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Show the very profpeét of the many different Maxims of The Art of Travel/Mg. 31 And Ignorance in this matter contains in it three Government, they become uncapable of governing 3 refpeéts, which the greateft part of the World does becaufe their Minds are not endow"d with a vigor and heat fufficient to melt down all fuch matters together, and to extract out of 'em only what pre- not fufficiently confider, at lealt they feldom or never unite 7em all together. The firit regards the Principles of univerfal Policy; which Perfons of or- cifely futcs with the Government of the Country in which they live. dinary Parts almoit perpetually confound with the One may every day fee not only a great many Travellers, but even Miniiters of State and Am- Country. 'Tis true, there are every where fome ball'adors, whofe Minds are f0 fram'd, that their bottom of things, and feek out means of repairing the Defects of the Politicks of their Country: but it generally f0 happens that Perfons of this Genius go The Art of Tram/ling. Heads turn round infiead of becoming firm and flable'at the appearance of To many different Circum- atlual Determinations of the Government of their Minds more fublime and judicious, who go to the are feldom advaiic'd into favor, and meet with ve- itances and Meafiires. On which account the old Prince Luhomirski was wont to fay, that fuch fort of film are fem abroad to learn the art of being regular ry little Refpeét in a State 3 whether it be that they want Docility to accommodate themfelves to the Fools. Indeed fuch Perfons appear f0 little furnilhed with the general Ideas of Policy, and to deeply prepollefs‘d with the particular Maxims of their Humors of others, or Submiflion to procure them Patrons, or Ambition to pulh'em forward. It was of this fort of Men that the Duke of Parma once faid, The)! were of the fame ufe to States, as Props to own Country, that their \Veaknefs is difcover'd almoft as foon as they begin to talk. To {peak yet more plainly for the good of the publick, 'tis Ignorance that determines the Judg- ments of fome Travellers; even before the Maxims of foreign Countries are known to 'em, they go from home {0 full of Prejudice, that they are refolv'd to return polltfs'd with greater Opiniatrety than when they went out: whence it comes to pals either that they can learn nothing becaufe of their prevention, or elfe they fee and obferve fo much that they can come to no decilive Judgment, like thofe who have more Viv'ituals in their Stomachs than they have natu- ral heat to digeft. To this purpofe the late Prince Charles of Lorrain us'd to fay; 1f tbt'ft' Travellers would learn with a dcfig'n of improving in It'norvlcdg, thty would m? hecominghi‘, but to prefumc the)! know crz/ny thing, before they are capable of learning, is the may to 126-- came a difiinguijh'd Pop. And old Houfes to hinder their fall. The fecond fort of Ignorance refpcéts Perfons of another Genius, who furpafling the former as well in Number as Authority, are in pollbllion of the privilege of fetting a value upon things, and giving weight to Decilions that are made : and hence it almofl: necefl‘arily comes to pafs, that that is fuppos'd to be belt and trueft, which appears to be molt au- thoriZ'd, and mofl: generally receiv'd. And this Miftake is almoft irreparable, if we take the matter in general, in as much as the number of juft and fublime Minds being every where very final], and that of narrow Capacities almoit immenfe in proportion to the other; there is between both a fort of middle-fiz'd Underflandings, to whofe Decifion thofe of a fubordinate Rank pay a blind deference, which produces that publick Imprellion which obtains on the generality of People, that finch as fill T 4 the |