" "Heaven is my witness," said
Seleucus, "I could resign even my Stratonice to save my Antiochus." At
this the tears ran down his cheeks, which when the physician saw, taking
him by the hand, "Sir," says he, "if these are your real sentiments, the
prince's life is out of danger; it is Stratonice for whom he dies."
Seleucus immediately gave orders for solemnising the marriage; and the
young queen, to show her obedience, very generously exchanged the father
for the son.

No. 186. [STEELE.

From _Thursday, June 15_, to _Saturday, June 17, 1710_.

Emitur sola virtute potestas.
CLAUDIAN, De Tertio Consulatu Honorii, 188.

* * * * *

_Sheer Lane, June 16._

As it has been the endeavour of these our labours to extirpate from
among the polite or busy part of mankind, all such as are either
prejudicial or insignificant to society; so it ought to be no less our
study to supply the havoc we have made by an exact care of the growing
generation. But when we begin to inculcate proper precepts to the
children of this island, except we could take them out of their nurses'
arms, we see an amendment is almost impracticable; for we find the whole
species of our youth and grown men is incorrigibly prepossessed with
vanity, pride, or ambition, according to the respective pursuits to
which they turn themselves: by which means the world is infatuated with
the love of appearances instead of things. Thus the vain man takes
praise for honour, the proud man ceremony for respect, the ambitious man
power for glory. These three characters are, indeed, of very near
resemblance, but differently received by mankind. Vanity makes men
ridiculous; pride, odious; and ambition, terrible. The foundation of all
which is, that they are grounded upon falsehood: for if men, instead of
studying to appear considerable, were in their own hearts possessors of
the requisites for esteem, the acceptance they otherwise unfortunately
aim at would be as inseparable from them, as approbation is from truth
itself. By this means they would have some rule to walk by; and they
may ever be assured, that a good cause of action will certainly receive
a suitable effect. It may be a useful hint in such cases for a man to
ask of himself, whether he really is what he has a mind to be
thought?[309] If he is, he need not give himself much further anxiety.
"What will t