c^ni^ yc>n/f*::^^/i^tJ. .^ora'A///ichJ . DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Treasure 1(oom UTOPIA DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY \^ - -^ — /y / ^ 'BOOKS Printed for J. Pemberton. i.r I 1 \\ E Hiftory of the Revolutions that happen'd in the I Government of the Roman Republick. Written in -*" French by the Abbot tie Vertot, of the Royal Aca- demy of Infcriptions, tyc. In Two Volumes. The Third Edition. £ngiiJJ)'d by Mr. Oz,ell, from the Original, newly reprinted at I'aris, with Emendations and Additions' by the Author himlelf in almofl: every Page. To which is prefix'd, A Tranflation of a Memorial lent from Lorulon, by the late Earl Stanhope, to the Abbot de Vertot at ?aris. Containing divers Queftions relating to the Conftitution of the Roman Senate. With the Abbot's Anfwer. Price loj. 2. The Hillory of the late Revolution of Perfia: Taken from the Memoirs of Father Krujinski, Procurator of the Jefuits of Jfpahan, who lived twenty Years in that Country, was employ'd by the Bifhop of Ifpahan in his Negotiations at the Terjian Court, for the Emperor and the King of France, and was familiarly conversant with the greatefl Men ot- all Parties. Done into Englijh from the Original, juft publifh'd with the Royal Licenfe at Farts, by Father Du- Cerceau, who has prefix'd a Map of Per/7i«, and a fhort Hiftory of the Sophies. With curious Remarks on the Accounts given by Sir ^ohn Chardin, Tavernier, and other Writers, who have treated particularly of that Government and Coun- try. In two Volumes. Price js. 6d. 3 . The Critical Hiftory of England, Ecclefiaftical and Civil f wherein the Errors of the MonkiJ}} Writers, and others be- fore the Reformation, are expofed and correfted : As are alfo the Deficiency and Partiality of later Hiftorians. And parti- cular Notice is taken of the Hiftory of the Grand Rebellion, and Mr. Arck Deacon Echard's Hiftory of England. To which are added. Remarks on fbmc Objections to Bifhop Burnet's Hiftory of his own Life and Times, and the Charafters of Arch Deacon Echard's Authors. The Third Edition, Corre- €tcd and Improved. To which is added, An Effay on Criti- dfm, as it regards Defign, Thought, and Expreflion, in Profc . and Vcrfe. Vol.1. Price fs. 4. The Critical Hiftory of England, Ecclefiaftical and Civil. Vol. II. Containing an Examen of Mr. Echard's Hiftory of the Reigns of Henry VIll. Edward Yl. Queen Mary, Queen Eliza6eth, Jamesl. Charlesl. Charles 11. James II. Shewing from whence, and from whom all our unhappy Divifions and Diftra£lions have rifen, from the Reformation to the Revolution. To which are added, farther Remarks on the Hillory of the Grand Rebellion. Price ^f. Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2010 witii funding from Duke University Libraries littp://www.arcli ive.org/details/criticismuponmrrOOwliat It. /:in.Vi-r/-, A CRITICISM VfonMT.RJMSJTs T R AV ELS O F C Y R US: WHEREIN The Charader of GYRUS is cleared up, and the many Abfurdities, Inconfiftencies, Trifling Sentiments, AfFedted Expreffions, Obfcurities, Injudicious Refledions, Falfe Quotations, and Notorious Plagiarifms of Mr. Ramsay, are Expos'd and Redify'd. With a nice Examination of Mr. Ramsay's Genius and fpecial Talents for an Hiftorian, a Play-wright, a Magiftrate, a Philolbpher, a Politician, and a Writer of EfTays. Tranflated from the French Originals Publifli'dat P^R/^-, &c. L O N D N: Printed for J. Pemberton, at the Golden-Buck^ in Fketjireet. M. DCC.XXIX. X TO THE Right Honourable Sir Robert Bay lis, Kt. ord-Mayor of the City of LONDON. &c. My Lord, ^^^ OUR Lordlhip is ^LlJI§ fb converfant with Books in their Ori- ginal Languages^ that Tranf- lations cannot expe6l fo fond A 2 a pTrf^ /^ trT^-"sn» DEDICATION. a Reception from You, my Lord, as from fome other Men of your Rank and Fortune, who have not Your Share of Learnina*. I confefs, my Lord, this fingie Conlideration had al- moft defeated my Intention of being an humble Suitor for Your Lordfliip's Patro- nage ; but then Your ac- knowledged Beneficence came feafonably to it's Aid, and encouraged me to hope both for DEDICATION. for Your Indulgence and Prote6lion. As for the Publick. I flatter my felf, the generous Reader will excufe my Am- bition in Addreffing Your Lordfhip in this manner, when 'tis confider'd^ that a Writer who has not the Happinefs of being a Citi- zen of London^ may have the fame Refpe6l as Free- men for it's Chief Magi* Urate, but that he can have . no T>EDICATION. no Opportunity fo publick as a Dedication to teftify his Duty, and that the Chair is not always fure to beadorn'd, as it is now, with a Gentle- man not lefs read in the Claf- ficks, than in the Laws of Commerce, or the Charters of the City over which he fo glorioufly prefides, and whofe Eledlion was as grate- ful to the Republick of Literature, as it was to the Ci T r o^ London : Of which Repuhlick and City that Your Lordlliip DEDICATION. Lordfhip may long ll'^t to be the Ornament and De- fence, is the hearty Prayer of Him, who with all Sub^ miffion begs Leave to fab' fcribe, {May it pie afe your Lordfhip) Tour moji Devoted, moji Ohedientj and moJi Humble Servant , Nov. 22. 1728. Stephen Whatley, T O ERMIT me^ Sir, the Ho* nour of prefenting you the firft Effays of a Pen, as yet unskilful and unexpe- rienced. Your accepting the Homage I hereby pay you, will not be fo much a Favour granted to me, as an A61 of Juftice done to your fejf. Really, Sir, I am not afraid to confefs I have been a Gainer by your Labours, and that, by making ufe of B fome fome of your Sentiments, I have compiled a Work, vvhich^ Thanks to the Care you took to prepare the Materials, has coft me but very little Pains. How happy fliall I think my felf, Sir, if this Piece merit your Ap- probation ! If I have Your's, I am fure of That of the Publick, whofe Eyes are watching for your Decifion, whereby to regulate their own. We have a very evident Proof of their Deference for your Sentiments, in the Succefs of thofe ingenious Theological Travels you have juft publifli'd : a Piece which the World applauded be- fore Was printed 5 and not a Man in ^Parh but knew, ere he had read it, that 'twas the mofl: admirable Book that ever came from the Prels. Indeed, like a wife Man, you took juft Meafures to obviate the fantaftical Verdid: Verdid of the Commonalty, which is generally unjuft and blind. You made your firfl: Address to the La- dies 3 for you are polite^ and not ignorant of the Weight which the Suffrage of the Fair Sex generally carries in all Affairs. Moreover, they to whom you had. recourfe^ are in Pofleffion of the Power to determine the Merit of a Work, and to fettle the Ranks of Precedency upon 5^^r- 7iajfus. After the Ladies, you made your Court to the Gentlemen, of whom you took Care to fecure to your In- tereft, fuch as were the moft diftin- guifh'd. It was not eafy for a Divine, as yoil are, in an Affair of this Nature, to forget the Church : You caft your B 2 Eyes 5 Eyes up6ii Her^ and among Her Members, you made Choice of Pre- lates, of thefe three Eftates united, a Tribunal was form'd in Favour of the Neiw Cyropadia^ whofe Authority it would have been Prefumption to difpute. The Ladies knew all the little Stories interfperfed throughout your Book, and thought them as agreeable as they really are. The Men of Quality were charm'd at the furprizing Eafe and Difpatch with which you made your Hero travel 3 and being tranfported beyond their Reafon, fancied that his Paflage from Egypt to Greece^ or from Greece into Verjia^ was not more rapid than theirs to their Country Seats^ there to tafte that fweet Tranquillity, that Genuine 5 Genuine ^eace and Joy with which you chear the Minds that are opprefs'd with Thought arid' Melancholy. The third Clafs, to whom you took Care to read the Fragments of Theology with which your Work is fo finely embellifh'd, cry'd up the Beauty of the Style, and could hardly think there was a Genius in the whole World fo happy as to difFufe fo many Graces, on a Subject in it felf fo in- fipid and unpleafant. All together, being charm'd to think they had a- Client of your Merit, de- lighted to fly, in Imitation of you, after the winged Chariot of Jupiter 3 and when you were all met again at the Table, they thought themfelves in the Garden of the Hefpertdes, with a God whom they admir'd. This B 3 new new Deity, S i r, was You, who took care to refrefli their Minds with a Thoufand peculiar Delicacies, which diftinguidi you from the Bulk of Mankind 5 and you intoxicated them with Ned:ar, fweeter than that of the Gods they left to come to you. In Recompence, they were lavifli of their Incenfe to you, and the Applaufes which Cynfs received from an Aflem- bly, formed out of the choicefi: Per- fons of thofe three llkiflrious Eftates, convinced you before-hand, that a Book which was approved by fo ve- nerable a Tribunal, could not fail of being accepted by the World in general. But, Sir, the only Reafon of re- calling to your Memory the Caufe of that juft, but prodigious, Succefs which has attended the Tra^ceh of Cyrus, is to to engage you to procure the like good Fortune to the Reflexions of Cyrus tfpon his Travels, Your Defign is perfued all along, and 'tis your fa- vourite Hero that is ftill exhibited to the Publick_, on the very Plan which you drew your felf. With you he hears niuch, fpeaks little^ adls lefs, and thinks nothing at all. Indeed you artfully let your Readers have a Glimpfe of what may be expelled in this Kind from your Hero : You give him a Monarch of Taciturnity for a Model 5 and 'tis very plain, that a Prince form'd in his Youdi according to the Example of the gloomy Sygeus^ cou'd not fail, at leaft in his old Ase, of being a confummate Drone. 'Tis therefore, the better to exprefs your Views^ and perfectly to clear up the Charader of CyntSj that I have B 4 en- 8^ endeavoured to make him refledl pro* foundly. You carry him about, during the firft Thirty Years of his Life, to all the Schools in the Univerfe to con- fult Learned Tutors 3 and in his latter Years I employ him in reafoning upon his Philolophical Adventures, and re- fledino; on the vi^ife Ledures which you condudled him to in his Youth. Is not this, Sir, painting the Things by your Original ? Is it not drawing by the Life ? What other Motive need there be to attract your Care and Tendernefs to a Child of which you ought to efteem your felf the Father r or, if this Expreffion is not fuitable to a Pupil, from pure Love, beftow your Favours on a Book of which you are in fome meafure the Author : For "'tis the true Picture of your's 5 under your Patronage it kes the Light, and be you never fo indifpofed to befriend it. it, the Publickj after having fo highly applauded Cyrils in the Hiftory of his Travels^ cannot fail of giving a kind Reception to an exadt Continuation of his peaceful Adventures. But it muflbe confefs'd. Sir, I have taken the Freedom to deviate from you in one Point. I admire, as much as another, that noble Uniformity and Nudity, indulge me a Term of your own Stile, but I have not pre- fum'd to imitate it. I was fenfible that my Di(5lion was deftitute of Na- tural Graces enough to' charm by it felf, and that it wanted a little Arti- fice and Drefs to 'give the Reader Plea- fure. This obligd me to diverhfy the Places which are the Scenes of Cyrus's Converfations 5 and, in fliort, to embellifh my Subject with the little Incidents, Images^ and all thofe Orna- ments lO ments that Sublime and Solid Wits, fuch as You, think frivolous 5 but which pleafc the Generality of Rea- ders. Befides, Sir, a Subjedl fo great and fo important as yours, had Merit enough to bear it felf up : When you place Cyms upon a dry Rock with Solojiy and then tranfport him with jlmenophh to the Cave of another Rock upon the Coafts of Tyre, 'tis vifible, that tho' you put your Hero into fuch wretched Quarters, it was in your Power to have accommodated him with a Lodging that was fome- vvhat more genteel, and more to his Satisfadion. The Vulgar, 'tis true, take it amifs that you have not chofe a better Spot of Ground 5 and as they think, Heroes ought to have a more commodious Situation, fo they require for I i for themfelves Images that are more diverfified^ and that look more fmiHng than the continual Profped: of a crag- ged Rock. But they who have mod Skill, do you Juftice, being of Opi- nion that fuch filly Fancies would only ferve to difl:ra6t the Attention of the Reader, to whom you had fomething more folid and more important to prefent, than trifling Pictures. For my Part, the Cafe with me was fomewhat different. In mv Per- formance, I had not thofe Divine Spe- culations in View, which made Cyrus the Conqueror of Afia, Certain Re- flexions that are often merry, or, if ferious, fuch as are to be compre- hended by Common Senfe, were proposed to be the Subject of my Book: and you are very fenfible, Sir, that in the like Circumftances I was indif- penfably ^ 12 penfably oblig'd to depart from your Method, and to feek for thofe Helps in borrovv'd Ornaments, which the Meannefs of my Subjed rendered ne- ceflary. And befides, Sir, I know not, fuppofing all Things alike as to the Matter, whether it would have been convenient for me to have taken your Stile for a Pattern. We fee Strokes admir'd every Day in the Mafters, which would not be forgiven in their Pupils 3 and as I know that a happy Negligence is the Fruit of Genius, or the Mafterpiece of Art, I have made it a Rule to my felf for a long Time to join with all Man- kind in the Admiration of fuch Efforts, and to flay till you fliould think me worthy of imitating them, before I made a Trial of my Strength in fo tender a Point. You will eafily imagine, that, in fuch a Dilpofition of ^3 of Mind, my Admiration of You will always be as boundlefs, as the profound Refpe6l with which I have the Honour to be. SIR, Tour 7noJi humhle, and Moji ohedkjit Servant. A SUPPLEMENT T O T H E New Cyrop^dia. 'The First Evening's Converfathn. HEN Cyrus was become Maftcr of Jj^a, he fix'd If his chief Pvcfidence ac Ba- hylon. Here, after the Bufinefs to which he ufed to devote the greateft Part of the Day, he ge- nerally took a Walk in the Evening, which 1 6 yl Supplement to the Ev'n. L which was his conftant, his only Re- frefiiment. At fuch Times, Cyrus, to make hirnfelf a Sort of amends for the Noife and Hurry which he could not avoid at Court, often fecreted himfelf from his Retinue, to converfe alone with Jrajpes. The Merit of this Favourite, his Employments, his inviolable Attachment to the Perfon of his Mafter, his conllant Atten- dance upon him in his Travels, and, above all, the good Ufe he made of his Favour, fecnr'd him from being envy'd in that diftinguifh d Station, of which No-body was more worthy than himfelf. Upon thefe Occafions, Cyrus and Arafpes being, as we may fay, retired to themfelves, and difengaged from the Pomp and troublefome Ceremo- nies, infeparable from the Grandeur - of Courts, aded no longer in their feveral Chara6lers 5 but, while they converfed, the Monarch and the Mi- nifter Ev'n. I. Nens^ Cyropjedia. 17 nifter were laid afide, and fucceeded by two hearty Friends, who, having caft the Remembrance of perplex'd Affairs behind them, unbent their Minds with all other Subje6ls which happened to arife in their Dif- courfe, and talk'd with that mutual Confidence, that agreeable Freedom, which is the only Charm of Conver- fation. Were we to judge of them by the Character which fome modern Writers have given them, Cyrus was a Phi- lofopher, fo very grave and referv'd, that he never open'd his Mouth, but to utter a Sentence ^ and Jrafpes a Man of a gloomy fullen Temper, whofe fole Talent was forbearing to interrupt a Man while fpeaking. But we have it from authentick Me-' moirs of their Time, that the Tem- pers of Both were naturally gay, and that Arafpes^ in thefe private Con- verfations, was ambitious to make his C Mafteu 1 8 yi Supplement to the Ev'n. T. Mafter merry, by that naked Simpli- city, and that Plcafantry, with which he generally exprelTed himfelf, on whatever happened to be the Subjedts of their Converrations. One Day they went out of Ba^ lylon, to ramble in the vaft Wilds of an immenfe Foreft, ficuate very near the City, upon the Banks of the Eu^ phvates. After having walked a long Time, they found themfelves on the Top of a Hill, where a Grove of Cedars, as old as the Creation, fliot up their immortal Branches to the Sky, whole thick Leaves afforded a fweet Shade to the weary Traveller, which the Sun had never incommoded. Underneath was a fine Turf, always verdant, adorn'd with the lovely Violet, and that Group of modeft Flowers which delight to lie conceal'd in the Woods, whofe Perlumes em- balmed the Air, and entertained the Eyes with the fmiling Image of an etern-'^l Ev^N.I. New CyROV JEDIA, ip eternal Spring. No peftilential Blaft from the Dog-Star had ever penetrated thisForeft, nor any other Wind but the ZepkyrSy which play'd here with fweet Breezes, that, by conftantly fanning the Air, tempered the fcorching Heats of a Chmate always burning. The Deer, and other Creatures that inhabited thefe Woods, having been fhelter'd for Ages from the killing Arrows of the mercilefs Hunter, and being; not ufed to know Mankind by any Marks but thofe of gentle Ufage, ad- vancd in Herds, as it were to do Homage to the Monarch and his Fa- vourite, and danc'd around them moft agreeably. In a Word, every Thing confpired to diffufe Peace,Tran-* quillity, and Innocence 5 and created a true Relifh for thofe pure Pleafures which are generally confin'd to Soli- tude, and not known under gilded IHoofs^ and in the Palaces of Kings. C 2 Here 10 A Supplement to the Ev'n. I. Here Cyvus and Jrqfpes^ repofing themfelves upon the Grafs, had not long convers'd, when by Chance the Prince perceived the Ruins of a Cot- tage, which had formerly ferv'd for the Refidence of Nebuchadnezzar ^, at the Time when that Prince wan- der'd about this -^ Foreft, being fur- priz'd with a Frenzy, which render'd him like the Beads. Gyn/s, after having fix'd his Eyes a-while upon this Ob- je(ft, faid to Arajpes, VC'hen we came hither together t, to learn Inflrudion from the Example of this unfortunate Monarch, what Likelihood was there that I fhould, in fo few Years, fill the Throne which he then fat on ? Indeed, faid the Minifter, every Thing that has pafs'd appears to me as a Dream. Tho' I was a Witnefs of thofe extra- ordinary Events, I ftill doubt, as it were^ of what I faw with my Eyes. * The Travels ofCyrus, Vol. II. p. 142. t Vol. II. p. 133. t Ibid. p. 128. To Ev'n.I. New Cykovjedia, if To confidfer the Courfe you at firft fteer'd , k could never have enter'd my Head, that it would have brought you to a Throne. You was, Sir, if I remember, above Forty Years of Age when we came hither. You had no more of that Juvenile Fire, which fupports in great Under- takings, and prompts to the forming of them. You had till then led a peaceable quiet Life, without any Ardour for Fame, without Ambi- tion, without the Pra6lice of War, being wholly fvvallow'd up in the Sciences^ and in Speculations, in the Search of which, Part of your Spirits were already exhaufted 5 not to reckon the Quantity which was wafted in the Journeys you were continually making from one Place to another. To be plain, all this put together was not a very ftrong Prefage that you would ever be the Conqueror of Jjia. One would never have imagin'd that a C 3 Man 2 2 A Supplement to the Ev'n. I. Man of your Charader was likely to have been a Conqueror in the very firft Attempt, at an Age when others ceafe in a manner to exift, and think of . noching more than to enjoy what they have already acquired. This is aDemonftration, faid CyruSy that Nature may produce Talents, but that 'tis Time and Chance alone which matures and bj:lngs them to the Light. Had not the Sons of Jjiyciges and ]Sehuchadnez%ar difturbd our Tranquilhty, perhaps I had been with you at this Hour in the Extremity of ^Ferfia^ diving into fome Metaphy- fical Queftion 3 and poffibly the con- vincing fome or otlier of my Priefts, that I knew more of Theology than they, v/ould have been the Up- fliot of my Glory. My Genius was turned that Wav, and I have in iome Sort done Violence to my Natural Temper, by opening other Views to it t Ev'n. I. A^7£? Cyro p^Di a; 23 it 5 buc when the Profpe6i: was once changed^ I purfued my Point. But yoLi will own, Sir, faid Jrafpes, that you are as much ob- liged for your Succefs to the Author of the Travels of Cyrus, as to CyaX' ares or to Merodac^ and that the Ma- lice of that Writer provok'd you even to a greater Degree than the Injuftice of your two Antagonifts. I will not diflemble, faid the King 5 That Libel made ftrong Lnpreffions upon me, which, till then I had never felt. The Scandal of being reckoned a Man of weak Parts, touch d me more than the Reputation of being a Hero 5 and I can truly fay i:, that tho' the Outrages of the King of Babylon compel'd me to go to War, yet the Succefs of my Arms was owing to nothing fo much as that Wrath which was kindled in my Breaft by the Hiftory of my Travels, Buc fincc C 4 v/e 24 -^ Supplement to the Ev'n. I. we are enter'd upon this Subject, fa- vour me with a juft Chara6ler of that Work. I was too much taken up with my Schemes, to read the Whole when it came out, fo that I only glanc'd over fome Paflages, where I was told I was moft abufed 5 tho' perhaps, had I been more at Leifure, I fliould not have had the Courage to have read a Book throughout with Attention, wherein I knew before- hand I made but a wretched Figure. In truth, Sir, faid Jrafpes^ you may well be forgiven that Scruple, for never was Satire writ with more Spirit and Art, nor in Circuni- ibnces more likely to produce its EfFed. Ac that Time Jjia rung again with Oracles^ which foretold you to be the Deftroyer of the Mo- narchy of Babylon : This call the Ajfyy'ians into a Confternation 5 and to counterballance the Effed: of thefe Predidions, Jramys, out of Zeal for his Ev'n. I. New Cy?.ov jEDi A, 25 his Mafter's Intereft, form'd a Projedb to oppofe one Prophecy with another. The moft certain Rule to judge of what a Man will be hereafter, is to look back to what he has been. You were at that Time arrived to an Age when the Mind is generally fettled, and to that Stage of Life in which Nature fcarce fufFers any Alteration. One infallible Means, therefore, to hearten Jjfyria againft your future Enterprlzes, was, to publifli to the World your Undertakings pad. This Sort of Oracle weighed with many People againft the Authority of the Jewifi Prophecies, whofe Infallibility the Affyrians were not very ready to acknowledge. This it was that deter- min'd Aramys in his Refolution to bring you upon the Theatre, and to let Jjia fee that a Man who had been us'd, to the Age of Forty, to Philofo- phical Reafonings, was not a very for- midable Enemy, and did not look as if he would verify the Predidions utter'd %6 A Supplement to the Ev'n. I. Utter'd in his Favour. This Book is a delicate welUnnanag'd Irony, where- in the Author, under Pretence of pro- pofing you for a Pattern to great Princes, fo ridicules your Condnc^t at every Turn, that nothing lefs than your Conquefts could have clear'd up your Reputation 5 for his Succefs was wonderful. The Ajfyrians w^ere foon cur'd of their Fears 5 and thcfe were fucceeded by Contempt to fuch a De- gree, that Ballads and Lampoons were not the only Things by w^hich you might have feen how little they valu'd you. He fucceeded, reply'd Cyms^ too well for them 5 for if they had not fo much defpis'd me, they w^ould have taken more Precaution againft any Surprize from me, and I fhould have paid the dearer for my Conqucft. This is a Service for w^hich I have Obliga- tions to AramySy and which, if Death had not fnatch'd him from my Favours, I would Ev'n. I. iV^'ie? Cyropjedia. 27 I would have taken care to acknow- ledge. What, faid Arafpes with a Smile, would you have forgiven him the Story of the Ambufcade in the Wood ? Undoubtedly you have read that Paffage. Why not, faid the Prince } 'Tis true, Sir, reply 'd Jrafpes, I always found you good-humour'd and beneficent. After all, faid the Prince, the Au« thor of the Travels has only ftrip'd me of Common Senfe. He has no where undertaken to reprefent me as a wicked Man 5 and therefore in abun- dant Acknowledgment for the good Qualities of vv/hich he thought fit to leave me in Pofleflion, I fliould have taken a Delight to make him fenfible of the Effeds of it. You may cafily 28 A Supplement to the Ev'n. I. eafily be perfuaded of this, by my Behaviour towards Cyaxares. He was the firft Author of the Jokes that were tolTed about, upon my Adventure in the Wood ^. You know how I was furrounded there by the Enemies In- fantry^ and that not being able to draw up four Horfemen in Front, in the midfl: of Trees and Budies, which hindered them from joining, I was taken, as it were in a Net, and had like to have dearly paid for my fine Stratagem, when Artahanus^ with his Body of Refer ve, polled to my Affiftance, foil'd the Enemy, and put their Left Wing into fuch Diforder, as occafion'd the fpeedy Overthrow of the whole Army. Next Day CyaxareSy who bore me no Good- Will, and was overjoy 'd to fee the Confufion in which my Indifcretion had involv'd me, took this Occafion to mortify me. In the Prefence of * The Travels of Cyrus, Vol I. p. 2j. the Ev'n. I. A^^^ Cyrop^dia. 25? the whole Court, he made me a world of Compliments on my being cutout for a Great General. In all the Art of War J fays he, there's nothing like an j4mhufcade fornid a propos. Ton fee of what great Service it was to Cyrus, and that it pavd the Way to Victory, This Banter ran thro' the whole Army. And while the Author of the Travels malicioufly afcribes the Gain of this Battle to my Cavalry that lay in Ambuflb in a Wood where they could be of no Service, he only revived a Conceit that had been try'd before by Perfons who were interefted to make the World believe that I had no Genius for War. Now, after having pardon'd fo keen a Sarcafm in a Prince my Ene- my, my Rival, and one that was the firft Author of it, would it become me to revenge it on a poor Writer, who, by making ufe of the fame Method to ridicule me_, has done nothing ^d j1 Supplement to the Ev'n, L nothing after all, but what was ex- peded from him? Let that pafs, faid Jrajpes ; but, with all your Goodnefs, here's an Ar- ticle which furely you will not for- give him for. As to your being foniewhat of a Novice in the Bufinefs of War at fixteen Years of Age, there is nothing in it but what is very na- tural 5 but that you fliould at Forty be a Dunce in Politicks, feems to me too fevere a Satire. I will endeavour to make you more fenfible of it. Jramys fuggefts that the Seriate of Verjia intended to ^ refufe to granc the King your Father the Subfidies for the War which he was obliged to make with JJlyages, What does he mean, faid CyruSy by talking of Subfidies ? Does not * The Travels ot Cyrus, Vol, II. p, no. this Ev'n. I. New Cykovmdia. 7v this Author know that in Perjia^ and all the Eaftern Countries, the King taxes his Subjects at his own Will and Pleafure ? Do you imagine^ Sir, faid Jrafpes^ that ^'ramys propofed to paint the Manners and Government of ^Ferjia to the Life, and as an Hiftorian flhould do ? Every Thing that had a Tendency to make Terjia ridiculous was for his Purpofe, whe- ther True or Falfe. But let us return to the Subfidies. Notwithftanding the Refufal of the Senators, you affemble an Army of Thirty-thoufand Men ^ 5 you draw up your Troops in Order of Battle, on a Plain near the Capital 5 and by the flrangeft Jumble that ever was known, you affemble the Senate at the fame Time and place 5 and then, after a learned Harangue, in which you lay a thou* * The Travels of Cyn/i, Vol. II. p. 11 1, 112. fand 32 A Supplement to the Ev'n. I. fand fine Things to your Soldiers^ you on a fudden change your Note 5 you are not afraid to divulge the Secrets of the Stare, and the Divifions which reign in it, to the whole Army, and all Perfons drawn by Curiofity to be Speculators of fuch a Ceremony : In Prefence of that Multitude of Wit- nefles, you accofi: your Senators in the blunteft Manner ^ you twit them in the Teeth with their Cabals : That's not all, jufl: before you march againft the Enemy that had fomented them, you tell them, that, if you prove vi(5lorious, they have every Thing to fear from the Wrath of a Prince whom they have provoked by their Intrigues : ' And, as S" you were determin'd to force them to an Extremity, and to ftake their All upon the Spot, you tell them, that one fingle Battle will decide the Fate of the War ^. 0)26 Battle mil decide the Fate of * The Travels of Cyrus ^ Vol, II. p. 114. Perfia, Ev*N* I. New C Y R o p iE D I a; 3 Perfia. If Cambyfes prove n)i6tori' ouSy you have much to fear from the Jupice of a Prince whom you have incenfed by your fecret Cabals, And you think, faid CyruSy that this ought to give me Pain ? Alas ! Sir, faid Arafpes^ let me finidi the Marvellous of this burlefcjue Adventure^ which is, That your Se- nators, notwithftanding their Difgufi:, like wife and coniiderate Men, united in one tDeJIgn^ fiys your Author, of contributing to the. ^Frefer-vation of their Country 3 that is to fay, to the Victories of a Prince, who threatens to makeno other Ufe of his Profperity but to opprefs them. There's a Con- traft of Politics, which, by your Favour, makes you and your Senate the mod extravagant Mortals that ever meddled v/ith the Government of Mankind ! D So 14 -^ Supplement to the Ev'n. L So much the better, fald Cyvus^ that Aramys took it into his Head to carry the Ridicule fo far 5 for if he had faid lefs, he would have been believed the more 5 thofe Calumnies that are moft circumfcribed, being always fuch as are moft hurtful to the Reputa- tion of the Perfons againft whom they are invented. What pity 'tis, Sir, faid Arafpes^ that we have not Pen and Ink here ? I w^ould then write down your fine Maxims, which, if ever I fliould have a Fancy to build a Temple to fome Olympian Jupiter^ might, in Cafe of Need, ferve for Infcriptions to the Sym- bolical Figures which 1 would place there, and, as I have feen elfewhere, might divert the loiteringTraveller that Avail come from the moft diftant Re- gions of the North, and count upon his Fingers the very Stones of the Fabrick. I plainly Ev'n. I. Ne^ C Y R O P iE D I A. 