wherein he himself had a Fancy to ex

cell.

LASTLY, Kinsfolks, and Collegues, and those that have been bred together, are apt to ENVY their Equals, when they are Raised. For this upbraids them with their own Fortune, and as it were points at them, and frequently twitches their Memory: Moreover, this Comparison of Fortune falls more into the Obfervation of others: And ENVY ever reflects and redoubles from Speech and Fame. Whence Cain's ENVY towards his Brother Abel was the more malignant, because when Abel's Sacrifice was better accepted, no Body look'd on. Thus much for those that are apt to ENVY.

As for thofe that are more or less obnoxious to ENVY: First, Persons of eminent Virtue are lefs envied when they are advanc'd: For their Promotion feems but due unto them; and no Man envieth the Payment of a Debt, but Liberality beyond Merit. Again, ENVY is always joined with Comparing;

and

and where there is no Comparison, no ENVY; and therefore Kings are not envied but by Kings. Nevertheless, it is obfervable, that unworthy Persons are most Envied at their first Rifing to Honour, and afterwards not so much: Whereas, contrariwife, Perfons Worth and Merit then first meet with ENVY, after their Fortunes have continued long. For though their Virtue hold on the fame, yet it has not the fame Luftre; for fresh Men grow up that darken it.

of

PERSONS of Noble Blood are less expos'd to ENVY, when Honours are heaped upon them; for it seems no other than a Debt paid to their Anceftors: Befides, there feems but little added to their Fortune; and ENVY, like the Sun-Beams, beats hotter upon a rifing Ground than upon a Flat. And for the fame Reason, those that are advanc'd by Degrees, undergo lefs ENVY than thofe that are advanc'd fuddenly, and per Saltum.

THOSE

THOSE that have great Travels, Cares and Perils join'd with their Honours, labour lefs under EN V Y. For Men think that they pay dear for their Hohours, and begin fometimes to pity them rather; and Pity ever healeth ENvy. Wherefore you shall obferve commonly, that the more deep and sober Sort of Politick Perfons, and that glitter in Honour, are ever bemoaning themfelves, what a Life they lead; chanting a Quanta patimur! Not that they feel it fo, but in order to blunt the Edge of ENVY. But this is to be understood of Bufinefs that is impos'd upon fuch Men, not of that which they call unto themfelves. For nothing roufes Envy more than an ambitious and immoderate ingroffing of Business. And nothing, on the other Hand, extinguishes ENVY more than for a Man, in the highest Honours, to draw off nothing from other inferior Officers. For by this Means, fo many Minifters as he has, fo many Skreens between him and ENVY.

ABOVE all, those stir up most Envy, who carry the Greatness of their Fortunes in an infolent and proud Manner; being never well but while they are boafting of their Power, either by outward Pomp, or by triumphing oyer their Adverfaries or Competitors that they have overthrown: Whereas, on the other Side, prudent Men love sometimes to do facrifice to ENVY, in fuffering themselves now and then on purpose to be over-born in Things that they have not much at Heart. Notwithstanding, fo much is true, that the Carriage of Greatness in an open and undiffembled Manner, (fo it be without Arrogancy and Vain-Glory) occafions lefs ENVY than the withdrawing it self craftily, and as it were by Stealth, from Notice. For, in that Course, a Man does nothing but impeach Fortune, as tho' he were confcious of his own want of Worth, and fo does but teach others to Envy him.

To conclude this Part: As we faid in the Beginning, that the Act of ENVY

had

had fomewhat in it of Witchcraft; fo there is no other Cure of ENVY but the Cure of Witchcraft; and that is, to remove the Lot (as they call it) and to lay it upon another.

FOR which Purpose the wifer Sort of great Perfons ever bring in upon the Stage fome Body, upon whom to derive. the ENVY that would otherwise come upon themselves; throwing it off fometimes upon Minifters and Servants, fometimes upon Collegues and Associates, and the like. And for that Turn there are never wanting Perfons of violent and undertaking Natures, who, fo they may have Power and Business, make no Scruple to purchase it at any Rate.

Now to speak of Publick ENVY. And there is fome Good yet in This; whereas in Private Envy there is none at all. For publick ENVY is a kind of wholfome Oftracism, that eclipseth great Men when they grow too big; and therefore it is a Bridle alfo to thofe that are too powerful, to keep them within Bounds.

E

THIS