fancy to be in me, so if I had it, the public would not be one jot the better, when I had sacrificed my quiet to it. For most princes apply themselves more to warlike matters, than to the useful arts of peace; 20 and in these I neither have any knowledge, nor do I much desire it. They are generally more set on acquiring new kingdoms, right or wrong, than on governing those well that they have; and among the ministers of princes, there are none that either are not so wise as not to need any assistance, or at least that do not think themselves so wise, that they imagine they need none; and if they do court any, it is only those for whom the prince has much personal favour, whom by their fawnings and flatteries they endeavour to fix to their own interests: 21 and indeed nature has so

20 The reason is evident why kings prefer war to peace: in the former, which besides demands less wisdom, the people's attention is directed from the domestic administration of affairs, to the pompous circumstances of battles, armies, conquests, &c., that, especially if seen from a distance, appear dazzling to the vulgar. If princes, on the other hand, remained at peace, they might be expected to concur in the removal of abuses and improvement of the laws, which would prove a Herculean task and a disagreeable one, too, to persons who know nothing of improvement, and profit by abuses. Hence no king has been a reformer long. A very small modicum of amelioration satisfies him. He starts back and is terrified,

"Even at the sound himself has made;"

and begins soon to believe that things must be well enough as they are.

21 As it is always desirable to learn wisdom, from whatever quarter it may come, I shall introduce in this place an honest remark or two by persons from whom little honesty was to be expected. "All men love those best who dispute not with them;

made us, that we all love to be flattered, and to please ourselves with our own notions. The old crow loves his young, and the ape his cubs. Now if in such a court, made up of persons that envy all others, and do only admire themselves, one should but propose any thing that he had either read in history, or observed in his travels, the rest would think that the reputation of their wisdom would sink, and that their interests would be much depressed, if they could not run it down and if all other things failed, then they would fly to this, that such or such things pleased our ancestors, and it were well for us if we could but match them.22

a misfortune, whilst it is among private persons, that is not so much taken notice of; but it becomes remarkable, and grows a public calamity, when this uncomely obsequiousness is practised towards great princes, who are apt to mistake it for duty, and to prefer it before such advice as is really good for their service." The reader will perceive that "great princes," as here intended, are not princes distinguished for intellect or wisdom, but whose kingdoms happen to be extensive; otherwise they would not be apt to mistake flattery for duty, or to prefer it before sound advice. In fact, the writers go on in the most logical way to prove that these "great princes" are so many fools. No doubt they put the thing as handsomely as they can, and urge the truth very politely; but that makes no difference in the end-the conclusion is the same; and thus they arrive at it syllogistically "Flattery is the food of fools; but flattery is the food of kings; ergo," &c. But let the writers give it in their own language; an eminent poet of our own nation calls this flattery the food of fools; and it is a plant so guarded and fenced about, so cherished and preserved in all courts, that it never fails of bringing forth much wretched fruit."-Sons of Lord Clarendon, Preface to his History, vol. i. p. 14.

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22 Sir Thomas More, we see, viewed with no less contempt than Bentham, the arguments against innovation drawn from

I

They would set up their rest on such an answer, as a sufficient confutation of all that could be said; as if this were a great mischief, that any should be found wiser than his ancestors: but though they willingly let go all the good things that were among those of former ages, yet if better things are proposed, they cover themselves obstinately with this excuse, of reverence to past times. have met with these proud, morose, and absurd judgments of things in many places, particularly once in England." "Was you ever there?" said I. "Yes, I was," answered he, "and staid some months there, not long after the rebellion in the west was suppressed, with a great slaughter of the poor people that were engaged in it.23

"I was then much obliged to that reverend prelate, John Morton, archbishop of Canterbury, cardinal, and chancellor of England; a man," said he, "Peter, (for Mr. More knows well what he was,) that was not less venerable for his wisdom

"the wisdom of our ancestors." No man, perhaps, ever put this in a better light than it is here put in the text. Indeed, what can show the ridicule of it more completely or more quietly, than "as if this were a great mischief, that any should be found wiser than his ancestors!" Leigh Hunt could scarcely have expressed the idea more dryly or neatly.

23 It used to be part of the policy of kings to goad the people into rebellion, that they might have an excuse for thinning them. In modern times they are sacrificed to the Moloch of the excise, that the revenue may be increased; or to the corn-laws, that rents may be kept up; or to tithes, that a wealthy clergy may be maintained; or to the preservation of unhealthy and worthless colonies, that the spare oligarchy may have governorships and liver complaints.

and virtues, than for the high character he bore: he was of a middle stature, not broken with age; his looks begot reverence rather than fear; his conversation was easy, but serious and grave; he took pleasure sometimes to try the force of those that came as suitors to him upon business, by speaking sharply, though decently to them, and by that he discovered their spirit and presence of mind; with which he was much delighted, when it did not grow up to an impudence, as bearing a great resemblance to his own temper; and he looked on such persons as the fittest men for affairs. He spoke both gracefully and weightily; he was eminently skilled in the law, and had a vast understanding, and a prodigious memory, and those excellent talents with which nature had furnished him, were improved by study and experience. When I was in England, the king depended much on his councils, and the government seemed to be chiefly supported by him; for from his youth up, he had been all along practised in affairs; and having passed through many traverses of fortune, he had acquired to his great cost, a vast stock of wisdom: which is not soon lost, when it is purchased so dear. One day, when I was dining with him, there happened to be at table one of the English lawyers, who took occasion to run out in a high commendation of the severe execution of justice upon thieves, who, as he said, were then hanged so fast, that there were sometimes twenty on one gibbet; and upon that, he said, he could not wonder enough how it came to pass, that since so few escaped, there were yet

so many thieves left who were still robbing in all places.24 Upon this, I who took the boldness to speak freely before the cardinal, said there was no reason to wonder at the matter, since this way of punishing thieves was neither just in itself, nor good for the public; for as the severity was too great, so the remedy was not effectual; simple theft not being so great a crime, that it ought to cost a man his life; and no punishment how severe soever, being able to restrain those from robbing who can find out no other way of livelihood; and in this, said I, not only you in England, but a great part of the world imitate some ill masters, that are readier to chastise their scholars, than to teach them.25 There are dreadful punishments enacted against thieves, but it were much better to make such good provisions, by which every man might be put in a method how to live, and so be preserved from the fatal necessity of stealing, and of dying for it. There has been care enough taken for that,' said he, there are many handi

24 More had made the discovery that a humane penal code is favourable to the diminution of crime. This does him honour; particularly as it is but now that we are beginning to be convinced of it. Even yet, however, we have much to learn on the same subject; for, perhaps, it may at last be made apparent thai over the lives of men we have no right at all, whatever be their offences.

25 Locke and Montaigne would chime in with this. See the notes to my edition of the former's "Thoughts on Education." Vol. III. of the "Masterpieces." Milton was more stern, and would correct and punish severely where severity appeared to be called for. So would the divine Plato, whose indignation against wickedness was proportioned to his distance from it.