'j J I plainly perceive, faid Cyrus^ that you have a myfterious Meaning 5 but what you allude to I knovt^ not. ^Tis, reply'd Jrafpes^ to a little Incident of our Travels which Aramys has not fail'd to kt off. Indeed, you put too good a Game into his Hands for him not to play it 5 and as much difgufled as I am with him on other accounts, I am obliged to him for having revenged me a little for that Uneafinefs which you gave me at Crete^ in the Temple of Jupiter Olympkis ^. I was enraged to fee you fall into an Extafy at the Sight of four or five paltry Infcriptions, fuch as you had read by Thoufands in the Manfions of our Magt^ and our Her- mits. A Rabble of Cretans y furpriz d at the Air of Admiration with which vou 7neditated the Suhlime Senfe of * The Travels of Cyms^ Vol. II. p. 4, &c. D 2 thoji 5 6 A Supplement to the Ev'n. L thofe hjjcriptions^ took us for Germans or CmbriimSy jufi: come out of their difmal Forefts, who, having never feen any Thing but Trees and Hoar-Frofts, find lomething or other to ftare at, every Step they ta!<:e under a more happy Sky. They came round you^ and examined our Countenances with as deep Attention, as yours was in the poring upon your hifcriptions. You was fo immerfed in profound Con- templation, that you was not fenfible of all this 5 but I, who was not by far fo meraphyfica! and fo contem- plative, fix'd my Eyes upon Objects that were more material 3 and endur'd, both for you and myfelf, the Jeers of the Croud, and the ill-natur'd Remarks which I law them make upon the novel Behaviour of a Couple of Strangers, who look'd fo like Ori- ginals. / rmnys, without entering into the Detail of all thefe Circumftances, artfully gives a Glimpfe of them, by the Manner in which he paints your Ad mi- Ev'n. I. A''^'I2? Cyrop^dia. 37 Admiration, and the frivolous Objc6ls at which it was excited. After fo much Malignity, would you ftill be of a Temper to forgive him ? Don't you know, faid Cyrus^ that were Princes to punifli all that have a Mind to make themfelves merry at the Expence of their Sovereigns, they would never have done ^ and that my Politicks and my Confcience are in this Point agreed ? Your Notion of this Matter is per- fedly right, faid Jrafpes^ and thac Generolity Vv^ith which you fubdue the moft JLiiT: Refentments, mud give you as great Glory in the World, as the Courage with which you conquer your Enemies. But for my Parr, continued he, who am not obliged to entertain fuch Heroick Sentiments as you have, I confefs to you, that, if I had the Honour to be your Hiflo- riographer, he fliould pay dear for D 3 the ^8 A Supplement to the Ev'n. I. the foolifli Part which he makes me to a6t. I could never forgive him for repiefenting me as no better than a common Cryer, with nothing to do but to hear you talk, and to fay Tes or Tsfc, to all your fine Speeches. Indeed, faid Cyrus^ with a Smile, it would become you rarely to take more State upon you than your Maftcr ! Would you not be afliamed to fet up for the Hero in my Hiftory, while I myfelf fihould make no better a Figure in it than a Pedant ? All your fine Arguments, faid ArafpeSj do not eafe my Arguifh. I cannot boafi: of a hundred Vi(^^o- ries, and the Concjueft of J^a^ to clear up my Reputation. The Things that Hiftory fliall report of you in future Ages, will convince Pofterity that the Author of the Travels has marr'd your Character : But as for me^ nothing will hinder me from being Ev*N. I. Ne^ C Y R O P ^ D I A. being received juft as he has painted 3? me. What then ? Should this happen, faid the King, would ic not be of fome Eafe to your Mind, to have the Pleafure of being dilgraced in good Company ? Cambyfes^ Man dan a, and Hyjlafpes^ are, they fay, no better ufed than you are. The Company is very good_, re- ply'd Jrafpes^ and certainly does me very much Honour, but not in the Hiftory of your Travels. There the Perfonages you have juft now men- tion'd, make altogether as bad a Fi- gure as I do. The Author fticks at nothing to make the Perfons that are near you, foolifh and ill-favour'd. And as the Merit of a Society re- dounds to the particular Members of it, I fhall only appear to be the greater Fool in it, for being in fuch uafuitable Company, What D 4 com-, 40 A Supplement to the Ev'k. L comforts me, Sir, is, that in After- Ages there will no doubt arife fome Romance- Writer, who, in refpedt to you, will endeavour to make us Amends for the forry Drefs in which we are reprefented by the Author of the Satire. Such a one, out of his abundant Regard to the Decorum due to your Dignity and great Adions, will not fail to give us a Merit pro- portioned to the Rank we ftand in with you 5 and I dcfpair not of be- ing, in his Hand:'", one of thofe Heroes of the fccond Order, who, tho' they don't (liine like your firft Rate Gen- tlemen, yet are good for fomething. Bu: is k true, faid Cyrus^ that all my Family isfo ridiculouily reprefented in that Work, as 'ns given out ? Hear, laid the Minifler, and be your icli- the Judge. The King your Father is a good Prince 5 but fo good. ih^t he is a weak one. He lets his Subjects Ev^N. I. jN^^ie; C Y R o p iE D I A, 41 Subje6ls live in Peace, becaufe he has neither Courage nor Capacity to make War. Soranes is rather his Tutor than his Minifter 3 and when it came into your Head to fet Soranes afide, you was fain to read a Le(5lure to Cambyfes in Private, to enable him to anfwer in Publick. Has he not given you a worthy Father ? As for Ma77danay flie is the befl Princefs in the World 5 a good virtu- ous Lady, always minding her Fa- mily, and one that never talks, but to entertain you with Fables ^. That's her only Talent, and in that flie ex- cels. All the Nurfes and GovernefTes in Jfhi^ need not be afhamed to come to her School to learn the great Art of lulling froward Children to lleep by their Stories, when all other Means to hufh them fail. Above all, her Fore- * The Travels of Cyrus ^ Vol. I. p, 9, 14, Sec. fight 41 ^ Supplement to the Ev'n. I. iicrht is miraculous. The Oracles had predicted, that a Child fliould be born of her, who fhould prove the Deftroyer of the Empire of the Medes, ^/^yages was not ignorant of it. This Oracle is renewed after a fignal Manner, in the Journey flie makes with you from ^erjia to Ecbatana-^ and J fly ages could not but hear of a new Incident fo likely to revive, or even to create his Sufpicions. Not- withflanding all this, Mmidana is very unconcerned about your Fate 5 nay, fhe is fo fupine, as to retire f, no-body knows why, into ^Perfta^ and to abandon you, without Rclu- d;ance, to the Mercy of a Prince who would naturally facrifice you to his own FvCpofe, and the Tranquility of his Dominions. In a Situation fo proper to alarm her Tendernefs, flie is apprehcnfive you will run no Dan- gers at the Court oi Echatanay but t The Travels o^Cyrtts^ Vol. I. p. 25. from Ev'n.I, New CykovmdiaI '45 from the Snares of Voluptuoufnefs. Judge now, after this^ what a Part this Princefs adts in your Hiftory. But what does it make of ^Jly^ agesj faid Cyrus ? Oh ! As for him, faid ArafpeSj he is an Exception from the common Rule, and you muft not be furpriz'd at it. Jlramys, who every where elfe makes you fo good a Man, here takes an Occafion to render you odious, and prepares the Readers to cenfure your Carriage to J/lyageSy as an Inftance of the blackefl: Ingratitude, the moft crying Ufurpation that ever was knovi^n. In this he has perfectly fuc- ceeded, and every Reader who knows you in no other View, is offended to fee you in Arms againft an amiable ^, good 7iaturd^ and henejicent 'Prince^ your Sovereign, your Grandfather j * The Travels of Cyrus ^ Vol. I. p. 13. and 44 -^ Supplement to the Ev'n. I. and a Grandfather whofe Tendernefs for you, was work'd up into a fort of Paffion, who hop'd to find you ^ the Support of his old Jlge^ and who, for your Sake, quits a thoufand Sufpicions, which any other, in his Place, would certainly have entertain'd upon your Account. And as to the good Man Hyjlnfpes^ reply'd the Prince, what Figure does he make ? The moft Grotefque Figure in Na- ture. Firft, it fays, That he is ^ an experie?2c'd Commander, very ^'olke, a great Statefman^ and a great ^h'l' Jofopher 5 a Man equally able^ dijin^ terefled. Sec. Four Pages after this fine Beginning, which makes the Reader expedl a certain Superiority of Genius, noble and eafy Behaviour, t The Travels of Cyn/j, Vol. I, p. 25. - Ibid. p. 27. you Ev'n. I. New Cykovmdia, a^ you are pleafed to be in Love with Cajfandana^ and to want fome good Counfel. ^Hyjlafpes being confounded, knows not which Way to go about to advife you, and all his Ingenuity amounted to — What ? You would never guefs it - — ■ to the ipinning out of a long Story that has no Relation to the Subject in Hand, and, which the next Man that comes, could have told you every whit as well as he 5 yet this is the only Step which he takes to inil:ru6l you in all the Time that he fpends with you 5 and this is the Upiliot of all thofe fine Qualities. 'Tis true, faid Cyrus^ that Hyftaf- pes is there reprefented as a very pretty Model for Governors 5 young Princes furely v/ould not be averfe to fuch a Mentor. I fancy, continued he, that Ca[fanda7ta is no better treated than the reft. * The Travels of Cyms^ Vol. I. p. 33, &c. Pardon 46 A Supplement to the Ev'n. I, Pardon mc, Sir^ faid Arafpes^ the Author has treated her but too gently. 'j* He afcribes great Merit to her in the firft Place^ but 'tis in vain 5 for fhe makes no Ufe of it_, efpecially after {he was married. Perhaps, faid the Prince with a Smile, the Author wittily defign'd a fhort Lecture to the Ladies, and to tell them, That after Marriage their Merit ought no longer to be mentioned 3 that their Husbands only fliould be made fenfible of it, and that it ought to be invifible to all the rdl of Man- kind. No,Sir.reply'dy^f^^^5,bluntly, the Author of the Travels does not aim at all thofe Refinements. His Defign is only to read Lectures at yourExpence, and of thofe that are attached to you 5 t The Travels of Cyrus^ Vol. I. p. 29, &a and Ev'n* I. NeiJV CtKO? JET)! A. /^f and 'tis his ufual Pradice ironically to afcribe great Talents at firft to the Per- fonages he makes a Jeft of 5 and in four Lines after, he does not leave them a Shadow of one good or great one. He very wifely thought fuch Contrafl: highly proper to render the Deformity of the Perfonages he brings upon the Stage more confpicuous, and to divert the Readers. In one Place he fays, I myfelf ^ have a chearful Temper^ and a folid Wit 5 that I am horn for Arms^ and formd for a Court 5 and that I am qualify d for every things loth in ^eace and War. Can you ftill complain then, faid Cyrus^ of the Author of the Travels ? I fliall always complain^ faid ArafpeSj of having no Merit but what is imaginary, and vaniflies as foon as I ad: or fpeak. "t The Travels of Cyrus^ Vol. I. p. 53, &c. But 48 A Supplement to the EvV. L Bat I think, reply'd Cyrus^ that you are too nice upon this Article. ^Tis eafy for you to fay fo, Sir, faid Jrafpes 3 but iS you had gone thro' the Book with me a little, and had feen what a Figure you make in your Travels, you would quite change your Tone. Alas ! faid the Prince, what fiiould I learn from fuch a Leflon ? Nothing more than what I have already re- proached myfelf for, twenty times. If you did but know how afham'd I am of my Courfes ! This is the veryThing^ reply'd yfr^/^ pes^ that would provoke you the more to fee how our Cenfor has recited them. Tis true, faid Cyrus, that we are never more flung with a Ridicule, than £ v'n. I. New CykovJedj a. than when we are confcious to our^ felves chac we have deferved it. As the Prince had made an End of thefe Words, he found himfelf go* ing out of the Wood, and in the midfl: of his Guards : For, as Night: came on, he had left the Hill where he ftay'd to converfe with Jrafpes^ and continuing his Difcourfe with him, he was infenfibly returned to his At- tendants, with whom he re-entered Babylon 'j where we (hall find him more than once difcourfing with his Favourite upon the Hiicory of his Travels. E A SUPPLEMENT TO THE New Cyropa^dia. fTfo Second Evening's Converfationc TRUS could not well go from his Palace the nexc Day after this firfl: Con- verlation. It was already- late, and the Sun, fatigued with its Courfe, was going to take a fweec Refrefhment in the Bofom of the Ocean, before this Prince could dif^ E 1 enp-age 52 A Supplement to the Ev'n. IL engage him felf from the Multitude of Affairs with which he was encumber'd. At lencTch, a little before Night came on, he went up to a Platform on the Top of his Palace, where the frefli Air was not his only Dehght^ but a thoufand various Objedis, fome more engaging than others, prefented them- felves to his View. On the one Hand appeared BahyJon^ its Structures, Walls, its vafl: Circumference, itsTem- ples, and Gardens : The Palace was feparated from the City by a great Oval Area, above 300 Paces in Length 5 on each Side whereof was a ftatcly Piazza, built Arch-wife, fup- ported by five Rows of Pillars of green Marble. In the Middle arofe an Obelisk of granate Marble, fifty Cubits in Height, where Jrafpes had cauled the principal Events of Cyrus s Reign, to be carv'd in hieroglyphical Characl:crs. On the four Sides of the Pedeftai^ which ferv'd as the Bafe to this Pyramid^ were Bajfo Relievos of Ev'n. ir. Isew C Y R O P .^ D I A. 5 J of excjLiifire Sculpture, reprefenting the Mede here, the Ajjynan there, the Avcilnan on one Side, and the Indian on the other, coming to prefent the new Lord of the Eail, with their Gifts and Homage. Four Palaces lefs than his Majefty's, all the four of one Bignefs, and the fame Symetry, and fit to lodge as many Monarchs, were ere6led at the Bottom of the Area, which ferved for the Refidence of Cyrus s Minifters and principal Officers. Five of the largeft Streets in Babylon^ ran parallel into the Square, which were throng'd every Hour in the Day with bufy Inhabitants, Artificers, Chariots driving contrary Ways, run- ning againft, and entangling one ano- ther 5 all which made that agreeable Conhifion common to great Cities, the Sight of which is fo proper to un- bend the Mind when fatigued and cramp'd by tedious and clofe Appli- cation. This was what attraded theic Views on the South Side. On the E 3 Eaft J4 A Su^^lcmcnt to the Ev'n. IL Eaft they had an agreeable Plain, crown'd with a thick Foreft. And on the North, a vaft Champain Country, bounded by Mountains whofe lofty Tops o'erlook'd the Clouds. On the Weft Side they faw the Euphrates^ and its Keys, whofe Waves were often as boiflierous as ^ raging Sea, toffing Barks without Number, laden with Goods of a thoufand different Kinds, fome going out, others coming in, whofe various Motions, the Dafhjng of the Oars, the Working of the Mariners, the Hurries of the refHefs induftrious Merchants backwards and forwards 5 all thefe in one View, afforded the Eyes a Profpe6l, than which, none could be more engaging, or more 7 ODD' diverfify'd. While Cyrus and Jrafpes had their Eyes turn'd on this Side, they per- ceived a Bark, curioufly adorn d, mak- ing to Land, which put a Shore two young Ev'n. II. A^^^ Cyrop^edia: young Foreigners of a good Mien, attended with fome Slaves. Cyrus ftopp'd a while to take a View of them,and then turning towards^r^^5, faid to him, Thus did we formerly rove up and down the World 5 and I fliould be glad, for our own Repu- tation, that thefe two Foreigners juft arriv'd, might prove the Sons of fome powerful Monarch metamorphos'd, like us, into Adventurers. Sir^ you fliall quickly know, re* ply'd Arafpes^ whether your Wifhes are fulfilled. At thefe Words he caird one of the Officers of the Prince's Guards, andfent him to inquire of what Qiiality thefe Foreigners were, and what Bufinefs brought them to Ba'^ by hi. The Officer returned in an Inftant, w^ith Tidings, that the two Foreigners were the Sons of a certain Arabian Prince, a Tributary to Cyrus^ and E 4 that 55 [j^ A Supplement to tide Ev'n. II. that their Father fent them to be train'd up at the Court of his So- vereign. I really thought, faid Jrajpes, that we fhould not find any Inftances to give a Sand:ion to fuch fingular Con^ Quft as ours was, for a certain Term. Will you always be harping upon this String, reply'd Cyms^ with a Tone of fome Indignation ? Oh ! To be plain with you, re^ ply'd JrafpeSj I did not think you was of a Temper to be fretted by the mention of the fame Thing over again. You mufl have been accu- ftom'd to hear the fame Leflon often repeated 5 for all thofe Maflers whom you confuked in your Travels, did but copy one another, and yet you were not tir'd with hearing them. Does Ev'n. II. Nenjv Cykovjedi A* 57 Does Aramys take any Notice of that, faid Cyrus ? He had not Power to overlook it, reply'd Arafpes, Not one of your FaiHngs efcapes him, and you may depend upon it, that he has blazon'd them in all their Colours. I would fain know, reply'd Cyrus, what he fays was the Motive of my Travels. What Motive, faid the Favourite ? Nothing but a Fancy to ramble o'er the World like a Knight Errant. But hold, I am miftaken, your Father bad you go, and away you march, with- out any other View or Dei^gn. But had not Cmr.lyfes neither fomc Motive, faid CyruSy when he laid that Injunction on me } No. 5 8 A Supplement to the Ev'n. II. No, rc^ly' djrajpes 5 but ftay a little ■ — let me recoiled:. Yes, ^ continued he with a Smile, he fent you to learn Divinity and Law, in the Schools of Greece and Egypt, The Author alio does not fail to hint how feafo- nably 'f the Death of Cajfandana happen'd^ to put you in a Condition to anfwer the great Purpofes which your Father had form'd for your Education 3 and how that wife Prince, finding you a lirtle too raw at the Age of Thirty, and notwithftanding you had refided fo long at the Court of Echatana^ thought fit that you (liould make your Tours into Fo- reign Countries, in order to polifli you. Above all, he paints to the Life that more than difinterefted Tendernefs ofCamhyfes and Mandanaj who are not troubled to lofe you, * The Travels of Cyr// J, Vd. I. p. 118, &c. t Ibid. p. 116 pro- Ev'n. IL New Cykovjedia, 59 provided they pat you in a Way to be a complete Man ^ 5 that marvel- lous Docility with which you abruptly began your Travels, without making the leaft Refledion in your Mind on the Abfurdity of the Commands laid upon you. — Cyrus interrupted him , faying , Don't call it Docility, 'twas Folly, and I am obliged to the Author for having fo well expofed the Extrava- gance of my Condu6l, in thus aban- doning my Country, my Family, a Throne, which perhaps might be va- cant when I was at the other End of the World 5 and all this to run a thou- fand Dangers. Oh ! as to Dangers, reply'd Jrafpes^ Aramys has taken great Care to make us avoid them all. You have all the Reafonin the World to be fatisfy'd with * The Travels of Cyrus ^ Vol. 1. p. 120. him 60 A Supplement to the Ev'n. II. him upon this Article 5 for never did Author treat his Hero with more Good-Nature and Civility. He always makes us fail with the fineft Weather in the World 3 the fierce North-Winds hold in their Blafts 5 the Zephyr is the only Wind that prefumes to breathe upon the Water, and juft fills the Sails with Wind to carry us in an Inftant from one Port to another t» No Tempeft, no Rocks, no Ship- wrecks, noPyrates in our Way. This is not all, we are even exempted from the Inconveniences ro which Voyages are moft neceffarily fubjed:. We ne- ver want any Thing, and even in the wildefl: Defarts, we find oblicrincr ' DP and courteous Hofts, who are proud to make fuch Scransers as us welcome. Wiiatever Town we arrive at, the very Man we want meets us in the Nick of Time, who is order'd to do t The Travels of Cyrus^ Vol. I. p. 120, 1575234- US Ev'n. II. New C Y R. O P iE D I A.' 6 I us the Honours of the Place. Here, without any more Trouble or Cere- mony , we inquire the Way to Badeo ^. After fo coarfe a Saluta- tion, honeft Amenophis immediately falls in Love with you, and impor- tunes you to ftay all Night with him. ^Pythagoras civilly excufes you fo much as the Trouble of mentioning your Name, and knows by your Mien only, that you are the Son of Cayn^ byfes f. 'Tis true that, in order to falve Appearances, your Hiftorian transforms this Philofopher into a Pro- phet, and makes him iorefee, in the remoteft Futurity, the pretended Pro- fperity t of I know not what Town in Italy. — But to return to our Voy- ages : if the Gods themfelves were to travel upon Earth, I would defy them to be more courteous than Aramys has been to us. * The Travels of Cyrus ^ Vol. I. p. 121. t Ibid. Vol. II. p. 8. t Ibid. p. 55. Confeis A Supplement to the Ev'n. It. Confefs then for once^ faid C^rus^ that you are mnch obliged to him : If he had defcrib'd Things as they commonly fall out, and as they adually happened to us, how much murmuring and fretting, how many trifling Scenes would he not have exhibited, which would have made the Publick laugh at your Expence ? It was not out of Good-Will to me, reply'd Jrafpes^ that he has faid nothing of the Dangers we ran, and the Obftacles we had to overcome* He was apprehenfive that, while he was defcribing our Adventures, evert! fuch as were the mod mortifying, your Manner of extricating yourfelf out of them, would difcover fuch Touches of Courage, Refolution, and Skill, as would contradid the difad- vantagious CharatSler he defign'd to give of you. But I would have heartily forgiven him the Relation of my Ev'n. II. Ne^ C Y R O P .^ D I A. 6^ my Uneafinefs, being fully convinc'd that the Publick would have been fo good- humour 'd as to excufe me on that Head. In fhort, how can one, with Patience, hear all the Childifli Things that are told you ^ ? The Egg of the World 5 the old She^Goat of Hermes ^ 5 the Entra72ce of ow Souk t into the Bodies of a Cat, afi Ape^ Scc» and fo many other extravagant Whimfies, with which all thofe Quacks you confulted, ufed to ftuflf their tedious Difcourfes. As for your Part, who had a Genius turn'd for profound Speculations, I fancy you found Sublime Myfteries in them 5 but I, who was of a quite different Gout, faw nothing in them but Chi- meras and Abfurdities, which tended to make me out of Conceit with our Occupation. So that while you re- * The Travels of Cyn/^, Vol.1, p. 192. t Ibid. p. 182. t Ibid. p. 191. turned 64 ^ Supplement to the Ev'n. IL turned from your Travels, full of furc and folid Principles in Religion, I only came back with a greater Share of Ignorance and Doubts than ever. Hov^ miftaken you are, ^tzt Arafpes^ faid CymSy in the Notion you have form'd of my Knowledge ! I was far from meeting with that Satisfaction from the Philofophers which I ex- pedted. This, faid Arnfpes^ puts me in Mind of a very pleafant Paffage, which your Hiftorian has related of you, in one of the Theological Lec- tures which he makes Zoroajler to read to you : This Philofopher tells you. That before you inhabited a Mortal Body, you were a Jynga^ Synoche^ or Cofmogoge ^. * The Travels of Cyrus ^ Vol. I. p. 105, 110, Cofmogoge.^ Ev'n. II. 2V^^ CYROPiEbl A.' 6^ Cofmogoge^ Synoche^ Heavens ! what Names are here^ faid Cyrus^ What do you think they mean ? Oh, Sir, you put a very hard Qiieftion to me, anfwer'd Jrafpes 5 How fliould I know ? Aramys him- felf perhaps knew not 5 at leaft he fays nothing of it. I could not have believed, reply'd Cyrus y that a Man of luch Senfe would have funk into Pedantry, and made fuch a filly Parade with Terms, which the Generality of his Readers would be at a Lofs to underftand, and fuch too, as, in all Appearance, were foreign to his Subject. Not fo foreign neither, Sir, if you pleafe, faid Arafpes. Don't you know whata Viitue there is in a String of fuch Itrar-ge uncouth Names as Am'd'Uhs^ TektarcheSy and Ccfmogoges^ to ridi- F ^ culs 66 A Supplemenr to the Ev'n. II. cule the Great Man who delivers them to you gravely. Nothing could be better than fuch a pleafant Turn, to anfwer the Defign oi Aramys^ to make his Readers a little merry at the Expcnce of Zoroajler^ and to put him in the Drefs of a perfect School- Mafter : This Character too tallies wonderfully with yours. You are in this Place the apteft little Scholar I ever favv 5 and this brings me to what I had at firfl: in View. After the long and tirefome Difcourfe_, in which ic is revealed to you that you were a Jynga ^, you are feiz- ed with Aftonifhment, and cry out, / am then a Ray of Light emitted from its ^Principle. The Enthufiafm is charming, and always makes me laugh whenever I think on'c. Yet, faid Cyrus^ in the Manner you relate Things to me, I cannot * The Travels of Cyrus ^ Vol. I. p. II^ think think that Jynga was a very luminous Being in the Hiftory of my Travels. Oh, faid Arajpes, Jramys did not place you there to look fo nicely into it : It anfwers his Piirpofe better not to make you fo quick-fighted 5 which furniflies him with frefh Matter of Ridicule in the very lame Paffage. You addrefs yourfelf ingenuoufly, and with a certain Air of Simplicity, than which, nothing becomes you better, to Zoroafler^ to ask him by what VC'ay it is that they afccnd to the Ewpyreimij which he had told you but the Moment before ^. But Zoroajler was a good Tutor 5 he was not tir'd with Repetition 5 he knew the Le- vity of Youth, and that, after they had heard the fame Things repeated ten times, it was well if they could but once underftand and retain them 5 therefore he had the Complaifance, * The Travels of Cyrus ^ Vol. I. p. 112. F z after j68 A Supplement to the Ev'n. IL after the Parenthefes and Preambles common to Pedants ^, to point out to you^ in the fame Terms as before, the High Road, about which you was in lo much Pain : What you did not underftand at the firft LelTon- time, you are fully Mafter of at the Second 3 and God knows how your Tranfports were doubled, when you were told, to your great Aftonifliment, what the meaneft Shepherd's Boy in ^Ferjia learns, while he is at the Breaft, That Virtue aIo7ie condiiBs Men to the Refycleme of the Immortal Gods. You talk at fuch a Rate, laid Cyrus with a Smile, as if you thought me infeded with all his Nonfenfe. Oh ! fcir from it. Sir, reply'd Araf- pes. But after all, continued he, let me tell you, whenever I was a Wit- nefs of your Dogmatical Conferences, * The Travels of Cpiis^ Vol. I. p. 114, 115. F.v'n. II. Isew Cyroi>j^dia, 6p I thought you ftrangely wrapt up in Admiration of them. You were al- ways for crying up the fine Things which your Waiters told you of 3 and to fee the Exclamations and extatick Raptures which you fell into when you heard them ^, I imagined that every Word that came from them, was an Oracle which reveal'd fome great Myftery to you 3 and of this 'tis true that you every where gave De- monftration. I rem.ember you had a certain Round ofCompliments, which came about in their Turn : one was as juftly beftovv^'d as another 5 and he that had the Honour to converfe with you, was always, in your Efteem, the grcateft Man. Yet it was impofTible but all thofe Dodors muft, from Time to Time, give each other the Lye, upon more than one Article. * The Travels ofCyrus, Vol. I. p. loi, &Cc, 113,198. Vol. II. p. 44, 152, 192. F 3 And '^o ^ Supplement *^ ?7^o' Ev'n. If. And that was the very Thing which, reply 'd Cyrus ^ afterwards gave me Perplexity. I confels, to mv Shame, I was fucceffively the Bubble of all the various Fables that were told me 5 but being rid of that JVTift, which Sur- prize, and the Want of Experience, at firfl: caft before my Eyes, I made Reflections, which, if they could not protect me againfl: Impofition, ferv'd, at leaf!:, to recover me out of it. In all the LeiTons that I had been taught, I thought I perceived Contradi- dions and Trifles, which I blufli'd that I had ever given Ear to. Z.oro" ajlev^ faid I, tells me that the Ethe- real Matter, which is diffufed thro' the whole Univerfe ^, is the Body of the Great Oromazes, and that his Soul is Truth. What I breathe, what I a6b, what I feel ^ in a Word, ev-ery Thing that exifts, is therefore God : Befides, to fay that this God * The Travels of Cyrus, Vol. II. p. 98. ' has Ev'n. II. NeT//55 Vol. L p. 218, &c. H 3 our 101 ^ Supplement ^(5 fZ?