The compleat courtier: or, The morals of the famous historian Cornelius Tacitus concerning flattery, &c. In above one hundred essays. Paraphras'd and illustrated with useful observations by the Sieur Amelo de la Houssaie and M. D'Ablancourt. Done out of French.

ESSAY X.

TIberius rejoyc'd to hear the Se∣nate argue for the Laws a∣gainst his Sons.

D'Ablancourt renders it, Tiberius was glad to see his Sons, in that same famous Di∣spute, made equal with the Laws.

What a strange thing Flattery is! The Dispute was about the Election of a Pre∣tor; for which Office there were several that stood. Drusus and Germanicus, the Sons of Tiberius, favour'd a Kinsman of their own, whereas the Roman Law pre∣ferr'd those who had the most numerous Issue. However, notwithstanding the Election was hotly bandy'd and oppos'd by the Senate, yet Favour at length car∣ry'd it above the Law. Which is no more then what happens every day in o∣ther Courts, However let Princes be never so Vertuous and Moderate, yet they always take delight to prefer their Au∣thority above the Laws, while it gives them the Opportunity of reaping to

themselves the sole Glory of submitting afterwards. Thus it was that Tiberius one day Depress'd himself, to advance the high Opinion of his Moderation, returning in answer to the Flattery of a Senator, That the Customes of a Country prudently Establish'd, and with which the People had always all along been satisfi'd, were not to be Chang'd, but upon mature and deep Premeditation: That Princes had too much Business already, and too much Power: That while they labour'd to advance and extend their own, they did but weaken the Authority of the Law. Lastly, That there was no need of Application to a Prince, when the Laws were sufficient to reform the Grievance. Here by the way we must observe, that in Republic's they say, The Laws are a∣bove Princes: But in Monarchies, Rea∣son of State requires that the Prince should be above the Laws: I speak of He∣reditary Monarchies; for in Elective Monarchies, the Laws are Superiour to the Prince, as in Germany and Poland, where the Government is Aristocratico-Monarchical.