r6z

A Sketch of the History Let. %

in bbth it’s parts, through the whole courfe ofthis period.

When Lewis the fourteenth took the admi-niftration of affairs into his own hands , aboutthe year one thoufand fix hundred and fxxty, hewas in the prime of his age , and had, whatprinces feldom have, the advantages of youth andthofe of experience together. Their education isgenerally bad; for which reafon royal birth, thatgives a right to the throne among other people,gave an abfolute exclufion from it among theMammelukes. His was, in all refpects, except one,as bad as that of other princes. He jefted fome-times on his own ignorance; and there were otherdefe&s in his character, owing to his education,which he did not fee. But Mazarin had initiat-ed him betimes into the myfteries of his policy.He had feen a great part of thofe foundations laid,on which he was to raife the fabric of his futuregrandeur: and as Mazarin finilhed the work thatRichelieu began, he had the lelfons of one, andthe examples of both, to inftrudt him. He hadacquired habits of feerdey and method, in bufinefs;of referve, diferetion, decency, and dignity, inbehaviour. If he was not the greateft king, hewas the belt actor of majefty at leaft, that everfilled a throne. He by no means wanted tha$courage which is commonly called bravery, thoughthe want of it was imputed to him in the midftof his greateft triumphs : nor that other courage,lefs oftentatious and more rarely found, calm,fteady, perfevering refolution: which feems to