^ Ev'n. IIL our Uneafinefsj Care, and Trouble, could but a Way be found out to in- troduce this happy Complaifance, and could it once be received, that Women were the Property of the State^ more than of their Husbands ^. So that at this Rate, added Cyrus^ all Jjia muft be but one Family 'f', in which, properly fpeaking, there would be neither Father, nor Mother, nor Children, nor Friendflhip, nor Care, norTenderners,norDependance,among the particular Members^ but the State would fupply the Place of All. In order therefore to reduce this conve- nient Syftem into Practice, begin firft of all, for a good Example 5 gene^ roufly to lend thy Wife to ■ Ko 5 by your leave, Sir, Jrafpes bluntly reply'd, I don't pretend to * The Travels of Qn/j, Vol. I. p. 219. t Ibid. p. 220. any Ev'n. III. A&Tie; CvROPiEDi A. 103 any Generofity in that Article. I have a Tafte altogether the fame with the Niggard and the Cit 3 I am for keeping a Wife to my felf alone 5 I find too that I have a Spirit mean enough to be fond of Children, and that I can't live without the Cares and Un- eafinefles of a Family. I am fome- times aflham'd on't, but endeavour to make myfelf eafy by conndering what Numbers there are of the fame Kid- ney 3 and then I am too far advanced in Years to reform. You are In the right, faid Cyrus -^ The Heart of Man is formed for At- tachment to Views lefs abftradled, and more confin'd than a State, a Repub- lick, &c, and thofe loofe and general Engagetnents which tend to the va- cating of all particular ones, are Chi- meras which human Nature is not capable of admitting. The prevailing Byafs of Man, and that which is moft difficult for him to fliake off, is the H 4 Prin- 104 y/ Supplement ^0 ^fo Ev'n. III. Principle of Property 5 and aTafte fot* particular Unions, is too univerfal^and too deeply rooted in our Hearts, not to be a Law of Nature, I conceive that a handful of Men may form a feparate Syftem to them- felves, and for a while purfue it 5 but the Multitude will always aban^ don them, to adhere to the S, ftem of Nature. They who moft affe6t Singularity, are compelld at lad to recede from it. Nature, in fpight of Oppoficion, infenfibly recovers her Prerogatives, and we fliall fee LacC'^ damon^ fooner or later, depart from odd Cuftoms, and refume the com- mon Track. Really it would be in vain for hu- man Laws to multiply the Obje6ts of our Love. They have no Power over the Heart 3 and, as at the fame Time they could not make a pro- portionable Addition to that Stock of Ten-^ Ev'n.III. New Cyrop^dia.' 105 Tendernefs of which we are capable, inftead of the mofi: iiniverfal Com^ munity in the Article of Wives, we fhould find thofe particular Engage- ments, thofe fweet Unions which fo powerfully attra6l the Heart of Man, would revive every Day, in Defiance of the Laws. But what Jealoufies ! what Troubles^ Strife, and Violence^ would not Exceptions of this Kind occafion ? The Refervednefs of Wives would then be as pernicious to Society, as their Incontinency may be at this Time 5 and the Inconveniencies which you would propofe to avoid, are not comparable to the fatal Confequences of your monftrous Syftem 5 not to mention the Care of Children, Subor- dination, (^c\ nor a thoufand other Ties of Society, which would, by that micans, be made void - — - Suffer me. Sir, faid Jrafpes^ to interrupt you : I never heard you talk fo profoundly and eloquently be- fore 'y iq6 a Supplement to the Ev'n. III. fore 5 but I fear that the Vehemence with which you argue, fatigues you, Befides, you really fpend yourfelf to no Purpofe. Do you think me fo bereft of good Senfe, not co perceive the Extravagance of the Laced j^mo^ man Laws ? No, reply'd C'^rus 3 but as this Subjed: fell in the Way of our Con- verfarion, I was very glad to tell you what I thought of it, and to bring more than one Example to confirm what I advanced Yefterday, that the Knowledge I had acquir d in my Tra- vels, was of no Service to me for governing the People, and rendering them happy. Oh ! but, faid Arnfpes^ you will plcale to except what you learnt at Tyre J in the Article of Commerce. And what Ufe could I make of it, reply'd Cyrus^ for Te^^a ? Befides, you Ev'n. III. At'-Tjy Cyrop.edi A. 107 you very well know that 1 have no Tafte for Trade, and that I never had a Mercantile Soul. I don't know it, reply'd Arafpes 5 foi when I faw the Eagernefs with which you put Queftions to Ecnibal ^, and how attentively you liftened to him, I imagined that you had a mighty Mind to enrich yourfelf by that Method which you would take to, fooner, or later, when you were tired of the Wars which have fince employed you. Could I, faid Cyrus^ behave other- wife ? You are very fenfible that the only Way to profit by Converfation, is to talk with People upon what they know, or what concerns them, and fometimes both roo;cther. I was wirh a King 5 but fuch a King as was little more than a Merchant who had fail'd, * The Travels o^Cyrus^ Vol. II. p. 79, 80. and io8 A Supplement to the Ev'n. III. and was fee up again : What could I do better, in Acknowledgment of the civil Entertainment he gave me, than to talk with him about his Commerce, and to feem delighted with the Leffoiis which he read me on that Subjed: ? And I could the lefs excufe myfelf from that Piece of Complaifance, be- caufe the honeft Prince feemed, to me, exceffively fond of being reckon'd profoundly skilled in the AfFair. Indeed, faid Jrafpes, I never met with a Man fo vain, or that could romance with fo much Impudence, for his own Advantage. He afcended the Tfr'ian Throne much about the Time that we were in Arabia with AmenopJjis : For the honeft Hermit did not then know ^ what was be- come of his Friend, and was not in- forni'd of it 'till after our Departure, by an Exprefs -j- which the grateful * The Travels of Cynis^ Vol. I. p. 153. t Ibid. Vol. II. p. 72. Prince Ev'n. III. New Cykovjedia, lo? Prince took care to fend to him as foon as he came to the Throne. Now we had fcarce fpent a Year in our Travels to Egypt and Greece. Therefore Ecnibal had been King of Tyve but about that Space of Time, when we arrived from Greece^ in Phoenicia 3 and, moreover, half of this Year ought to be placed to the Account of the Journey he made to Jrahia^ i in Queft of Amenophh^ and afterwards to Babylon^ to do Homage for his Crown to Nehuchad' nezzar. Yet, to hear him talk, ^ one would have taken him for a Prince of confummate Experience in Affairs, and that had reign'd twenty Years at lead. That prodigious Con- courfe of Foreign Veffels, the Fleets, Warehoufes, Manufactures, -^ all the Splendor of Tyre^ its Wealth and Power were owing to his Credit and * The Travels ofCyrus^ Vol. IT. p. 73. * Ibid. p. 79, 805 &c t Ibid. p. 83. Manage- 1 1 o -^ Supplement to the Ev'n. Ill, Management 5 the Work, in flhort: of a Prince whole Name and Acceffion to the Crown, were fcarce yet known Abroad, and who had hitherto given but fmall Hopes at Home of a happy Government. When Perfons aim at the Reputation of a Merit which they have not, there is, at lead, a Neceffity of keeping up a ProbabiHty in the Quahfications which they pre- tend to. As to good Quahties, faid Cyrus ^ he did not want them. He was a Man of Senfe, and very well vers'd in the Interefts of his Kingdom. No- thing could be better conceived, than what he told us of the Methods for re-eftablidiing and reviving Com- merce. How ! Sir, cry'd Arafpes, You have never hear'd then, that all that fineDif- courfe was only a Lcflon which Ecnihal had learnt by Heart, and vi^hich he rehearfed Ev'n. III. Neniv Cykovmdia, m rehcarfed to all Foreigners that came to fee him. I perceive by this Paflage, faid Cyrus, that Ill-nature for which you have been fo often reproached. Sir, reply'd Arafpes, before the Day is over, you will do me more Juftice. While we were at Tyre, 2l Book fell into my Hands, intitled^ The Adventures of Telemachus, where I met ^ with that fine Difcourfe almoft Word for Word, which did Ecnibal lo much Honour in your Efteem 5 and I long 'till we are at Babylon^ in order to convince you that my Cenfure is far from unjuft. After having a little better confider'd of the Matter, faid Cyrus, I begin to believe you. Indeed I remember to * The Adventures of Islemachusy Tom. i. 1. 3. and 8. have 112 ji Supplement to the Ev'n. III. hatve read fomething like it in Tek' machus. When all is faid and done, it was fcarce natural for a Prince who was brought up in Ignorance of his Parents, and who had fpent the Life of a Vagabond, or a Soldier, fliould be able, in lefs than a Year, to know fo much, and talk fo well, of all the Laws of Commerce, of the Interefts of the different States, and wife enough to read political Le6tures to me, who had been thirty Years forming, with fo much Care, for the great Art of Governing, and to give Me, as to the Method of governing ^erjia in par- ticular, l^leiso ISotions and MaximSy whkh I had not met with in other Countries ^. With the Help of a good Book, fuch as TekmachuSy faid Arafpes^ one makes a steat Progrefs in a little Time. * Adventures ofTelem. Tom. i. p. lOo. After Ev*N. Ill* JSe^ C Y R O P iE D I A. t I 3 After all, reply'd Cyrus^ as much as I have been impos d on, I do not repent my Complaifance, which, if I did not owe to the Perfon that fpoke to me, was at leaft due to the Things that were told m.c. Oh ! As for Complaifance, I never faw fo much of it in you, as in that Journey, faid Jrafpes : Wirnefs what happened to us with jimenopjjis. What happened to us when with him, faid the Prince ? How could you forget it. Sir, faid Arafpes ? I remember it we!!, and will now revive it to your Memory. When we landed at T'^jre^ who fliould we meet upon xht.Mok^ ^ but that honeft Man Amenophis^ v/ho, "^^ Travels of Cyrus, Vol II. p. 6^- I pro- 114 -A Supplement to the Ev'n. III. probably, weary of Solitude, was come thither to give a little Relaxa- tion to his Mind. To fee the Figure that he made, and to confider his Oc- cupation, I fhould never have taken him for a great Philofopher, and for a Perfon of the greateft Power and Efteem in Tyre. He was not to be dlftinsuifhed from the Croud, and he feem'd to give Attention to the fame Atfairs that draw Numbers of the Populace to the Keys of Babylon ^ where fometimes we faw them ear- neftly gazing at the Furrows which a Hay-boat cuts in the Euphrates. Wc prefently knew one another, and, after many Embraces, inftead of ac- companying us to our Lodging, or offering us one^ jimenophh carry 'd us abruptly a League from thence into the open Country, ^ where, as we fate upon a Rock, he gave us the Hiftory of his Travels from Arabia * Travels of Cyr^/^j Vol. II. p. 66. to Ev'n. Iir. A^'ze? Cyro:i>.edi A. iij to ^hceniciaj which he might as well have told us at his own Lodgings* We were fatigued with a long Voyage by Sea 3 it was very cold Weather, and we wanted Nouridiment and Reft: 3 from thence judge what a Paf- fion I was in with him 5 yet I cannot tell which of the two gave me mofi: Uneafinefs, his Indifcretion, or your Complaifance to requite it, and the Calmnefs with which, when we were in fuch a fad Plight, you gave Ear to his tedious Tale. ! was tempted twenty times to interrupt him in the Middle of it, and to affront him, which I had certainly done, but for the kefpedl I ow'd to you. I held my Tongue to the lafl 5 but, Sir, you will grant, that it requir'd even more Complaifance than you had for the King oiTyre^ to bear fuch Treatment. I remember it now, faid Cyrus 3 'Tis true that the good Man did forget himfelf very much upon this Occafion. I z This 1 1 <^ Jt Supplement to the Ev'k. III. This ung-enteel Carriao-e did not lavor of the Courtier 5 but with him the Courtier was eclipfed by the Hermit. But muft a ATan be a Courtier, fiiid ylrnfpes ? or, muft he needs know the World, to avoid Inch an Impropriety ? Does not commion Senfe diditate, that the firft Thing we inould do to Scran cTcrs that come from a far Country, is to lodge them ? I bclicA'C, faid Cyrus^ I can guefs what ir;ade him acl fo. Ameuophh had a Fault common to thofe of his Age ^ that is, he was a little talkative : No doubt he was afraid, that if he had carry 'd us diretflly to the King's Palace, where he propoied to lodge us lie lliould be interrupetd too often in iiis Story, and not be at Lciihre to tcli it rfier his own Way, Tiiis it was tlmr, probably, induc'd hi?ii iO carrv 7J3 Cq far off to the ve- ry great £xercife of your Patience. Never* Ev^N. III. ISIew Cykovje.di A. wr Neverthelefs, all this I forgive him, faid ArafpeSj for the handfonie Enter- tainment he gave us in Jrabia, Philofophers, laid Cyrus, know fometimes how to make their Friends welcome. Indeed, reply'd y!rafpes^ you are qualify 'd to fpeak of this from your own Knowledge. Your Journey to the Magi J muft have inftrucled you on this Head : Yet I fliall not be fo curious as to ask you what you think of their Laws : For, if I may judge, from your own Turn of Mind, and your whole Air, you did not find them greater Dodlors, in this Kind, than your other Mafters. You have guefs'd right, fiid Cyrus^ and, unlefs I flhould propofe to ftock Afia with fpeculative Aluficians, ^ I * The Travels of Cyn/j, Vol. I. p. 6z. I 5 could ■I 1 8 A Supplement to the Ev'n. IIL could find nothing in the Laws of the Magi^ proper to regulate the Manners of my Subje(5ts. Take great Care, Sir, reply'd A'^afpes. Your Empire is already too full of idle Fellows and Ballad- fingers 5 And what, in the Name of Heaven ! would, you think of increafing the Number of them ? But pray tell me, Sir, what I ought to think of a Pa0ao;e which your Hi- ftorian puts to the Account of the Magi ? Is it true^ that thofe Philo- fophers begin the Education ^ of their Children^ before they are born ? For my Part, I don't remember to have ever heard of fuch a Practice 5 and, if ic had been mentioned in my Com- pany, I am not a Man to forget fo merry an Article. J don't underftand you faid Cyvus. * Travels oiCyms^ Vol. I. p. 63. I ask Ev'n. III. Nen^ C Y R O P iE D I A, I 1 c^ I ask you, Sir, reply 'd Jra/pes, if in be true, that the Magi^ while their Wives are with Child, take Care to keep them always in Tranc|uillity, and a perpetual Chearfulnefs, by fweet and innocent Amufements, to the End that, in the Mother's Womb, the Fruit might receive none but agreeable Impreflions. That's a very pretty Fancy, in my Opinion. Aramys was, no doubt, a Man of Gallantry. He had a Mind to make his Court to the Ladies, by procuring them inch Tokens of Re- gard and Refpecl from their Husbands, as they could not avoid paying them^ after fo unpolite a Clafs of People, as Philofophcrs generally are, had kt them an Example. Oh ! as to his being a Man of Gal- lantry/aid^r^y^^5,you certainly do him I 4 Wrong, !20 jd Su^^hmcnt to the Ev'n. Ill, Wrong, for never Mortal had lefs of ic. li" you had read his Book, you would have found him the moft cruel Man in Life to the Ladies. Ic feems he aim'd to rid the World of the whole Sex, for it was as much as their Lives were worth, for any of the Heroines to appear in hisHiftory. Mandnna^y Cnjfiwdana f , Selhua i, die away at once, at a Time when fuch fudden Deaths were lead exoedted, and the Caufe or Means thereof as little known. He makes ^Phya l| lacrifice hcrfelf to fecure that Crown to her Husband, which he had ufurp'd. The cruel Hand of a barbarous Husband, cuts off the Davs of the tender and chafle MeUjfa ^ ^. Rhetea^ only Rhetea^ by a Sort of Miracle, efcapes the Anther's Indignation, tho' not * The Travels of Cyrns^ Vol. II. p. 92. t Ib^d. Vol. I. p. 116. t Ibu.l. p. '?4. II Ibid p. £97. ** Ibid. p. 245. till Ev'n. III. New Cy^orjEDiA, 111 till flie had been a long Time in the Agonies of Death f. After this, Sir, can you fufpect your Hiftorian of Gallantry ? No^ reply'd Cyrus ^ I am now of another Opinion. I fee into his Drift. He had a Mind to be merry, at the Expence of thofe poor Philofophers, who were my Subjects, as well as my firft Mafters, which was Caufe more than enough to fabjeift them to the Lafli of the Author oi the Travels 5 and that's the only Reafon that in- duced him to lay all the Childiili Things he reports of them to their Account. You would be yet more fully con- vinc'd of it, Sir, reply'd Jrafpes^ if yon did but know what a Comick Ador he makes of ZorGaCter^ that venerable Philofopher, the Head of t The Travels of Cyrus, Vol. I. p. 44. the Ill A Supplement to the Ev'n. IV. the Magij whole Sayings were all Maxims, and his Actions all Virtues. This ZoroafleVj I fay, does little more in this Hiftory than proftrating him* felf, like a Lover ^, at the Feet of a Statue of his dear SeUma^ bathing it inceflantly with his Tears, and giving you a difmal Account of his tender Amours with that Princefs. It mud be confefs'd, faid Cyrus^ that this Author did not want Wit, and never Man had the Art of burlefquing a great Charader to the Degree that he had. As the Prince had ended thefe Words^ the Officers came to acquaint him that the Hour fixed for their Re- turn was already expired. There was not a Cloud to be feen at that Time in the Horizon, while the Moon's bright Liiftre made fome Sort D ^^ The Travels of Cyrus^ Vol. I. p. 66. of Ev'n. III. Nem: CYROPiEDIA. of Amends for the Abfence of the Sun 5 and by the Light of that Lu- minary, which feeni'd as it were to reftore Day to Mortals, Cyrus quickly return'd to Babylon^ where State Af- fairs hinder'd him for a while from thinking of the Hiftory of his Tra- vels. IZJ A SUPPLEMENT T O T H E New Cyropsedia. ^he Fourth Evening's Converfation, :-:-_.^j \rRVS refolv'd one Day to take the Air in the neiahbourino; Plains oi Ba' h^hn : and having order'd his Retinue to go and wait for him at a Gate of the Garden of his Pa- lace, which open'd to the Country^ hirafelf and Jrafpes alone were on the xi6 A Supplement to the Ev'n. IV< the Way thither, when a frightful Cloud, driven by a Wind from the South, covered the Horizon with thick Darknefs. The Sun feem'd to have bid adieu to the World, and its In- habitants had no Light to difcern one another, but the dreadful GHm>mer of athoufand redoubled Flafiies of Light- ning. The Sky, all in a Flame, threatned the Earth with an immediate Conflagration. Terrible Thunder roar'd in the Air, and its Bolts, which were darted at feveral Parts of Ba^ iylon^ made the trembling Citizens believe the World was at an End. Befides, a prodigious Storm of Hail increafed their Terrors, and extend- ed its Ravages into the adjacent Country. Cyrus had but jufl Time to flielter himfelf in a Pavihon, at one End of the Garden, which had been built fince his Conqueft^ and was of ex- quifite Archite(fture. The Cupola of Ev'n. IV- A^'ze? Cyrop^di A.' tir of it, which admitted tlie Light oa all Sides, was fupported by four great Pilafters, and the Whole flhone with Gold, Marble, and Azure. The Roof, which was of Mofak Painting, difplay'd the Virtues of Cyrus in va- rious Symbols. The Bujfts of the Kings of T*erjia and Med'ta^ placed oppofite to one another, adorn'd the Bottom, and. the middle Pare was full of Pidures, in which the moft skilful Painters of the Eajl had fihew'd an Emulation, who fhould moft hap- pily defcribe the principal Events of the Life of Cyrus. . In one Piece, the little Prince, as yet a Child, train'd up among a Company of young Shepherds, ap- pears with a noble and majeftick Air, which diftinguiflies him from his Companions. He feems to be pre- fcribing Laws to them, and to be inftrudting the giddy untaught Youths to pay Refpedt to that Authority, which I 28 .// Supplement to the Ev'n. IV- which the exalted Sentiments, and great Talents of Heroes, challenge over thofe with whom Fortune fome- times takes a Pleafure to confound them. In another, Cyrus is fliewing the Exercifes of Mars^ to the valiant ^JPerfiaUy as yet unacquainted with the Diicipline of War. Batallions and Scjuadrons feem to be flying in an Infi mt from one End of the Field to the G:*iier, with the fame Rapidity as the Bird of Jupiter cleaves the Air, or as an Arrow out of a Bow, that is bent by the nervous Arm oi a ^Parthlnn. The Prince flands im- moveable, giving his Orders, and by his Gefture animates and regulates their Evolutions. His mettlefome Courier, enraged to be conftrain'd, champs the Bit, fnorts and fumes at the Noilrils, throws Clods of Foam all about him, tears up the Ground with Ev'n. IV. A^'ze; Cyropjedi A.' 120 with his Heels, and raifes a Cloud of Duft round his Mafter Hke a Whirl- wind. At a farther Diftance, Cyrus ap- pears in the Plains of ^Pafagardis^ fpreading Terror and Deftrudtion among the Batallions of the Medes. His Arms dy'd with Blood, his furly Brow, his fparkling Eyes, his fiery Countenance, his formidable Sword, hfted up ready to ftrike the mortal Blow, chill the very Blood in the Veins of the moft daring Hearts. In Iliort, the God Mars himfelf, when he glutted his Rage with Blood and Slaughter in the Fields of Thrace^ did not appear fo fierce and terrible. The affrighted Mede flies every where be- fore him, as the Shepherds and their Flocks, in the Plains of Africa^ run at the Sight of the roaring Lyon, thac comes down from the Hills foj: its Prey. K On 1 JO A Supplement to the Ev'n. IV. On one Side of this Pidure, the fame CyruSy now become another Creature, flies to mctt/ljlyages^ whom they are bringing to him a Prifoner. Such is the tender Affedlion and compaffionate Goodnefs of the vidlo- rious Prince^ that with one Hand he places on his Grandfather's Head the Crown which the Medes had loft by the Fortune of War, while with the other he breaks the Chains, with which the unrelenting Soldier had prefum'd to bind the vanquifli'd Monarch. The other End of the Pavilion fiiews mad Bel/Jjazzar^ at a Table with his Courtiers, abandoned, with- out any Fear or Thought, to all the Excefles of Debaucliery. Intemperate Joy, an efteminate Senfuality, an un- bridled Licentioufnefs, a brutifh Im- piety, are manifefl: in the Counte- nances of the Guefts^ when a fatal Hand Ev'n. IV. I^iW CYkOV JEDl A» IM Hand comes to put an End to their Riot, and to write the Sentence of their Deftru(5lion upon the Wall. In the next Piece beyond that,£^- phrateSj in Obedience to the Will of CyruSy quits its old Channel, and runs into the new one dug by the in- defatigable ^evfians. The vigilant Cyrus^ at the Head of a chofen Body of his Troops, rriakesan Advantage of this Incident, and of the ftupid Indo- lence of the /'JfyrianSy while Babylon is aftonifh d to find the httphrates gone, and i's Place fiipply'd by a Flood of Enemies, which enter wichia its Walls, and bring this (lately City for ever under their Subjedion. Oppofite to this, Cyrus fits upon a Throne, didlating Decrees. A whole Nation of Caotives ftand round him, but he only gives the Word, and their Fetters inftantly leem to drop off* of themfelvcs. The firft K 2 ^'Omencs 3 z j4 Supplement to the Ev'n. IV. Moments of their Liberty are devoted to the Expreffions of Gratitude to their DeHverer, the Tranfports of which the Painter has happily ex- preffed in their Attitude, Air, and the various Motions which they feem to make. In another Place, Cyms is repre- fented as offering a Sacrifice to the immortal God, and the 'Terjian, the Medej and the JJfyrian^ over-againft him, vowing eternal Frienddiip at the fame Altar. Peace, that Daughter of Heaven, defcends to the Altar from the Enipyr^um in a Silver Cloud, and, with a Lace of Gold and Silk, joins the Hands of the new Allies together, and, by double Knots^ forms Ties for uniting thofe Nations for ever un-' der one and the fame Empire. Re" Ttgion^ with her Hands full of In- cenfe 5 Themis^ weighing the Claims of Men, and the Prerogatives of the Gods, in her Balance 5 Tknty^ having her Ev'n. IV. New C Y R o p iE D I a: 15? her Head crown'd with Flowers and Fruits 5 and tranquil Security^ with its Eyes fliut^ encompafs the Altars 5 and round them appear Figures of wanton Smiles and Frolicks, the Graces and Pleafures, with a numerous Com- pany of Nymphs and young Shep- herds, dancing in a Circle to the Sound of Hautboys. Thefc Paintings were, for mod Part, but juft finifh d, and Cynis had noc yet feen them in their Perfe6lion. But his Attention was immediately en- groffed by fomething more worthy of his Contemplation, than the Plea- fure of examining Pictures. At one End of the Pavilion was a Balcony, with a Profpedt over all the Country. Thither went Cyrus and his Favourite 5 and from thence they with Pity beheld the Damage done by the late Tempeft. A thoufand Torrents, from the neighbouring K 3 Hills, ^ 134 ^ Supplement /o //j^ Ev'n. IV. Hills, had drown'd the Plain, and in the Fall wadied away rich Crops of Corn, Trees, Cattle, Shepherds, and Cottages. All the flat Country was but one vafl: Sea, refembling the Ocean, after being troubled by the furious North- Wind, when the dif- mal Effedls of its Rage are feen in Shipwrecksj when, befides the ]VTafl:s, the Cordage, the Benches of the Rowers, and the Heaps of Riches brought in vain from the remoteft Parts of the Woild^ v/e fee the livid Bodies of the covetous Merchant and the bold Mariner, floating on the Water, fad Vic^i^-s of fenfelefs Ava- rice. Cyms fhew'd, by a thoughtful Silence, how much he v/as afflicted at this difafl:rous Scene 3 and then look- ing with a forrowtul Eye upon his Favourite, he cry'd, Jrafpes, What Numbers of People has Heaven this pay rendered miierable ! Very .Ev'n. IV. New Cykovjedia» 135 Very true, Sir, rcply'd Jrafpes^ but "tis a Comfort both to them and you, that you are in a Condition, as it were, to difpute the Matter with Heaven it- felf, and to make more People happy, than It has this Day made unhappy. You know what I would have done in^lliis Cafe, reply'd Cyrus^ there- fore take care to conform to my In^ clinations. Set my Treafures open To-morrow Morning to the poor Husbandman, and let him be made Amends for the Lofs which he has this Day fuftain'd. The Minifter af- fured his Mafter of a pundual Obe- dience 3 and, in order to take off his Attention from fo many Objc(5ls, which mufl: naturally give Uneafinefs to a Man of fuch Bowels as Cyms^ he talk'd to him concerning the PicSlures which adorn'd the Pavilion, and en- gaged him infenfibly to draw near and view them. K 4 The 1^6 A Supplement to the Ev'n. IV. The Prince attentively furvey'd them a long Time 5 and becaufe he continud filent, Arafpes^ to divert him a little, faid to him, Sir, Thefe Paintings furely were not done from any Defign drawn by Aramys, No, anfvver'd the Prince with a Smile, if they had, I fhould not have been altogether fo much flattered. Rather, Sir, reply'd uirafpes^ fay that your great Actions would not have been fo faithfully reprefented. It (hall be which Way you pleafe, faid Cyrus 5 But know that I am now in a Condition to talk with you con- cerning that Book from my own Knowledge. I have it adlually about me. I have flole Time from my other Affairs to read it, and I fee perfectly how far Jramys has been able to make me ridiculous. But then it rnufl Ev'n.IV- New Cyko? jEDiA. 1J7 muft be own'd that he makes himfelf equally fo : If my Behaviour is fometimes fenfelefs, his Book, in truth, is hardly juftifiable 5 and I can't conceive why fome of our ^Ferjians have not thought fit to expofe the Faults of it. Sir, faid Arafpes^ the Reafon of it is very natural. At that Time the ^erjians vi^ere thinking how to re- venge you by other Means than thofe of Criticifm 5 and then you well know that you alone had all the Knowledge in the Nation 5 for the Verjian% were not yet arrived to thofe Dif- coveries which poliflh the Manners and the Underftanding. And to your Honour be it (poke, all you meant by the Pains you took to flock your Mind with that Heap of unprofitable Learning, was to fupply the Ignorance of your Subjeds, even in fuch Articles as were mofl neceffary. And as it had been indecent for fuch a Prince 138 A Supplement to the Ev'n. IV. a Prince as you to anfvver fuch a Libel as the Hiftory of your Travels, all 'Perjia muft neceflarily be filent, with refpedi: to this BooL Tis true, that the Wits oi Ajfyrta^ where the Piece was written, laboured to make us A- mends. Every- Body knows vi^hat a Power Emulation has over Gentlemen of the fame Craft 5 and a Succefs, far inferior to that which Aramyss Book had at firft among the Publick, would neceffarily have rais d their Envy. So you would have been fufficiently revenged, if they had been permitted to have taken it to Task 5 but the Hiftory of your Travels had the good ' Luck to pleafe at Court. The Ma- giftrates undertook to prote6l it 5 Si- lence was impofed upon the Cenfurers 3 and, as a further Favour, which never Author had obtained before Arawys^ publick Authority prohibited the find- ing Fault with a Book which fo many People were concerned to blame. You 1 Ev'n. IV. New CYKOVMDi A. t^p You g've me a great Notion, faid CyruSy of Aramyss Policy, and I think he fliew'd greater Abihties in the Management he made ufe of at fi ft to fecure hirnfelf from Criticifm, than in his manner ot writing the Hiftory of my Travels, JramySy reply'd Jrafpes, was, as I have been told, enterprizing, fup- pie, inlmuating, wheedling, and a Perfon of gay Converfation. Tis true that, left Company (l:ould fufFer by it, they wTre obliged to prefcribe Bounds to his merry Way of talking, which fometim.es degenerated into in- fipid Banter. With Talents fo fpecify'd, fa id Cyrus^ I don't wonder that he had the Cunning to get lo many great Men to be Advocates for his Perfon and Book. The 140 A Supplement to the Ev'n. IV. The great Men, reply 'd Jrajpes^ were not his only Friends 5 you know how much the /IJfyrians pique them-' felves upon Pohtenefs to Strangers. Heretofore it only extended to their Perfons^ but the modern /IJfyrians intended, no doubt, to be even more complaifant than their Fore-fathers, and to fhew their good Manners even to the Writings of a foreign Pen : Which, in their Dialect, is called the doing of Things with a good Grace. As they were upon this Subject, CymSj being weary, fate down hard by a Table of Agat^ upon which were feveral Pidures in Miniature^ that the Greek Colonies of Jfia Minor had lately fent as a Prefent to Cyrus. They were all of a noble Defign, and the Subjecfls borrow'd from the Greek Fables, fuch as Andromeda chain'd to a Rock 5 proud Niohe, indifcreet BattuSy and inexorable Anaxerete^ meta- Ev'n. IV. Nemo C y r o p je d i a. metamorphos'd into Stones : But the Pictures which moft of all engroffed the Attention of Cyrus^ was that of Ariadne^ left alone in a Defert liland. She was ftanding upon the Summit of a cragged Rock 5 her Hairs, which fhone like the Stars, didievell'd 5 her Hands lifted up to Heaven 3 her Face bathed with Tears 3 her lovely Eyes looking wifhfuUy after a Veffel juft ready to difappear, and cutting the Waves with Fury, to get out ot her Sight 3 her Mouth half open, feeming to reproach the perfidious Thefeus for his bafe Treachery, Ingratitude, and barbarous Cruelty, with all the To- kens of the Defpair of that difconfo- folate Princefs. CyruSj after having fpent a long Time in admiring the Delicacy of the Miniatures, and extolling the curious Tafte, and fine Art of the Greeks^ faid to ArafpeSy Have you taken Notice of one pamicular Circumftance which I obferve i^z ji Supplement io the Ev'n. IV. obferve in chefe Figures ? A Scone, or a Rock, is every where, almoft, the principal Profped: of them. Thofe Fellows had an unaccountable Attach- ment to Stones : They feem to have been form'd in the fame School as Jlramys 5 who, when his great Men have any important Matter to relate, generally places them in the Cave, or on the Summit of fome barren Rock. Probably, faid Arafpes^ with a Smile, thofe Painters were naturally hard-hearred, and delighted in draw- ing fuch Profpe6ts always, as were Re- prelentations of their own Infenfibility. As to Jramys^ continued he^ you have a particular Reafon to pardon him for his Rocks, ^caufe he was a Native of CaJedo72taj a barren moun- tainous Region ; for which Caufe he took Care to c]uit it betimes, and to come and inhabit Countries more in- viting and agreeable. But tho' he left Ev'n. IV. A^^^ Cyrop^dia. 143 lefc his native Soil, how could he avoid the retaining, at lead, in ma- ny Articles, its Tafte and Genius ? In Caledonia^ 'tis like, Rocks are the mcft ufual Places of polite Converfa- tion 3 and it was natural for an Author that had been trained up in his Youth among Gentlemen of Wit and Breed- ing, who were us'd to fiich Places of Rendezvous, to chufe the fame The- atre for the Narrations he intended to put into his Book. What ! cry'd Cyrus, was Aramys a Caledonian ? How came he then to fpeak the Language of the Jjfyrians with fuch a Grace ? Not, faid he, but I have found fome Faults in his Book, that are contrary to the Purity of Diction. As he is giving a De- fcription of the Port of Tyre, he fays, That ^ an IJland jlreiches itfelf in form of a Crefcent^ to inclofe a Bay. * The Travels of Cyrus, Vol. II. p. 63. Thl> 144 -^ Supplement to the Ev'n. IV* This is very near the fame thing, as if I fhould fay, That the new Moon extends its Horns to embrace its Cref' cent 5 for an Ifland which ftretches it- felf in form of a Crefcent, does not inclofe a Bay, but forms it. The Ajfyrian Phrafe is to break Silence : But, I believe, no Language has it as Aramys words it 5 f They went out of the Temple not to interrupt Silence, I know not the Meaning of the ObjeSt of the Heavens^ which he talks of fomewhere, || in order to hide from the Eye^ all the Obje5is abroady except that of the Heavens. Aramys meant to fay, probably, fTo let no other ObjeSis be feen but the Heavens. Aramys fays, fpeaking of me, X Cyrus ufually confejfed his Faults he refolved to correSi himfelf • Immediately after thefe Terms, comes a neverthelefs, which t Travels of Cyrus^ Vol. II. p. 8. II Ibid. p. 4. i Ibid. Vol. I. p. 20. prepares Ev'n. IV. A"^'iy Cy ROP.