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13. and impotence in which France found herself at the treaty of Vervins.

I may quote an Example much inferior in every other respect to this, but in this apposite enough. The life of Lewis the fourteenth was a life of ostentation and amusement; to amuse Him seemed to be the business, not only of His Court, but of the whole nation; and yet it is certain that during fifty years, His councils were constantly held, and the reports of His Ministers constantly made at the Hours appointed in the morning, as the result of all this when the nature of the business admitted so much dispatch was dispatched in the evening of the same day.

The Exercises of a Prince should make part of His diversions: He must learn to dance and to ride for instance; both these give him an exterior grace which ought not to be neglected. Parties of Pleasure with those who have the Honour to approach Him may succeed, and a commerce still more general with the world. The conversation of Men and that of Women too will help to improve the Character of one who has already some discernment of spirits, and who begins to distinguish the Characters of others.

A due and constant case on this head should be taken by the Governor of a Prince. The Governor is to attend Him on publick occasions especially, and to observe His whole Behaviour, His words His actions and even His Gestures, not in order to unclear Him with too frequent and direct remonstrances against Himself, but to be able to discerning nicely His defects to correct Him the better by making Him observe the same in others.

We will suppose the Governor to be a man of the first Quality, who has always lived in the highest Forms of life, who has given great proofs of ability in business, of Honour and of Virtue, a man in short whom it is to be wished