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sovereign; for the security of their property。 He is so far

removed from them; and is so much exempt from private jealousies

or interests; that this dependence is scarcely felt。 And thus a

species of government arises; to which; in a high political rant;

we may give the name of ; but which; by a just and

prudent administration; may afford tolerable security to the

people; and may answer most of the ends of political society。

     But though in a civilized monarchy; as well as in a

republic; the people have security for the enjoyment of their

property; yet in both these forms of government; those who

possess the supreme authority have the disposal of many honours

and advantages; which excite the ambition and avarice of mankind。

The only difference is; that; in a republic; the candidates for

office must look downwards; to gain the suffrages of the people;

in a monarchy; they must turn their attention upwards; to court

the good graces and favour of the great。 To be successful in the

former way; it is necessary for a man to make himself ;

by his industry; capacity; or knowledge: To be prosperous in the

latter way; it is requisite for him to render himself

; by his wit; complaisance; or civility。 A strong

genius succeeds best in republics: A refined taste in monarchies。

And consequently the sciences are the more natural growth of the

one; and the polite arts of the other。

     Not to mention; that monarchies; receiving their chief

stability from a superstitious reverence to priests and princes;

have commonly abridged the liberty of reasoning; with regard to

religion; and politics; and consequently metaphysics and morals。

All these form the most considerable branches of science。

Mathematics and natural philosophy; which only remain; are not

half so valuable。

     Among the arts of conversation; no one pleases more than

mutual deference or civility; which leads us to resign our own

inclinations to those of our companion; and to curb and conceal

that presumption and arrogance; so natural to the human mind。 A

good…natured man; who is well educated; practises this civility

to every mortal; without premeditation or interest。 But in order

to render that valuable quality general among any people; it

seems necessary to assist the natural disposition by some general

motive。 Where power rises upwards from the people to the great;

as in all republics; such refinements of civility are apt to be

little practised; since the whole state is; by that means;

brought near to a level; and every member of it is rendered; in a

great measure; independent of another。 The people have the

advantage; by the authority of their suffrages: The great; by the

superiority of their station。 But in a civilized monarchy; there

is a long train of dependence from the prince to the peasant;

which is not great enough to render property precarious; or

depress the minds of the people; but is sufficient to beget in

every one an inclination to please his superiors; and to form

himself upon those models; which are most acceptable to people of

condition and education。 Politeness of manners; therefore; arises

most naturally in monarchies and courts; and where that

flourishes; none of the liberal arts will be altogether neglected

or despised。

     The republics in Europe are at present noted for want of

politeness。 ;'5' is an expression for rusticity among the French。 The

English; in some degree; fall under the same censure;

notwithstanding their learning and genius。 And if the Venetians

be an exception to the rule; they owe it; perhaps; to their

communication with the other Italians; most of whose governments

beget a dependence more than sufficient for civilizing their

manners。

     It is difficult to pronounce any judgment concerning the

refinements of the ancient republics in this particular: But I am

apt to suspect; that the arts of conversation were not brought so

near to perfection among them as the arts of writing and

composition。 The scurrility of the ancient orators; in many

instances; is quite shocking; and exceeds all belief。 Vanity too

is often not a little offensive in authors of those ages;'6' as

well as the common licentiousness and immodesty of their stile;

; pene; ; says Sallust in one of the gravest and most

moral passages of his history。 ; is an expression of Horace; in tracing

the origin of moral good and evil。 Ovid and Lucretius'7' are

almost as licentious in their stile as Lord Rochester; though the

former were fine gentlemen and delicate writers; and the latter;

from the corruptions of that court; in which he lived; seems to

have thrown off all regard to shame and decency。 Juvenal

inculcates modesty with great zeal; but sets a very bad example

of it if we consider the impudence of his expressions。

     I shall also be bold to affirm; that among the ancients;

there was not much delicacy of breeding; or that polite deference

and respect; which civility obliges us either to express or

counterfeit towards the persons with whom we converse。 Cicero was

certainly one of the finest gentlemen of his age; yet I must

confess I have frequently been shocked with the poor figure under

which he represents his friend Atticus; in those dialogues; where

he himself is introduced as a speaker。 That learned and virtuous

Roman; whose dignity; though he was only a private gentleman; was

inferior to that of no one in Rome; is there shewn in rather a

more pitiful light than Philalethe's friend in our modern

dialogues。 He is a humble admirer of the orator; pays him

frequent compliments; and receives his instructions; with all the

deference which a scholar owes to his master。'8' Even Cato is

treated in somewhat of a cavalier manner in the dialogues 。

     One of the most particular details of a real dialogue; which

we meet with in antiquity; is related by Polybius;'9' when

Philip; king of Macedon; a prince of wit and parts; met with

Titus Flaminius; one of the politest of the Romans; as we learn

from Plutarch;'10' accompanied with ambassadors from almost all

the Greek cities。 The Aetolian ambassador very abruptly tells the

king; that he talked like a fool or a madman (lhrein)。 'That's

evident;' says his majesty; 'even to a blind man'; which was a

raillery on the blindness of his excellency。 Yet all this did not

pass the usual bounds: For the conference was not disturbed; and

Flaminius was very well diverted with these strokes of humour。 At

the end; when Philip craved a little time to consult with his

friends; of whom he had none present; the Roman general; being

desirous also to shew his wit; as the historian says; tells him;

'that perhaps the reason; why he had none of his friends with

him; was because he had murdered them all'; which was actually

the case。 This unprovoked piece of rusticity is not condemned by

the historian; caused no farther resentment in Philip; than to

excite a Sardonian smile; or what we call a grin; and hindered

him not from renewing the conference next day。 Plutarch'11' too

mentions this raillery amongst the witty and agreeable sayings of

Flaminius。

     Cardinal Wolsey apologized for his famous piece of

insolence; in saying; 'Ego et Rex meus'; ; by

observing; that this expression was conformable to the Latin

idiom; and that a Roman always named himself before the person to

whom; or of whom he spake。 Yet this seems to have been an

instance of want of civility among that people。 The ancients made

it a rule; that the person of the greatest dignity should be

mentioned first in the discourse; insomuch; that we find the

spring of a quarrel and jealousy between the Romans and

Aetolians; to have been a poet's naming the Aetolians before the

Romans; in celebrating a victory gained by their united arms over

the Macedonians。'12' Thus Livia disgusted Tiberius by placing her

own name before his in an inscription。'13'

     No advantages in this world are pure and unmixed。 In like

manner; as modern politeness; which is naturally so ornamental;

runs often into affectation and foppery; disguise and

insincerity; so the ancient simplicity; which is naturally so

amiable and affecting; often degenerates into rusticity and

abuse; scurrility and obscenity。

     If the superiority in politeness should be allowed to modern

times; the modern notions of ; the natural produce of

courts and monarchies; will probably be assigned as the causes of

this refinement。 No one denies this invention to be modern:'14'

But some of the more zealous partizans of the ancients; have

asserted it to be foppish and ridiculous; and a reproach; rather

than a credit; to the present age。'15' It may here be proper to

examine this question。

     Nature has implanted in all living creatures an affection

between the sexes; which; even in the fiercest and most rapacious

animals; is not merely c

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