and Respect, that if a Man that lived an Age or two ago should return into the World again, he would really want a Dictionary to help him to understand his own Language, and to know the true intrinsick Value of the Phrase in Fashion; and would hardly, at first, believe at what a low Rate the highest Strains and Expressions of Kindness imaginable do commonly pass in current Payment; and when he should come to understand it, it would be a great while before he could bring himself with a good Countenance and a good Conscience, to converse with Men upon equal Terms and in their own Way.’

I have by me a Letter which I look upon as a great Curiosity, and which may serve as an Exemplification to the foregoing Passage, cited out of this most excellent Prelate.  It is said to have been written in King Charles II.’s Reign by the Ambassador of Bantam [2], a little after his Arrival in England.

  Master,

’The People, where I now am, have Tongues further from their Hearts than from London to Bantam, and thou knowest the Inhabitants of one of these Places does not know what is done in the other.  They call thee and thy Subjects Barbarians, because we speak what we mean; and account themselves a civilized People, because they speak one thing and mean another:  Truth they call Barbarity, and Falsehood Politeness.  Upon my first landing, one who was sent from the King of this Place to meet me told me, That he was extremely sorry for the Storm I had met with just before my Arrival.  I was troubled to hear him grieve and afflict himself upon my Account; but in less than a Quarter of an Hour he smiled, and was as merry as if nothing had happened.  Another who came with him told me by my Interpreter, He should be glad to do me any Service that lay in his Power.  Upon which I desir’d him to carry one of my Portmantaus for me, but instead of serving me according to his Promise, he laughed, and bid another do it.  I lodged, the first Week, at the House of one, who desired me to think my self at home, and to consider his House as my own.  Accordingly, I the next Morning began to knock down one of the Walls of it, in order to let in the fresh Air, and had packed up some of the Houshold-Goods, of which I intended to have made thee a Present:  But the false Varlet no sooner saw me falling to Work, but he sent Word to desire me to give over, for that he would have no such Doings in his House.  I had not been long in this Nation, before I was told by one, for whom I had asked a certain Favour from the Chief of the King’s Servants, whom they here call the Lord-Treasurer, That I had eternally obliged him.  I was so surpriz’d at his Gratitude, that I could not forbear saying, What Service is there which one Man can do for another, that can oblige him to all Eternity!  However I only asked him, for my Reward, that he would lend me his eldest Daughter during my Stay in this Country;