Altar of the God of Peace, are not always the greatest Paterns of Meeknefs and Charity; nay, I wish that it could not be faid, that many of them would rather fuffer a miferable Wretch to expire at their Gate, than to leave, like the Stag in the Fable, their Banquet, Games, or any other of their Recreations.

But to our Purpose: I have formerly had the Honour of being prefent at a Royal Chafe, when a Great Monarch riding with all speed, in order to be prefent at the Death of his Game, ftopt his Horfe on a fudden, when he faw one of his Officers flung off his Horse, and lying on the Ground: In this Occurrence His Majefty, prompted by his natural Temper of Meeknefs, Good-Nature, and Complacency, did not offer to continue his Course until he had enquir'd what Harm he had receiv'd, and taken care to order Two Gentlemen to conduct him fafely Home.

Now the Doctrine, or Precept, which I would have rais'd from this Account is, that, tho' the great Occupations of a Sovereign, or a Master of a Family, feem fufficiently to difpenfe with their particular Care of any of their Subjects, or Servants, when the Opportunity offers it felf, it ought not to be rejected as a mean and fhameful Office; in fo much the more, that the Care, which they might entrust another Perfon with, how Commendable foever it feems in it felf, does not produce the fame Effect; because it very often falls out, that thofe they employ are deficient in their neceffary Affection, in comforting a poor Wretch, or in affifting a fick Body. One fingle Glance or Word from them, are more Powerful and Prevailing, than either the Hands or Remedies of thofe, who by their Orders are continually about them.

Alexander

Alexander the Great, the next Day after the Combat, us'd to Vifit the Wounded in the Field of Battle; he took Care to fee their Wounds drefs'd, and by his Prefence mitigated their Pain, and confolidated their Sores. And what could be more Reasonable and Juft, fince they had so Courageoufly defended him in the Field, and interpofed their own Bodies betwixt Him and Danger. The Emperor Tiberius, in the Time of his Banifhment at Rhodes, gave some of the Magistrates to underftand, that he had a Defire to Vifit all the Sick in the City Whereupon fome of them order'd, that this might not divert him from his other Occupations, or to fave him the Trouble, that they Thould be all brought into the Publick Piazza, where he faw and comforted them.

With One remarkable Inftance more of Compaffion and Humanity, in a Mighty Prince, and very well deferving our Notice, I'll conclude this Section. He did not drefs, with his own Hands, the Sores of the Wounded, neither had he a Dittany powerful enough to reftore Life to those who had loft it; but in fpeaking a few Words, he fav'd the Lives of many Thoufand Men, who were only waiting for the Onfet to butcher one another. It was the Duke of Berry, Brother to Lewis the Eleventh of France; who, having made a League with the Count Charalois, and other Malecontents, was fo compaffionately affected, after the Battle of Mont le Herry, that he could not forbear fhewing his laudable Sentiments, when he faw the Number of Wounded that follow'd his Army; faying, with a great Concern, That he pity'd the Misfortunes and Miseries of fo many poor Souldiers, who fuffer'd, and were cruelly put to Death, for the Quarrel of a few Perfons only, who contend for Baubles.

This timely Reflection being made, and utter'd with an inexpreffible Sentiment of Humanity made fuch an Impreffion on Count Charalois, and the rest of the Confederate Princes, by rendering them Sufpicious, left he fhould make his private Agreement with his Brother Lewis the Eleventh, that they refolv'd to conclude their Own, left they fhould be furpriz'd, if Abandon'd by the Chief of their Army.

...

CHAP.

That Fortune Sometimes fo contrives it, that we receive greater Advantage from our Enemies than we do from our own Friends.

A Bear being unfortunately grown Blind, there

by became the occafion of great Concern to all his Friends and Acquaintance, who very industriously endeavour'd to Cure him, and in order thereunto, procur'd for him divers Medicines; one apply'd an Eagle's-Stone to his Eye, another advis'd him to thrust his Head into Dwarf-Elder ; but all this proving ineffectual, at length his Friends were grown weary of him; and there continu'd with him but One or Two, who had determin'd never to forfake him; when on a fudden a Swarm of Bees iffu'd from the Body of a Tree, and flew on him with their utmost Fury; his Friends feeing him befet on all fides by these little Animals, fled from the poor diftreffed Bear ; who perceiving himself thus bafely deferted, void of Comfort or Affiftance, in his greatest Extremity, lifted-up his Eyes in the violent Anguish, under which he then labour'd, thinking his Life was drawing to an End: But it fell out quite the reverfe; for those Bees, by ftinging him in his Eyes, drew from them the Humour, which was fettled in them, by which means he again recover'd his Sight, and it produc'd an effectual Cure; upon which he thus cries out: Thofe whom I efteem'd to be my intimate Friends, being wearied with my Calamity, have forfaken me, after they had footh'd me with deluding Speeches; but thefe little Bees,

whom

whom I judg'd to be my inveterate Enemies, compaffionately thrusting their Stings into my Eyes, bave again restored me to my Sight....

We may easily learn Three Things from this Fable, Firit, that we feldom fail of Affiftance and Confolation in the beginning of our Mis for tunes; Secondly, that our molt cordial Friends abandon us at the long-run: Thirdly, that we frequently receive Relief from thofe Perfons, who were far from defigning it for us.,

It is alfo commonly obferv'd, that our Friends comfort us in our Afflictions, aflift in our Wants, and alleviate our Sorrows; but it would be very furprizing, to fee our deareft Companions fly from us in our Diftrefs, and to find our avow'd Adverfaries tenderly Help, and act the parts of Brothers by us.

It feems altogether incredible, that we should meet with Succour from thofe Men, who but Yesterday would have Stabb'd us to the Heart, had it been in their Power: And tho, in all probability, it may not proceed from a noble Generofity, nevertheless Experience teacheth us, that there have been thofe, to whom Envy itself has prov'd Advantageous; and the very Perfons, who have endeavour'd the utter Ruin of others, have accidentally promoted them to great Honour.

Telephus being Wounded by the Sword of Achilles, it immediately caus'd an eating Ulcer in his Side, which tormented him with, fuch extream Pain, that he rush'd furioufly into the Battle; and fortunately receiving a fecond Blow, the fame Sword which had Wounded, did likewife Heal him of a Difeafe, which the Phyficians judg'd to be incurable:

Bb