A Sketch of the HrSToKY Let. 7.

162

in both its parts, through the whole course ofthis period.

When Lewïs the fourteenth took the admi-nistration of astairs into his own hands, aboutthe year o ne thousand six hundred and sixty, hewas in the prime of his âge, and had, whatprinces seldom hâve, the advantages of youth andthofe of expérience together. Their éducation isgenerally bad; for which reafon royal birth, thatgives a right to the throne among other people,gave an absolute exclusion from it among theM.immelukes. His was, in ail respects, except one,as bad as that of other princes. He jested some-times on his own ignorance; and there were otherdefects in his character, owing to his éducation,which he did not see. But Mazarin had initiat-ed him betimes into the mysteries of his policy.He had seen a gréât part of those foundations laid,on which he was to rai le the fa bri c of his futuregrandeur: and as Mazarin finifhed the work thajRicheieu bégan, he had the lestons of one, andthe examples of both, to instruct him, He hadaccpiirtd habits of secrecy and method, in business;of relerve, discrétion, decency. and dignity, inbehaviour. if he was not the greatest kmg, hewas die best actor of majesty at least, that eversillet! a throne. He by no m&ans wantéd thatcourage which is commonîy called bravery, thoughthe wam of it svasimputed to hun in the midstof his greatest triumphs : nor that other courage,léss ostentations and more rarely found, calm,íteady, persevering résolution: which seems to