434 OBSERVATIONS ON A LIUEL. 



but more apparently than the first, because that de 

 sign was discovered in his father Charles V. and so 

 left him by descent ; whereas Philip of Macedon 

 was the first of the kings of that nation which fixed 

 so great conceits in his breast. The course which 

 this king of Macedon held was not so much by great 

 armies and invasions, though these wanted not when 

 the case required, but by practice, by sowing of 

 factions in states, and by obliging sundry particular 

 persons of greatness. The state of opposition against 

 his ambitious proceedings was only the state of 

 Athens, as now is the state of England against 

 Spain. For Lacedsemon and Thebes were both 

 low, as France is now ; and the rest of the states 

 of Greece were, in power and territories, far inferior. 

 The people of Athens were exceedingly affected to 

 peace, and weary of expence. But the point which 

 I chiefly make the comparison, was that of the 

 orators, which were as counsellors to a popular 

 state ; such as were sharpest sighted, and looked 

 deepest into the projects and spreading of the 

 Macedonians, doubting still that the fire, after it 

 licked up the neighbour states, and made itself 

 opportunity to pass, would at last take hold of the 

 dominions of Athens with so great advantages, as 

 they should not be able to remedy it, were ever 

 charged both by the declarations of the king of 

 Macedon, and by the imputation of such Athenians 

 as were corrupted to be of his faction, as the 

 kindlers of troubles, and disturbers of the peace 

 and leagues : but as that party was in Athens too 



