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
Fools turn Good-Sense upon its Head, they take Names for Things, and
Things only for Names.
[Sidenote: _Partiality._]
It is a general Mistake to think the Men we like are good for every
thing, and those we do not, good for nothing.
[Sidenote: _Patience._]
A Man who is Master of Patience, is Master of every thing else.
He that can tell how to bear in the right Place, is Master of every body
he dealeth with.
[Sidenote: _Positiveness._]
Positive is the Perfection of Coxcomb, he is then come to his full Growth.
[Sidenote: _Prosperity._]
It sheweth Mens Nature, that when they are pampered in any kind, they are
very apt to play jadish Tricks.
One of the Tricks of any Creature that is wanton, is to kick what is next
them.
[Sidenote: _Quiet._]
Every thing that doth us good is so apt to do us hurt too, that it is a
strong Argument for Men to be quiet.
If Men would think more, they would act less.
The greatest Part of the Business of the World, is the Effect of not
thinking.
[Sidenote: _Reason and Passion._]
Most Men put their Reason out to Service to their Will.
The Master and the Man are perpetually falling out.
A third Man will hazard a beating, if he goes about to part them.
Nothing hath an uglier Look to us than Reason, when it is not of our side.
We quarrel so often with it, that it maketh us afraid to come near it.
A Man that doth not use his Reason, is a tame Beast; a Man that abuses it,
is a wild one.
[Sidenote: _Reputation._]
It is a self-flattering Contradiction, that wise Men despise the Opinion
of Fools, and yet are proud of having their Esteem.
[Sidenote: _Self-love._]
Self-love rightly defined, is far from being a Fault.
A Man that loveth himself right, will do every thing else right.
[Sidenote: _Shame._]
A Man who doth not think he is punished when he is blamed, is too much
hardened to be ever reformed.
The Court of Shame hath of late lost much of its Jurisdiction. It ought by
right both to judge in the first Instance, and to exclude all Appeals from
it.
Shame is a Disease of the last Age, this seemeth to be cured of it.
[Sidenote: _Singularity._]
Singularity may be good Sense at home, but it must not go much abroad.
It is a Commendation to be that which a crowd of mistaken Fools call
Singular.
There can hardly be a severer thing said to a Man in this Age, than that
he is like the rest of the World.
[Sidenote: _Slander._]
Slander would not stick, if it had not always something to lay hold of.
A Man who can allow himself the Liberty to slander, hath the World too
much at his Mercy.
But the Man that despiseth Slander deserveth it.
[Sidenote: _Speakers in Publick._]
Speakers in Publick should take more Pains to hold in their Invention than
to raise it.
Invention is apt to make such Sallies, that it cannot secure its Retreat.
He that will not make a Blot, will be pretty sure in his time to give a
Stroke.
A patient Hearer is a sure Speaker.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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