or Injustice. They correct Sloth, chastise Lust, teach Prudence, encourage Diligence, and gloriously represent all other moral Virtues with an Air of the most lively Veneration and lasting Felicity. There's no Room left here for obliging some Humourists, by gloffing over their vicious Actions, or flattering their Offences. Indeed the late laborious Dr. Patrick raises a mighty Dispute upon the infuing Royal Lesson; and strenuously contends, that this Chapter ought not to be afcrib'd to Bathsheba and Solomon, as if it was all meerly Conjecture, without the least Ground, or any good Reason to be affign'd for it: But that this King Lemuel was some other Prince, in a foreign Country, whose Mother's Name was unknown, though believ'd to be of a prophetick Spirit; that she was rather a Jewish Lady, not Bathsheba, marry'd to some Prince of another distant Kingdom; and that Lemuel, her supposed Son, was not Solomon, but some great Person, or a different Prince in Chaldæa. But the learned Grotius fancies Hezekiah to be the King here mention'd or meant, under the Name of Lemuel, upon a very flender Reason; only because this Chapter follows the Collection of Solomon's Proverbs, Chap. 25. made by his Servants: And how judiciously Soever, or otherwise, I leave to the Determination of wiSer Difputants. After All, the Doctor himself grants, which is sufficient for the Fustification of the Method of my Proceeding; that, It is generally taken for granted, both by Hebrew and Christian Writers, that King Lemuel, whose Mother gave him the Precepts contained in this Chapter, was Solomon: Whom Rathsheba took Care early to instruct in his Duty; being, as some of no small Name fancy, divinely inspir'd with the Gift of Prophecy. So much for the Matter in Debate; with as much Brevity as poffible, and without wholly omitting this Variety of Opiniwhich, at full Length, would be highly imperti ρης: nent to my present Undertaking. HowPractical. 1 Howfoever that be in the Controverfy among the Learned, my fole Business in this Book will be only I shall do like the Whetstone in Horace; fungar vice cotis-to sharpen-up Religion and Morality a little, or to give a keener Edge to the Practice of both in this dull Iron-Age. I shall endeavour to whet People to all Virtues, by gently correcting or curing their contrary Vices. Good wholsome Counsel, moral Advice, and a little smart Satyr, will not hurt their Perfons, and do them no great Harm as to their Manners. I have not study'd the Art of Rhetorick or foothing Language, So much as a good Life and some instructive Lampoon in the Performance. A Moral Writer should rather chuse to act the Part of a prudent Physician, than to play the Flatterer or fine Orator. And if his Physick be proper for the Patient, it is no Matter for the Plainness of the Pill without gilding, or the Bitterness of the Potion without obliging the Palate. However, I bave been as Tender as possible in the following Touches; without either those extreme Severities of probing the Wound too deep on the one Hand, or those defective Indulgences of Palliating the Cure on the other : at least without any Favour, Flattery or Affection on either Side, according to the Nature of their Distempers and Indispofitions. Panegyrick and Satyr are so carefully mingled in this Composition, that we hope it will prove a tolerable, bonest, inoffenfive Family-Book; a Lesson of most Duties both Civil and Domestick, or a kind of Looking-glass, at least for Ladies, and other young People, to see their Virtues and Vices in at full View: fairly representing both Wisdom and Folly in their proper Colours as well as real Complexions. 1. As to the Panegyrick; It commends only the Good, and rewards Virtue with the most deserved Honours of Applause. Who would ever have blam'dPliny Junior, for so magnificently praising the Civil Virtues of the Emperour Trajan; if he had not defac'd all his Excellencies, and fully'd his Glories by the extreme Cruelty which be exercised against the Professours of Chriftianity. 'Tis im poffible poffible to extol a wise, just and righteous Prince or Princess with too much Magnificence; so long as the Panegyrift keeps within the Rules of good Faith and Bounds of good Manners. They justly deserve the highest Encomiums of Rhetorick; require the loudest Harangues of Eloquence, and demand the loftiest Flights both of Art and Nature, by their fingular Merits, upon the Pinnacle of Honour and Virtue. Virtuous People are the most valuable, praise-worthy and inestimable. They should wear Crowns of Laurel, for their better Distinction. They cannot be too well recommended, in the brightest Characters and finest Eulogies of Glory, to the Esteem, Reverence and Admiration of the World. But whosoever was the Author of the Satyr against Virtue, Poet or Pedant, he only acted the Part of the Antipodes to common Reason. 'Twas no more than a vain Piece of Blasphemy against her unblemish'd Beauty, without hurting her establish'd Character. II. As to the Satyr; It condemns only the Bad, and punishes Vice with the most deserved Lashes of Disgrace. Who could ever yet find Fault with Juvenal, the Prince of Satyrists, for dispraising the Vices, Follies and Vanities of degenerate Rulers or Regents, Noblemen or Magistrates, &c. with so much Severity; when they still peremptorily persisted in their corrupt Practices, and proceeded in their licentious Courses of living with the utmost Irreligion as well as Immorality? It is impossible to de grade such lewd Debauchees sufficiently with the greatest Invectives against their Viciousness. Who can spare their foaring aloft in the Height of Pride and Ambition, Cruelty and Oppreffion, Treachery and Falshood. They cannot be debased too low, or disgraced by the smartest Strokes of the Pen, with too much Abhorrence and Detestation, for their unpardonable Liberties. But what little lewd, vile Wretches foever, shall become Encomiasts of Vice after all: Such Libertines will certainly merit the most exquisite Punishments, or Reproaches of Life, that Satyr can invent; not to pursue the Metaphor of the Lash Lash any fartber, among common Offenders, either to the Cart, or the Whipping-Poft, for Correction. Greater PerSons may perhaps prosper in their Iniquities for a while, and flourish by such diffolute Practices. But lo then the Chaff they are like, according to the Royal Pfalmist, Suddenly Scatter'd in the Whirl-Wind! All their BlefJings are driven away at a Blast of the divine DispleaJure. Their false Glory goes off in a Breath of Air. The Levity flies apace, and nothing of Value remains unvanish'd. Who therefore can forbear checking Vice, either walking in the Counsel of the ungodly, standing in the Way of Sinners, fitting in the Seat of the Scornful, riding, triumphant in the Chariot of Vanity, or unlawfully Domineering in the full Career of a profperous Iniquity, Wickedness and Injustice ? This impartial Composition then, or exact Mixture of the Moralities and Immoralities of People; as well in Praise of the Good and Virtuous, according to their Merits, as in Dispraise of the Bad and Vicious, according to their Demerits, among both Sexes, young or old; peradventure may have its defired Effect, either of obliging the One, or reforming the Other, upon a strict Perusal of the Book to the closer Practice of their Duties. However, in fine, 'tishop'd the candid Reader will easily perceive, that I have said nothing of Party-Malice, Immodesty or Immoderation in this Work, or at least 1 think so, according to the best of my Knowledge : and have advanc'd no new Doctrines to offend any Kingdom; where either the sacred Scripture is not reckoned difaffected to the Government of it, or the Government of it is not really dissatisfied with the Sacred Scripture. But without any farther Prefacing, this Royal Lesson contains the Character of a virtuous King and Queen; and they who best deserve it, are most truly intitl'd to the greatest Glories of its Coronation. Adieu. The The CONTENTS. Lexander lov'd his Master next hisFather, 18 Arts and Sciences require great Masters, 20 Burlesquing of Scripture, abominable |