s the etiquette of a court.
"Aureng-Zebe" was received with the applause to which it is certainly
entitled. It was acted and printed in 1676.

Footnote:
1. Voyages de Tavernier, seconde partie; livre seconde.

TO

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

JOHN,

EARL OF MULGRAVE,

GENTLEMAN OF HIS MAJESTY'S BED-CHAMBER,

AND KNIGHT OF THE MOST NOBLE ORDER

OF THE GARTER[1].

MY LORD,

It is a severe reflection which Montaigne has made on princes, that we
ought not, in reason, to have any expectations of favour from them;
and that it is kindness enough, if they leave us in possession of our
own. The boldness of the censure shows the free spirit of the author:
And the subjects of England may justly congratulate to themselves,
that both the nature of our government, and the clemency of our king,
secure us from any such complaint. I, in particular, who subsist
wholly by his bounty, am obliged to give posterity a far other account
of my royal master, than what Montaigne has left of his. Those
accusations had been more reasonable, if they had been placed on
inferior persons: For in all courts, there are too many, who make it
their business to ruin wit; and Montaigne, in other places, tells us,
what effects he found of their good natures. He describes them such,
whose ambition, lust, or private interest, seem to be the only end of
their creation. If good accrue to any from them, it is only in order
to their own designs: conferred most commonly on the base and
infamous; and never given, but only happening sometimes on
well-deservers. Dulness has brought them to what they are; and malice
secures them in their fortunes. But somewhat of specious they must
have, to recommend themselves to princes, (for folly will not easily
go down in its own natural form with discerning judges,) and diligence
in waiting is their gilding of the pill; for that looks like love,
though it is only interest. It is that which gains them their
advantage over witty men; whose love of liberty and ease makes them
willing too often to discharge their burden of attendance on these
officious gentlemen. It is true, that the nauseousness of such company
is enough to disgust a reasonable man; when he sees, he can hardly
approach greatness, but as a moated castle; he must first pass throug