^DI A. 145 prepares the Reader to hear fomeotlier filly Thing of me, notwithftanding all my good Intention 5 but far from it, the Reader is very much furprized to fee that this never theJefs is only prefix'd to make me give a notahk ^roofofmy Genhis a'tid Courage, In Truth, Sir, cry'd Arafpes^ there is no holding out any longer 5 you there dilplay a Talent which I did not know you was poffefs'd of. You are a Graynmarian^ and, what is worfe, a ^Puriji, Alas 1 for the Time to come, I (liall be obliged either to fhun yoUj or no longer to interrupt Silence before you. I fliall be very fearful of feeing fome inadvertent Expreffion of mine ridicurd. I thought all along, that a Man talk'd well if he did but make himfelf un-' derftood. Leave off bantering me, faid Cyrus : I have been made to learn fo many L unne^ 146 ^ Supplement to the Ev'n. IV. unnecelTary Things, of which I am never like to make any ufe, that I muft have Leave, for once, at leaf!:, to argue the Cale. After havino; fo often talk'd of Theology and natural Philofophy before you with Indul- gence, would it not be unhandfome for you to hinder me now, which is the firft, and will, perhaps, be the laft Time of my Life, from making a Difplay of what I have learnt in the Point of Grammar. You know, too, how far I am from being difficult as to the Style of Converfation. I bear with every thing a Man fays, if it be not finical and pedantic \ but I have not altogether that Complaifance for what a Man writes. What pity 'tis, reply'd ArafpeSy that At amy s is not in the World to have the Benefit of fuch a Dilpofition ? It was, they fay, a miferable Thing to hear him talk. He was flow of Speech, and uncgrre^t in his Expref- fion. Ev'n. IV. Neiv Cykovjedia, 1 47 fion. He afFedcd, as they fay, a Sore of Jargon that was very ridicu- lous, to fl:iew, perhaps, how many Difficulties fuch a Stranger as he had to furmount, and what a Superiority of Genius he had need of to write fo elegantly as he did in the Syriac, Was he never fo affeded, faid CyruSj I will own that jiramys was a Man of Senfe, and that he writes with that Eafe and Corredtnefs which is not common to Foreigners. This ought to be no Surprize to you. Sir, faid Arafpes 5 he had an able Mafter : He was a long Time the Pupil of the hmousOkfrfief^^ that great /jjfyrian Priefl:. * Olennef is the Anagram of Fenelott^ as Aramys is the Anagram of Kamfay. L 2 What ! 148 ji Supplement to the Ev'n.IV. V^'hat ! cry'd Cyrus^ the elegant Author of The Adventures of l>le- machus, that favourite Book both of the Gods and of Men, and which I have read over fo often, that I can already almoft lay it by Heart ! That very Perfon, Sir, anfwer'd Jrafpes. Alas ! I am not furpriz'd, faid Cyrtfs^ to find him luch a Novice, efpeciallyin all that relates to War. He knows enough on't for the Diiciple of a Prieft, and Overfights of this Nature are pardonable in People of that Tribe. I always took the Writer of my Hiftory for a Military Man, and therefore I could not imagine why he gave lo imperfed: and fo improper an Account of a great Number of Warlike Events, the Particulars or which^ well told, would have con- fide rably Ev'n. IV. New C Y R o p .f: D I A. 14^ fidcrably embellifhed and divcrfified his Hlftory. Really, faid Jrafpes^ this has been the lead of his Care. It would have been fomething very merry to lee an Author giving us a pompous De- fcription of your Battles and Vi^ories over the Medes^ and your other Enemies, in a Piece w^hich he only wrote to run you dovv^n. Jramys had more Senfe than to run himfelf upon this Rock • and 'tis plain that the Silence he obferves^ and the Ignorance he difcovers in this Matter^ is all Affectation. This carried him directly to his Aim, and, by making you always take wrong Meafures, and a6i: irregularly, he endeavour'd to ruin your Reputation. Nothing, faid Cyrus ^ can come up to all this : But the Medes, the j^Jfyrians themfelves, in whofe Favour Aramys wrote, are, if we may judge L } oi I JO Jl Supplement to the Ev'n. IV. of them by h s Book, as well skill'd as I in the Art of War, and I lliould be ftrongly tempted to believe that the Aurhor did not afFedl much Fi' neffe in the filly Acftions of which he makes both Sides equally guilty. With an Army of Thirty-thoufand Men I march into a vaft Plain ^, to meet Jjiy^ges^ whofe Troops are twice more numerous than mine, and I don't form my Army till 1 am in fight^ and within reach of the Enemy. This is not all, inflcad of taking up the moft Ground that I could in this Plain, I draw up my Troops twelve deep. By good Luck, I have to do with the moft civil and the moft obliging Enemy in the World, who, aflhamcd to be out-done in this Ar- ticle, rather than be indebted to me on the Score of Civility, leaves me cjuietly at Liberty to draw up in Batallia before his Face. Far from * The Travels of Cvr/^i, Vol.11, p. 119. taking Ev N. IV. A'^'X C Y R O P .'E D I A. I J I taking any Advantage of his Situation, and the Number of his Troops, to extend his own Army, and to inclofe mine, he genteel y renounces all his Advantages, and, for fear of having a wider Front than mine, he draws up his Army thirty deep. That, Cyrm added with a bantering Smile^ was playing upon the Square, without any Odds. As extravagant as this Pro- ceeding appears, yet this was the Dlf- poiition order'd by me, who mutl always pafs for a Simpleton in Ardmyss Hiflory. But as for Ajlyages and the MedeSj Jramys never propofed to drefs them in Fools Coats. No 5 believe me, Arafpes^ in vain would you look for a Myflery in all this, for you would find no other Caufe of it, but an Icrnorance of all tliat re- lates to War, which is common to Men of Learning. 'Tis true, that Aramyss Mafter had the true Art of explaining Military Events, and of conducing them according to the L 4 Rules y 15^ -^ Supplement to the Ev*n. IV. Rales 3 but 'ris reafonable that in this, as well as in every Thing elfe, the Scholar flhould always come far fliort of the Mafter. It would be very well for Jramys^ if he was not guilty of Inconfiftencics, even more unpardon- able than thofe. Cyrus was going on, when he was interrupted by the Arrival of a Courier from the Frontiers of the Empire to- wards Scythin^ to bring him the News of fome Commotions in that Country, fo that he was obliged to return with all Speed to the Palace, to difpatch the neceflary Orders, leaving the fur- ther Confideration of Aramyss Book to another Opportunity. SUPPLEMENT TO THE New Cyropaedia, ^he Fifth Evlning'j Converfation, TR US could not so abroad next Day 5 for as foon as it was Night, he was to hold a fecond Council upon the Irruption of the Scythians, and the Means to flop their Progrefs, fo that he had but jufl Leifure to go for a Moment towards the Evening CO 1^4 ^ Supplement to the Ev'n. Y. to take a Breathing in the famous Gardens of SemiramiSj which are juftly reckoned among the Wonders of the World. This Garden confided of twenty Terraffes, one above another. There was an immenfe Walk from one End to the other, which was cut by a thouland more, whofe feeming Irre- gularity was the Mafterpiece of Art, and the EfFedt of a certain Symmetry, which was the more excjuifite, becaufe at firil: View it was not fo perceptible. The Spaces between thole Walks were filled up with Myrtle and Laurel- Trees, Bowers, Summer-Houfes, and Grotto's. At the Places where the Walks crolTed each other, were Fountains and Bafins, in which a fine Tafte, Magnificence, and Skill, were equally difplay'd. The Greeks and their Fa- bles had been known in the Eajl for above Ev'n\ Y» A'^W CyROP^DI A. 155 above a Century, fo that their inge- nious Fi6lions gave the Eyes much more pleafing Entertainment, than the barren Metaphyficks of the Chal- deans, Nitocrh that illuftrious Queen, Mother to the lafl: King of Babylon^ thorovvly iinderftood the Greek My- thology 3 and being refolv'd to out'do Sem'tramh in the Monu- ments which flie defigned for Pofte- rity, flie fent for the ableft Work- men from Ionia and j4tticay who foon embeUifli'd the Gardens of Ba^ hylon^ with all the mofl diverting and agreeable Paffages in the Hiflory of the Gods o[ Greece. Every Fountain was adorn'd either w^irh a Deity, or fome Fancy borrow'd from their Fables. Here, Neptune in a Shell-Marine gilt, drawn byhisSea- Horfes, was skimming lightly along the Surface of the Water 5 a Company of 1 5^ A Supplement to the EvV. V* of Tritons fwimming by his Chariot, while he holds the Reins in one Hand, and with the other brandiflhes a fplendid Trident, with which he feems to filence the boifterous North-Winds, and to calm the raging Waves. There, the Goddcfs Melicerta, with young ^Palemon her Son in her Arms, raifes herfelf above the Waters, and feems, by the Serenity of her Countenance^ to promife the affrighted Mariner an End of the dreadful Storm. Here, the Goddefs of Love, guarded by a thoufand winged Cupids, arm'd with their Quivers of Arrows, and mounted upon Swans, flarts out of the Watetj with more Brightnefs than ylurora when fhe brings Home the Dav. There, the chafte Arethufn, who flies the criminal Raptures of the amorous yllpheuSy having already wafted her Spirits, is juft going to fall into his Ev'n. V. Nens) Cykovjedi A, 15:7 his Hands, and he is actually ftretch- ing forth his Arms to feize her, when T>iana flies to the Aid of the Nymph, who is invoking her by Hands and Eyes hfted up to Heaven. Behold Arethiifa^ on a fudden, wrapt in a Cloud. A Fountain that runs under her Feet, declares her Metamorphofis^ and enables the Nymph for ever to fruftrate the foolifli Hopes of the radi Alpheus. Here, the proud ISarclJfus^ defpe- rately in Love with his own Perfon, reclined upon the Grafs, with his Head carelefly refting on his Elbow, con- templates, with Tranfport, in the Cry- ftal of a clear Fountain, the fatal Charms which he idolizes. There Armi^ ^hoehuss belov'd Mortal, cleaves the Waves upon the Back of a Dolphin, while a Shoal of Sea-Monfters, with their Heads above 1 5? -^ Supplement to the Ev'n. V. above Water, follow the harmonious Notes of the Divine Lyre. From the Middle of thofe Figures, a thouland Columns of Water rife to the Firmament, and in their Fall form a Sort of Mijft, which fcactcrs the hottejR: Rays of the Sun, in the Height of its Race. Round thefe Fountains, and almofl at every Step in the W^alk, lay Groups of Marble and Statues, the precious Remains that efcaped the Fury of the Wars which ravag'd JShi'iveh and Babylon, Among the various Figures, were Bellas, the God and Father of the Jfj/yrinn Monarchs^ NhmSj the Foun- der of their vaft Empire 5 the War- like Semiramis^ like another T^aJlaSy with a Helmet on her Head, and leaning on a Spear 5 JSinias^ arm'd with the Dagger which he had plung d into Ev'n.V. New CyKOV MDIA, \<^^ into the Bofom of an inceftuous Mo- ther 5 the infamous Sarda72apahsy with the Spindle and DiftafF in his Hand 5 the favage Nehichadnezzar^ trampHng the Sacred VefTels of the God of Ifrael under Foot 5 the il- luftrious and virtuous JSitocrh^ having in her Hand a Compafs^ to denote the good Order which fhe eftabHfli'd in the Empire of JJfyria, The Prince and his Favourite were but juft met together in private, when Arafpes faid to the King, Sir, I have great News to tell you, which I have referv'd on Purpofe for this Place, and for what Reafon you will fee very plainly : Jlramys is come back again to the World. How ! faid Cyrus with a Smile 5 Has Jupiter harncffed his Winged Chariot to bring back Aramys from the Elyfian Fields ! ^ I don't i6o ^ Supplement fo /^^ Ev'n. V» I don't underftand what you mean. f eply'd Arafpes. 'Tis an Expreffion, faid Cyrtis, which I took particular Notice of in the Hiftory of my Travels, and which now recurs to my Mind. Aramys was of Opinion that Jupiter s Chariot could not fly faft enough in the Air with Wings, and therefore he was for adding a good Set of Horfes. Alas! (aid Arafpes^ to be plain with yoUj this is meer wrangling* Might not a Chariot be manag'd like a Boat, wich Sails and Oars ? 'Tis really Pity, reply 'd Cyrus with a Smile^ that thofe Engineers, who lately prefented a Scheme to my Council, to travel thro' the World in the Air, had not known your Tafte a little better. For then they would not have thought the Wind alone fufficient E v'n. V- Kew C Y R o p .!E £) I a: 1 6 1 fufficient to let their Machines a going « but tho' it had been only for Faflhion Sake, they would have added Oars or Harnefs : And in that Gafe, no doubt, they would have had the Pleafure of fuccceding in a Projed: which you caus'd to be rejected as Chimerical. Sir, faid Jrdfpes, let's talk no more, if you plcafe, about Aramys^ or his Book ^ I fear the Plealure you take in this Kind of Converfation will prove to my Expence. His Hiftory infenfibly recals to your Memory all the paft Stories of my Life, and you might take a Fancy to quote fuch an one as I fliould be very loth to re-* member. Fear nothing, reply'd CyruSy I will have a little more Indulgence for you, than you have hitherto had for me. But tell me how it comes abous that you, who was fuch a rigid Cen^ M furer i6i ^ Supplement ^(? //^^ Ev'n.V- furer of Aramys^ are now become his Advocate ? This is as ^teat a Ivliracle to me, as the pretended Reiurretflion you juft now told me of. As for the Refurredion, faid Jraf- peSy that is not the Cafe, ^ramys is ftill alive and v/ell, only he was afraid of your juft Refentments, and, to avoid the dire EfFecfts of it, he abfcondcd, and gave out a Report that he w^as dead. I had a Mind fome Days ago, to declare how you ftood affciSlcd to him. I was willing to proclaim to your whole Empire how merciful you are, and how forgetful of Injuries. Armnys was told of this, and it encouraged him to come this Morning, and fall at my Feet, with a Petition that I would follicit you for his Pardon. I found him fo honefl: a Man, fo frank, fo much afflided for having incurr'd your Difpleafure, that it raifed my Pity, I promised to plead Ev'n. V. A'^'Ze? Cyrop.tedi A. i6'> undeital Intcreft. undertake his Caufe, and to efpoufe his Then, faid Cyrus with a Smile, all that violent Paffion I lately faw you in againft Afdmys is come to this 1 Sir, reply 'd Arafpes in the fame Strain^ you are very much miftaken if you think that none but great Princes are capable of generoufly for- giving an Enemy. There wants no- thing but Humanity to forget an In- jury, and the Commonalty have as great a Share as others, of the Senti- ments which fuch a Principle infpires. As for the reft, Aramys intends to leave no Stone unturn'd to repair his Miftake 5 he is refolv'd, for the Time to come, to devote his Pen to cele- brate your Triumphs, and your Vir- tues 3 and I fancy I fhall have a fmall Share in the Panegyrick which he will beftow upon you. M i Alas! 1 64 ^ Supplement to the Ev'n. V. Alas ! (aid Cyrus^ let him extol you as much as he will, but I defire no fuch Panegyrift 3 I (liould be very appre- henfive that, in his Hands, my Merit would be a Matter of Doubt, and the Contradi(5tions which he is liable to fall into in all Cafes, would make it a Qucftion with Pofterity, VC'hether the Good he fliould fay of me, after having fo far run mc down, was not rather one of thofe Blunders fo com- mon to the Author, than a Piece of Juftice which he thought himfelf obliged to do me in Point of Con- fcience. Sir, faid JrafpeSy you that are fo apt to reproach others with Con- tradictions, are you not a little inconfiftent in vour own Conduct ? 'Tis but t'other Day that you was the forwardeft Man in the World to defend Aramys againft me^ with as Ev'n. v. Ne-W C Y R O P .€ D I A. 165 as much Heat as you now run hlmi lown. All thiSj faid Cyrus, is perfedlly confiftent. The other Day I excufed his Perfon, and To-day I blame his Book 3 in all which there is nothing that is con trad i Retirement agreeable. It feems too, * The Travels of Cyrus ^ Vol. I. p. 1 22. t Ibid. p. 122, M 4 that A Supplement to the Ev*n. V. that the good Man was fcnfible of what he fhould have Occafion for in this Article^ and that he had the v/\k Precaution to arm hinifclf with the moft proper Remedy in the World to repel the dilmal Attacks of Melan- cholly. Otherwife, how could we have been entcrtain'd with delicious Wines J by a Man that had nothing he could call his own, but a Strip of a Garden^ a-ad a Grotto^ Ri'hich he had dug m:ith his own Hands in a iarren Rock ? Your Obfervation is not amifs, faid Cyrus, but fay what you will, here's the Point of Difficulty, from which you will never be able to get ofF^. jhnenophis gives us a melancholly Account of his Misfortunes^ and con- cludes with faying, f / am a Being left ahne upon the Earth : A pries * The Travels of Cyrus, "Vol. I. p. i?2. t Ibid. p. 153. perjecuiei Ev'n. V. New Cykovjedia, \6p perfecuies me 5 Amafis letrays me 5 Arobal forfakes me : I Jind every ^johere a frightful Void, Is this now the Lansuaae of a Man vvhofe Counr renance fhines with an iinaffeCieci Sir, faid JrafpeSj I can't tell how you underftand it, but for my own Part, I don'p know a Charadler that is more coherent and better fupport- ed, than that in which Jramys has cloathed ylmenophis. He paints to the Life the different Situations of a poor old Man, whofe Spirits were funk by Age and Misfortunes, but raifed for fome Moments by Wine and Good Cheer, I fay it again, I never in the World met with a Charadter fo naturally carried on from firft to Uft. 'Tis even too natural, faid Cyrils with a Smile 5 but the next is an Ar- ticle, in which fprely you will not find lyo J[ Supplement to the Ev'n. V. find Nature. Jramys^ after having extoU'd the Subordination and Diffe- rence of Ranks eflabhfli'd in Egypt^, is profufe in his Praife of the Equality obferv'd among the Citizens of Sparta. How do you reconcile all this to- gether ? Nothing more eafy, reply'd Araf' pes, Alas ! Sir, fince you began to receive Compliments upon all the Events of your Life, how many have you not heard which feem tocontradi6l one another ? An Author who, here- tofore while you reign'd peaceably in 'Perjia^ afcribed the Return of Afiraa and Themh among Mortals to your Adminiftration, forgets thofe pleafant Images, in the Praifes he gives you now, and thinks you cannot be fo finely defcrib'd, as in the Midft of Blood and Slauahter, and that Terror * The Travels o? Cyrus ^ Vol. I. p. 171, which Ev'n.Y. New Cykovjldi a, \yi which your Name carries to the re- moteft Parts of the EaJ}. This is the ordinary Stile of all profefs'd Pa- negyrifts. They have an uncommon Talent to find out Matter for Praife, even in fuch Follies as a Man of Honour blufhes he had the Misfortune ever to commit. Do but fufFer your felf for once to be routed, and you'll be perfectly furprized to find that, even tho' you turn'd vour Back, you will be proved to be a greater Cap- tain, than you appeared to be in thofe fortunate Days, when nothing was able to refift your Arms. Cyrus abruptly reply'd, I will have no fulfome Panegyrifl:, who is deter- mined before-hand to praife all that come. There is Matter enough to commend Perfons upon the Score of their good Qiialities, without under- taking to metamorphofe their Faults, even fuch as arc moft notorious, into Virtues 5 and all that a Hero gets by fuch %ji ^ Supplement ^0 ?/7^ Ev'n. V» fuch Flatterers, is^ that the Memory of certain Actions of his, which a well- conducted Panegyrick would have conceal'd from the World's Notice^ is thereby tranfmitted to Pofterity with the more Eclat, Really, faid Arafpes^ I find that you Heroes are very difficult, and k feems a harder Task to pleafe you in Point of Panegyrick, than of Con-r queft. You are in the Right, reply'd Cyrus, this is very natural 5 We only do the one to deferve the other^, and the World would be at Peace, if we were not fo ambitious to merit its Ap^ plaufe. Afcer this, we may well be pardon'd for a few Scruples with Refped to the Courfe we take to gratify our prevailing Paffion. Very Ev'n.V. Ne^ CykovjediaI 17^ Very well, faid Jrafpes^ There is a Remedy for all this. I will ac- quaint Jramys of your Tafte. No 5 reply'd Cyvus^ it will be to no Purpofe. He would quickly forget all you fliould fay. I perceive that in fome Articles he has the moft un- happy Memory in the World. He firil of all gives a pompous Defcription of the magnificent Palace oi Vifejlra" tus ^y and of the fplendid Regale which that Prince gave me when I arriv'd at Athejis 5 and thirty Pages after this, he brings in Solon boafting to me, that his Friend ^Pijljlratus leads a fimple Life, without affecting Pomp f . Oh ! faid Jrafpes, how comes it to pafs that Solon is fo blind to his * The Travels of Cyrus^ Vol. L p. 252, 253. t Ibid. p. 284. Friend's t 174 ^ Supplement to the Ev'n. V. Friend's Faults, or has no better a Notion of Frugality ? Say rather, reply'd Cyrus, why Araynys does not allow rheSao;e to have more Penetration, after he had fo juftly extolled his Underftandins: and Wif- dom. But notwithftanding all the fine Qualities for which Aramys makes Vfjijlratus one of his Heroes, he does not feem to be a Jot the more atten- tive to this Prince's Conduct and Actions. According to him, 'T^iji^ Jlratiis^ the very Day that I arrived at Athens ^, entertains me at Supper with the Hifl:ory of the Troubles of his Reign 5 and three Days after, Jlramys makes him tell it over again 'f*. Does this, faid Arafpes^ furprize you ? Things are never told as they * The Travels of Cyrus^ Vol. I. p. 254. t Ibid. p. 289. fliould Ev'n. V. New Cykovjldia, 1 75' fliould be, during the Fumes of an Entertainment, and there's a Neceffity of hearing them over again when People are cool and fedate. Oh ! faid Cyrusy the wife SPi/?- Jlrati^s^ in the Heat of Entertainments, was always cool, and could harangue his Audience with a World of Art and Eloquence, upon the Diforders of po- pular Government, the better to efla- blifli that defpotick Power which he had ufurp'd over ylthens. But the Cafe is not altogether the fame with j^ramySj who could never keep his Temper to that Degree. When the rendering Things a little dubious is the Point in Qiieftion, then his Ima- gination is fet on Fire, and woe be to him that flands in his Way : For Inftance, it coft thofe poor Athenmis very dear in that Sea-Fight, where, for my Diverfion ^, the Author makes * The Travels of Cyrus, Vol. I. p. 288. them }76 A Supplement to the Ev'n. V^ them facrifice as many Mtn and Ships, as they might have loft in a ferious Engagement with an Enemy. Don't you plainly perceive. Sir, that j^ramys vi^as willing to fet ofF that extraordinary Politenefs, which was the peculiar Chara(5ler of the Athenians^ in its full Light ? The Generality of other People would have been content with breaking a few Oars, or cutting away the Prows of two or three Ships, to do you Honour. But Athens could not ftop there 5 nor could it render its Gal- lantry complete, without giving you the Pkafure of feeing the Sea cover- ed with Men, arid the Wrecks of Veflels. Indeed, (aid Cyrus^ 'tis a very joy- ful Sight to fee a Multitude of poor Wretches perifhing in the Waves. Believe me, Arafpes^ you may as well ceafe your Apologies, Armnys will Ev'n. V. 2Sew CYRovmBiA, \y\ will be no great Lofer by ic : And agree with me, that a juft Difcern- ment is not a Charadler that belongs to Aramys, When he takes it into his Head to paint, which is a Thing he feldom does, and hardly ever with a Grace, all he aims at then, is to charge his Pi6lures with bold Figures, without perplexing himfelf with Ac- curacy or Probability* From hence it comes to pafs, that his Book, not- withftanding all the Art you pretend to difcover in it, is but a Medley of Pieces, which were never form'd to be conne6lcd, and that the only Ar- ticle wherein he has fucceeded, is the rendering me perfedlly ridiculous. Truly, Sir, faid Jrafpes^ you arc not candid. In the Courfe of a long and curious Work, the Author has let flip one or two Inconfiftencies. N How 178 A Supplement to the Ev'n. V* How, reply'd Cyrus fmartly, one or two Inconfiftencies ? 'Tis very plain you are no Judge. Otherwife — Alas ! Sir, faid Jrafpes^ do not reproach me with Ignorance. 'Tis not the Endowment of every Man to be as wife as you are. I am not, nor do I know whether I (liould be, fond of being a Divine, a Philofopher, an Orator, and fo many other fine Things at one Time : But I pretend to common Senfe. Well then, I only defire your com- mon Senfe to be the Judge. Will that common Senfe of your s approve of AtamySy where he makes 'Tiji- fiiratiis tell me, in the Courfe of one Meal ^, the Reuohitions which hap* pejied in his Reig?i 5 the Canfes of his Exile and Rejloration 5 how he * The Travels of Cyrm^ Vol. I. p. 254. cWCtS Ev'n. V. A^'ze; Cyr.op.7edi A. 1179 qjvas twice dethroned All this feafond with hijlorical Remarks, a^ greeable T)efcriptions, lively Turns^ mixed with an artful fainting of the ^ifordevs of a Popular Government ? Does it Gomport: with common Scnfe that I fhould read with Pythagoras at one Time only, a Leffon, accompanied too with all the Reflexions that the Subje6l requir'd 5 that I fliould be made to read, I fay ^, all that re* garded Rehghn, Morality, and ^Fo' licy, and whatever anight contribute to the Knowledge of the Gods, myfelf^ and other Men ? and all that is eX" cellent in the Laws of Egypt, Sparta, ayid Athens ? This was a fine fliorc Ledure, with a Witnefs. No 5 upon this you are at Liberty to condemn him, and I own that Aramys has gone a little too fat out of the Way. * The Travels of Cyrus^ Vol. II. p. 51. N 2 What 1 8o A Supplement to the Ev'n. V. What would you fay then, reply'd C'^fuSj of all that pompous Defcrip- tion of the Golden Age ^, which, \vithout Rhime or Reafon, he puts into the Mouth of Tythagoras^ and this merely for the Pleafure of venting a Number of Poetical Expreffions^ which Jramys had repeated by Heart, when he was a School-Boy, a hundred Times ? Tho' if he had but brourrht in that fublime Nonfenfe naturally Pray, Sir, reply'd Jrafpes^ don't attack that Paffaae. 'Twere enough to fet your whole Court againft you. If you did but know how the Ladies cfpecially are enamour'd with that gaudy Painting ! What, faid Cyrus, do they think that a beautiful Paflage ? t The Travels of Cyrus^ Vol. II. p. ii. More 'Bv'n. V. Ke^ C Y R O P .Ti D I A. I 8 I More than beautiful, laid Jrafpes 3 they think it ravifliing. 7 o fee Shep- herdefles courted by the Gods, and the GoddelTes not difdaming the Loves of Shepherds, raifes Tranfports of Ad- miration. I defire you to tell me no more of it, laid Cyrus J and I think rhefe two Phrafes alone, are enough to decide the Merit of Two-hundred others that accompany them, in which I can fee nothing but , empty Jargon, a String of Metaphors, and Allegories repeated over-and-over a hundred Times, which, in the Manner they are tack'd together, do not prefent one fingle Image to the Mind, but what is de- formed and counterfeit. In the firft Place, I there fee y?/- piter harnejjing his Winged Chariot ^, * Travels of Cyrus^ Vol. II. p. 12. N } with l82 j4 Supplement to the Ev'n. V. with no other Attendants than the Divinities that accompany him but now and then 5 and twenty Lines after I fee, with the utmoft Aftonifli- ment, the whole World transform'd, and Mankind condemn'd to the mod affli61ing Calamities : Why? Becaufe Men negleded, upon a certain Day, to take Wing, and, by rapid Flight, to cut the Air, and follow Jupiter s Winged Chariot above the Heavens. This furely was a very odd Sort of Crime, and one would fcarce have expeded to fee Men found guilty upon this Plea. This Is not all, the Gods them* felves bear a Part in the Dif^race of Men. The Sylvaw Gods ^, for no Reafon in the World that we are vouchfafed to have a Glimpfe of, are all on a fudden changed into Satyrs^ the Kapaea^ into Bacchje, ajtd the Nayads * The Travels ofQrz/j, Vol. II. p. 13. into Ev'n. V. Nens: C y r o p .