256 APPENDIX. 



is very memorable ; to which may be added 

 this out of Machiavel,* * that they are the most 

 suitable guardians of any thing, who are least 

 desirous to usurp it : and without doubt, con- 

 sidering the designs of the nobility and the 

 people, we must confess, that the first are very 

 ambitious of rule, the last desire only not to be 

 opprest.' 



COLASTERION. 



I presume that person is very rare, that can 

 boast of such an absolute saintship, whilst he is 

 amongst mortals, but that there will now and 

 then some actions fall from him, which confess 

 humanity, and require candour; some leaves in 

 the volume of the fairest life, are legenda cum 

 venid. If this be a common frailty, why do we 

 fix such rigid censures upon the miscarriages of 

 princes ? Or why do we deny them the same 

 mildness which we use, when we commiserate 

 the infirmities of other men ? 'Tis yet much 

 more disingenuous to revive and pore upon a 

 few bad actions, which, it may be, have been 

 long ago expiated with many good. Take this 

 from no mean statist :f ' 'Tis an unjust way of 



* Up. on Livy, p. 22. 



f Iniqua in omni re accusanda, praetermissis bonis, malomm 

 enumeratio, vitiorumque selectio j nam ne ullus quidem isto 

 modo magistratus vituperabilis non erit. 



