412 Paragraphs from a Portfolio. [|Oct. 



Selden's notions of popery would be scouted by the Uheralism of our 

 days. Yet Selden's acuteness will scarcely be doubted ; and he lived in 

 a time when popery was well known. 



" The protestants in France bear office in the state, because, though 

 their religion be different, yet they acknowledge no other king but the 

 king of France. The papists in England, they must have a king of 

 their own — a pope, that must do something in our kingdom ; therefore, 

 there is 7io reason they should enjoy the same privileges. 



" Amsterdam admits of all religions but papists, and 'tis upon the 

 same account. The papists, wherever they live, have another king at 

 Rome. All other rehgions are subject to the present state^ and have no 

 prince elsewhere. 



" The reason of the statute against priests was this. In the beginning 

 of Queen Elizabeth there was a statute made that he who drew men from 

 their civil obedience was a traitor. It happened, that this was done in 

 privacies and confessions, Avhere there could be no proof. Therefore, 

 they made another act, that for a priest to be in England was treason, 

 because they presumed that it was his business to fetch men off from 

 their obedience. 



" The priests of Rome aim but at two things — ^to get power from the 

 king and money from the subject. 



" When the priests come into a family, they do, as a man that would 

 set fire to a house. He does not put fire to the brick wall, but thrusts 

 it into the thatch. They attempt the women, and let the men alone." 



We all know the characteristic answer of the Protestant to the Papist 

 who taunted him with the novelty of the Reformation. 



" Did you wash your face this morning ?" — " Where was your face 

 before it was washed .'"* 



Selden gives it in another shape. Papist. " Where was your religion 

 before Luther, a hundred years ago ?" — Protestant. " Where was Ame- 

 rica a hundred years ago, or sixscore years ago ?" 



^sop himself has nothing finer than Selden's apologue of the Dog 

 and the JMutton. On the maxim " I?i a troiibled State save as much 

 for your own as you can. 



" A dog had been at market to buy a shoulder of mutton. In coming 

 home, he met two dogs that quarrelled with him. He laid down his 

 shoulder of mutton, and fell to fighting with one of them. In the mean- 

 time, the other dog fell to eating the mutton. He seeing that, left the 

 dog he was fighting with and fell upon him that was eating. Then the 

 other dog fell to eating. When he perceived there was no remedy, but 

 which of them soever he fought with, his mutton was in danger, he 

 thought that he would have as much of it as he could, and thereupon 

 gave over fighting and fell to eating himself." 



The apologue of the Lion and the Fox is full of the practical wisdom 

 so important in his day. " Wise men say nothing in dangerous times. 

 The lion called the sheep, to ask her if his breath smelt .'' She said. 

 Aye. He bit off her head for a fool. He called the wolf and asked 

 him. He said. No. He tore him in pieces for a flatterer. At last he 

 called the fox, and asked him. Truly, he had got a cold and could not 

 smell." 