^ d i a. into Syrens. I fliall not here men- tion the Hejperides^y whom Hiftory and Fable place in the Time of Her^ ciiksj and whofe Garden Aramys transfers to the Golden Age^ becaufe the Trees which they cultivated bore Golden Fruit. Sir, faid Arafpes^ interrupting the Prince, a thick Darknefs covers the Firmament, and the Hour appointed for the Council This, reply 'd Cynis with a Smile, is properly bringing your felf off like a Man of Senfe. This Darknefs comes very a propos to conceal the Confufion you are in 3 but I fhall not excufe you fo, and I will, fooner or later, oblige you to own, that your new Client has not merited the Ho- nour of being my Panegyrift. * Travels of Cyn/j, Vol. II. p. 12. N 4 Juft 184 y^ Supplement fo f 7:)^ Ev'k.V. Juft then came in a ATeffenger to acquaint Cyrus that the Council had already been fitting Tome Time^ and waited for his Preience 5 whereupon he went thither, and after having con- cluded what related to the Affair of the Scythians^ he told his Minifters his Refolution of fetting out next Day to a Pleafure-Houfe, not many Days Journey from Babylon^ that he might be nearer at Hand to give Orders for the Security of the Frontiers. A A SUPPLEMENT TO THE New Cyropsedia, ^he Sixth Evening'^ Co?2-verfation, PON the Banks of the Araxes^ pretty far from the Place where that River falls into the Cafpian Sea, there rifes a Chain of Mountains, in Form of a Semi-Circle. In the Centre of thefe Hills, a little below the Top of one of the highefl: among them, was 1 86 A Supplement to the Ev'n. VI. was a ftately Houfe, tho' not fo fumptuous as it was pleafant 5 for Na- ture and Arc had acted in concert to form a Seat here fit to deHght the Lord of JJia, The two Fronts of this Houfe were adom'd each with a fine Periftile, the Architecture of which was modefl, yet majeftick. The Furniture, Ornaments, Paint- ings, every Thing within it, was ele- gant and fine. A fpacious Park, llock'd with all Sorts of Game, be- gan about a hundred Paces from the Houfe, and extended to the Top of the Mountain, which was all included in it. A hundred different Roads were cut out in it, where the Sight was loft, and which, by croffing and intermingling one with another, form'd a Labyrinth, almoft as inextricable as that of Cfete. Before the other Front of the Houfe, the Mountain ran in- fenfibly Ev'n» VI* New CYR.ovjs.DiAf 187 fenfibly upon a Level, without any more Declivity than what was ne- celTary to enlarge the Profped: of all the Beauties of a Garden, at the Fooc of the Hillj which for Symmetry, Or- nament, and Extent, was fcarce in- ferior to that of Semkamis. At each End of the Building there was a Terrafs of above a League in Length, where v/ere feveral Rows of Palm-Trees, that afforded a Shelter againft the burning Rays of the Sun. On the one Side were barren Rocks, Precipices, AbyflTes, Snows, and Hoar- Frofts, not to be melted by the moft fcorching Heats of Summer 5 and on the other Side, upon the Declivity of the Hills, there were many charming Houfes, built in the Form of an Am- phitheatre, with Flower- Gardens full of Orange, Citron, and a hundred other Trees, whofe exquifite Fruits ex- celled 1 88 j4 Supplement to the Ev'n. VI. celled thofe of the Garden of the Hefper'tdes, At the Bottom of the Hill, the * Waters of the Araxes roll aloncr with Majcfty, whofe Banks are always green, and adorn'd with all the Field Flowers which Flora produces in the Spring. Beyond the-Tl.iver there are vaft fruitful Fields, which fatisfy the Long- ings of the covetous Husbandman. And in the Midfl: of the Golden Ears of Corn, with which the Soil is co- vered , Art has rang'd, at proper Spaces^ here the peaceful Ohve, there the kindly Elm, fupporting the feeble Branches of a tottering Vine. In Oiort, the whole Plain feems to be but one fpacious Garden, enrich'd with the moft delicious Prefents of Ceres^ Bacchus^ and iPomofia. Cyrus E v'n. Vr. New CiROPiEDiA. 189 Cyrus came to fpcnd Part of the Autumn in this fweet Solitude. One Day as he was walking with his Fa- vourite upon this magnificent Terrafs, Arafpes having taken a View of the neighbouring Hills and Plains, cry'd out with Extafy 1 Sir, What a ra- vifliing Profpedl is here ! Were I to furvey it again-and- again I fhould never be tired. Therefore, faid Cyrus, you are not. of the fame Tafte with your Friend Jlramys, How fo, reply'd Arafpes ? He thinks, faid Cyrus, that there's fomething flill wanting in this Pro- fpe6t. Alas ! I am fure, rcply'd Arafpes, that he would be as much charm'd with Ipo A Supplement to the Ev'n. Vi» with it as 1 am_, were he but here to enjoy it. Then, faid Cyrus, he would think otherwife than he fpeaks. To judge of his Sentiments by his Book, a great Sea, fccming to touch the Sky, would be wanting to divert the Sight, when fatigu'd by fo many different Objeds as appear in this Landskip. Alas ! fald Jrafpesy Don't you plainly fee that Jramys there talks again like a Caledonia?! ? In a Country where the dry barren Soil hardly yields any Profped: but Rocks and Sand-Hills, the vaft Ocean would be neceflary to divert the Eyes fatigu'd by the dull Uniformity of the other Objeds 5 and it was natural for yfrj- wys, whofe Imagination was accu- ftom'd to fuch Relaxations, to fancy a vaft Sea was fomething eflential in every fine Profped. But Ev N. VI. Ne^ Cyropjedia. ij^l But let's drop his Notions about Profpeds, and talk a little about Afcimys himfelf. I have told him what a Kindnefs you had for him, at which he feem'd tranfported, and en- gaged me, Sir^ to beg it as a Favour, that you would give him Leave to write your Life. My Life, cry'd Cyrus ? God for- bid 1 I have feen Ohnnefs Life, and fliould be very much afraid that he would write mine in the fame Tafte. The Hiftory of my Life would be like that of my Travels, a Chain of five or fix feveral DifTertations : Be- fides, I love to make the only Figure in my Hiftory, and I fhould fear that my Hiftorian, as he has done in the Life of Oknnefy will take as good a Place in it as I. Bur, tp2 A Supplement to the Ev'n. VI. But, Sir, fuch a Man as he would improve by your Advice, and re- form. Reform, faid Cyrus, in an Ironical Strain ? Indeed you know full well what Sort of People Authors are, and what ungovernable Pride prevails among them. Oh ' as for Aramys, faid yjrnfpes^ I'll anfwer for it, he is to be manag'd. I'll give you this Inftance to convince you how tractable he is. As he was confulting one of his Friends about his Book, and reading the Defcrip- tion of the Sea-Fi^ht which the Jthe* 72ians performed for your Diverfiori, \vhen he came to the Phrafe, the Warlike Trmnpet gave the Signal ^^ his Friend faid to him jeftingly, that the Subject being a Sea-Fight, the * The Travels of Cyrus, Vol. I. p. 288. Epithet Epithet ought to be changed for Marine, Aramys that very Moment took his Pen, ftruck out Warlike^ and interhned Marine^ which you would have had the Pleafure to have found in the Hiftory of my Travels, if his Friend, who was loth to carry the Joke too far, had not taken Care to undeceive him upon the Spot. So much the worfe, faid CyruSy I am for none of thofe purblind flexible Creatures, who are to be bent all manner of Ways, and cannot difcern the Value of the Lectures that are read to them. Neither I nor You are at Leifure to fet up as Cenfurers of Books^ for the Sake of Aramys 5 and as we fiiall b^ obliged to leave every Author that writes for us to his own Honour, 'tis neceffary that he fliould know a little how to carry himfelf Befides, tho' Aramys has Wit, yet to faftcn pro* 6 perly 1 9^ A Supplement to the Ev'n. Vl. perly upon a Charader, to paint it to the Life, and to make Men known by Fa6ts rather than Phrafes, does not feem to me to be his Talent. Therefore be ruled by me, never think more of making him my Hifto- riographer. You will however. Sir, pleafe to * permit him to dedicate to you a Sore of Epick Poem, which he is jnft ready to publifli ? By no Means, faid Cyrus 5 I have made it a • Rule to myfelf not to futFer my Name to appear at the Head of any Book which is not excel- lent in its Kind. And if we may judge of Aramys by my Travels, his Poem cannot be exquifite : He has no Copia^ no Variety, but repeats the lame Things a hundred times over. When he oroes about to defcribe Po- litical Government, he never thinks of any thing to compare it to but a Hu- man Ev'n. VL Nenjo C y r o p ^e d i a. i p j- man Body 5 his Incidents are always the fame, and fuch as a Child of ten Years old might have invented 5 or^ to fpeak more properly, he has none at all. Hqw 1 reply'd Arqfpes^ Do you know that Jrawys is reputed a Man of very great Learning ? It feems indeed, faid Cyrus, that he has read a great deal, and has a good Memory. But with all his profound Knowledge, and great Wit into the Bargain^ 'tis pofflble that he may want what the Men of Letters call Genius, which is the Soul of all fine XY'ritings. Befides, do you know one Thing, which is, that they fay all the Learning of Aramys did not coft him any Thing. He is free and fa- miliar to excefs with all good Authors. He makes no Difficulty to accommo- date himfelf with every Thino* that he fees in them to his Liking. For O z my jt Supplement to the Ev'n. VI. my own Part, I have difcover'd in the Hiftory of my Travels, a great many PalTages copy'd from ^ Oknnef and f Tefohiis t* Oh ! as to Okn7iefj fald Jrafpes^ he had an indifputable Right. From the Scholar to the Mafter nothing is due, they fay, but the upper Hand 5 every Thing relating to their Profeffion ought to be in common betwixt them, and it would be a poor Piece of Spite to difpute Aramyss Privilege of taking whatever he wanted from OJennef, But to pillage Tefohus^ I can't think it poffible, for he was his Matter's Enemy. Yes, faid Cyrus ^ and 'tis plain that he took Tefohis to be an Enemy, for he treats him as fuch in good ■ * Travels of Cyrus^ Vol. II. p. 80. f I'efobus is the Anagram of Bojfuet Bilhop of Meaux. t Travels of Cyrus^ Vol. I. p. 157, &c. Earneft, Ev'n. VI- Ne-w Cyropjedia. tp7 Earneft, and 'tis in this Quality that he plunders him without Mercy : He thought that every Thing he fliould take from him would be deem'd lawful Prize^ and, in a Proverbial Scnfe^ Jo much Booty taken from the Enemy. And God knows with what an Air he reprefents him to you all the while, and with what AlTurance he decks himfelf with the Spoils he has taken from him. But, fa id ArafpeSj would he offer to take any Thing from a Man that he feem'd to defpife, and to whom he cannot give a good Word ? Tho' you are no Stranger to Court- Craft, reply'd Cyrus^ yet you are ftill to learn the Policy of Men of Letters, With them, as well as with us Courtiers, we find Writers, who, to conceal the fecret Correfpondence they O 3 have A Supplement to the Ev*n. VI. have with an Author, whether dead or living, from whom they fteal a thoufand Hints, wifely make it a Rule to themfelves to run him down in all Places. This IS not fb ill-judg'd , faid j4rafpes 5 Men are, as I plainly fee, the fame every where in their Political Capacities, and only differ in their feveral Views. But after all, is it fo great a Crime for an Author, who has little that he can call his own, to recruit from other Mens Stocks ? For my own Parr, I think that fuch Conduct, far from liurting the Re- putation of a Man of Letters, is a Proof of his Judgment. Thus the Induftry of certain People of your Empire is applauded, becaufc, by in- liching themfelves v/ith foreign Com* merce, they have plenty of every thing in an unprofitable barren Soil^ which affords its Inhabitants nothing. Tis E v'n. \L New C y R o p ^ D I A. 'Tis not the fame Cafe with a Wic^ fald CyruSy as it is with Lands, The principal Merit of an Author is Invention. Alas ! faid Arafpes^ by your Fa- vour, Sir, I know of no Invention better than that of a Man's taking from another what he wants himfelf. But, Sir, give me Leave to tell you, I don't perceive any Token of that good Difpofition, which you told me you had for Aramys. You promifed him lome Employment, and now you feem to exclude him from every Thing. No, fald Cyrus, depend upon it that I will employ him, but I would have it in a Way that fits him, which it: will take me up fome Time to think of. O 4 Mow A Supplement to the Ev'n. VI- How long'Time, Sir, faid Arafpes ? Is it a Matter that abfolutely recjuires fo much Dehberation ? You would not propofe to give him a Commiffion in your Troops ? Aramys is too old to learn the Art of War. Pray of what Age is he, reply'd Cyrus ? I cannot exad:ly tell you, faid Arafpes J but if we may judge of his Years by his Mien, and by the Time that he has been known to the Republick of Literature, he cannot be far off of Fifty. Well, faid Cyrus with a Smile, would you have us make a Magif- trate of him ? His Book is a perfe61: Code of Laws, and Rules for the Ad- miniftration of Juftice. The Author, in my Opinion^ has a Gout for that Prokffion, Indeed, Ev'n. VI' Ne^ Cykovjedi A. iq\ Indeed, reply 'd Jrafpes^ Jramys has an Air of Gravity, which would fuic wonderfully well with the Senator's Robe 5 but I believe he is better skiird in the Laws of Greece and Egypty than in thofe of ^Perfia and Ajfyria 5 I fancy the Profeffion of a Wit, in which he has already made a luccefsful Progrefs, is the only Cha- racter wherein it would be ac^reeable to him to be advanced. ^Tis really in that very CharaCler, faid CyrifSj that I defign to put him forward. You know that, being determin'd by the Example of Solon ^y and by the Solidity of his Arguments, I think to eftablifh the Ufe of the Dramatick Poem in the Eajl, and to have fuch Amufements exhibited in thofe Reprefentations, as may be both agreeable and ufeful to a People en- ^ The Travels of Qrusj Vol. I. p. 302. tirely loz A Supplement to the Ev'n. VL tirely indolent and fond of Pleafure. I thought immediately that Atamys would be a very fit Perfon to fecond my Defigns : I intended to make him write for the Theatre, the general Laws of which he iinderftands to a Miracle ^ but I have confider'd that in all Cafes Theory and Practice are widely different. I judg'd of Aramyss Genius by the Hiftory of my Travels, and had Reafon to fear that the lame Pen would be capable of producing no Pieces for the Theatre, but fuch wherein the Sentiments would be se- nerally trifling, the Parts unconnected, the Characters unequal, inconiiftent, or improbable, and wherein the Perfons would comiC on and go off of the Stage, and the Audience be not able to guefs why they did one or the other, almoil: like my Governor Hyf' tafpcs in the Hiftory of my Travels, who difappcars no Body knows why, leavinp- me to fliifc for myfelf, at the As^e of Fifteen, and then comes back again Ev'n. VI. Nenv Cykovjedi A. 205 again to me all on a fudden, tho' not till I was near Forty. But, Sir, faid JraJpeSy how can you form a Judgment of his Genius for the Theatre^ from his Hiftory of your Travels ^ That Hiftory, rcply'd Cyrus^ is a Romance, and a Romance is only an Extenfion of an Epick Poem, as the Drarnacick Poem is an Abridgment of it. The fundamental Rules of thefe three Sorts of Compofitions, are there- fore the fame. They only differ in the Particulars, and a Man who, in one of thofe Pieces, a6ls counter, like Jramys^ to all the firft Principles, is fcarce likely to fucceed in another. If that be the Cafe, Sir, let him have one of the firft Stations in that Society of Philofophers, which you are going to eftablidi in Babylon, God 204 A Supplement to the Ev'n. VL God forbid, faid Cyrus ^ I will have no vain Babblers in a Society of that Nature. I defign to fill it with Perfons who underftand Nature, and know how to make her fubfer* vient to the Welfare of my Sub- jeds. That's the very Thing, faid Araf^ peSy for which no Man is fo fit as jdramys. No-body will deny but he has the Advantage of being an able Naturalift, he has faid fo many and fo fine Things upon the Head of Na- tural Philofophy in his Book. And above all^ reply'd Cynis^ he delivers them fo very pertinently. Pertinently ? faid Arafpes^ Yes in- deed. Zoroajler^ for Inftance, when he is to talk to you concerning the Author of Nature, was it not right that he fiiould begin with giving you Ev*N. VI. New Cyrop^dIa.' loj you a Defcription and Charadler of Nature itfelf ? You are in the right^ faid Cyrus ^ fo a Man who is to treat of the Wind, in order to proceed with Re- gularity^ ought not to fail, in the firft Place, to give a full Account of every Particular in the Compofition of a Windmill. But, faid JraJpeSj where's the great Harm ? Tho' the Compafs which Jramys takes to bring in his Differ- tations upon Nature, be not alto- gether fo juftifiable, yet that does not make him the lefs skill'd in Natural Philofophy, which is the very Poins now in Queftion. No, faid CyniSy if we may judge of Jlramys by his Book, he has no- thing in him of a Natural Philofo- pher 5 it coft him no more to eftablidi his Syfteras of -Natural Philofophy^ than io6 A Supplement to the Ev'n. VI* than it did to explain that of the Laws and Government of Egypt. He has only been at the Pains of co- pying what we find in a hundred different Treatifes^ that have already appear'd on this Subjedl, what is taught every Day in the Schools to Boys that are learning the firft Ele- ments of Natural Philofophy 5 I will only except two Paradoxes, which, in my Judgment, can be No-body's but his 5 at leaft, with all the Read- ing and Scholarfhip that Jramys al- lows me to have, I fhould be to learn them ftill, if I had not read them in the Hiftory of my Travels. A Natural Philofopher could not be ignorant of what daily Experience tells all Mankind. Is there any Room to doubt that an infinite Number of grofs Particles evaporate every Moment fi'om Bodies that are even the moft folid ? yet Jramys boldly Ev'n. VI. New C Y R O P i£ D I A. 1 07 boldly determines, that ^ the Sun cannot draw upwards Bodies jfo light and fo difunited^ fo detach'd fronci one another, fo mingled with an Element whofe Evaporation is prodigious, as are the Particles of Sale fcatter'd in the Waters of the Sea* jiramys is of Opinion, that were it not for the Ebbing and Flowing of the Ocean, it would only become a Mafs ofjlagnated Waters ] : So that, according to Aramys, violent Storms, Currents without Number, that ge- neral Motion which^ by the Con- feffion of all Natural Philofophers, carries with it all the Seas^ from the Eajl to the Wejl, would not be fuf- ficient to prevent the \('aters of the Ocean from ftagnating. "^ The Travels of Cyrus^ Vol I. p. 202. t Ibid. p. 203, Alas ! 2o8 A Supplement to the Ev'n. VL Alas ! now, Sir, faid Arafpes^ you put me out of all Hopes, and I can't fee after this, what Bufinefs you can put Aramys to. Indeed there ftill remain Ethicks and Politicks, which he might be employ 'd in 5 but from the Hu- mour you are in now, I fear that you'll think him as unfit to treat of thofe Matters, as of all the reft. Neither, faid CymSy do I think that Aramys can fucceed in Politicks. In the Hiftory of my Travels, he ex-' hibirs feveral Svftems of Government, fome of which are founded on very odd Principles, tho' he thinks them all equally good. He approves of the Egyptian Law ^, which allotted one third of the Lands of all the Kingdom to the Military Men. Which Law, by putting the Soldier before-hand in Pofl'effion of what ought only to he * The Travels of Cyriis^ Vol. I. p. 174. the Ev'n. VI. TSleW C Y R O P ^ D I A, 209 the Reward of his Toils, deprives his Valour of one of the moft proper Springs to put it in Motion. But, Sir, faid Jrajpes^ confider that this Syftem is only one Link of the general Syftem of the Egyptian Government, which divided Men ^ into three different Claffes : And it was but natural for the Diftribution of Lands to be regulated according to thofe three Divifions. There again, faid Cyrus, has your Friend Araniys miftaken. Ought he not, by the Way, to have fhewn the Defedt of a Syftem as unjuft as it is pernicious ? All Men are born equal, but their different Employments and Stations in the Government, conftitute a fufKcient Inequality betwixt them, without obliging the greater Number of them to a Sort of natural Incapa^ * The Travels of Cyrus^ Vol. I. p. 172. P city 2 lo ^ Supplement to the Ev*n. VI. city of attaining to Conditions for which Providence often gives them the mod fignal Talents. Don't we know that Heroes, Conquerors, the Founders of vaft Monarchies, and the greateft Men in all Capacities, were moft of them born in a Condition different from that to which they were advanced by their Merit ? And what Advantages would not a Republick deprive itfelf of, that (liould reduce them to the Condition of their Fa- thers, by retaining Men in Obfcu- rity, that were born to be its Glory and Support ? I plainly fee, Sir, faid JrafpeSy what you have in View. You are for reftraining Aramys to Ethicks. Very well 5 that's what he will like 5 for he's an honeft Man : his Maxims are found, and his Principles are fure and folid Foundations for good Manners. Depend upon't that he will ad: fo in this Ev'n. VI. ZV&'zy Cyrop^edia. ill this Capacity, as to make you wifh you had not baulk'd his Genius. Fear not, faid Cyrus 5 be . afTur'd that in the Execution of the Projed: which I have juft now thought of for him, his Genius will not be cramp'd. No 5 Moral Philofophy is fomething too ftinted for fo large a Soul as his. He may put it down in his Books, and I have that Opinion of him, that I believe it will be al- ways good 5 only tell him, that, for the greater Security, when he is drawing certain Pictures of Manners, he (hould always take Care to mix the Antidote with the Poifon, and to make his Readers fenfible of the Malignity of all Cuftoms that are a little conta- gious, which his Subje6t may engage him to defcribe. For Example ^ In- ftead of infilling upon the Imperti- nencies ^ which Chilo talks to me to * The Travels of Cyrus, Vol. I. p. 2 1 6, 2 1 7. P 2 excufe i\z j4 Su^^lcment to the Ev'n. VI. exciife the Lacedemonian Nudities at the publick Games, if ever Occafion ofFer'd to fpeak again of fuch a Cuftom, he fliould by all Means take Care to put into my Mouth, or elfe to declare for me, all the Arguments proper to expofe the monftrous In- decency of fuch a Proceeding 5 how likely Objedls of this Kind are to raife all the Fire of the Paffions in both Sexes 5 efpecially how violent thofe Impreffions mufl: be upon young People in their Heat of Blood, and fuch as are rarely feen but at Afifemblies of this Kind. Aramys^ faid Arafpes^ thought perhaps there was no Nece/fity of in- veighing againfl: a Pradice fo contrary to our Manners, and fo manifeftly fliocking to our Modefty. 'Tis our Misfortune, faid Cyrus ^ that what is offenfive to Modefty, does not always crofs our Inclinations, and Ev*N. VI. Nein) Cykov2edia: 213 and 'tis abfolutely neceflary either to throw an obfcure Veil over every Thing that is immodeft, or elfe when a Man finds himfelf obliged to let it be feen^ to arm Reafon with every Check that may help to curb the Paffions that are too prone to be unruly. Then, Sir, faid Arafpes^ you can't chufe but be pleafed with the Account which Aramys gives of the Commu- nity of Women eftablifli'd at Lace^ damon ^. Not at all, faid Cyrus^ for he only fays that f he could not reUJlo the Spartan Roughnefs^ which facrificed the pweetejl Charms of Society to Am' iition. All that can be inferred from thence, is, that the Pleafure of a fine Intrigue with a Miftrefs, ought not * The Travels of Cyrus^ Vol. I. p. 218. t Ibid. p. 219. P } to A Supplement to the Ev'n. VI. to be facrificed to favage Ambirion. Is that a folid Confutation of the wild Complaifance of the Spartans ? I fay it again, that I beheve Jramys is zealous for good Manners, but I muft repeat what I have already faid, That in Moral Philofophy, as well as the reft, he (Tiould be cautious of defcribing every Thing that comes in his Way, without maturely confidering the Na- ture of the Objects which he fets be- fore his Readers. Si, reply'd Arafpes^ you will find him as trat^lable as you pleafe. Of this I have already given you mani- feft Proofs, and you will have yet more convincing ones, when you are pleas'd to fix on a Subjed: to employ him in. Well, faid Cyrus^ I will now fa- tlsfy ycur Longing. Jjia has been for a long Time ovcr-run with a Torrent of bad Books, upon all Man- ner Ev'n, VI. Ne^' CyKOV MT> I A* 11 J ner of Subjeds 5 an Evil for which a Remedy ought to be provided in every well-govern'd State, and which I have been long thinking how to re- gulate. At laft I am come to this Conclufion. Two Things equally contribute to this Mifchief 5 the Mul- titude of thofe who fet up for Au- thors, and the ill-chofen Subjeifts which they undertake to treat of The firfl: of thefe Abufes I propofe to reform, by eftabiifhing a Tribunal for examining the Abilities of fuch as devote themfelves to Writing, and no Perfon fhall be fuffer'd to pefter the Publick with his Compofitions, but fuch to whom the faid Tribunal fliall give an Approbation in due Form, with the Name and Character of the Candidate. Befides this, there fhall be a fecond Tribunal, to exa- mine the peculiar and particular Ge- nius of every Candidate, in order to determine what Faculty fits him beft, P 4 and ^l6 A Supplement to the Ev'n. VI. and to fettle him in the Degree to which his AbiHties in that Faculty are capable of attaining. Jramys fhall be at the Head of this fecond Tribunal, and his Bufinefs fhall be to compofe a Book every Year for th^ Novices in Wit, according to the Model of his Hiftory of my Travels. He fliall in- title it Unherfal Ejpiys^ and, as he has done in my Hiftory, he fhall therein treat of all Subjects in which Wit is employ 'd, as ^htlofophy^ Theo' Jogy, Hijtory^ Chronology^ Mythology ^ ^oUtkksj Ethicks^ Jttrifpriidence^ the dramas Belles Lettres^ Sec. And that he may not be cramp'd in his Pro- dud' ions, he fliall be empower'd by publick Authority to colled from an- tient and modern Authors, whatever fliall fuit him, or diredly or indireftly anfwer his Purpofe 5 and this without being obliged to lofe Time in quoting Pages and Chapters, In a Word, he fliall follow the fame Method which he and the Publi(?k have been fo much improv'd Ev'n. VI. New Cykovjedia. improved by in the Hiftory he has given of my Travels. He fliall add no more than one copious Index to it, vt^herein he fhall fet down Alpha- betically the Heads of all the different Subjects vi^hich he treats of in his Work 5 and this fhall be a common Fountain v^hich the young Candidates fhall be oblig'd to have Recourfe to for fuch Subjefe as they have a Mind to try their Skill in 3 the Choice of which, tho' made by themfelves, fliall no farther be valid, than as 'tis ap- proved by Jramys and his AffeiTors ; And, according as the Candidate fliall fucceed in Experiments of this Kind, he fhall be ranked among the Authors of the firft^ fecond, third, or fourth Clafs 5 for I propofe to eftablifli fo many different Degrees among thofe Gentlemen, in order to keep up a Sort of Subordination, which is ne- ceffary every where, but more fo among a People fo untradtable, (b prefuming, and fuch Enemies to all Supe- 2 1 8 J Supplement to the Ev'n. YI« Superiority founded on Merit, as is the Nation of the Learned. By that Means Avamys will have an honour- able Rank, an Employment fuitable to his Genius, Emoluments which I leave to your Friendfliip for him to fettle, and Panegyricks without Num- ber. For every Candidate that fliall work upon the Ground-Plo: that is drawn by AramySy fliall be enjoin d in his Preface, to extol his Benefadlor, and to confefs the Advantage he had of finding the entire Work he gives to the Publick, abridged in a Corner of the UnherfaJ Ejfays. Is there any Thing more, faid Cyrus to Arafpes^ that you would have me do for him ? Sir, reply'd Jrafpes^ nothing more remains for me, but to return you Thanks for your Goodnefs to him, and to declare to the World what Sort of Vengeance you keep in Store for thofe who have merited your In- dignation. That Ev'n.VI. ^'ze; Cyrop^dia. 219 That Night Cyrus was to entertain the chief ^ Satrapes of his Empire at Supper, and when they were in the Height of their Mirth, he intended to fignify his Refolution to them of engaging them in new Enterprizes, and of undertaking the Conquefl: of thofe vaft Countries poflefTed by the Majfaget^y to the Eaft of the Cafpian Sea. A Meffenger coming in to acquaint him that the Tables were ferv'd, and that all waited only his Prefence, he repaired to thebanquetting Room, and not many Days after be- gan that famous War againft the Martial Tomyrhj Queen of the Majfa^ get^j which, putting an End both to the Conquefts and the Life of Cyms^ defeated all the Projects that he had form'd to reward the Works of Aramys, * The old Name for the Governors of the Perfian Provinces. FINIS. i THE SECOND CRITICISM Upon Ux.Rj4M SJTs CrRO?MDIA: I N Four CONVERSATIONS, BETWEEN The Marchionefs de ^ ^ =^ * AND Two Gentlemen of Diftindlion IN FRANCE. Tranflated from the ORIGINAL Printed at Nancy, LONDON: Printed for J. P e m b n r t o n. M.DCC.XXIX. :oi^*^^^^^iSii^^iSi^i^.^ N. B. IVHEKE the Criticifm happens to he upon the Didtion, or Phrafe of the Original^ the IVords themfelves are put at the Bottom of the Page j and the Reader is alfo defird to take Notice that the Didlionaire Neolo- gique, which he will often find quoted^ ts a little Vocabulary lately piilliflfd in France, to ridicule new-coin d affeded iVords. ^^^^n^^wm^^m^^^^w^'m^'^B CONVERSATIONS UPON THE TRAVELS O F CYRUS. The First Conversation. H E Marchionefs <^(? * * * who has been thefe four Months at one of her Seats in the Coun- try, will not return to Paris 'till next Spring. As fhe is a Lady of a delicate and florid Genius, and has a Tafte for good Books, and for tiiofe who write them, fo flie is fond of the Friendfhip of feveral Men of Letters, fomc of whom have \ Converfations upon the Conv.L have made themfelves eminent by Compo- fitions that have obtain'd Applaufe. And ilie has one uncommon Quality, for which jQie is ftiii more to be valued, and that is her ftrid Impartiality. She never dives into the Literary Difputes of the Ingenious, but for her Improvement, or elfe for pure Amufe- ment. She judges folidjy of every new Piece that comes our, and with equal Wit and Reafon criticizes all fuch Works as merit the Honour of fo much Notice from her. She happen'd, Tome Days ago, to be all alone, reading the Travels of CyruSy which had been Tent to her from the Countefs de * * * who had receiv'd 'cm from the Au- thor's own Hand, and in Refped to him did not look into them herfclf, but lent them out to be read by all her Acquain- tance. I dare fay, that the Marchionefs had read the two Volumes throughout, and alfo the T>iJfertation and the Letter, when the Chevalier ^t? * * * her Kinfman, came to fee her, and brought her the Travels of Cyrus, thinking (he had not yet feen them. He was fuch an Admirer of this Work, and I had CoNv. L Travels of Cyrus. had read it with fo much Attention and Plcafure, that he had moft of the Exprcfli- ons in it by Heart, and often made \](^ of them, without knowing it, infomuch that one would have taken him for the fpruce Mr. Ram fay, fitting * himfelf off to the befi Advantage^ and giving his own Hi- flory. The Chevalier is a iuperfieial, igno- rant Perfon, who, though he has little Judgment, and lefs Tafte, yet, by the Help of a finical Air, an afFeded Tone of Speech, and an extravagant Jargon, fets up for a Man of Letters and a Wit : But the lead Glimmer of Wit dazzles his Eyes ; a Beauty out cf its Place is never the lefs a Beauty to him ; the comparing Trincipk f is hardly of any Ufe to him : A Fable which is inge- nious for the Subjeft of it, but flatly told, is fure of his Approbation : He loves to have a publick Difcoiirfc (iuff'd with merry Epigrams and idle Jokes, and is not afliam'd to admire thofe frothy, bombafl: Writer?, thofe metaphorical Wits, whofc Corredlion * ilui fe peigmit & fe racontoit hii meme. Preface to the Archbifhop of Cambray's Life, by Mr. Ramfay. Printed at Bruffels in 1725. t Le Principe Comparateur. Travels of Cyrus, Vol. II. p. 3 (J. A has Converfations upon the Conv.1. has been attempted by a ufeful Criticifm. But that Style efpecially, which is fcnten- tious and broken, like to that which is us'd upon Screens, is fure to catch him : Tis in this Style he writes, and in this Style he thinks every Man muft write, if he would pleafe what he calls Geometrical Under- ftandings. The Marchionefs receiv'd the Chevalier with her ufual Complaiiance, and they foon fell to talking upon the Book fo much in Vogue, which was almolt the whole Subjed: of the firft Night's Converfation by the Fire Side. If it had been Summer Time, no doubt, the Conference had been in a Wood, and> if poflible, by Moon-light, in which Cafe I would here have painted the Rays of the Moon, palling through the Branches of the Trees, and making an agreeable Mixture of a very lively White, with a Green tnclm'mg to Black. The Marchionefs agreed that the Style of the Book was very elegant, and that the Author in the Detail had let off his Sentiments in a very good Drefs. The Chevalier, charm'd to find her of his Opi- nion, faid to her. Madam, don't you ad- mire CoNvJ. Travels of Cyrus. mire that a Foreigner, who was grown up before he came amongft us, has hit fo cle- verly upon the Genius and Graces of ouc Language ? There is no where, methinks, more Accuracy and Delicacy of Didtion, and I take the whole to be pcifcdly ex- prcfllve, and thoroughly digefted. But, re- p!y*d the Marchionefs, if there had been a little lefs in the Book of what you com- mend, perhaps, it would have been fomuch the better. For, flic added, is it a Perfedion of Style to fatigue the Underftanding of the Reader, and always to fupprcfs thofe Words which arc fo conducive to the CoU iccling, and even the Forming of Ideas? In Truth, it is not ufing the Reader kindly. Alas ! Madam, reply'd the Chevalier, this is what gives Pleafurc to the Underlhnding. How would you like to read a Book with a Style fo clear and flucnr, that the Lady of the Prefident <^£? * * * would compre- hend it at the firft Glimpfc ? As for thoic Particles which you ?rc lo (brry to find omit- ted, pray do but coniider how fmocth they make Style, and how languid. Is it not better that the Connexion of the Thoughts hz be ConwcY^mons upon the Conv.L be imperceptible to all, but fuch as have penetrating Eyes ? A delicate Genius is fond of every thing that ftands detach'd by itfelf, and that has no Contiguity with any thing, becaufe it takes a Pleafure in dii'covering what it has a relation to, without being di- rected ; and fuch a one feems to himfelf as if he wasaclually compofing what he reads. I underftand you, faid the Marchionefs, you are for introducing ^ecoiipures, i. e* Breaks, into the Writings of the Inge- nious. The new Cyrus is very much in this Gottt, with rcfpcd both to the Lan- guage and Things. Por my Part, I affirm, that a broken, disjointed Style is a defcdive Style, and' that an Author ought always to conned his Thoughts himfelf, and to fave his Readers the Trouble. Give me Leave, Madam, (aid the Chevalier, to think other- wife. I can't bear that trivial Perfpicuity which lets me into the whole at firft Sight, and which deprives me of a pleafmg Pain. A Style like Mr. Ramfay's is, in my Opi- nion, the Flower of that "^Laconiftn which * Cyrus J Vol. I. p. 213, CoNv. L Travels of Cyrus. 