Monsieur Chezluy to Pharamond.

  Dread Sir,

’I have from your own Hand (enclosed under the Cover of Mr. Eucrate of your Majesty’s Bed-Chamber) a Letter which invites me to Court.  I understand this great Honour to be done me out of Respect and Inclination to me, rather than Regard to your own Service:  For which Reason I beg leave to lay before your Majesty my Reasons for declining to depart from Home; and will not doubt but, as your Motive in desiring my Attendance was to make me an happier Man, when you think that will not be effected by my Remove, you will permit me to stay where I am.  Those who have an Ambition to appear in Courts, have ever an Opinion that their Persons or their Talents are particularly formed for the Service or Ornament of that Place; or else are hurried by downright Desire of Gain, or what they call Honour, or take upon themselves whatever the Generosity of their Master can give them Opportunities to grasp at.  But your Goodness shall not be thus imposed upon by me:  I will therefore confess to you, that frequent Solitude, and long Conversation with such who know no Arts which polish Life, have made me the plainest Creature in your Dominions.  Those less Capacities of moving with a good Grace, bearing a ready Affability to all around me, and acting with ease before many, have quite left me.  I am come to that, with regard to my Person, that I consider it only as a Machine I am obliged to take Care of, in order to enjoy my Soul in its Faculties with Alacrity; well remembering, that this Habitation of Clay will in a few years be a meaner Piece of Earth than any Utensil about my House.  When this is, as it really is, the most frequent Reflection I have, you will easily imagine how well I should become a Drawing-Room:  Add to this, What shall a Man without Desires do about the generous Pharamond? Monsieur Eucrate has hinted to me, that you have thoughts of distinguishing me with Titles.  As for my self, in the Temper of my present Mind, Appellations of Honour would but embarrass Discourse, and new Behaviour towards me perplex me in every Habitude of Life.  I am also to acknowledge to you, that my Children, of whom your Majesty condescended to enquire, are all of them mean, both in their Persons and Genius.  The Estate my eldest Son is Heir to, is more than he can enjoy with a good Grace.  My Self-love will not carry me so far, as to impose upon Mankind the Advancement of Persons (merely for their being related to me) into high Distinctions, who ought for their own Sakes, as well as that of the Publick, to affect Obscurity.  I wish, my generous Prince, as it is in your power to give Honours and Offices, it were also to give Talents suitable to them:  Were it so, the noble Pharamond would reward the Zeal of my Youth with Abilities to do him Service in my Age.

’Those who accept of Favour without Merit, support themselves in it at the Expence of