jury. It was King Francis the First, who being at Remorentin on the Twelfth Day, (as it is vulgarly exprefs'd) and willing to celebrate, and maintain the Custom of Electing a King by Lot, viz. By breaking a Cake, wherein there is a Bean (which the French term, Faire le Roy boy) the Regal Power, fuch as in Questions andCommands, accordingly fell on the Count of St. Paul. After the Repast was over, and all Ceremonies ended, the King requested the new-fancied Monarch, to take Half of his Court, and fhut himself up in his own House, as it were in a Cittadel; and those that remain'd were to affault him with Snow-balls. This Mock-engagement was carried on with much Fervour on both Sides, and the Victory feem'd to hang in an Equilibrium; till at laft, one of the Befieged took a Fire-brand, and hurl'd it down from a Window, which fo dangerously Wounded the King in the Fore-part of his Head, that his Life was defpair'd of: Nay, the Report of his being actually Dead, was fo much difpers'd, that to check the flying Rumour he was obliged to fend for all foreign Embaffadors, and folemnly make before 'em his publick Appearance.

If in Antiquity we meet with any the like Tranfactions, thofe that occurr'd between Servants and Slaves, fometime before the Battle fought between Darius and Alexander, muft bear the nearest Refemblance. In which, thofe that guarded the Baggage of the latter, divided themselves into Two Parties; one of whofe Chiefs affum'd the Name of Alexander, the other that of the King of Perfia. And tho' in the Infancy of their Quarrel, they fought only with Clods, and Wilps of Straw, or Turnip-Tops; yet in the End, grow. ing more ripe and eager after Blood, they took up Stones, and whatever Arms were first prefent

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ed to their View: Infomuch that many were Kill'd and Wounded. However Alexander thought this an aufpicious Omen to his enfuing Campaign, and whereas the Side that took his Name came-off Victorious, he feem'd already to anticipate and hugg Himfelf in the dawning Gleams of Conqueft.

CHAP.

CHAPTER XVI.

If there be any fuch Thing as Fortune, the Court is the likelieft Place to meet with it.

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Here were Two Fisher-men, who had no other Dependance than on their Business that commonly accompanied one another in their Trade of Fishing. It fo fell out that they had caft their Nets together feveral Times, but with very unequal Succefs. One of them came Home every Evening charged with a valuable Cargo of Fishes, whereas the other generally returned as empty as he went out. The Unfortunate thought his Comrade had always the Luck to light upon the better Place; this Conjecture was an Incitement to rouze him very betimes in the Morning, to go and seize upon a Place, before his Companion's Arrival, in order to obviate his ill Fortune. He then elate with fine Expectations caft his Nets again, not doubting of Succefs, but to his great Mortification faw whole Sholes of Fishes wheel round to his Neighbour's Side. One Evening when the fortunate Fisher had taken a large Pike, which the unfortunate narrowly miffed; Why, fays the hapless Wretch, did you rather chufe to caft yourself into his Net, than to stay with the rest of your Company in Mine? Friend, replied the Pike, I can't fatisfy you in that, but i'll affure you my Inclination promted me to take up with you, if I had not been diverted by your evil Genius. A certain Gentleman, who accidentally happening to ride by, had over-heard the whole Dialogue, made him this Anfwer; Tho' I be not, fays he, in a Capacity to furmount your R 2

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difaftrous Fate, yet certainly it lies in my Breaft to alter your prefent Ill-luck; with that the Gentleman immediately flung him down feveral Pieces of Money, far more valuable than the greatest Prize he could have taken.

The Obfervation is very Juft, that all who engage in the fame Employment of Life are not equally profperous in theirEndeavours. That most People fondly hope to alter their Fortune by fhifting their Abodes, or changing their Occupations. That a Perfon who is unhappy on one Occafion, is generally fo in all. That great Men may cut off the Thread of our finifter Destiny whenfoever they think fit.

If we would make a ftrict and general Scrutiny, not only into the Palaces of Kings and Courts of great Princes, but if we defcend alfo into private Families, we fhall find that they who have been at the Expence of most Pains and Affiduity in ferving their respective Patrons, ordinarily come off with the flendereft Recompence; and they, who by the Favour of their Stars, or any particular Byals of Humour, chance to ftrike in agreeably with their Patron's Temper, generally gain a good Share of his Affections and Fortune.

Thofe People, who give themselves moft Trouble in ferving, are often taken lefs Notice of. The Pains that one has been at, the Homage that he has paid, the good Services that he has done, frequently go for no more than meer Cyphers, when Compenfation is to be made. A Sentence pronounced agreeable to a Sovereign's Humour, a Word gracefully fpoken, a Hawk dexterously perched on the Tip of one's Thumb, may be of

fufficient Influence to give Birth to a confiderable Fortune.

By fuch feemingly frivolous Means there's one Perion fhall be no fooner got within the Verge of the Court, but he shall be immediately advanced to the most eminent Charges, and another shall fpend all his Days therein and reap nothing but Poverty for a Reward of his fruitlefs Labours. If Fortune does not make her Court to us, we must make ours to fome Perfonage conftituted in a more elevated Station of Life than ourselves, unless we are willing to fet down contented and view all our Efforts and Attempts turn'd into Ridicule.

'Tis an egregious Folly to imagine, that the Deference and Respect paid to us are incommenfurate to our Worth, that the World is infenfible of our Capacities, and that we are in Reality preferable to those who are invested with more honourable Employments. In this we are very apt to abufe ourfelves, not confidering that a Vivacity of Mind, a Depth of Judgment, are often more conducive to our Prejudice than to our Profit. All, but efpecially great Men, conceive an Averfion to thofe who penetrate too far, who discover Things at too great a Distance, and take Care to let people know they are never wanting in Forefight. 'Tis true an Address in counterfeiting is a Piece of Prudence at Court, but a great Deal of Caution is to be used in the Practice of it, left an affected Negligence in pretending not to fee or hear any Thing fhould betray itfelf: For in fuch Rencounters 'tis equally dangerous to pass for a Man of too much Stupidity, or too fubtle Penetration.

From the Particular last remember'd often arise Disgraces of a most dangerous Tendency. How many People are there in the World who attempting to approach to the first Degree of kingly Gran

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