‘ [...]’ In English, ‘To undo a City is an easie matter even for the Wicked; But to set it right again is difficult.’
Upon that worthily admired PATRIOT, [...]. AND Honour of his Country THE OBSERVATOR Secula Phaenices nulla tulere duos. Here (viz.) in the mat­ter of Odys­seas. Ʋlysses and L'Estrange.

Quam rem ita gravi­ter tulit A­lexander, ut fecundâ le­gatione de­nuo bellum deprecanti­bus ita de­mum re­miserit, ut Oratores, et duces, quo­rum fidu­ciâ toties rebellent, sibi dedan­tur; eo ta­men de­mum res est deducta ut retentis Oratoribus, duces in ex­ilium age­rentur.
WEre Brains now cheerd with such Caelestial Fire,
As the renowned Homer's did inspire.
England might Iliads, and Odysseas bear,
And Roger should Ʋlysses Ensigns wear.
Divine Achilles would, and but that one,
Stand here betwixt L'Estrange and Charles le bon.
Peers won't this grudge, their Virtues in each Scheme,
Are adaequate, they differ but in name.
The Greeks with Honors did Ʋlysses Crown,
(Brave grateful Greeks) and what shall ours have none?
Athens should Orators and Captains yield,
(In confidence of whom they so oft rebell'd:)
To his will, Earths Monarch said, so they compell'd,
Warriors, by no means Orators expell'd.
They'd yield their lives assoon, this speaks how dear,
With Wise men wise, and Loyal States men were:
And well they might, for in these Watchmen dwell,
Lives Liberties, and all that's Paralel.
Philipp would likewise from them raise his Seige.
Curt. lib. 2. fol. 17.
Philippus, Macedo Pa­ter Alexan­dri magni.
[...]o they ten Hostages would grant his Liege.
Then said Demosthenes; the VVolves would League,
VVith Shepherds; so their Mastiffs they'd reneague,
[...]he cause of all the strife: this brings to mind,
Viz. 10. Orators.
[...]treigues of late, of the same wolfish kind:

[...].

In English,

Glory from a Multitude is better than much Wealth. ISOCRATES.
Alter Hippias no­mine cum imper um paternum teneret in­terfecto­rem fratris compre­hendi jubet qui cum per tormen­ta conscios caedis no­minare co­geretur. omnes ami. cos tyranni nom may it: quibus in­terfectis qua [...]ii tyranno an adhuc reli­qui conscij essent? nemo, ait, superest, quem am­plius morigestiam, quam ip­sum tyran­num. Justi­ni, lib 2.
Strange, Strange, Demands Smell'd they of want of sense
Most, or of the Phanatique Impudence?
Or did the wolves that do infest our Land,
Think they a Dick, or Hippias had in hand?
No, no, our Sovereign Shepherd was too wise,
By Nature, Art, and the late Exercise;
To give those honest men who would repay,
As they his Father did but t'other day
That is not yet forgot, nor will it be,
Till Time be swallow'd in Eternity.
His Mastiffs give 'em, who would him devour,
(Nay God himself for money they'd deflour)
Not only take the fruits but kill the heirs,
That the Vine-Yard might be for ever theirs.
This as the Shepherds Mastiff stout doth keep,
Those Wolves, the Whigs from worrying of the Sheep
He merits from the Crown; all honest men.
He'll bring Fanaticks to their wits agen;
Vnless they are damn'd by Crimes so insolent,
That they with the Sphinx Titus can't repent.
Those Saints that Muffty for their saviour cry'd,
Deflour, viz. to rob God of his Honour.
And now the saviour will be Crucifi'd.
Never did Villain yet deserve it more,
Then may our Turks their Mahomet adore.
Could mere man bear that Badge without a sin,
This Patriot for it, fairly hath put in.
For when the saviour design'd nothing more,
Than a Sea of Blood, his Antidotes restore.
Good David with his lyre charm'd raving Saul,
So this Isocrates, this learned Paul,
By Whigs blown frantick with his lovely strain,
Converts this Land to sober sense again.
A Land which doth with Milk and Hony flow,
Here's Dame and Daughter; Peace, and Plenty too.
A Canaan with all earthly Comforts Blest,
L'Estrange
Blest yet in that 'tis Blessed Abraham's rest.

[...].

