Mr. Bickerstaff,

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T is fome Years ago fince the Entail of the Eftate of our Family was alter'd, by paffing a Fine in Favour of me (who now am in Poffeffion of it) after some others • deceased. The Heirs-General, who live beyond Sea, were excluded by this Settlement, and the whole Eftate is to pass in a new Channel after me and my Heirs. But feveral Tenants of the Lordship perfwade me to let them hereafter hold their Lands " of me according to the old Cuftoms of the Barony, and not oblige them to act by the Limitations of the last Settlement. This, they

ey fay, will make me more popular among my Dependants, and the ancient Vaffals of the Estate, to whom any Deviation from the Line of Succeffion is always ⚫ invidious,

SIR,

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Yours, &c.

MOLY S

Sheer-Lane, June 24.

U have by the Fine a plain Right, in

Yo which none else of your Family can

be your Competitor; for which Reafon, by 'all Means demand Vaffalage upon that Title. The contrary Advice can be given for "no other Purpose in Nature but to betray you,and favour other Pretenders, by making you place a Right which is in you only, upon a Level with a Right which ⚫ you

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There is nothing fo dangerous or fo plea. fing, as Compliments made to us by our Ene mies: And my Correfpondent tellsinge, That though, he knows feveral of thofe who give him this Counsel were at first against paffing the Fine in Faygur of him, yet is he fo touch'd with their Homage to him, that he can hard, ly believe they have a Mind to fet it aside, in order to introduce the Heirs-General into his Eftate bas (anebnog Ɑ ym spons

Thefe are great Evils, but fince there is no proceeding with Succefs in this World, without complying with the Arts of it; I fhall use the fame Method as my Correfpondent's Tenants did with him, in Relation to one whom I never had a Kindness for; but thaff, notwithstanding, prefume to give him my Advices!q & sail odd oved US mylimat oy to alle sacu dɔidy Isaan Bikerstaff, Esq; of Great Britain, to -IT jedi nogLewis XIV; of France. France,M IS tothed me givb vno od

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WR Mäjekty will pardon me while darshake the Liberty to acquaint you, that fome Paffages written from your side of the Water do very much obftru&t your 8 • Interests.

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Interests. We take it very unkindly that the Prints of Paris are fo very partial in Favour of one Set of Men among us, and treat the others as irreconcileable to your • Interefts. Your Writers are very large in recounting any Thing which relates to the Figure Land Power of one Party, but are dumb when they should reprefent the Actions of the other. This is a trifling Circumftance many here are apt to lay fome Strefs upon therefore I thought fit to of fer it to your Confideration before you dispatch the next Courier.l boom -bory edror.T PREMAO IN SL Hood I. B. : Irant. dista

From Tuesd, June 27. to Thursd. June 29, 1710, dzo d'a imo deuods afor not From my own Apartment, June 28.

Fall

all the Evils under the Sun, that of making Vice commendable is the greateft: For it seems to be the Basis of Society, that Applause and Contempt fhould be always given to proper, Objects. But in this Age we behold Things for which we ought to have an Abhorrence, not only received without Difdain, but even valued as Motives of Emulation. This is naturally the DeftruB 4 &tion

Яion of Simplicity of Manners, Openness of Heart, and Generofity of Temper. When one gives ones felf the Liberty to range, and run over in ones Thoughts the different Genius's of Men which one meets in the World, one cannot but obferve, that most of the Indirection and Artifice which is used among Men, does not proceed fo much from a Degeneracy in Nature, as an Affectation of appearing Men of Confequence by fuch Practices. By this Means it is, that a cunning Man is fo far from being afhamed of being esteemed fuch, that he fecretly rejoyces in it." It has been a Sort of Maxim, That the greateft Art is to conceal Art; but I know not how, among fome People we meet with, their greatest Cunning is to appear cunning, There is Polypragmon makes it the whole Bufinefs of his Life to be thought a cunning Fellow, and thinks it a much greater Character to be terrible than agreeable. When it has once enter'd into a Man's Head to have an Ambition to be thought crafty, all other Evils are neceffary Confequences. To deceive, is the immediate Endeavour of him who is proud of the Capacity of doing it. It is certain, Polypragmon does all the Ill he poffibly can, but pretends to much more than he performs. He is contented in his own Thoughts, and hugs himfelf in his Closet, that though he is locked up there, and doing nothing, the World does not know but that be is doing Mischief. To favour this Sufpi

don, he gives Half-Looks and Shrugs in his general Behaviour, to give you to understand that you don't know what he means. He is alfo wonderfully adverbial in his Expreffions, and breaks off with a Perhaps and a Nod of the Head, upon Matters of the most indifferent Nature. It is a mighty Practice with Men of this Genius to avoid frequent Appearance in Publick, and to be as myfterious as poffible when they do come into Company. There is nothing to be done, according to them, the common Way; and let the Matter in Hand be what it will, it must be carried with an Air of Importance, and tranfacted, if we may fo fpeak, with an oftentatious Secrecy, Thefe are your Perfons of long Heads, who would fain make the World believe their Thoughts and Idea's are very much fuperior to their Neighbours, and do not value what these their Neighbours think of them, provided they do not reckon them Fools. Thefe have fuch a Romantick Touch in Business, that they hate to perform any Thing like other Men. Were it in their Choice, they had rather bring their Purposes to bear by over-reaching the Perfons they deal with, than by a plain and fimple Manner. They make Difficulties for the Honour of furmounting them. Polypragmon is eternally bufied after this Manner, with no other Profpe& than that he is in Hopes to be thought the most cunning of all Men, and fears the Imputation of Want of Understanding much

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