'f has been admifd in all Nations. By imi- tating the Rabidity of Thought it paints all in a Trice. The Flower of your Laconifm makes my Head giddy, reply'd the Marchioncfs, and your Rapidity ftuns me. Is that really the Style of Telemachus^ to which, 'tis faid, fome Sots have had the Aflurance to com- pare Cyrus ? Oh ! faid the Chevalier, I own there is no Comparifon betwixt them; for Telemackus being a Romance, or a Poem, and Cyrus being a Book of Politicks and Ethicks, of Philofophy and fine Theology^ the Style muHconfequently be different. But, you know, reply'd the Marchionefs, that Politicks and Ethicks arc the greateft and the fined Part of Telemachns. Yet there is no Flo'Ji'er of Laconifm in it, no Rapidity of Thought^ but nntural Images, keen Strokes, fublime Maxims, bright Turns of Expref- fion, Morals both in Defcription and Adi- on, and the whole happily preferv'd from thofe metaphyfical Relearches, that flifF Ac- curacy, and that afFcded Elegancy, which I hate in our modern Drolls. A 5 Bur; 8" Converfations 7Apon the Con v. I. But, Madam, rcply'd the Chevalier, you don't reckon the Author of Cyrus in this Number; though, they fay, he is guilty of feveral Novel Terms, with whieh he has had the hnppy Afllirance to embellifli our Idiom. After all, he added, Style is the leaft thing to be confidcr'd in fuch a Work as this. The Things for vv'hich it muft be admir'd, arc the Characters, the Refledions, the bold and inftrudivc Strokes, the fub- lime Lcflbns ! What fay you. Madam, am I miftaken ? But you muft grant, reply'd the Marchioncfs, that one dull, cold Note runs through the whole, and that every thing, from the Beginning to the End, is mifmatch'd and mifplac'd. Cyrus , goes and comes, and does nothing. According to the Author's Fancy, he fometimes hears Fables, at other times Narratives; one while Lc- dures of Philofophy and Politicks, and by- and-by Inftrudlionson the Subjcds of War, Trade, and Religion. Telemachus is much the fame, bating the Speeches and finical Pialogues. Cyrus is always, as it were, in a Clafs every now and then, askinp School- Boys Queflions, childiflily bellcvipg every thing CoNv.L Travels of Cyrus. thing that is told him, and always embra- cing the Opinion of him that fpoke laft. Bcfides this, he has no other diftinguifh'd Charadcr, fo that they may be the Travels of any other Prince, as well as thofe of Cyrus. In fliort. he is as much a Child at the End of his Travels as he was at the Be- ginning, though he was then near thirty Years of Age. The Reafon is, bccaufe he has no Wit nor Genius, and I would not warrant that he underftood one half of what was taught him. •D' Madam, faid the Chevalier, will you pleafe to enter a little into the Detail of the Work, which you fo much cenfure in the general, and to examine one thing after another. Confidcr, that it has merited the Approbation ot thofe who ftt up, at this Time, for the Patterns of Wit. I perceive, Cyrus ^ with feveral other Books, adorns your Chimney-piece *. Let you and 1 run it over together How bright does ir begin ! How bold and confpicuous is the Charader of the Terjians and of the Court * Chxmarre votre chemir.ie. An ExpiefTion of Q!/IT. C. in the Journal of Kancyy Tom. I. A 4 of IP ConwcTL[mons upon the Conv. L of Ecbatana ! Do you think, faid theMar- chionefs that there is much Wit and Subli- mity of Genius in that Journey which Cpus niakes under the ConduLl of his Mother ? Mandana, who, 'tis pretended, had a Mind adorned, and a Genius much above her St x f (an Exprcillon not very polite) : Mandanay I fay, takes a Plea lure on the Road to entertain her Son, already fixtecn Years old, with Fables and Nurfes Tales. Is was abfo- lutely necel)ary, reply'd the Chevalier, that the Author fliould here fall in with the Ori- ental Tafte. This was then the metapho- rical Manner oi giving Education to agrow' tng Genius^. The Author, who was a pro- found Philofopher, j unities this Fafnion by a very folid Argument. 2 be Mmds of young Terfons, lays he, cannot compare^ they o?ily perceive Things '^'^. If this be I'o, rtply'd the Marchionefi", Ms ridiculous to entertain Children with Fables ; for every Fable is a Companfon. Yet, according to the Author, the Mmds of Touth muft be inllruded by Fables, becaufe they cannot I Vftl. I. p. 9, « liictionnahe K<:olo^iqiie has donnev VEducation a Vefprit nniifiiiit. ** \ ol. I. p. IC, compare^ CoNv. I. Travels of Cyrus. ii compare, and only perceive Things. Was there ever a plainer Contradidion ? As to the Oriental Tafte for Fables and Apologues, I rejoice that this is not the Occidental Tafte. Such child ifli Things are furfeiting to us ; and an Author of the Weft ought to have confider'd, that he wrote for the We- ftern Side of the Globe. But pray let us fee, added the Marchio- nefs, what happen'd at the Court of Ecba- tana ? AjijagLS tries the Genius of Cyrus, by putting feveral Queftions to him, relating to the Manners and Laws of the Fcrjians, and the Child gives aftonifliing Anlvvcrs- but what they were we know not ; for we are told neither the. Queftions nor the An- iwers. All we are informed of is, that Cyrus talks a Utile too much, and does not hearken enough to others-^ that he decides with an Air of Sufficiency^ and feems too fond of Wit *. But in order to cure him of thefe Faults, his Mother, who had hi- therto enieitained him with infipid Fables, tells him a mctaphyftcal and political Stoiy, ia which, really, there's not one Ciicum- * Vol. I. p. 34. fiance 12 Converfations upon the Conv.L fiance that is applicable to what he is re- proach'd for. She propofes to him for a Pattern, a Prince of Taciturnity ( confe- quently one of a fullen refer v'd Tem- per ) on puipofe to hinder him from deciding with an Air of Sufficiency, and from being too fond of Wtt : But at the fame Time, that he may lofc the Habit of Talking a little too mitchy flie places before his Eyes a Prince of Eloquence^ that is to fay, according to the Author hhiifelf, a Prince who * tallid a great deal, and there- by made himfelf admifd by all that heard him. Was not this a very proper Example to make an Imprefiion on the tender Mind of Cyrus, and to render him filcnt ? But does Mandana fo much as pretend, that Taciturnity is a valuable Quality in a young Man ? Befides, why does flie fuppofe the Bceotians fo far captivated with the Wit of an eloquent Prince, as to chufe him for their King ? How could Wit make fuch an Imprefiion upon People fo dcciy'd for their Stupidity and Folly, as the Boeotians are, by all ancient Writers ? Could that Princcfs build upon the Authority of fo un- « Vol.L p. 1 5, polite CoNv.L Travels of Cyrus. 15 polite a People, to convince CymSy that Judgment was always a more ncceflary Ta- lent for a King than Wit ? As for my Parr, reply 'd the Chevalier, in this Fable of the eloquent Prince, which you have now fo fcverely * cry'd down, I admire that fine Variety of Shades in the Thought, that delicate Contraft of Characters, and thofe politick Leflbns of Inftruclion proper for excrcifing the Sagacity of fo yourg a Prince as Cyrus, and to prepare him for a fucceflTve unfolding of Intelligence f. The Paflagc immediately following, con- tinued the Chevalier, gives us real Caufe to admire the Military Genius and Courage of Cyrus. MerodaCy Son of Nebuchadnezzar King of j^ffyria, makes an Irruption into the Dominions of Aftyages, who, to defend himfelf, aHlm'oles an Army confifting in the Whole of 8000 Horfe. He orders two * Mettre an rahais Nuancet fnes des Penfcef, Dift. Ncol Cyrus, Vol. I. p. 307. t Ibid. p. zi6, of the Original. De le frefarer a uh deve- hpement fuccejjlf i ' L:rell.\ience. $ Ibid. p. 191, of Kmfaf:i Tranfiation. «* P. 20. Of Converfations upon the Conv.I. of his General Officers to go and obfcrve the Enemy, and Cyrus accompanies them. The next Day ^ftjages aflcmbled a Council of War, to deUbcrate what Motions he fhould make. The Generals advis'd the fufpending all Adion till the Arrival of new Troops. Cynis then rifcs up in the Midft of the Af- rcmbly, and affirms, ihat an Attack may be made, becaufe he has obfcrv'd a great Wood iieglctied by the Enemy ^ "juhich may be taken ToffeJJion oj '^. After having given fuch wholefom Counfcl, the Author fay.s that he held his Teace, bhijJod, and fear'd to have fpokcn too much. All^ he adds, ad- mired his Genius for War at fnch tender Tears, His Advice was followed, and they prcpar'd for Battle. Sir, rcply'd the Marchionefs, you build upon a very weak Foundation. The Au- thor pretends to reprefent Cyrus to us as a couragious warlike young Prince. Mean time he makes him a timorous fnamefac'd Child, who blujheSy after having fpoke but four Words, and fears he hadfaid too much* Probably he then thought of ih^filent Prince, But CoNv.L Travels of Cyrus. rj But is it not ridiculous that old Warriors, and fo many experiencd Commander Sy Ihould not obferve a great Wood negk5ied by the Enejny, but leave the Glory of that Difco- vcry to a Child ? To be furc, reply'd the Chevalier, the Wood was very large to be i^o cafily perceiv'd by an unexperienced Youth, and to be negleded by experienced Commanders, who could not think their Ene- mies fo tmhappily overfeen *, for having neg- leded that great Wood. From thence it follows, reply'd the Maichionefs, that the Difcovery was not very extraordinary, that the Generals of Aft)ages were not very watchful, and that the Medes were not fo well skili'd in the Art of War, as they are rcprefcnted to us, bccaufe a nicer Child reads them a Leflbn. Thofe great Captains \\viztoo eafy Gcodnefs^ in admiring Cyrus for having done a Thing which the mcancft Officer incur Da3S would have thought of, if he were admitted to a Council of War. This is the only Oppor- tunity which the Medes have to fliew their Abilities in War, and yet they are rcpre- fcnted to us as weak Men, that know not * Vartages d' un efprit afft^z infortuite, Didt. Ncol. J Travels of Qtk/, Vol. I. p. ioj. Boniii troj> confiaiitc, the 1(5 Converiations upon the Con v. I. the fiift Rudiments of it. But does not Mr. Ramfay rclcmble thcni in fome Degree, by placing an Anibulcade of Horfe in a Wood ? An Author is to be forgiven, faid the Chevalier, for want of Skill in Military Affairs ; bur, however, Madam, continu'd he, 'tis impofllble but your *//t'^r^ ;«///? /f^rw when you read what pafTcd when Mandana was leaving Ecbatana's Court. She was de- firous to carry back her Son with her, but Aflyages prays her to leave him behind 5 for, fays he, he will be the Support of my old Age. Cyrus flays and fwears to f give himfelf tip to the Counfels and Judgment of Hyftafpes. Mandana^ before flie fets out, gives him a View of the Rocks that threaten Danger in a voluptuous Court. She goes away, and Cyrus melts into Tears. Thele are Circumftances truly noble and afFcding. I contcfs, rcply'd the Marchioncfs, that there's an Air of Dignity and Wiidom in Mandanas Difcourfc j but the Childhood of Cyrus is fo ftrongly cxprefs'd by the De- * R^fleclions atteudtief, Dicl. Neol. t Did. Neol. fe psrmsure. luge CoNv. I. Travels of Cyrus. t/ luse of Tears which he (beds at his Mother's Departure, that he appears to us, as it were, with a Coral and Bells. Ah ! reply'd the Chevalier, thofe are natural virtuous Tears, which don't at all disfigure the Hero, but adorn his Charader. His Sentiments could not be reprefmted otherwife *. Befides, as the Author oblcrvcs, This was his firft Separation from his Mother. Could he ever flied Tears at a better Time ? After all, continu'd the Chevalier, tho' whatever you have found Fault with hitherto is of no Moment, yet it furnilhcs Matter for an agreeable Debate. But can't 1 find out a Way to reconcile our Sentiments ? I think this will do it : ' Hitherto Cyrus had * liv'd at the Court of Ajiyages^ without * being infeded ; but he ow'd his Chaftity ' neither to the Prcfcnce of Mandana, nor * to the Couniels of Hyjiajpes, nor to his * natural Virtue, but to Love.' This PalTagc is fimple, delicate, and bold, and prepares the Way for the Defc:.'ption of a PafTion, wherein the Plcafurc is kparated from the * Prendre mte autre figure. Did. Neol. Crime. 'i 8 Converfations upon the Conv. I. Crime. Cjrus falls in Love witli CaJJan- dana, a Princefs of Terfia, bred up at the Court of Afiydges, who, among a thoufand good Qualities, had a "^Juftnefs of Thought, which was as natural to her as a Grace- fulnefs of Expreffton, and a Gaiety of Con- verfation^ which abounded with delicate Strokes of Wit J tinfiudied and unaffe^led- Such a Choice could not but give Cyrus a fcnfible Pleafurc, and what the Author adds in this Place cannot difoblige the Ladies : *■ This Princefs produc'd, by Degrees, in his *■ Soul all the Motions of that noble Pailion ' which foftens the Hearts of Heroes f , ' without lefTcning their Courage, and which ' places the principal Charm of Love in the ' Pleafurc of Loving. Precepts, Maxims, ' and fevere Lcllbns, do not always preferve ' the Mind from the poifonous Arrows of ' Senfuality ! Tis perhaps exaQing too much ' from Youth to require that they fliould be ' infenfible : And it often happens that no- ' thing but a well-plac'd Love can be a Se- ' curity from ridiculous Pafllons/ A dan- gerous Rival makes Cyrus feel all the Dif- * p. ap. t P. 30. quiets Con V.I. Travels of Cyrus. i^ quiets and Alarms which are created by the moft innocent Paflions. This Rival is Cyaxares, the Son of Aftyages^ an impetuous haughty Prince, who was unac- quainted with the delicacy ofLove"^, The Author, rcply'd the Marchionefs, feems to me to aggravate the EfFeds of Cyrus's Love for Cajfandana, Be the Pallion of Love ever fo chafte and virtuous, 1 cannot eafiiy believe that it can be of more efFed than natural Virtue. Mr. Ramfay is a pleafant Gentleman, in my Opinion, to think that Women are form'd to infpire thofe who tenderly love them, with ^ifcretion, and to trump up an empty Metapbyjical Love, fo much boafted by a Lady of the laft Cen- tury. But hov/ cornes Cyaxares, who is unacquainted 'U^ith the 'Delicacy of Love^ to guefs, trom the Guard CaJJ'andana kept upon herfclf, and from her rcferv'd Air with CjruSy that fhc is in Love with Cyrus^ at the fame Time rhat fhe appears gay and free with him, Cyaxares ? He that is unacquainted with the Delicacy of LovCy will always be the Dupe of a Rival, and have the Chagrin • p. 3-.. B to ad Converfations upon the Conv.L to fee him favoured as Cynis is by Cajfan* dana, HyfiafpeSj contlnu'd the Marchionefs, is a Man of as bright Parts as Cyaxares. When he faw Cyrus thoughtful and abknt from himfelf, he fufpcds him to be in Love, and upon this Occafion tells him a very moving Story of the Loves of Stryangeus and Zarina ; after which, Hyftajpes^ that Sage Mentor^ prefcribcs to him what Kind of Miftrefs he ought to chufe, and names Caffandana to him. Cyrus makes a fincere Conkflion of his Paflion to him. But this Prince, that had long * been accuftom'd to open bis Heart to Hyftafpes, isvho was not only his CotmfellGr, but the Confident of his Weakneffies, docs not immediately kt him into the Secret of his Paflion for Cajfan- dana^ for Hyftafpes was forc'd, in fome Aleafurc, to pump it out of him, by the Rchearfal of an amorciis Story, and by Ad- vice not becoming a Governor. But was that Sroi-y capable to convince a free young Prince, as Cyrus was, of the Dangers of his growing Paflion, fmce Stryangeus s Amour CoNv.I. Travels of Cyrus* %x Amour with Zarmavjzs only criminal, be- caufe he was already married ? The Amours of Stryangetts and Zarina, faid the Cheva- lier, are not to be confider'd in that Light 5 Tis fufficient that there is an ingenious Series of Events and Motive?, and a clear Moral, which is never the worfe for a fmall Inaccuracy. Here now you compare Things, whereas you ought only to perceive them. But, with your Favour, rcply'd the Marchionefs, I will now compare two Paf- fages, which I have obferv'd : The firft is in Page 29*, where the Author, fpeaking of Caffandana, fays, ' That her Father, who was one of the principal Satrapes of ' Verfia, had fent her to the Court o^ ' Afljages to be there educated' The fe- cond is in Page 5 2 ']% where the Author fays, with refped to this very Princefs, ' Several ' Ladies of the Court regretted her, but the * greater Part rejoiced at the Ablence of a * Princefs, whofe Manners were too perfect ' a Model of difcrc^t Conduct. It is our * Vol. I. p. 29. t Ibid. p. 5:, B 2. Happlnefs^ 11 Converfations i^pon the Con v. L * Happincfs, /aid they^ to be rid of that * Stranger, whom the fcvere Education of * the ^er[ians has made infenfible/ Caffan- dana is a young Pri nee fs, according to the Author, fcnt to the Court o^ Aftyages, there to be educated^ and yet in that very Court is fhe reproached with having had a fever e F^ due at ion from the Pcrfians. Oh ! Madam, cry'd the ChcvaUer, the Princcfs had a ^'ic^'f?/^/^ Education, firlt among the Terfians, and laft among the il/f^t-j. You fhould add then, rcply'd the Marchionefs, that in order to qualify \\iz fever e Education of the Pcr- fians, her Father Tharnafpes was willing fhe fhould receive a fccond Education, in a Court where Love was without Delicacy, where * blind Tleafure was its only at- traBive Charm ^ and where the IVotnen thought themfelves defpis'd, when no At^ tempts were made to enfiare them. But how abfurd is it to make the Women at the Court of Aftyages fay, We are happy to be rid of that Stranger, whom the fever e Education of the Perfians has made infen- * Vol. I- p. 7. fMe, CoNv. I. Travels of Cyrus. 23 ^hle *, when in the very Page preceding, we have the Symptoms of the moft violent Love, a mournful Silence, a languifhing Air, a Vivacity of Wit cxtinguifli'd, and all hcc natural Charms vanifli'd ! Could the gay Ladies of that Court need any Thing more to difcover that Cajfandan^t was in Love, and did not prefent them with too perfect a Model of difcreet Condii6i '\ ? Is it not na- tural, rcply'd the Chevalier, to think that the Women at the Court of AftyageSy whofe Hearts were fo tainted, did not perceive the Senfibility of CaJJandana^ and that as they knew of no Love but what was corporal §, they muft be ignorant of the tender Effeds of a Love chafte and fpiritualizd ? The Marchioneft was thorowly pleas'd with the Manner in which the Chevalier defended the Travels of Cyrus ; for his Argu- ments made her as merry as his Exprefllons. Word being then brought that the Supper was fcrv'd in, the Chevalier talk'd a great * Vol. I. p. 5t. 1 Ibid. p. 52. $ Corporahfur^ Vol. II. B 5 deal 24 Converfations tipon the Con v. I. deal during the Repad, and dcliver'd abun- dance of Paradoxes upon all Manner of Subjeds. The Attick Salt and Tolitenefs '■jjcre the principal ^Delicacies of the Enter- taimnent *. f Vol. I. p. cs;. C O N V E R^ CONVERSATIONS UPON THE TRAVELS O F CYRUS. y/?^' Second Conversation. H E next Morning the Marchi- onefs fcnt for the Chevalier, who, the better to qualify him- felf for the further Difcullion of the Travels of Cyrus ^ had fpent fomc Hours of the Night in reflecting upon the fincft Paffagcs of the Book. 1 fear, faid fiie, t-lie Moment fhe faw him, that the Pains you took laft Night in Defence of the Cyns B 4 have x6 Con\tY(2it\ons upon the Conv. II. have hind red you, as the Poets fay, from rejrejhmg your Body by Sleep * , If you were among the Magi, your Senfes would be cahii'd by Muftck and the Moryiing Sa- crifice. Neverthelefs, if you plcafe, and if you are not weary of my finding fo many Paults, we will take t'other Journey with Cyrus. With all my Heart, Madam, re- ply'd the Chevalier 5 you argue with fo much Wit and good Humour, that 1 fliall cer- tainly be of your Opinion very foon. Cy- rus in his Childhood, or rather Youth, has but little Impreflion on you> and I perceive that you are not to be pleafed without the Sublime. I have fome Remarks to offer you to Day, Madam, wherein you will find the '1* Surpr'tfing joyn'd to the Natural i for the Second and following Books, which we are next to confider, do far excel the Pirft. Bur, faid the Marchionefs, interrupt, ing him, the firft Book upon which we dif- cours'd laft Night, feems to me to be the moft important Part of the Treatife, it be- ing that in which Cyrus is mod adive, and wherein the Events concern him moftimme- • Travels of Qt«/, Vol. I. p. 103. \ Ibid. p. 303- diately. CoNv. 11. Travels of Cyrus. 27 diately. In the reft of the Book there is no Adion at all j for the Hero only walks about, and meets with Politicians, Philo- fophers, and Divines, that give him Ledures, to which he never fails to give Ear, and is io tra'5lable, and credulous, that he takes all they fay for granted ; fo that there's no Invention, no Art, no Variety. No Variety ! rcply'd the Chevalier. Kas not every Journey a particular Motive ? Is not every Adventure different ? What a Di- verfity of Ideas and Inftruclions is there upon all manner of important Subjects? Alas ! do you reproach the Author with want of Variety I I own, anfvvcr'd the Mar- chionefs, that the Author does not repeat the fame Things, and that though he often returns back to the fame Subjcds (as for Ex- am.ple to Politicks, to the Diftindion of the three States) there is an Air of Variety in the Ideas which he communicates. But what I fay is, that he has not fufficiently vary'd his Method of Narration. There is too conftant a Uniformity in the Difpofi- tion. Turn, and Relation of the Subjcifls he treats of. Every Piece fecms to be cut out by 2 8 Converfations upon the Conv.II; by the fame Pattern, and the Author has been fo very negligent of Art and Invention, that one would take him for the Difciple of that famous Legiflator of Athens^ whom he reprefents to us as the declared Enemy of Imagination. Ah ! Madam, rcply'd the Chevalier, a little more Indulgence, I be- feech you. The Subftance ought to carry it here before the Form. The Author did not propofe to write a Romance. Art and Invention are quite out of the Qucftion ; and if there be any thing in this Work which Imagination has a Right to lay claim to, 'tis only a few Epifodes artfully inferred to correct the pernicious Sterility of the Didadtick. Style, and to qualify the auftcre Gravity of a fublime Moral. For Example, I am charm'd to fee how Cyrus approaches the Magi in the Second Book, with his ■ Spoufe Cajfandana. The Pourtraiclure of thofc Philofophcrs is admirable. The Hi- fcory of the Amours of * Zcroaftcr tr£?nf- ports my SguIj and gives it lively and j'lea- (in(r Emotions. But bcfidcs thofe movin^^ * Tlie Abbe du Pons's Difleitntion on the Epick Poem. Tiaii^- foitc mon .7/?;;', & lui >;T.tfc dt vives f^ cberes jccouffe!. ImagC5, Con V. II. Travels of Cyrus. t^ Images, what a learned Profufion is there of Arguments in Natural Phiiofophy, and of the Verjian Mythology ! I confefs to you, faid the Marchioncfs, that the Pidure of thofe Alajii plenfed me extremely, and that I have a profound Veneration for thofe pious Her- mits of all Ages, who apply'd themfllves fucceflively to Mufick, Prayer, and Study, and who * over againfl a Company of Women were neither fevere, nor melancholy^ nor thoughtful but agreeable and polite How am I charm'd with that ^rovince^ f which each Sage had in the Empire of Phiiofophy ! and efpecially with the Maxim cllablifh'd among them, T'hat the Sciences were no further valuable than theyferv'd as Steps to afcer.d to the great Oromazes, and from thence to defcend back to Man. But here he omits to tcli us, that another of the Maxims amon^ thofe Man was, that Vlea- fure 4-t is the only moving Spring of Man's Heart. Yet ihisis the very Doctrine which the Author afcribes to them in the Begin- ning of his Book, and which at the fame * Travels of Cyuf, \'o\. I. p. 6;. ^ tllj.r. p. 64. pj\iy: c'mciii\ ■ '^ •jr ibid. p. 8. Time JO Converfations upon the Con v. II. Time he takes to be very pernicious, ' That ' which contributed, fays he, to increafe * this Corruption of Mind, Manners, and ' Sentiments (at the Court of Aftyages) * was the new Dodrine fpread every where * by the Magi^ That ?leafure is the only * moving Spring of Mans Heart. For as * each Man was free to place his Pleafure * according to his Fancy, this Maxim autho- ' liz'd Virtue or Vice, according to every * one's Tafte, Humour, or Complexion. I qucflion, added the Marchioncfs, whe- ther thofe Magi were to blame, in the main, jind whether the Author was in the right to charge the Corruption at the Court of Ec- batanay to that which he afferts to be their Dodrinc. For fince every Man is free */rus*s Travels. Therefore don't reproach the Au- thor any more for talking acnigmatically ; Tis Zoroajier that fpeaks f . Aftc;r having coUeded hinifelf inwardly, ke concenters and confines htmfelf in his Spiritual Na- ture § ; and thus rcprefents the Sublime Flight of an Enthufiaft: ' ** Spirits of this * Cyrus ^ p. 197, t Ibid. p. 104. \ Mr. K.im\\xy\ Lifs of Fenehn, liutch Edit. p. 45. ** Ibid. p. 47. « Caft Con V. II. Travels of Cyrus, 4j * Caft love Figures that arc bold and hyper- * bolical, Expreflions that are brisk and ' lively, and Turns that are humorous : ' Being Imitators of fair Nature, they neg- ' led to range Phrafes methodically, and * adorn the Whole with a lovely Confur- * fion, wherein every Thing is Sentiment, * without Art. Let us jufl: touch upon it, faid the Mar- chionefs. That Oriental Learning which the Author has endeavour'd to fpiritualize, is ftrangcly difplac'd. Becaufe he owns that the Greeks had the fame Gods as the Egyp- tianSy though under different Names, the Syftcm of the Greeks Religion is very well known to us, and therefore it was neccfTary to adopt it. An Author is really to be pitied, reply 'd the Chevalier. Tis expeded he fhould produce fomething that's new and bold, and when he has done fo, the Critick grumbles at him for it. If Mr. Ramfay had tack'd his Theological Ideas to thole of the Greek and Latin Poets, then it would have been faid infallibly, that's very wonderful, all the World knows as much. Therefore, in order to deceive his Readers agreeably, he was 44 Convcrfations tipon the Conv.II. was obIiG;ed to the far-fetch'd Ornaments of the Oriental Learning. There is, more- over, a Kindof Pleafure in unmasking thofe Grange Deities which I fliould be apt to call ^Perfian and Egyptian Monftcrs. That's a Pleafure I don't envy you, faid the Mar- chionefs ; 'tis not very engaging. How comes Mr. Ramjay, whom his fond Admirer calls the Difcip'c of the Archbifliop of Cambray^ to ramble fo far out of his Mafter's Route ? Ttlemachiis travels into Egypt, where he meets with an Egyptian Prieft, with whom he talks of a Deity. But this great Prelate, who (without Offence to Mr. Ramfay) had jufter Notions of Antiquity, was far from making a vain Parade with prolix Learning, which only impolcs upon the ignorant Vulgar : He knew that to keep fo clofely to the Dogmatical Style, made the Nar- ration dull and tircfomc. He was fatisfied with rendering himfelf intelligible to all Mankind, and dclpis'd the trifling Honour of being a laborious Compiler. Bur, faid the Chevalier, are not you amply made Amends by that florid Defcription of the Happinefs enjoy 'd by Cyrus and Cajfandana ? Has he not Ihewn a great deal of Art in re- prefenting CoNv. II. Travels of Cyrus. 