who will feed and fawn upon thee in the summer of prosperity, but, in an adverse storm, they will shelter thee no more than an arbour in winter. 5. Beware of suretyship for thy best friends. He that payeth another man's debts, seeketh his own decay. But, if thou canst not otherwise chuse, rather lend thy money thyself upon good bonds, although thou borrow it. So shalt thou secure thyself and pleasure thy friend. Neither borrow money of a neighbour, or a friend, but of a stranger, where paying for it, thou shalt hear no more of it. Otherwise thou shalt eclipse thy credit, lose thy freedom, and yet pay as dear as to another. But in borrowing of money, be precious of thy word: for he that hath care of keeping days of payment is lord of another man's purse. 6. Undertake no suit against a poor man without receiving much wrong: for besides that thou makest him thy compeer; it is a base conquest to triumph where there is small resistance. Neither attempt law against any man before thou be fully resolved that thou hast right on thy side; and then spare not for either money or pains: for a cause or two so followed, and obtained, will free thee from suits a great part of thy life. 7. Be sure to keep some great man thy friend, but trouble him not for trifles. Compliment him often with many yet small gifts, and of little charge. And if thou hast cause to bestow any great gratuity, let it be something which may be daily in sight; otherwise, in this ambitious age, thou shalt remain like a hop without a pole, live in obscurity, and be made a foot-ball for every insulting compa nion to spurn at. 8. Towards thy superiors, be humble, yet generous. With thine equals, familiar, yet respective. Towards thy inferiors shew much humanity, and some familiarity: as to bow the body; stretch forth the hand; and to uncover the head; with such like popular compliments. The first prepares thy way to advancement. The second makes thee known for a man well bred. The third gains a good report; which, once got, is easily kept. For right humanity takes such deep root in the minds of the multitude, as they are easilier gained by unprofitable curtesies than by churlish benefits. Yet I advise thee not to affect, or neglect, popularity too much. Seek not to be Essex, shun to be Ralegh, 9. Trust not any man with thy life, credit, or estate for it is mere folly for a man to enthral himself to his friend, as though, occasion being offered, he should not dare to become the enemy. 10. Be not scurrilous in conversation, nor satyrical in thy jests. The one will make thee unwelcome to all company; the other pull on quarrels, and get thee hatred of thy best friends. For sus picious jests (when any of them savour of truth) leave a bitterness in the minds of those which are touched. And, albeit, I have already pointed at this inclusively; yet I think it necessary to leave it to thee as a special caution. Because I have seen many so prone to quip and gird, as they would rather leese their friend than their jest. And if perchance their boiling brain yield a quaint scoff, they will travail to be delivered of it as a woman with child. These nimble fancies are but the froth of wit. His remaining works are, 5. "A Meditation on the Death of his Lady;" printed by Mr. Ballard, in his Memoirs of British Ladies. 6. He was also supposed to be the author of a pamphlet, in defence of the punishments inflicted on the Roman Catholics, in the reign of queen Elizabeth, intitled, "The Execution of Justice in England for maintenance of Public and Christian Peace against certain Stirrers of Sedition, and Adherents to the Traitors and Enemies of the Realm, without any Persecution of them for Questions of Religion, as is falsely reported," &c. London, 1583. Second edition. 7. Other political pieces have been also attributed to him, particularly the celebrated libel, intitled, "Leicester's Commonwealth." But there is no proof that the reference of this last piece to him is correct. 8. A great number of lord Burleigh's Letters are still extant in various places. Thirtythree are printed in Peck's Desiderata Curiosa; three in Howard's Collections; and many others in Forbes's, Haynes's, and Murdin's State Papers. Haynes's Collection, published in 1740, extends from the year 1542 to 1570; Murdin's, which appeared in 1759, from 1571 to 1596; both of which collections. throw great light on the transactions of the period to which they relate. Particularly, the whole course of the proceedings relative to Mary queen of Scots are fully laid open. Dr. Birch, in his Memoirs of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, has also given extracts from several letters of lord Burleigh, which are among the original papers of Mr. Anthony Bacon, In the Nuge Antique is likewise a Letter of Advice, written by his lordship, in 1578, to Mr. Harrington (afterwards sir John Harrington) then a student at the university of Cambridge. In the earl of Hardwicke's Miscella neous State-Papers, besides a number of letters addressed to Cecil, there are seven of his own writing. Moreover, his unpublished papers are still numerous; and are to be found in the British Museum, in the libraries of the earls of Salisbury, Hardwicke, and of the marquis of Landsdown. The character given of this eminent statesman by Hume seems to be unexceptionable, and is warranted by the preceding extract. "Lord Burleigh, (says he,) died in an advanced age; and by a rare fortune, was equally regretted by his sovereign and the people. He had risen gradually from small beginnings, by the mere force of merit; and though his authority was never entirely absolute, or uncontroled with the queen, he was still, during the course of nearly forty years, regarded as her minister. None of her other inclinations or affections could ever overcome her confidence in so useful a counsellor; and as he had had the generosity or good sense to pay assiduous court to her, during her sister's reign, when it was dangerous to appear her friend, she thought herself bound in gratitude, when she mounted the throne, to persevere in her attachments to him. He seems not to have |