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.
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Title
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.
Author
Tacitus, Cornelius.
Publication
London: Printed, and are to be sold by E. Rumball, at the Post-house in Russel-street in Covent-Garden,
1700.
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Subject terms
Etiquette -- Early works to 1800.
Cite this Item
"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." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A62449.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 3, 2024.
Pages
descriptionPage 54
ESSAY XXVIII.
IN the Senate he gave a severe
charge in a set Speech, that no
Man for the future should attempt
to Elevate the fluctuating and un∣steady
Minds of the Young Men with
over hasty Honours.
In the Discourse which he made to the Se∣nate,
says D'Ablancourt, he gave a strist
Caution, that no Man should swell the Vola∣tile
Minds of the Young Men with Honours
above their Age.
This Admonition concerns the Gover∣nours
and Tutors of young Princes, for
whom there is nothing so necessary as
these Lessons of Moderation and Mode∣sty.
The Children of Princes know too
soon that they are Princes, and by conse∣quence
that they are born to Command
over Men, tho' sometimes they learn too
late that they are but Men themselves.
They are told upon every occasion, that
all belongs to them; but the same Instru∣ctors
at the same time forget to tell 'em
descriptionPage 55
likewise, that their Persons belong to
the Commonweal; that all their Time
belongs to the Public; that the Burthen
which they are one day to undergo, is
very troublesome and painful; and be∣sides
that, extremely subject to the acci∣dents
of Fortune; that the Higher they
are Advanc'd, the greater is the danger
of their Fall; that they will never be be∣lov'd,
unless they love Reciprocally; for
Love it self is Masterless, that to be be∣lov'd
of God, it behoves 'em to be be∣lov'd
of Men; that Flatterers mislead
'em, if they listen to their Charms; that
when they are Flatter'd, 'tis not their
Persons, but their Fortune that is fawn'd
upon; since no Flatterer can be capable
of sincere and real Love. That Princes
can never know all things, nor bear the
whole burthen of their Sovereign Em∣ployment,
and therefore for the good of
the Kingdom, and their own Honour,
they ought to make choice of able and
faithful Ministers, to assist 'em with their
Counsels and their Industry; Dominion
and Absolute Power, which commands
all other Things, not having any more
to desire, then their dextrous and truly
Loyal Assistance. And lastly, That the
safest and shortest Expedient to Reign
descriptionPage 56
well, is for a Prince to propose to him∣self,
as the Rule and Ballance of all his
Actions to be no other then he would wish
a Prince to be, were he a Subject.
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