45 prefenting the Duration of it fo fliort, and in the Hurry he is in to acquaint the Rea- der of that Princefs's Death ? Undoubtedly he has, laid the Marchionefs ; for flic had prov'd a Clog to Cyrus in his long Journies ; and, moreover, her Death gives him an Oc- cafion to go again in Queft of the Magi^ and to court Solitude with them for his Confolation. You have triumph'd, Madam, in this fe- cond Book, faid the Chevalier , but furely it will be my Turn to boaft in that which we are to examine next. Cyrus was no fooner arrived upon the Coaft of Arabm Vceltx^ but he meets a venerable old Man, named Amenophis, Tho' a Court Favourite, he was the Sport of Fortune, and yet a Man of fo fublime a Charadcr and Sentiments, that he chalkngd both Love and Amir at mi"^. Being betray'd by the ungrateful Amafis, who ow'dhis Advancement to him, he lofes the Fa- vuor of Apries King of Egypt:, whofc Crown this Traitor ufurps. ThisStory is a Pidurc, which, in my Opinion, richly defervcs the At- * Apfelle a foi f Admiration S I' Amour, Abbe dit Fonsh Differ- fjition on the Epick. Poem. tcntion 4^ Converfations upon the Conv. If. tcntion of all xVIonarchs. How bold are the Strokes ! How fine the Expreflion, and the Colourings ! I own, reply'd the Marchio- ncls, that I read that PafTage with Pleafure, but nothing fo much afFcded me as that Couragious Spirit which the Author difco- vers, and which is fo rare to be found among our French Writers. But I queftion whether he has not thought a little too freely. Perhaps he will find no Favour from thofe that aie nice Judges. All that I know of the Matter is, that at the End of this Hiftory he deviates totally from Probability. In order to bring AmenophiSy who was detain'd in a dark Prifon, acquainted with Arobal^ he feigns, that this Arobal^ who is alfo a Prifoner, and wants to make his Efcapc, penetrates through the Prifon Wall of Amenophis^ and gets into his Chamber, * thinking, probably, to force his Way into the Fields. They are afterwards both con- demned to the Mines, where they have no other Comfort than to rcafon upon the Nature of the Stones and Metals, which they obferve by the Glimmering of the Lamps, * Q'j-j//, Vol. I. p. 147. and Con V. II. Travels qf Cyrus. 4pr and where, like two TournefortSj they are at Hand to catch Nature in the FaSf, But a Stroke equally terrible and unexpeded re- ftores them lo Liberty. The iubtcrrancous Fires break their Prifon, in order to break that of our Captives. A horrid Noife was heard, f the Shocks redoubled, the Earth (eenVd to groan. In a Word, thofe Fir€5 impetuoufly open a PafTage for the two Pri- foners, into a fpacious Cave, and that which threaten'd them with Death procur'd them Liberty. They walk a long Time by the Light of their Lamps, before they fee the Day. At length they are come to an old Temple, confecrated to OJiris, near the Arabian GuJph. A confiderate Reader, faid the Mar- chionefs, will, upon this, make feveral Refledions. In the fitft place, how a vio- lent Shock of the Earth, excited by fub- terraneous Fires, which was enough to have fwallow'd and bury'd our two Spe- culators, could open them a PafTage, and turn them up fo happily out of the Bowels of the Earth ? Secondly, how their dim t Cyrus Vol. I. p. 150. Lamps « '4B Converfations upon the Conv.II* Lamps came not to be extinguifh'd, when the Noife and Confufion was fo great ? were they re-kindled by thofe fubterraneous Fires, In fhort, how can we imagine our Prifoners thrown, without receiving any Damage, in- to a fpacious Cave, which opens to con- dudl them to an old Temple, where they were to add an ex Voto to the Bas Relievo's of the Altar. Surely the great Naturalift, Zoroajier, would have been very much at a Lofs to have given a natural Account of this Phxnomenon, and would, undoubt- edly, have afcrib'd it to a Vidory of My- tkras^ov^t Arimamns . Politick Rcflcdions, faid the Chevalier, never gave me any Offence"^. I have always obferv'd, that criminal Allufions only pleafe chimerical Underftandings, and you are in the right not to patronize them. As to the Efcape under Ground, give me Leave to tell you, that you are too obfervant, and that your Eyes, as penetrating as thofe of Zoro- after, have no f need of Opt'ick GlaJJes to * Ahbe de 'Pons's DifTcitation on the Epick Poem- Ne m'ont jamah affecle ci^aHCun fcandale, \ Cyrus Vol. I. p. 91. magnify CoNv. II. Travels of Cyrus. 4p magnify Objects ^ and bring them near. Like him, your Sprit fees farther than the Eye can reach to. However, you ought to prize the Dexterity of the Author, who fo lightly Aides over that PalTage, and tells the Fad with fo much Art, that if it be not read with Attention, one does not perceive that there want certain Lights and Shades of Probability. He had no need of fo much Art for the fine PafTage that follows j which is the Defcription of Egypt, taken from T)iodoriis of Sicily^ Herodotus^ and Strabo. I own, faid the Marchioncfs, that the De- fcription is free, but I remember to have read the greateft Part of it elfewhere, and undoubtedly the Author had it from the fame Sources. I could wiOi that a little more Method had been obferv'd in the Ac- count J for he makes the Egyptian Priefis talk, and at the fame Time feems to fpeak himfelf, fo that one wou'd be apt to fay, he has not been able to conceal his Petty Larceny. Befidcs, I don't like fome fabu- lous Touches which he interfperfcs in the Hiftory of that Kingdom ; fuch as this, for Example ; * ' Nature was then obedient to * Cyrm, Vol. I. p. 164, 155. the 50 Converfations upon the Conv.IL < the Sages ; they could put all its hidden * Springs in Motion. They produc'd the * moft amazing Prodigies whenever they * pleas'd. The aerial Genii were fubjeft to * them. They had frequent Intercourfe ' with the ajtherial Spirits, and fometimes * with the pure Intelligences that inhabit * the EmpjreumJ I believe, indeed, that the Egyptian Priefts told all thefe Stories to the common People, but how ridiculous dots it m2k^CyruSj to fuppofehim fo weak to givj'. Ear to fuch Stuff! And what do thofePriefls, ' that preach fuch Nonfenfe to Cyrus, take him to be, when they tell him very gravely,'^ * That t the Arts of Imitation, Poefy, Mu- * fick. Painting, every thing within the Pro- * vince of the hnagination, are but Sports ' of the Mind, in comparifon of the fub- ' lime Sciences known by the firft Men?' I cannot conceive why the Author, who puts Cyrus upon Travelling, with a View only to form his Underflanding, makes his hiter- locutors talk in fuch a manner. What Be- nefit can a Prince reap from (o abfurd a Converfation, where, under Pretence only of cnlightning his Rcafon, War is prcpofte- t Cyr«/, Vol. I. p. 164. roufly CoNv.II. Travels of Cyrus. '51 roufly declar'd againfl: the Imagination ; and where the Aim is to render thofe Arts con- temptible, which all your Author's Philofo- phy can never depreciate in the Eftecm of Men of Senfe ? You are a little too critical upon the Au- thor's Ideas, reply 'd the Chevalier. Pray mind his General Plan. He endeavours eve- ry where to trace the Knowledge of the three States of Man, and with a philofophi- cal Imagination he defcribcs the Syftem of the Religion of the Egyptians, and keeps up cxadly to their Idiom. Charge certain Obfcurities to the Priefts. They ought not to be plac'd to the Author's Account. I know, reply'd the Marchionefs, Mr, Ram- fafs Plan. But Cyrus had already learn'd that curious Syftem among the Magi^ and all that he is entertain'd with here, is a Repetition of the fame Things under difFe- rent Names. The Marchionefs fceni'd defirous to call another Caufc, and fome Vifitors coming in at the fame Time, the Difcourfe w^onCyrus was dropp'd for that Day, D CON-- CONVERSATIONS rir^ UPON THE FRAVELS O F CYRUS. ^he Third Conversation. W O Days were expired, during which the Marchionefs fliew'd no Dcfirc to convcrfe with the Chevalier, upon the Sequel of Cyrus's Travels. The jfyngaSy the Cof- piogoges, the AjniliCies, Oromazes^ MythraSy Arimanius had lb ftunn'd her, that fhe was not willing to have her Hqad fill'd with any more of thofe chimerical Ideas, and dreaded D s the 54 Converfations upon the Conv. IIL the very Thoughts of them. Mean Time the Chevalier, who pcixeivM her Diftaftc, was very fony for it, and impatient to the laft Degree, to revive the Converration upon the Book. The Marchioncfs faw what he wanted, and thought, that in Complai- fance, flie ouoht to have a little more Chat with him upon Cyrus. Sir, faid fhe, I can't deny giving yoa your Revenge. I know you would not hkc me if I did not go on with the Examination which we have begun, but 1 very much fear that you will be no more a Gainer by it than you have been hi- therto : This is rcaliy playing on, though you lofe. Madam, rcply'd the Chevalier, I may play on, for let my Lofs be what it will, I fliali never exhault the Efteem which I have for Cyrus. BefideSj in the Sequel of this Book, the Odds will appear to be very great on my Side, becaufe there's a Mixture throughout, of the Utile dulci, the Sublime and the Agreeable, the Superficial and the Solid. For Inflancc, faid he, where you find Cyrus and Arafpes embarking ioiGreece^ pray attend to the Difcour(e of thofe learned and amiable Travellers, upon the Fifh, upon the Beds of Salt and Bituminous Matter, upon CoNv. III. Travels of Cyrus, 5 5 upon the Weight of each Grain of Salt, up- on the Ebbing and Flowing of the Tide, upon the Influence of the Moon, which caufcs thofe regular Motions. The Author, faid the Marchionefs, cxprelles himfelf ele- gantly upon thofc Subjcds, and treats them accurately ; but I own to you, I think the whole is mifplac'd. Is it worth the while to put a Prince upon Travelling, to hear Lectures of Natural Philofophy, which he might eafily have Icarn'd without going from his Court ? When we are told of poor Wretches condemn'd to the Mines, there comes immediately a fliort Diflertation upon Stones and Minerals. Are Cyrus and Araf- pes a- board a Vcilcl ? They are made to difcourfe upon the Nature and Properties of the Sea. They fay Things that are fenfible, but then they are common and trivial. But if while they were arguing about the Brack- illmefs of the Sea, they had afcrib'd it to the Excrements of the Fifli, as a certain modern Philofopher has done, it would have been pleafant and diverting; or, in fliort, if fome primitive Naturalift had hap- pen'd in Cyrus's Way, to have told him, for inftancc, that Fire is a very dull, heavy Element, this, at lead, would have been D 3 merry 5 5 6 Converfations 7Apon the Con v. III. nierry ; but I am told Things that I knew before, and fo did every body elfe. In truth, 'tis pity, that fomc Rainbow had not appear'd in the Clouds, while Cyms was on his Travels, becaufe we Ihould have had a learned Explication of that Meteor. For my part, I am heartily vcx'd to find no Storms of Wind, Hail, Thunder, or Rain in Mr. Rmnfafs Book, no exccflive Heats» nor Colds. I Ihould have heard the Caule of ail thofc Effects, or rather, he would have recaird to my Remembrance what I have been told upon that Head, by an inge- nious Member of the Academy of Sciences. But flnce the Author was for making a Dif- play of his Skill in Natural Philofophy, he ought, at ieafi, to have tix'd upon fuch Arti- cles as had relation to the Country where the Scene was ; For inftance, every one knows that m Egypt it never rains nor thunders. Therefore, during the Time that Cyrus ftay'd in that Kingdom, 1 ihould have beenpleafcd to have met with fome Reafon in Nature for that Particular. Pray Madam, reply'd the Chevalier, do but obfervc the Author's juft and plain VVay of CoNv.IlL Travels of Cyrus. 57 of Thinking and Expreflion. CyruSj as we may call it, goes thro' a fhort Courfe of Natural Philofophy, under the Archimagus Zoroafteri '\ The Underjianding of this Trince im* prov'd as he advanc'd in Tears. His Tafte and his Genius led him to the Study of the fublime Sciences 5 confequently it was but natural for him to Ihew, that he was the wifer for the Ledures of that great Philofo- pher. Your Anfwcr is very good, reply'd the Marchionefs ; but how comes it that * Arafpesy isuhofe Temper was gaj, and his Judgment foltd at the fame 'Time, does not ftart a Converfation more judicious, more delicate, and more agreeable ? He had ^^qw I know not how many Things in Egypt : Had he nothing to fay to Cyrus, relating to the Wonders of this Country, which have excited the Curiofity of the greatcft Men of Antiquity ? I hate to fee a Charader in a Work which neither fpeaks nor ads. Verily, Arafpes is a ftupid Ignoramus, unlefs t Travels of Cyrus, Vol, I, p. 60. ♦ Ibid. p. 53. D 4 ^e 5? ConYtr(mon$ upon t7:)e Conv.IIL he be a religious and faithful Pupil of Py- thagoras. He difcovers fome flight Alarms, for fear he fliould lofe the Friend (hip of Cy- rus, talks next of FiHi, and that's all he fays. Are thefe the Features by which we may diftinguifli a * Man that "jvas born for Arms as well as prrnd for a Court y and who was qualify d for every thing both in Teace and War ? When an Author has fix'd the Character of an Hero, ought he not to reprefent him afterwards, conformably to the Idea which he has given of him to the Rea- der? Arafpes would have pleas'd mc, or rather, would not have difoblig'd me, if he had contributed to the Indruclion of Cyrus. Could he not have faid, at leaft, what the Author has thought fit to fay him- felf, as a grave Hiftorian ? Another Fault, which I have not yet men- tioned, continued the Marchionefs, is our Au- thor's fcrupulous Formality in the Journey. Cyrus no fooner comes to a Town, but Mr. Ramfay gives a Geographical Defcription of it, and an Hiftorical Account of all that he * Cyrtii p. S3. can Con V. III. Travels of Cyrus. ^<^ can find out in it : Which puts me in mind of a half-witted Author, who, in his Relation of the Journey of the Spanijb Infanta to France, gave us a fine Hiflory of all the Towns file pafTed thro', which was Matter to adorn the Mercury for a whole Year, For Example, what has Cyrus to do with the Hiftory of Anaxandr'ides and At i ft on ^ who. were both Kings of Laced^mon at the fame Time > Has the Hero of the Book any Share in their Adventures ? But, Madam, reply'd the Chevalier, is there not a vaft deal of Wit and Genius in thofe inflru£live Particulars ? All the time that Cyrus is at Lacedamon, does he not keep up the Port of a Prince with Dig- nity ? He is not a Hero ficittioufly ^ great : All his Views are turn'd either to Politicks or Arms. Tis Chilo who gives Cjnis a living Reprefentation f of the Laws, Man- ners, and Form of Government of Lace* damon ■! own, faid the Marchioncfs, that there arc fome Beauties in this Detail, but really I can't bear to fee how the Au- « Preface to the Ifle of Reafon has ficjivemenr. t Cyruj, Vol. I. p. zu. thor 6o Conyevfktions upon the Con v. Ill, thor brings them in. Afccr having told me that the wife Spartan was going to difcouiTe with Cyrus J I perceive that 'tis Mr. Ramfay himfelf who fpcaks to me, and learnedly deals out the Hiftory of the Revolutions of Lacedicmon^ while Cyrus is gone to the Council of the Gerontes^ or old Senators cftablifli'd by Lycurgus, Is there not a great deal of Art in it ? Chilo and Cj/rus don't join Converfation till a long Time after. As for Arafpes^ he is not to be reckon'd, he is 2ijilent Prince : But I am vaftly pleafcd to fee a young Piincc, like Qr«j, fliock'd at thofe publick Affemblies, where the young Girls, almojinaked'^j and the Boys probably the fame, contended for the Prize in Run- ning, Wreftling, and Dancing. But at the fame Time I am a little difturb'd to hear the Philofopher Chilo gravely faying, in Defence of this dangerous Cuftom, that Lycurgus thought it poffible to deaden the Fire of voluptuous Defires, by accuftoming the Eye fometimes to thofe Obje6is which excite them f. Is not this Philofophy fomq- what cynical ? * CyYHS p. a 1 5. t Ibid, p.: 1 8. For Con V. III. Travels of Cyrus. 6% For my own Part, rcply'd the Chevalier, tho' it fliould vex you, 1 maintain that the Moral is very judicious. Don't we every Day fee Men, who, after having liv'd a long Time like Reclufes from the World, have rendered themfelvcs ridiculous by their foolilh Paflion , as foon as they have feen pretty Women ? If their Eyes had been accuftom'd to them, they would have flood their Charms wirh more Safety. But in this Part of the Book let us rather con- fidcr the ufcful Laws, the Military Dilcipline, the prudent and auftcre Education of their Children, thofe Games and Feads at which they were both merry and wife, and, above all> that problematick Style which fometimes prevails in the Difcourlcs of Chilo and CjniSy snd is the more ingenious, becaufe 'tis not dangerous to take either Side of the Pro- blem. I own, reply'd the Marchionefs, that I read all that relates to the Lacedemonian Government with a great deal of Pleafure. But the following is a PaiTage which I don't th;nk juft : As all zi'as in common rn this Republick^ 6i Converfations upon the Conv.IIL Repuhlickj thofe Vices (that is to fay Thefts and Robberies) could have no Tlace there *. To flievv the Falfhood of this Reflciaion, we need only fuppofe that one or two Ci- tizens fhould offer to monopolize the pub- lick Revenues, would not the Robbery in that Cafe be the fame at Lacedamon as elfewhere ? That's a deep-thought Criticifm, reply'd the Chevalier, and you fpare no In- vention to convince me of the Author's ab- furd Conclufion, that from the Commonnefs of all Things at Lacedaemon, Vices could not have ^lace there. Neverthelefs he means that this Nation was not like ours, under the Empire of Concupifcence and Vice-, becaufe the f Principle of Property was banifli'd from that virtuous Rcpublick. But however, continu'd he, you were pleafed with the Method which the Author took to flicw his Hero the Military Difci- pline of Greece^. Tis Leonidas who, upon the Pvoad, inftructs Cyrus ^nd/lrajpes mounted upon two proud Steeds, They ride to- * Cyrus, Vol. I. p. ii^. t £fp-i( proprietaire. Diet.- Neoi. § Pyrus, p. ;i5. gether CoNv. III. Travels of Cyrus. 6i gether into a Plain, where the Troops were aflcmbled to pafs in Review before Cyrus^ and to fhew him all the Exercife in Ufe among the Greeks, Mr. Ramfay is thoroughly vcrs'd in the Tadticks, and expreffes himfclf like a Man that knows every Term in the Heroes Art. I have made a Remark, rcply'd the Marchionefs, that the Au- thor has copied the Defcription of a real ferious Battle, in order to give Cynis an in- ftrudive Idea of Military Exercifes. Ch'ilo has given a living Reprefentation of the Laws of Sparta 5 but here * Leonidas^^wzs a murderous Reprefentation of the Laws of War : * They rufli one againft another with ' Pikes potted j Each Phalanx advances in ' clofc Order, Buckler join'd to Buckler, ' Helmet to Helmet, Man to Man 5 the < two Bodies attack, mix, fight, break thro' * each other's Ranks. The Beficged j^^'Ci^vr < down Stones and^arts.' And all this, neverthelefs, without any Blood fhed by Mr. Ramfay. For, fays he, in Time of Peace a noble Emulation is kept up in their « Vol.1, p. 231. Minds, 6/\, Converfations t4pon the Con v. III. Minds, without Enmity, and without (hed- ding Blood. But thofc Warriors muft have been very dexterous to Jho'ujer down Stones and ^arts, without killing any- body. I confefs, reply'd the Chevalier, that the Battle is pretty warm, and that Mr. Kamfay might well have Ihcd fomc Blood, without knowing or intending it ; but in the Defcription of a Battle, 'tis a hard Matter to keep the Fancy from foaring beyond Bounds, and the Tranfition is very eafy, from a Battle that is feignedly * warm, to an A(Srion really bloody. That is as much as to fay, reply'd the Marchionefs, that the Author in this Paflagc is like the Children that fight in Jeft at firft, and come to down right Blows at laft. But, file added, what fay you of the Adventures of ^eriander King of Corinth? Really I can't bear to think that the In- terment of that King's Son Lycophron (hould be an Occafion for the Author's giving us the whole Hiftory of his Reign. Is it not horribly indecent to make Trocles the Prince * FiHivcment, lilc of Rcafon. of CoNV. HI. Travels of Cyrus. (J j of Epidaiiriis entertain a violent Paflion for Mehjfa, that is to lay, his own Daughter ? The Author feigns that Melijja was Heirefs to the Crown of Arcadia. Is it toLerable to falfify, to luch a Degree, Fads that are fo notorious, and taken from the moft common Books ? At that time Truth and falihood were ftrangely confounded in his Imagination. But is this keeping to what he promis'd in his Preface ? ' The only Li- ' bcrty I have indulged myfelf in, is, to * throwCircumftances and Characters into my ' Hiftorical Epilbdcs, to render my Narration * more intruding and affcding/ We may judge of the Circumftances which the Au- thor has thrown into his Narration by the following. He reports how Melijfa efcap'd out of her Prifon : * The Perfon, fays he, * under whofe Charge Crocks had left her, ' olfer'd to condud her to Qorcyra with her ' Son, and they all Three efcap'd by a fub- ' terraneous Paflagc ' Mr. Kamfay is very fond of Paffages under Ground. They al- ways run in his Head, and he knows no Oihcr Way of bringing himfelf cff, efpe- cially when he is to promote the Efcape of Prifoners. We have alrcadv fccn that he tmplo) 'd 66 Converfations upon the Conv.IIL employ'd a fubterraneous PafTagc for the De- liverance of Amenophis and Arobal^ however then he told us whither that Paflage led,whercas here he docs not mention it, and only leaves us to guefs it. But I am obliged to him for the fuccind: Account he gives us, like a dry G:.zetteer, that Cyrus went to ArgoSj from Argos to Mycena, from Mycena to SicjoUj from Sicyon to Thebes : For 1 fliould have been furfeited, if he had ob- ferv'd his ufual Method here, and told me every Incident that happen'd in the feveral Countries he paffed thro*. I applaud that, faid the Chevalier, for wife and prudent Management, which you are pleas'd to find Fault with. The Au- thor, in regard to Corinth, meets with an Hiftorical Fad, which is capable of £m- bellifhment, and makes Choiceof itexclufive of others. Is not this ading like a Man of Scnfe ? I give you up the fubterraneous Paflagcs as nothing more than a Repetition of Ideas, which is not in the Strain of a Philofophcr. But, he added, we are now come to a Paflage, where I am confident that all your Remarks will be Notes of Ad- miration, CoNv.lII. Travels of Cyrus. 67 miration. Cyrus arrives at Athens ; the Scene is open'd by a magnificent Defcrip- tion of the Royal Palace. But, as ill Luck would have it, faid the Marchionefs, Ar- chitedure and Sculpture were not come to that Pitch of Perfedion in Solon's Time, as the Author fuppofes. He carries me to the Age of Tericles. What, faid the Chevalier, would you eftimate a Work of this Nature by Chronological Calculations ? Nothing could afFed me more delicately. But, faid he^ when ^'tfijtratus comes to treat of State Af- fairs, what a Maficr is he of the Style of great Politicians ! Who can forbear devoting his Attention to him ? This, Cpus does to Per- fcdion, reply'd the Marchionefs, for the Prince not only devotes his Attention, but feems as if he had vow'd Silence. In fliorr, this fourth Book appears to have been form'd entirely after the Model of the former ; the Mechanifm is the fame ; and the Defcrip- tions of the Towns, the Hiftorical Incidents, the Political Maxims, the fame. Cyrus was at Laced cemon to fee how they fought by Land ; He comes to Athens to fee a Sea- Fight, and here the Author is guilty of the E very 68 ConvextsLtions upo?i the Conv. IIL very fame Fault : * ' The Ships at firft fall back, then advance, and bear down upon each other with Fury j They break and fplit one another with their pointed Beaks, tipp'd with Iron. Some run againft the Prow, fome againft the Poop, others againft the Sides, while the Ships that are attack'd put out ihcir Oars to break the Violence of the Shock. The two Fleets grapple, and come to clofe Engagement. Here, the Soldiers leap from one Ship to another. There they lay Bridges to pafs over into the Enemies Vcftcls. The Sea is already cover'd with Men fwimming for their Lives upon the broken Oars, and the Benches of the Rowers.' Tis plain that the Author does not know the Value of the j4the7iian Ships, for the piercing zw(\fplitting of them gives him no Pain. May I never hope, Paid the Chevalier, that you will give the Author fome Praife free from Exception f ? Can you refufe it to that important Detail which he gives of the * The Pafligc -.vhich is Comnm'd, tho' quoted exactly froro Mr. Raittfay's French, p. 328. is omitted in his En^lifly. \ Vitrs d' Exception ? Diit, Ncol. Revolu- CoNv. III. Travels of Cyrus. 69 Revolutions that happen'd in the Reign of ^tfijlratus \ This King of Athens relates them with fuch a Grace, and fuch Orna- ments, that 'lis inipoflible not to admire them. The Ladies efpecially mufl: applaud that generous Part, aded by his affcdionare Spoufe, who fled, rather than he fliould be deprived of the Scepter. Yes, faid the Mar- chionefs, but I fear that fome abufive Wit will be apt to pafs an ill-natur'd Joke upon this Retirement of the Princcfs. After all, it does not appear to me that Tififtratus gives this curious Hiftory for the Sake of Cyrus ; for he had already related it to him when he arrived at Atkeyis, and probably 'tis for want of Memory that he tires his Gueft with the naufeous Repetition : ' Dli- * ring the Regale, the King of Athens en- * tertnin'd Cyrus with an Account of the * Revolutions which had happen'd in the ' State in his Time> the Caufcs of his Exile * and Rcftoration, after havnig been twice * dcthron'd : He artfully painted the Dif- * orders of a popular Government, that he * might create an Abhorrence of it.' There's the Sum and Subftance of the whole Hiftory of T'rfiftratiis j and yet he is fo talkative as £ 2 to 70 Converfations upon the Conv. III. to tell it over again fome time after to Cyrus^ who is fo complaifant as to hear him our, without putting him in mind that he had told it all to him once before. But the Reader is not obliged to the fame In- dulgence for Mr. Ramfay, with whom he has tree Leave to find what Fault he thinks tit. Bur, faid flic, who can help being afto- niQVd at the Explanation which Solon gives to Cyrus of Tragedy ? The Author indeed makes him treat of this Subjed politely, but what he fays is Icarce reconcileable with the Hiftory of the Progrefs of Poetry ; and all the fine Precepts which he lays down, are abroiutely mifplac'd. We know that all the Tragedy of thofe Times was adled in the Fields upon Waggons, by forry Buf- foons. Mean time Solon fpeaks like a Wit of Athens, who had Feen the Tragedies of Sophocles or Euripides, or rather thofe of QomeiUe and Racine : Moreover, I have read in Hiftory, that this Philofopher who fo pathetically dcfcribts the Political Springs of Tragical Reprcfentations, dcciar'd himfelf openly againft 7 he [pis the Poet, the firft Man CoNv.IlI. Travels of Cyrus. 71 Man that ever wrote Tragedks. Could Mr. Ramfay be ignorant of this ? I uon't find To much Fault with the Manner in which Solon treats of Epick Pocfy : He v/as a Poet as well as a Philofopher 5 and befides. Ho- mer's Poems were read at that Time all over Greece 5 but how comes it that 'P//?- Jiratus, who had col lc6led them, and, to be fure, underflood them, makes fo little men- tion of this Poet, for whom he had fuch a Value ? And as for Mr. Ra?i7fayj who was born in a Country where they have not yet thought fit to run him down, much le(s to disfigure him, what Rcafons could he have to forbear mentioning him with Advantage? Was he fearful of offending any Friend ? I had as lief hear Solon talk like a Madam Racier, as to fee him treat upon the An of Rhetorick, like a RoUin or a Gilbert, However, faid the Chevalier, there's a great deal of Fancy and Delicacy in thofe Reflexions, and I never fiiw SubjeBs of IVit handled with fo much Art and Solidity. The principal Thing I admire is the Audior's Ingenuity, where, under a plcailng Allegory, he gives us the Preference over other Na- E ^ tions 72 Cony exkuons upon the Conv. III. tions in Works of Wit and Genius : * * I * f.c, faid CyniSy that you have finer Scnti- ' ments than other Nations ; that you are * more pcrfcdiy acquainted with human ' Nature 'lis for want of Scnfibility that * we do not diftinguifli, like you, the dif- * fcrent Shades of human Thoughts and * Paflions, and that we are not acquainted ' with thofe foft and fwcet Plcafurcs which * arife from deUcate Sentiments.' There's a Pancgyrick upon our Nation, which is enough to difarm Criticifm. As far as I fee, rcply'd the Marchionefs, the Author has imparted his Secret to you : However^ I never tiiought that he would have taken a Fancy to give a Charadlcr of our modern Wits, efpecially after I had feen the Model he drew for a Philofophical Poet j tho' I am obliged to him for having told me what he meant by a Poet of this Scamp. At firft I fufpeded him of a Dcfign to introduce that dull Logick into Poetry, which has flourifh'd for a Time amongft us ; which calls to my Mind a particular Paifagein the Book of C^/jf j the ingenious Author of which Trad fays fome- * Cyriif, Vol. I, p. 50(5. t This was t!ie Tide of aTipatifelatclypublifh'd in Fr.wce, which was criticii'd by anjCherwlimfical Piece, iatitleJ, TheCalotinRac. where. CoNv. III. Travels of Cyrus. 