Characters from the Histories & Memoirs of the Seventeenth Century
History
Characters from the Histories & Memoirs of the Seventeenth Century
Great Britain -- Biography; Great Britain -- History -- Stuarts, 1603-1714
Towards the Education of his Children, he was exceeding carefull,
allowing them any thing conducing to that end, beyond the present
measure of his estate; which its well hoped will be returned to the
Memory of so good a Father, in their early imitation of him in all
those good Qualities and Literature, to which they have now such an
Hereditary clayme.
As to his Books, which we usually call the Issue of the Brain, he was
more then Fond, totally abandoning and forsaking all things to follow
them. And yet if Correction and Severity (so this may be allowed the
gravity of the Subject) be also the signes of Love: a stricter and
more carefull hand was never used. True it is they did not grow up
without some errours, like the Tares: nor can the most refined pieces
of any of his Antagonists boast of perfection. He that goes an unknown
and beaten Track in a Dubious way, though he may have good directions,
yet if in the journey he chance to stray, cannot well be blamed; they
have perchance plowed with his Heifer, and been beholden to those
Authorities (for their Exceptions) which he first gave light to.
To his Neighbours and Friends he behaved himselfe with that
chearfulnesse and plainnesse of Affection and respect, as deservedly
gained him their Highest esteeme: from the meanest to the highest
he omitted nothing what to him belonged in his station, either in
a familiar correspondency, or necessary Visits; never suffering
intreaties of that which either was his Duty, or in his power to
perform. The quickness of his apprehension helped by a Good Nature,
presently suggested unto him (without putting them to the trouble of
an _innuendo_) what their severall Affairs required, in which he would
spare no paynes: insomuch that it was a piece of Absolute Prudence
to rely upon his Advice and Assistance. In a word, to his Superiours
he was Dutifully respectfull without Ceremony or Officiousnesse;
to his equalls he was Discreetly respectful, without neglect or
unsociableness; and to his Inferiours, (whom indeed he judged
Christianly none to be) civilly respectfull without Pride or Disdain.
But all these so eminent vertues, and so sublimed in him, were but
as foyles to those excellent gifts wherewith God had endued his
intellectuals. He had a Memory of that vast comprehensiveness, that he
is deservedly known for the first inventer of that Noble Art, whereof
having left behind him no Rules, or directions, save, onely what fell
from him in discours, no further account can be given, but a relation
of some very rare experiments of it made by him.
He undertook once in passing to and fro from _Templebar_ to the
furthest Conduit in _Cheapside_, at his return again to tell every
Signe as they stood in order on both sides of the way, repeating them
either backward or forward, as they should chuse, which he exactly
did, not missing or misplacing one, to the admiration of those that
heard him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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