A Character of King Charles the Second: And Political, Moral and Miscellaneous Thoughts and Reflections — John Shaqi
A Character of King Charles the Second: And Political, Moral and Miscellaneous Thoughts and ReflectionsHalifax, George Savile, Marquis of
History
A Character of King Charles the Second: And Political, Moral and Miscellaneous Thoughts and Reflections
Halifax, George Savile, Marquis of
Charles II, King of England, 1630-1685 -- Early works to 1800
A Character differeth from a Picture only in this, every Part of it must
be like, but it is not necessary that every Feature should be comprehended
in it as in a Picture, only some of the most remarkable.
_This Prince_ at his first entrance into the World had Adversity for his
Introducer, which is generally thought to be no ill one, but in his case
it proved so, and laid the foundation of most of those Misfortunes or
Errors, that were the causes of the great Objections made to him.
The first Effect it had was in relation to his _Religion_.
The ill-bred familiarity of the _Scotch_ Divines had given him a distaste
of that part of the Protestant Religion. He was left then to the little
Remnant of the _Church of England_ in the _Fauxbourg St. Germain_; which
made such a kind of figure, as might easily be turn'd in such a manner as
to make him lose his veneration for it. In a refined Country where
Religion appeared in Pomp and Splendor, the outward appearance of such
unfashionable Men was made an Argument against their Religion; and a young
Prince not averse to rallery, was the more susceptible of a contempt for
it.
The Company he kept, the Men in his Pleasures, and the Arguments of State
that he should not appear too much a Protestant, whilst he expected
Assistance from a Popish Prince; all these, together with a habit
encouraged by an Application to his Pleasures, did so loosen and untie him
from his first Impressions, that I take it for granted, after the first
Year or two, he was no more a Protestant. If you ask me what he was, my
answer must be, that he was of the Religion of a young Prince in his warm
Blood, whose Enquiries were more applied to find Arguments against
believing, than to lay any settled Foundations for acknowledging
Providence, Mysteries, _&c._ A General Creed, and no very long one, may be
presumed to be the utmost Religion of one, whose Age and Inclination could
not well spare any Thoughts that did not tend to his Pleasures.
In this kind of Indifference or Unthinkingness, which is too natural in
the beginnings of Life to be heavily censured, I will suppose he might
pass some considerable part of his Youth. I must presume too that no
Occasions were lost, during that Time, to insinuate every thing to bend
him towards Popery. Great Art without intermission against Youth and
Easiness, which are seldom upon their guard, must have its Effect. A Man
is to be admired if he resisteth, and therefore cannot reasonably be
blamed if he yieldeth to them. _When_ the critical Minute was, I'll not
undertake to determine; but certainly the inward Conviction doth generally
precede the outward Declarations: At what distances, dependeth upon Mens
several Complexions and Circumstances; no stated Period can be fixed.
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