This love to ones Relations encreases as the Relations themselves do multiply. And we may say, that love naturally descends; for in old people their love is greatest to their Grand-children, and the fifth generation still carry the old mans affections from the third and fourth. From hence proceeds, that the _Popes_, who ordinarily are old, are so passionate for the advancement of their Nephews, for whom often they hazard their reputations in this world, and their souls in the next. With our Kindred there is no _Medium_ to be observed; we must either love them tenderly, and do for them all that lies in our power: Or we must hate them perfectly, and become cruel. It is not possible to be indifferent, and do them neither good nor evil; that would be to be neither man nor beast, which is impossible. There has been some _Popes_, who in the beginning of their Reign, out of Zeal and Piety, have shewed themselves averse from their Kindred; not only refusing to favour them, but seeking out all occasions of mortifying them. But what folly, what devillish policy, what false hypocrisie is this? For my part, I call such a disposition a vicious humour, which soon passes out of them, or destroys them, Nature it self being offended at this so unnatural a proceeding. _Adrian_ the sixth, _Marcel_ the second, _Urban_ the seventh, _Leo_ the tenth, were all _Popes_ very severe to their kindred, having all sworn solemnly at their Election never to admit their Kindred into _Rome_. And _Adrian_ the sixth was so extravagant that he persecuted them: For he refused to give a recompense to one of his Relations who had done the Church very good service, only because he was his Relation. But Divine Providence, which delights not to see Nature despis’d, reveng’d this indiscreet Zeal upon these _Popes_; for they all liv’d but a very little after their Creation. _Adrian_ liv’d but one year: _Marcello_, _Urban_, and _Leo_ liv’d all three together, not two Months compleat. So _Innocent_ the Eighth, _Julius_ the Second, _Pius_ the Fifth, and our _Alexander_ that now reigns, were at first strangely averse from their Kindred, which was interpreted by the People for nothing but Hypocrisie and Policy, that they might acquire the Title of Saints and Holy Men; for, a little after they were setled in their Kingdom, and in the Opinion of the Vulgar, they all found out some excuse or another to authorize their change; and particularly our _Alexander_, who is now as kind as he was severe at first. And for my part I must confess, that I always laughed at _Alexander_, for his pretended zeale, in keeping his Relations at a distance; and I never began to have a true respect for him, and believe him really a Saint, till he had brought them to _Rome_. And if Christ himself has left us written in the Gospel, _That we ought not to despise our own Flesh_, how can any _Pope_ justifie an aversion to his Kindred?