73 where, that Ronfard compos'd a lorry Piece againft great Cats, becaufe the Toet kad no Thilofuphy, As to the Book about CatSy do you know, added fhe, that one might draw a pretty Parallel between the Cats and Cyrus's Tra^ 'vels ? You would fay it is foolifh ; but thefe arc fome of the Features in which they may be faid to be ahke. Both Tracts are written with an elegant Brevity, interrpers'd with affeded new-coin'd Phrafes, full of Learning and Mythology, and back'd with the Recom- mendation of feveral Wits of the Age in which they were written. Both were cx- ceflively applauded, before they faw the Light, and both have had the Favour of Reverend Patrons. Invention and Genius arc the View in both. The Cats, indeed, died at the Birth, but the Cjrus is dill alii/e. All Mankind is agreed as to the firlT, but as to the lecond tl?ey are divided. Meilicurs Af. and R. have put both the antient and mo- dern Authors under Contribution. The Author of the Cats always quotes ; the Au- thor of C/r/^J but feldom, for Reafons which he knows, and which I fhall endeavour to E 4 be 74 ConvcrfsLtions upon J &c. Conv.IIL be Mafter of. The Cats no fooner popp'd their Heads out of the Bookfellers Warehoufe, but the Calotin Rat thought fit to fall upon 'em. The Cyms has no need to be criticised, at lead, they fay that the Author and his illuftrious Friends think fo, iho' every- body clfe wifhes it. Jufi: as the Chevalier was going to draw another Parallel between thefc two Books, Word was brcught of the Arrival of the Abbat de * * *, an intimate Friend of the Marchioncfti. She was impatient to fee him, becaufe he was a Man of fine Learning, a folid Tafle, and one that was likely to give her a great deal of Light into the Cyrus. This Abbar, who knew Mr. Ramfav^ had a great Eifeem for his Perfon, but little for his Per. formance, and read its Doom as foon as it came out of the Prefs. He is now forry to fee his Prophecy accomplifii'd, but as he is a Lover of Truth, he is fo far from a6ling like fome of the Author's Fdcnds, that he freely fays what he thinks of his Book, be- ing convinced that the Progrcfs of Learning and Judgment depends on the judicious and imccre Criticirai of polite Writings. CON- CONVERSATIONS UPON THE TRAVELS O F CYRUS. The Fourth Conversation. H E Moment that Word was brought to the Marchionefs, that the Abbat ^^ * * * was arrived, fhe put a Trick upon the Chevaher, by making him believe, that this Abbat, to whom he was an entire Stranger, was a zealous Stickler for the Wits a la ModCy and that, probably, he was one of the Admirers of the Cyrtts. The Chevalier y(> Convcrfations upon the Conv.IV. Chevalier feem'd overjoy'd at ir, and thought that with fuch a Reinforcement he could defend the Second Volume againft all Op- pofition, if the Marchionefs was inclin'd to continue the Difpute. He even hop'd, that he fliould force her toconfefs, thatnotwiih- ftanding her Cenfure, the Cyrus^ in the gene- ral, was an excellent Book, and not a bit the worfe for the Fault fhc found with it. With this Expedation he made it his Study to gain the Abbat's good Opinion, paid him a thoufand fine Compliments, and his Zeal for the Cyrus was as induftrious as if he had been the Author of it. Which cannot be furprizing, bccaufe we dally fee Perfons fo prcpoffcflcd in favour of celebrated Writers, as to efpoufe their Sentiments and Interefts, to defend them againft Criticifm, to rail at their Cenfurers, to foUicit Advocates, and to form a fort of AlTociation and Confede- racy againft the general Tafte of the Pub- Jick. The Chevalier therefore, not doubting to find the Abbat of his Opinion, with refpeft to the Travels of Cyrus j only waited for a proper Opportunity to turn the Converfation upon CoNv.IV' Travels of Cyrus. 77 upon that Subjedt. But the Abbat fav'd him that Trouble, by telling the Marchionefs, that he had met with a philofophical kind of Mafqueradc upon the Road, much like that of the Archimagus Zoroafier. You fee. Madam, the Abbat added, with a Smile, that from Tarts to this Place, which is but ten Leagues, I have had more Intrigues than €yrus, who had not fo much as one in all his tedious Travels. Is it polRble for a Man of Wit and Tafte, and a Sediary of Cyrtis^ * rcply'd the Chevalier, to compare a Tour for Pleafure with a Journey for the Sake of Philofophy and Politicks, a Journey from which agreeable Trifling f is banifhed, and in which the Imagination cannot but excite folid Joys to pleafe the Mind ? The Abbat was juft going to anfwer, and to (hew that he was far from being a SeEiary of Cyrtis^ when the Marchionefs tipp'd the Wink up- on him, which cngag'd him afterwards, in complaifance to the Chevalier, to change his Note. * SeBaire de Cyrus ^ Dift. Ncologiq. t Q»rK/'s Travels, Vol. I. p. 7. Really, Converfations upon the Con v. IV.' Really, M. I' Abbe, faid the Marchionefs, had you been but with us within this Day or two paft, you would have been not a little mortify 'd to fee how I differed the whole firft Volume of the Cyrus^ before this poor Gentleman : I have fome Re- morfe, fhe added, for having fower'd him fo much, therefore I give you Leave to join him, in commending the Work, and won't put in a Word, unlefs it be, perhaps, to ask a Qiie- ftion. That is perfeftly right. Madam, faid the Chevalier. I fufpcd that x^a^Cyrus is no longer invefted with your Hatred *, and that you have now fome Bowels for him : Mean time, M, V Abbe fliall have all the Honour of your Converfion. I defire no- thing more, provided you do but beftowthe highcft Encomiums, to attone for the Cen- lures which you have unmercifully laid up* on the Cyrus. Verily, faid the Abbat, the Book defcrves a vaft Commendation. What 1 chiefly took Notice of in it, faid he, is the natural De- licacy of the Tanfitions. The Generality of * Invefii de voire haine. Abbe da Ponfi Difieitation on Epick P o«try. Authors CoNv. IV. Travels of Cyrus. 7p Authors ftudy to conned their Matter 'till they fweat. But Mr. Ramfay^ unwilling that his Writings jQiould appear with the Marks of Art and Labour, difclaims fuch Affectation : A Neverthelefs and a But are repeated, apropos^ in every Page, and nicely conneft almoft every Subjed he treats ofi fo that his Tranfitions are as free as any in la Bruyere, I alfo admire the conftant in- defatigable Zeal of the Author, to entertain his Hero always with the fame Articles, Religion, Philofophy, and Politicks. Tho' Cyrus makes eight feveral Journeys, yet there is fuch an exad Correfpondence and Refcmblance between them, that they ail feem to be but one. To contrive fuch a juft Proportion abfolutely requires a projed- ing Brain. Mr. Ramfay himfelf, reply'd the Cheva- lier, could not give his Work a handfomer Charadcr. How forry am I that you were not here when we cxamin'd the Firft Vo- lume ! But 'tis my Comfort, that now we fliall, undoubtedly, oblige Madam to con- fcfs, that in the remaining Part of the Book, the Author has exalted his Genius to a higher Pitch, 8o Convcrfations upon the Conv.IVo Pitch, and that he is above all manner of Criticifm. The Temple of Crete, where Cyrus and Arafpes met the great Tytha- goras, the Allegorical Account of the three States of the World, and above all, that Philofopher's Difputc with Anaximander, are h.ippy and tranfcendent Paflages, which captivate the Admiration of an attentive Reader. Truly, reply'd the Abbat, who can but admire, for inftance, the marvellous Skill of the Author, in appropriating to himfelf all the Difcoveries, made by his extenfive and profound Knowledge in the celebrated Authors, both of his own Nation and ours ? Read but the Intellectual Syflem of the Uni' 'verfe, by Vn^Cudworth, fo happily abridg'd in feveral Volumes of the Bibliotheque choifiey and you will fee that Mr. Ramfay has recourfe to good Originals with Advan- tage, and that he has fuch a happy Talent of feleding and conneding Paflages from the fcvcral ancient Authors, learnedly quo- ted by that Englijh Writer, that he kcms to have fpent his whole Life in perufing and colleding them fo glorioufly as he does, in Con V. IV. Travels 0/ Cyrus. ti in his ^ijcourfe upon Mythology. No wonder the Publick is charm'd with the agreeable Fable of a fecond Hermes brought up by a She- Goat; for not one good Piece written by his Country- men has efcap'd him, and he had read in the Life of Hai^Ebn- Tokdhaniy tranflated out of Arabick into Englijh by Mr. Ockley, that this Indian^ who was nouri filed by a Hind in a Foreft, perfected his Reafon by Degrees, like to Hermes^ and attain'd of himfelf, without any Afliftance, to the fublimeft Difcoverics in Philofophy. The Hiftory of this Indian makes an entire Book, which has been of very great Service to Mr. Ramfay. But this ingenious Gentleman knows alfoour choice French Books, and cfpccially the Univerfal Hiftory ot the Bifiiop of Meaux^ for which he has liich a Veneration, that he has thought fit to fill fourteen Pages of his Book with one of the fined Paflagcs in that Hiftory, almoft without any Variation. * The Au- thor's laudable Attachment to the late Arch- bifliop of Cambray was alfo a kind of In- junction upon him, to infert in his Book • See CyMs Vol. I. from p, 157. to 179. and Vol. II. p. 175. fcvcral t 82 Converjfations upon the Con v. IV. fcvcral of the Archbifhop's Thoughts and Expreilions in his Telemachus, and to fhew the World how well he was acquainted both with the Mind and Writings of his illuftri- ous Matter. Nor has Mr. Kamfay forgot his own dear felf j for after having copy'd or imitated the Great Authors with fo much Art and Judg- ment, he thought he might furely take the fame Freedom with himfelf^ and not fcruple to repeat himfelf^ for the Good of the Pub- lick, in an important Book, which was like to be much more talk'd of than all he had publifli'd before. For inftancc, compare on- ly Tage 20, (i^c, to Tage 25. of Vol, II. with the Second Part of the Thtlofophical T)ifcourfe of pure Love, which is at the End of M. Fenelon's Life ( of the Hague Edition, in 1723. but omitted in the Bruf- fels Edition in 1725,) You will find him an Author always firm, conftant, and unfliakcn in his favourite Principles; an Author, who rather than mifs an Opportunity of expoling them in their full Luftre, did not think an Anachronifm any Objedion to his putting two ancient Philofophers, fuch as Anaxi- mander CoNv.IV. Travels of Cyrus. 85 mander and Tythagoras, in the Difguife of modern Difputants. For I don't believe that cither Anaximander or Pythagoras ever thought of Ttire Love any more than the Magi, who, according to the Au- thor, attack'd this Do6\rine abfurdly. Thefe are ingenious and iublime Fictions, for which we are oblig'd to his Zeal and beautiful hua- gination. The Marchionefs then interrupted the Ab- bat, to ask him, If Mr Ramfay had always faithfully quoted the fine PafTages which he had fo familiarly borrow'd from the feveral Authors ? No, Madam, anfwer'd the Ab- bat, that would have been a vain Difolay of affected Learning, which ;ie modcftly chofe to avoid. And that he might lie un- der no Reproach upon this Article, and that nobody might complain, he has wifely avoided to quote Himfelf, whenever he re- peats Himfch veroathn. After all, he de- ferves to be commended for his Ingenuity, inputting feveral cunning Objedions in the Mou:h of Anaximander the Philofopher, which he had formerly jflated himfelf to the Archbifliop of Ca'mbray, and for reinforcing F them 84 Converfacions upon the Conv. IV- them with many other Arguments taken from Cudiz'orth's Book *. The Chevaher feenVd fomewhat con- founded at the Praifes which the Abbat gave the Author of Cyrus, and really did not know whether he had beft applaud the Abbat or contradict him, join with him or fland upon the Defenfivc 5 however, he thought fit to put in a Word. What you faid laft, rcply'd he to the Abbat, might in one Senfe be deem'd folid and delicate: But I would fain add fome Reafons, that, I think, as fttong as yours, which way foever you undeiiland them. Surely fo learned a Man as Cuduoorth^ cou'd only let out his Field to Mr. Ramfay to clear //f, and 'tis not poflible that a Man, fluck out with Greeks fjebrew, and Oriental Learning, could ever invent the fine Things that are contain'd in Cyrtis. Ockl'.ys Book is a foreign Piece, to us unknown j confcquently Mr. Ramfay had fuffi:icnt Warrant to transfer the Subftance of ic into our Language, and into his Work, without being oblig'd to make a Difcovery * See the Life of M. de FeneloK, by Mr. Ramfay. t Pteier J'o;t champ four k defricbtr. Di£t, Neologiq. of CoNv. IV. Travels of Cyrus. 85 of fo little Moment, to the French, as to reii from whence he took it. As to the fourteen Pages taken veri^atim, from the Univerfal H'tftory of the Bifhop of Meaux, may we not fay that it has happcn'd to tliis Man, from a prodigious Effort of AppUca- tion to his Subjed:, as it did fome Years ago to a great Poet, who had thrown a celebrated Verfe out QiCorneille into one of his Trage- dies, and to excufe his Theft, faid, He ijvas jorc'd to it by the Nature of his Stibjedi *. As to thofe Pjflagcs out of M. Fenelons Life, which Mr. Ramfay has fupprefb'd in the Second Edition of this Book, and made Ufe of in the Cyrlis, it would be unjuft to reproach him with being a Plagiary of Him- felf. Who knows but he omitted and fup- prefs'd them in that Second Edition on pur- pofe to bring them in here? Thefe are precious Shreds f, rcplac'd in their natural Texture. Be this as it will, you n uft own, faid the Chevalier, that the Difpute betwixt Anaxi- * Preface to Ines de Cufiro. No Affront is intended by this to M.J). L. M. for one Poet may eafily chime in the fame\'erfe with another. t Preciettx lamhcaux. Diit. Ncologiq. f 2 mmder Convcrfations upon the Conv.IV- wander and Tyth^'^gcras is nicely work'd up* Anaxmander talks like an impious, rafh Plii- lolopher, and Pythagoras confounds him. Incredulity is here attack'd in its laft In- trenchmenr. What Honor ! what Wonder ieizes the Mind in the Heat of the Di(putc, to hear the Thunder rattle, and to fee the Light- Jiing juft ready to blaft the Athciftical Philo- fopher ! That's true, faid the Marchionefs, but docs not this Ficlion fecm a little too Theatrical ? Et le Songe finit par un coup de tonnerre, i. e. Aiid the 'Drcajn vanijhcs in a Clap of Thunder. Anaximander^ frighten'd at the Noifc of the Thunder, lc.ys, he belie'ves, but that he is rM yet enlighten d \ that his Heart is tOHch'd, but his Underftandmg is not yet convinc'd. Mean time, as ibon as the Thunder ceafcs to roar, he believes no longer J his Heart is no longer touch' d\ his Impiety incrcafcs, and he puflics his Atheifm to a Degree of Extravagance. Really he fecms to me like a Criminal upon the Rack, who is forc'd by the Torments to own what his CoNv.IV. Travels of Cyrus. 8/ his Executioner would liavc him, and after- wards denies every Word tiiat he declar'd. In fliorr, I confcfs to you, that the whole Difpure is vaflly diiagrceable to me ; Anaxt- mander I abhor, and Tythagoras I pity. But, I befcech you, continued the Mar- chionefs, let us talk no more of this odious Paflage, but rather hear Cynts, who begins to have fome judgment, and makes it ap- pear by his critical Dcfcant upon the Govern- inents of Egypt, Athens, and Lacedamon, Fythagoras afterwards acquaints him of the Laws of Minos, and of the feveral Revolu- tions that happened in the Ifle of Crete j but how fuperncial and wild is it all ! Ah ! Ma- dam, reply'd the Abbat, you ought rather to commend Mr. Ram fays Caution, who >vas not willing to fliew himfelf M. Fenelons Rival. Read but the two Books of Tel^- machnSf you will conceive a noble Idea of the Legiflature of Crete. As to the Hifto- ricalFads, the Prelate had already mention'd the moft confidcrable Events. Confcqucntly Mr. Ramfay durft nor fo much as venture at an Imitation of 'em ; fuch Experiments being not always made with Succcfs. F 3 But, Converfations upon the Con v. IV. But, fuiely Madam, rcply'd the Cheva- lier, you approve of the Rcfledions made by Cynts and Arajpes j you will no longer reproach them for being Mutes. How in- genioufly arc the various Shades difpos'd, which appear in that fine Contrafl: of the different Charaders of the Greeks and the Eg'iptians ! Bur, replj'd the Marchionefs, are thofe Charadcrs natural and juft ? Arc they not dcl^:rib'd in the modern Way, and painted according to the prefent Tafte ? It would be merry to fee fgypians and Greeks wcarinii Hats and Perukes. Here the Abbat interrupted the Marchio- neis, to ask her if flic had read Mr. Ram- fay'&Lifc of M. Fenelon. Yes, fhe faid, and 1 have it in my Clofet. The Abbat, with her Ladydiip's Leave, went for it, and read out of it what follows i * 'The Greeks had * not that Art which the Moderns have, of ' methodizing their Arguments, in condud- ' ing them by Degrees, from (imple Princi- * pies to more compounded Ideas, and pur- '■ luing the Truth in all its Relations, by a * P.ig. i(5i. of the ^m/rfi-i/^m Edition. Gcome- CoNv. IV. Travels of Cyrus. 89 * Geometrical Connexion.' You fee, faid the Abbatj what Mr. Ram fay thinks of it h^re. Now mind what he fays of it in his Cyrus i *• Tho. Greeks J fays he, f know how ' to come at hidden Truths, by a Chain of ' known and eafi Truths. That ingenious ' Method of ranging each Idea in its proper * Place, of leading the Mind by Degrees * from the mod fimple Truths, to the mofl ' compounded, with Order, Pcrfpicuity, and ' Brevity, is a Secret known to them !' It muft be confefs'd, that Mr. Ramfay can, when needs mud, and whenever he plcafes, forbear to repeat or rcfemblc himfelf. Be- fldcs, thofe Greeks J who, according to him, furpafs the Egyptians in Matters relating to Geometry and Philofophy, are the very Men, who prefer the agreeable Kinds of Knowledge to abJtraB Ideas ^ and the Arts of Imitation to nice Speculation-, * that is to fay, they cxcell in Things of which they make little Account. What delicate Praifc is this ! \ Cyrus Vol. II. p. 59. ♦ Ibid. p. 57. F 4 This j?o Converfations upon the Conv.IV. This is not all, faid the Chevalier, for in this Parallel of the Greeks with the Chaldtc- ans and Egyptians^ there is a very obliging Alluiion. By the Greeks are to be under- flood the French, and by the Egyptians the Engltjh, Was it not an \di. of Gcncrofuy and Politenefs in Mr. Kamfay^ to make his Hero an Advocate for the French, and to leave the under Part, viz. the Defence of ihQ Englifij \o Arafpesl I queflion, rcply'd the MarchioncG, whether we arc fo much oblig'd to him for having made us Greeks > I fhould have likM it full as well if he had ni.^dc us Fgyptians, Their Original Genius \ the Invention of Arts ; their Difcoverics in Natural Philofophy and the Mcchanicks; is not all this better than what the Author allows to the Greeks ? Tis true, that he gives rhefe the Preference, with refpecl to the Mathematicks j but what's the Rcafon of this Preference ? Who does not know that the Chaldaans and the Egyptians were the firft and the profoundert Mathematicians in the World ) Madam, reply'd the Abbar, I am sflur'd that there's a different Turn given to this Paflage, in the Edition which Mr. Rampy publifli'd of his Book in Engltjh. CoNV.IV. Travels of Cyrus. 91 Engltfi, Therefore, as the Author's folc Aim has been to praifc and to plcafe, he ought to be forgiven every thing for the Sake of his Politenefs. Yes, undoubtedly, reply 'd the Chevalier, becaufc Mr. Ramfay did not compofe his Work either for the Greeks or the Egyp- tians j but for us, that is to f^y, for our Pleafure and for our Inftrudion. This, pro- bably, is the Reafon, faid the Abbat, why we find fo many Allegories and Allufions in the Cyrus. 'Tis rumour'd at 'Paris, that as Mademoifellc Sender y has painted all the Ci- tizens of her QLiarter of the Town in her Clelia, fo Mr. Ramfay, who has a more exalted Genius, has, after her Example, given us the Charadlcrs of all his illuftrious friends. This is true, faid the Chevalier, and it may be faid, that as he has repre- fentcd the Greeks^ that is to fay, the French^ as profound Geometricians, 'tis becaufe he has the Advantage to be acquainted with the mofl celebrated, and the moft judicious Cal- culators, who are aifo my Friends, and with whom I have made a great Progrefs in the Art of Logick. For, upon my Faith, no- thing ^2 Converfations upon the Con v. I V* thing can be brought to Perfcdion, not even an Epigram, without Geometry. This is our grand Principle, and vvc affirm, that CorneiUe and i?^f/»^ were Geometricians. The Marchionefs and the Abbat could not help fmiUng at this extravagant Notion. The Chevalier proceeded thus. The Time is come at laft, when you muft give me leave. Madam, to triumph in my Turn. Here's the Seventh Book of the Cyrus ; fuffer me to exclaim with Admiration, ar the Sight of this Matter- piece. What a wonderful Variety is here ! The magniticent Defcription of Tjyre j Amenophis found again 5 Arobal upon the Throne ; the Diflertation upon Com- merce j the Return of Cyrus into Terfia ; the Death of Mandana ; the CharaQcr of an artful Minifter ; the Vidory gain d by Cyrus over the Medes 5 the Political and Alilitary Virtues of this Hero This Se- venth Book, faid the Marchionefs, inter- rupting him, has given me as much Pleafure as vou. But what do vou think of it, M- 1' Abbe ? This Part of the Cyrus ^ faid he, is the more Praifeworthy, in my Opinion, becaufe Mr. Ramfav, in his Defcription of CoNv.IV. Travels of Cyrus. j^j' Tyre, has modeftly obferv'd an Inferiority to M. de Fendon, who has treated of the fame Subjcd fo happily, that his not having done it ^.0 well as he, cannot give much Pain. Mr. llamfay has, in the general, talccn his pure Ideas upon the Head of Commerce, and, for the Sake of throwing in fomething of his own *, he has artfully alluded to the Tranfndions in our Country fome Years ago, upon Occafion of that commonly call'd the Sckeme, which furely was never known to the Tyrians . nor anv of the Antients. Upon this Plan he afcribcs to the Terjians a Skill in Military Affairs, which they never had f . The Terjtans, fays the Bifhop of Meaux §, knew not what belong'd to the drawing up of Troops in an Army, nor to Marches or Encampments ; All that they knew of the Matter, was, to gather a vaft Number of Men together, who went rcfolutely to Battle, but without any Order. There is more Art, he added, than is imagin'd, in thus modernizing the Antients j for then we are not fervilely confin'd to the Ideas of An- tiquity. * CyrH/'s Tiavcls, Vol. II. p. 6emoJlhenes^ of which •where he puts Words into the Mouth of Cato. That Philofophical Hero came far fliorc of fuch pure Notions of the DciCy, as thofe ■wbidi that Author afa'ibcs to him : Of vs-hich we may judge by the Verfe that immediately follows the Q^iotation: Jupiter eft quodcumqiie lides, qiiocumque moveris. Signifying that Jupiter fills all Places, the Earth, the Sea, the Air, the Heavens. The other Padage is at the 39th Page. Mr. 'Ra>nfay there quotes a Paffage from Cicero'sTyeatifeof Old ylge, to fliew that the Soul is Tiot a God, hut an Eternal Being- This is the Liitin Text : Audiebam Fythagoram • - - nunquam dubitaffe quiti ex univcrnx mente divind deli- iatos animos haberemus. i. c. 1 heard that '■Pythagoras never fo aiuch as doubted that our Minds were fprung from the Univcrfal Divine Mind. M. Dubois tranflates it thus, p. 105 of the Edition in li" in 1708. Do not wc know that '•Pythagoras never doubted that our Souls were only Portions of that Univcifal Intelligence which we call God V He tells us, in a Note, that this Philolbpher had not the firft Notion of a Spiritual Subftance. ■t Of this there's a notable Inftance in Page 65. where Mr. Rain fay quotes a PafTage, which he fays he took from Cicero's Treatife of Confclatiou •■, *Tis plain that Mr. Kamfay faves himfelf the Trouble of confulting Authorities : If he had read that Treatife, he ■would have found, by feveral Idioms, that it was compofed by an Vol.X- Cic. Italian, as is agreed by the Learned ; the Exprelfions of which Italian \yVerburge that Author has fo happily blended, that tho' the PalTage begins at Page 41 16, of a very fmall Edition in Oftavo, and concludes at Page 41 1 8. yet he has made but two fliort Pages of it. He ought to have given Notice of the Liberty he took to makd Quotations after his own Fancy, Mr. in 06tavo. CoNv. IV. Travels of Cyrus. lot Mr. Ramfay fometimes, borrows the very Expieflions. As to the Style, 1 fhould never have done were I to reveal all his Thefts. 'Tis not he that writes, but M* de Feneloriy the Bifhop of Meaux^ M. de 7'otirreil^ &c. Never was fuch Patch- Work known. I can't imagine how the Author could take a Plea- furc in the humble Task of tranfcribing and collcding fuch a Number of Phrafes out of different Authors. By what the Abbat faid laft, the Che- valier was confirm'd in the Sufpicion he had before begun to entertain, that what he had declar'd in Favour of Cyrus at firit, was but a Series of Irony. He was then con- vinc'd that the Abbat had but little Eftecm for the Book, and that he defpis'd it even more than the Marchionefs did. Therefore finding his Caufe too weak, he gave over all Thoughts of difputing farther, and next Day took his Leave, and haften'd back to ^ariSj in Hopes of getting Solutions of all thofe Objedions that had been made to him, being, moreover, determin'd to retain the fame Veneration as ever for Mr. Ramfafs celebrated Performance. G z Mr: Mr. R A M S A T's INGENIOUS IMITATIONS. Travels ^f Cyrus, The Blfhop of Meaux's \T -^ 1 _ Difcourfe upon Um- Vol.l. p. 157. 'uerfalBftory,^.'ii6, IT feldom rains in Egypt : But the Niie^ which wa- ters it by its regular Overflowings,fupplies it with the Rains, and meltedSnowsof other Countries. An infinite Number of Canals were cut crofs it, in order to multiply fo ufcful a River. The Nile cariies Fruitful- nefs every where with its Waters, maijj:es a Communication be- tween thcCities, joins the / T feldom rains in Egypt : But this River (the Nile) vuhich waters the whole Country by its regular Overflowings , brings it the Rains and melted Snows of other Countries. To multiply Jo ufiful a River , an infinite Number of Canals of an incredible Length and Breadth are cut crofs the Country. The Nile carries Friiitf ni- ne fs every uchere with G 3 its 104 Mr. R A M S A Y's theGreat Sea with the Red Sej, and by that Means mdintains both Foreign and Domef- tick Commerce. Tage 158. The Cities, which had been raifed by immenfc Labours, ap- pear'd like Iflands in the Midft of the Wa- ters, and with Joy beheld all the Plajns overfiow'd and ferti- liz'd by that benefi- cent River. When it fwellM too much, great Bafons, made on Purpofe, ftrctch'd ihcir vaft Bofoms to receive thofc frudli- fying Waters, which were let loofe, or Hiut up by Sluices, as Occafion requir'd. Such was the Ufe of the Lake Mens, dug by one of the antient Kings its whole f om eJ Vat ers^ makes a Communica- tion between the Ci- ties, joins the Great Sea with theRedSea, and maintains both Foreign and 'Domef- tick Commerce. Page 518. Cities raifed by im- menfe Labours, and /landing up like I (lands in the Midfl of the Waters, with Joy looked down upon all the Plains J overfiomd and fcrtilizd by the Nile. When it fwells beyond Meafure, great Lakes, dug by the Kings, ft retch'd their Bafons to receive the Inundation. Thefe had their Outlets too for the Turpofe, by great Sluices^ which were opend or Jhut as Occafion requir'd^ and the Waters were drawn off, after hav- ing lain upon the Soil M Ingenious I Klngsof£^y/'/,whore Name it bore. Its Circuit was i8o Leagues. * Mr. Ramfay has ' been fo juft to his * Original, that, to his ' Praife be it fpokcn, ' he has copied the Bi- * fhop of Meaux's Er- * ror. Herodotus and * Strabo fay, that the ' LakcA/^mwasi 800 * Furlongs, which in * the whole makes 75 ' Leagues, at the rate ' of 8 Furlongs to the * Mile, and 3 Miles ' to the League.* y. 159. It wasnotafinglePa- lacc, but twelve mag- nificent Palaces regu- larly difpos'd. Three tkonfand Chambers, which had a Com- munication by Ter- raHes, were ranged round twelve Halls, and whoever entcr'd there without a Guide, could M I T A T 1 o N s .' jnft long enough to jatten it. Such 'u:as the Ufe of that great Lake J called the Lake of Myris, or Moeris, fromthe Kame of the King ivho can fed it to be dug, ''fis a- mai:^ing to read 'Ujhat is neverthelefs certd'my that its Circuit was about 1 80 French Leagues. 105 P. 523. But it was not fo much a finale Palace., Jo ^ ' as twelve magnificent palaces regularly dif pofed, and communis eating with one ano- ther. Fifteen hun- dred Chambers J with Terraffes between them, were ranged round t'^jelve Halls y G 4 and Mr. R A M S A Y'5 could never find his Way out. There were as many Buildings un- der Ground, and thefe were allotted for the burial Places of their Kings. P. 161, &C. He found that the Egyptian Pricfts had compiled their Hifto- ry of an unbounded Succcflion of Ages. They took a Pleafurc in lofing themfclvcs in that infinite Abyis of Duration, when OJiris govern'd Man- kind himfclf. P. 167. In this Age hv'd the lecond Hermes, called Trtfrnegijius. He was the Reftorcr of the anticnt Reli- gion. He colleded the Laws and Sci- ences of the firft Mercury^ in Forty- two and rz'hoever went in to vteisu them^ could ne'ver find his Way out. "There were as many Buildings under Crovmd , and thofe were allotted for the burial Places of their Kt7JgS, P. $16. The Friejis.^ who compiled the Hiftory of Egypt of that un- bounded SncceJ/ion of j^gesy delighted to lofe themfelves in that infinite Ab)fs of Time , which fem'd to bring them near to Eternity. P. 515, 516. I'he Inventors of Things ifefiil^receiv'd in their Life-time ^and after T>eath^ Re- wards worthy of their Labours. This it was that confecrated the Books of their two McrcurieS; and made them Ingenious Imitations.. t07 two Volumes, which thempafs for ^Divine were call'd The 7'rea- Books, the firfl of fure of Kerne dies for all People that we the Soul, becaufe they read had Libraries^ cure the Mind of its are the Egyptians. Ignorance, the Source The ^uery Titles made of all Evils. them curious to peep in the Books, and dive into the Secrets of them : They were called The Trealure of Remedies for the Soul , which was thereby cur'd of Ig- norance , the moft dangerous of its E^ *uilsy and the Source '■, ^ of all others. P. 1 68, 169. P.528,529, 530, 5 31. The Father of Se- The Father of Se- fojiris caufed ail the foftris formd a IDe- Children who were fign to make his Son born the fame Day a Conqueror. He fet with his Son, to be about it, after the brought to Court, and Manner of the Egyp- educated with the tians ; that is to fay, fame Care as the with great Hopes, All young Prince. Upon theChildreyi who were the Death of the King, born the fame T^ay Sefoflris levy'd a very with Sefoftris were formidableArmy,and brought to Otirt by ap- the :o8 Mr. RAMSAY'S appointed the young Men, v/ho had been educated with him, to be the Officers to command it. There were near Tizo thou- fand of them who were able to infpire all the Troops with Courage, Military- Virtues, and Attach- ment to the Prince. Sefoftrts form'd a Defign of con- quering the whole World, and pene- trated into the Indies farther than either Bacchus or Hercules. The Scythians llib- mitted to his Empire. Thrace and /^Jia Mi- nor are full of the Monuments of his Vidories. Upon thefe Monuments are to be feen the proud In- fcriptions of Sefajiris^ King of Kings ^ and Lord of Lords. Hav- ing extended his Con- quefts the King's Order] iji^hom he caufed to be educated as his own Children y and with the fame Care as Sefoflris , with whom they were brought tip — At that Time his Father died., and left him in a Ca- pacity to undertake almofl any Thing. The T)efign he form'd was no lefs than that of the Conqueft of the World — Mean time he raifed Troops^ and appointed the Touths whom his father had caufed to be brought up with him^ to b$ the commanding Of- ficers. There were Seventeen hundred