£8237] 
is the man that can with justice say 
this of himself? There are but few of 
the greatest men that can. Most men 
of talents, giving way to a mean 
jealousy, have dishonoured themselves 
by the use they have made of them. 
DR. .PALEY}-.1 ," 
When Dr. Watson, bishop of Llandaff, 
was moderator at Cambridge, brought — 
him ‘the fotlowing question for his act: 
—“ #ternitas penarum contradicit Di- 
vinis attributis.” He, however, was 
frightened out of this thesis by Dr. 
Thomas, dean of Ely, master of his 
college. 
THE METEORS,THE COMET, AND THE SUN. 
Lines on the Dowager Duchess of Rutland, 
(then Marchioness of Granby,) said to be 
by the Right Mon. Charles James Fox. 
Ye meteors, who with mad career 
Have rov’d thro’ fashion’s atmosphere ; 
And thon, young, fair, fantastic Devon, 
Wild as the comet in mid-beayen,— 
Hide your diminish'’d heads! nor stay - 
T°’ usurp the shining realms of day.: 
For see, tl’ ansully’d morning light, 
With beams ‘more constant and more 
bright, 
Her splendid course begins to run, 
_ And all creation hails the sun. 
PICCADILLY. 
See Clarendon’s “History of the 
Republic,” p. 241, book iii. vol. 1, 
ectavo edition, for a most curious ac-_ 
count of the bowling-green and gar- 
dens there, in the time of Charles [. 
and also of the custom of that day* “of 
playing at bowls, &c. 
SOCIETY OF KINGS. 
This society charms at first, and it 
is grateful to kings to be allowed to ° 
be familiar, while the royal favour 
crowns the wishes of the courtier: but 
there is no intimacy whichis attended 
with more inconveniences, nor which 
is subject to more vicissitudes. An 
unfounded disadvantageous rumour 
may hurt a man in society, but there 
his judges are more considerate, as 
being subject to similar inconve- 
niencies, and as being in the habit of 
estimating the credit due to such re- 
ports ; kings, on the contrary, so much 
separated from the rest of the world, 
cannot enter into this caleulation ; and 
they resign themselves absolutely to 
the ptiblic voice, to that of their mis- 
tresses, or their society, if they have 
any. 
Sovereigns are men, and, as such, 
more disposed to yield to unfavour- 
able than to good impressions. Often 
with them a word is sufficient to im- 
Stephensiana, No. XXII. 
243 
pair the reputation of a person, to put 
a stop to his good fortune, and even to 
ruin him. Let it, then, be judged un-' 
der what continual constraint an ho- 
nest and honourable man’ must be 
placed, who enjoys the familiarity of 
kings; unless he constantly restricts 
himself to the inglorious part of ap- 
plauding, excusing, or of being silent. 
With kings there “is no subject of 
conversation. We certainly ‘are not 
to speak of politics to them, nor of the 
news of the day; neither can adminis- 
tration be made the topic. Many 
events which happen in society cannot 
be related to them; and not a word 
must be said to them on religion, of 
which they are the guardians. 
Former wars, ancient history, facts 
which are even but little remote, 
sciences, and belles lettres, might far- 
nish conversation; but where are the 
courtiers who are conversant with 
these points?~ The kings also are not 
numerous to whom this strain would 
be intelligible. The subjects, then, 
for this high converse, must be sup- 
plied by common-phce affairs, the 
theatres, and the chace. Let us not 
persuade ourselves that we can interest 
kines by flattering their taste, since 
they rarely have any. They find so 
much facility in gratifying it, that it 
passes before they have even fully 
enjoyed it. In order to participate in 
pleasures, we must combat contrarie- 
ties, surmount difficulties, and feel 
privations. ‘The love of glory: or the 
chase can alone place kings in this si- 
tuation; and we always see the one or 
the other of these predilections form 
their ruling passion; the love of glory 
has possession of those cf an elevated 
disposition, while the chase is the 
pursuit when the mind is of the ordi- 
nary standard. 
Siace the regard for kings cannot 
be otherwise than interested, suspicion 
becomes the basisof their character ; 
and this feeling renders intimate con- 
nexions impossible. Accustomed to 
homage,-they believe that all is due 
to them, and that nothing is dae from 
them. ‘The courtier who is most in- 
jured by them must redouble his atten- 
tions, lest his imperious master should 
suspect that he resents the treatment, 
charge him with insolence, drive him 
from his presence, and thus cut him off 
from the hopes which his wholeé life 
has keen employed to realize. 
The circumstance, the most revolting 
in the society of kings , is that of hav- 
ing 
