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. VII.

NOR were the Fathers less Pro∣digal of their Adulation to∣ward Augusta. But Tiberius told 'em, there was a Moderation to be us'd in bestowing Female Honours.

Says D'Ablancourt, Their Flattery was not only excessive toward the Emperour, but also towards his Lady.

Princes are willing enough that Ho∣nours should be bestow'd upon their Mo∣thers, or their Kindred; but they can∣not endure that any Person whatever, should be made their Equal. But this was that which the Senate were about to do, when they decreed that glorious Title of MOTHER OF HER COUN∣TRY to Livia. For indeed Flatterers are strongly subject to one piece of Im∣prudence, for that as they are a sort of People, that make their Interest the only Idol of their Adulation, looking one way

but rowing another, they never measure their study'd Encomium's according to the Merit, or Quality, or Dignity of the Person, but give the same Panegyricks to a Judge, a Chancellor, a President, or an Earl, &c. as to a Sovereign Prince. And thus we find at this day several Illu∣strious Epithites, whither before large Folio's, or Plays, or Discourses upon mean and frivolous Subjects, which are allowable to none but Kings and absolute Princes. Which is the Reason that France now mainly stands in need of a PRAGMATIC Sanction, like to that which Philip the II. set forth in the Year 1586. to prevent Abuses of the same Nature. As for Women, Tiberius like a Politic Prince, well understood how dangerous a thing it was to raise their Pride, their Vanity, their Luxury, their Avarice, their Ambition, their Insolence, and their Cruelty, which according to Tacitus, are the usual Passions incident to their Sex. And this Maxim of Tiberius, is well observ'd in Hungary, where the Queens, at the Ceremony of their Coro∣nation, are never Crown'd but upon the Shoulders, to let 'em know that the King∣dom has no need of their Heads, the King's being altogether sufficient for the weight of Government.