Notes of the Authoress 145 



sound most when there is least in them, which expresses a 

 flattering partiality, rather than honesty and truth ; for truth 

 and honesty lie at the bottom, and have more action than show. 



IX 



I have observed, that good fortune adds fame to mean 

 actions, when as ill fortune darkens the splendour of the most 

 meritorious ; for mean persons, plied with good fortune, are 

 more famous than noble persons that are shadowed or dark- 

 ened with ill fortune ; so that Fortune, for the most part, is 

 Fame's champion. 



x 



I observe, that as it would be a grief to covetous and misera- 

 ble persons to be rewarded with honour rather than with 

 wealth, because they love wealth before honour and fame ; 

 so, on the other side, noble, heroic, and meritorious persons 

 prefer honour and fame before wealth ; well knowing, that 

 as infamy is the greatest punishment of unworthiness, so 

 fame and honour is the best reward of worth and merit. 



XI 



I observe, that spleen and malice, especially in this age, 

 is grown to that height, that none will endure the praise of 

 anybody besides themselves ; nay, they'll rather praise the 

 wicked than the good ; the coward rather than the valiant ; 

 the miserable than the generous ; the traitor than the loyal ; 

 which makes wise men meddle as little with the affairs of the 

 world as ever they can. 



XII 



I have observed, as well as former ages have done, that 

 meritorious persons, for their noble actions, most commonly 

 get envy and reproach, instead of praise and reward ; unless 

 their fortunes be above envy, as Caesar's and Alexander's 

 were. But had these two worthies been as unfortunate as they 

 were fortunate, they would have been as much vilified as 

 they are glorified, 



U 