In English,

The Wise Man shall be called the Delight of the Citizens PHOCYLIDES.
Ny Cred y mol nes gwelo y mennyth. Proverb.
We have good David, and wise Solomon,
(Wonders of Mercy they to Whigs have shown)
Restor'd, preserv'd by such mirac'lous hand,
As transfer'd Israel to the holy land.
Latina.
Here we have Moses and the Gospel read,
Ne suade­la quidem persuaserit dum sero sit.
Yea, mighty apparitions from the dead.
Yet Corahs Gang rebells: saducean seed,
Ingrateful, Bloody, Antichristian breed.
A Land which doth the Phaenix now possess;
The Athe­nians e­rected Sta­tues in ho­nour of So­crates. La­ertius.
Too happy, if it knew its happiness.
Let it as Athens, for him statues raise,
Adorn his brow with everlasting Bays.
And men on earth do service at his Tomb,
VVhen God this Victor doth in heaven Crown:
Service to God at the Tombes of, &c. Jewel.
Divines conclude all humane Eloquence,
Beneath the God-like Abrahams excellence.
No Oratators compleatly could express,
The holy Patriarchs heavenly-mindedness.
Nor can I this. 'tis true I have too will,
How to perform I find not in my skill.
To soar so high is not of my poor wing,
If it were dipt in the Castalian Spring
Then would I volumes write, I tell thee Trim,
Protest they should be all in praise of him.
The Philo­sophers, had their De­tractours. Plutarch.
Come Curtis, Care, and all the canting Crew,
You cannot face this sun, such Apes as you.
Grand Sophies ever had some Currs to whine
At them: but Hereticks make Hero's shine.
Shine lofty soul, thy wit, worth, works aspire,
'Bove hate, yea praise: Theams for us to admire.
VVhich will, while time lasts, eternize thy name,
Open the Ears of Men, the Gates of Fame.
Hold then my Muse, none can this subject hit,
Vnless L'Estrange himself, or Angels writ.
Mota manus Procerum est, et quid Facundia posset,
Tum patuit: Fortisque viri tulit arma Disertus.

[...]

In English,

Not Jove himself can all men please,
Whether he doth Rain, or he doth cease.
Theognis.

Isocrates ad nicoclem oratio se­cunda pa­gina.

[...].

81.87.93.109.

The Translation.

APply your self to the most prudent of them who are about you; and send for what others you can, and think it not convenient to be a stranger to well-approved Orators: give to the wise the Liberty of declaring their minds freely; and have the discreet, and such as can see further than others, in great esteem, and veneration; knowing this, that a good Counseller, is the most profitable and King­ly Possession. Judge those to be likliest to make your Kingdom who can best fur­nish your understanding: Honour your Friends with the Principal, and the most Benevolent with the truest of your Honors.

Deem the safest Guard of your person to be the Virtue of your Friends, and your own prudence, for these are the things by which Dominion is both gain'd, and maintained.

This is some of the advice of Isocrates, a most excellent and learned Orator, who was accounted the wisest Man on Earth; and indeed who rightly consider his writings (than which nothing can be more curious) will easily imagine it to be true. So that as Alexander the Great, often pronounced the Greek Heroes happy, for that they had Homer to immortalise their Fame, by streining the Quintessence, and Heroicness of Wisdom, and Fortitude to so sublime a pitch; (which) besides that he was so Eminently learned himself, having been so long the scholar of Ari­stotle, and so great a Proficient, that it became a question, whether Alexander the Great ow'd more to his Father Philipp, or to his Schoolmaster Aristotle) I fancy a Topick of that singular Veneration he had for all learned men, testified by munifi­cent Bounty, and a warm sympathising tenderness, above (I think) any other Exam­ples History affords.) So may we esteem Nicocles happy, who had Isocrates (the wisest man in the World) to be his Orator. And so may we Congratulate the hap­piness of our most Gracious Monarch, and his Kingdoms in that incomparable Ora­tor Roger L'Estrange; who for Loyalty, Wisdom, and Eloquence comes, but in time, behind any of the Ancient Philosophers; nay we may conclude all Princes and Po­tentates happy, who are accommodated with such faithful worthy Oratours; and do give such Honor; and Deference unto them as Alexander did, by which means indeed, he might well become great.

LONDON Printed for A. Harris, 1684.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this EEBO-TCP Phase II text, in whole or in part.