indeed, Facility and Credulity in this World, are great Enemies to a man's self, for they often Betray him into Misfortune and Un∣happiness, at least into great Errors and Follies, for which he is never Pitied, but Scorned. But I will write you my Husbands Discourse con∣cerning the Natures of Men, in his own words; said he, The Disposition of Mankind for the most part is such, as you shall seldom see them Smile or Laugh, but at the Follies or Misfor∣tunes of other Men, which shews they have so much Love for Themselves, as they have no room left for Others, nay, you shall hardly Con∣verse with any speaking of other men, but they will find some Fault or other with them, for finding Fault shews they could Mend it, and by that means they think they cry themselves up still for the Wiser, nay, you shall meet with Few Discoursing of others, but they will lay Load on them, even sometimes to Railing, though they never Offended them, which shews most Extreme Ill Natures, and if they do Com∣mend him, it is very Coldly, saying, He hath his Faults for all that as well as other men, and the Epilogue of their Discourse is, He hath Rare

Parts, but for this, and but for that, and but for the other; but if they hear any thing to a man's Prejudice, how Rejoyced they are, and will Believe it presently, though it be never so Improbable, and bring Reasons to Fortifie the Prejudice; and if it be any thing to a Mans Ho∣nour and Reputation, they will Pull it down pre∣sently by Detracting, saying it is Impossible it should be so, and Fortifie it with the best Rea∣sons they have: Certainly they think other Mens Faults make them Virtuous, though they have ten times more Faults themselves; but surely their Faults do not Glorifie them, ex∣cept others would take Warning by them not to Do the like, which I dare Answer for, they will not. But every Man hath his Weak and his Strong Side, and if he do Compare himself with another, he doth it not Justly, for he Compares his Strong Parts with the other mans Weak Parts, and it seems Truth when so Compared, and makes him Proud, but did he Compare his Weak Parts with the other's Weak Parts, and his Strong Parts with the other's Strong Parts, truly I doubt then he would be much out of Countenance. But some have no Strong Parts to Compare, and yet will Rail on others, and that is Craftily done, to Pull down others, to make them Equal to themselves, and then they are as Fine men as any; but I will, said he, End my Discourse with a Saying of that Noble Sir Philip Sidny, concerning those that will; says he, Hath a man any Good thing in him? Love him for that,

for there are many that have none, and One Vir∣tue, or Good Quality, is worth a Thousand Vices, and I can make a Benefit of his Good, and leave his Vices to him to Mend, without Playing the part of his Schoolmaster; which was most VVisely, Nobly, and Honourably said. By this, Madam, we may perceive, though Mankind is Generally Bad, yet some Particulars are VVise, VVitty, Good, and Noble, and I wish for the sake of Mankind all were so, but though this cannot be hoped, yet I am,

Madam,

Your faithful Friend and Servant.